This week saw the celebration of "International Women's Day",
and what better way to honor how far women have come, than
on the very same day, Arkansas passing the most restrictive
abortion rights law in the country.
In response to the ban on abortions after 12 weeks of conception,
Liberals immediately vowed to oppose any law that helps people
of Arkansas, replicate themselves anymore than is absolutely
necessary.
Expect to see massive contraception handouts, free information
pamphlets on the morning after pill...and free seminars on how
to hold an aspirin between your knees while eating Tater Tots
from Dairy Queen.
When did the fight for freedom to believe as you choose,
become only a fight to believe as I do?!
Why does a debate on the fate of the unborn, have to be decided
in the courtroom, instead of in our hearts and mind?
How is it, that people work harder for the rights of a potential
unborn child, than they do for a woman once she is born?
Would we even be having this conversation if men were the ones
who got pregnant?
Today, here in the United States, even though more women attend
college and achieve higher grades than men...they are overwhelmingly
and disproportionately kept away from seats of power.
Only 20% of elected officials are women and an even smaller percentage
are CEO's, or sit on the Board of Directors of Fortune 1000 Companies.
In India, it is culturally acceptable to assault women as sport, in
Afghanistan to deny them an education, and in Saudi Arabia they are
still not allowed to drive.
Religious teachings has never been particularly kind to women. Ever
since Jesus picked all men as the Apostles...women knew it was going
to be an uphill battle to get a seat at the table.
And the fact that Muslim extremists are still touting virgins as door
prizes on the way to see Allah...certainly indicates there is still much
work to do before a celebration is in order.
But the real religious challenge for woman when it comes to abortion
is not an individual line of scripture or an interpretation of the Ten
Commandments, but the fact that in religion...as emblazoned in the
state motto of Arkansas "The People Rule", instead of the individual.
One Book...one set of rules...one set of rituals...and one set of beliefs!
The reason there are more than 1500 religions in the world is because
you cannot have 1500 opinions in one Religion.
So even though our country was founded on individual rights...religious
conservatives are challenged to think that people have an individual right
to decide how they feel, once the Church has put in Doctrine exactly what
they say one should believe.
There are fair, spirited and troubling arguments when life begins, that
neither faith nor science can answer with a true consensus of certainty.
And it is moments such as these, why this country was designed with
a church to guide us and not define us...and a government to protect
us, but whenever possible... never be the one to choose for us!
Some people argue about the intention of the "separation of church and
state" in America by our founding fathers, but the real separation, was
that our country was not set up as a theocracy.
As we have painfully been reminded all too often lately...our country, unlike
the church... was set up to disagree!
Divided factions, individual rights and equality for all... were very distant
cousins from religious organizations or the European governments that
were based on religion as their inherent right to rule.
Women may never win the argument for the "Right to Choose" in church
on Sunday...but here in the United States her body is her Temple and she
should be the Pope!
...and although a Woman still can't be elected Pope, we need to make sure
that whenever possible, the "smoke is blowing white" for all Women in all
areas...so International Women's Day ...can be a true celebration!