Theology of the Body: South American Governments Murdering Abandoned Children Again

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

South American Governments Murdering Abandoned Children Again

Of course the BBC headlines did not read "Bishop sacked for refusal to endorse doctor who aids young girl in the murder of an infant;" nor did the press report that the Argentinian government has decided to legalize the right of young women to become accomplices in the murder of children. Nonetheless, the BBC has been all over it: over the past weekend, the Argentinian government legalized abortions and persecuted the clergy who wished to defend tiny babies. How very modern of our friends across the border. Read the thing here.

In an act of high drama, Argentina's first legal abortion was performed today on a tiny 11-year old girl who, being the victim of rape and incest, was carrying a child in her very young womb. A prelate appropriately cited the dire warning of all three Gospels on point: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea," (Matthew 18) referring, of course, to the rapist, the abortionist, and the Argentinan state. (The Argentinian government has been railing over the non-PC tone of this rebuke, and so they should. It is harsh. Pooh)

Did no one stop to think of the horrors that will be added to this little girl's life every time she recalls her role in killing the helpless life growing inside her- a little innocent life, like hers, helpless and abused? Does it really absolve the national conscience to make a murderer out of the child who was a rape victim? Did no one stop to think of dignifying her pain and shame by allowing her the opportunity to grant and nurture an infant life for a time, to experience the restoration that would come from an heroic act of love in allowing her child to live? This little girl is too young for the nightmares and the emotional trauma that will certainly ensue from the abortion that she was led to consent to (children are ALWAYS such easy political pawns-it's always disgusting). She is far too young for the cramping and the physical pain of recovering from a forced death inside her little body. It seems that South American governments are killing poor children again. God help us.