Regarding abortion, I had held what I considered to be a rather strong, yet sympathetic, view: Abortion is wrong… but what about victims of rape, etc.? My view changed many years ago and it was not because of someone's preaching, a well written article, a powerful speech, or graphic images spread across the internet or television screen. Three people had the greatest impact on adjusting my view: My wife, my mom, and my grandmother (and grandfather).
All three of these women stand/stood 100% against abortions—ALL abortions. My dear wife is resolute because, as she will quickly and with unabating firmness point out: Abortion is, first and foremost, about the baby. Whatever the reasons of the mother (and there are some heartbreaking, horrific, and ungodly circumstances), the baby deserves to live.
My dear mother has made the same point. Growing up, she always taught us that "two wrongs don't make a right." That extended to the wrongs done to women, which can be of the most vile and unthinkable nature. They are not made right by committing further atrocities, in this case, taking the life of another human being, i.e. an unborn (or, nowadays, even a new-born) baby. I pray Mom will be able to continue sharing that conviction and love for all lives as long as the Lord allows her to live on this Earth. She is 91 years old as of this writing.
Then there is my Grandma Gantenbein. Her example speaks for itself. She was not a large woman. At least, she was not large physically. She also had her share of health problems. When Grandma and Grandpa had their first child, Aunt Dorothy, all went fairly well. But there were problems when Uncle Al was born and the doctor told my grandparents that they should not have any more children. When they found out Grandma was pregnant again, that doctor told them that they need to terminate the pregnancy because it could do great harm to Grandma and the baby, with death being a very real possibility. Grandma's response (echoed by Grandpa Gantenbein) was that they were going to leave that in God's hands and trust Him. Aunt Betty survived the birth as did Grandma. But, the doctor said, "No more children!" He told them it was a matter of life or death. When they refused to have an abortion in 1923, Uncle Don was born but the doctor was adamant about the loss of both the baby and Grandma if they had another. In 1924 the doctor did his best to talk them into terminating the fifth pregnancy. As before, my grandmother bore witness to God's sovereignty and affirmed that if she died, so be it, but that baby's life was sacred and she was going to do everything possible to allow it the opportunity to live. Whew! James Calvin, aka Dad, made it. To the extent it affected Grandma's longevity… maybe without the 3rd, 4th, and 5th child, she would have lived to be a miserable and self-centered old woman. Instead she passed away, full of joy and always proclaiming the love of God, at the tender age of 89, a little more than two months after her 13th grandchild and Cathy Lynn Van Scyoc were married. Her home church pastor, her fifth child, and her son in law officiated her service.
I am so glad for the examples and unwavering conviction of these three saints. I am here today, with a refined view of the issue, because of them.
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| Summer of 1965 – Myself, Grandma Gantenbein, Dad (James Calvin Gantenbein) |
Now, the Southern Baptist Convention has before it a resolution to condemn all abortion. Clearly it would not be necessary if they had wives, mothers, and grandmothers like mine. I would remind others of what they reminded me: 1. It is about the innocent baby; 2. Two wrongs do not make a right; 3. You would not be here today if someone had not trusted God and stood up for what was right in His eyes.
Following is a link to a web site where you can read the SBC resolution and, if you choose, take your stand to protect the lives of the unborn and the conscience of those mothers who might otherwise choose to commit this sin for which you cannot not put the toothpaste back in the tube.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgVHlX3klYqQthBEJ-6YGgANtFuNaLjYXiQ6loUzaHOLu8OA/viewform?fbzx=6859269257849298698&fbclid=IwAR0fXrOx_Rp8zPKxGA_RgTawrB_-p3olfow5kRkv9ZUN05NGQusMpOEwRB0
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