Are Mennonites Imputing Abortion Advocasy by their Judgment - a tale of two women
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2024 5:05 pm
1) Woman1 is 17 years old. She made a mistake, her passions overwhelmed her with Man1 who is also 17. She conceived life, and is expecting a baby now. Being young and in high school, she reaches out to a CAM billboard. They advocate to her AGAINST abortion. They give her the number to a crisis pregnancy line (Roman Catholic because there are no real Menno programs for this) and also the location of the nearest Mennonite church. Man1 gets scared, and heads for the hills, never to be seen again. Woman1 is now alone.
The crisis pregnancy place had some good programs, but Woman1 decides to try the Mennonite church. She goes to the church pregnant and scared. She is greeted with many helpful and friendly people who give her all smiles. She never met anybody so nice in all her life. They really didn't have a crisis pregnancy program per se.... However, eventually they find her some housing, and the church agrees to help Woman1 through the pregnancy. Woman1 finds a job at a Menno business and is helping at that job. She learns more of the Anabaptists faith.... Eventually, she adopts the cape dress and covering.
Woman1 then has her baby. She still has her job, housing, and wants to stay in the Anabaptist community. Eventually she becomes a member.
As years pass, she wonders why no male ever would speak to her. She seeks an honorable husband for real Biblical courtship. She wonders why she is a "sister" but not a "SISTER" in the church. She notices how women talk to each other differently than to her. She notices she is not exactly trusted. The baby grows to age of 5 eventually, and at 23 years of age, Woman1 is still single. She feels a bit ostracized by the older youth group. She realizes she gets the butt of jokes at youth group gatherings. Then she hears that brothers in a bros meeting were questioning her being in youth because "she had a child out of wedlock and we don't want the influence....". At 30 years of age, now with a 13 year old, Woman1 realizes she will never be married, will always be that woman who "had a child out out wedlock", and "committed adultery". A permanent "branding" of "adultery" is imputed upon her. No redemption. Never made whiter than snow. Never free indeed.
2) Woman2 is 17 years old. She made a mistake, her passions overwhelmed her with Man2 who is also 17. She conceived life, and is expecting a baby now. Being young and in high school, she reaches out to a CAM billboard. They advocate to her AGAINST abortion. They give her the number to a crisis pregnancy line (Roman Catholic because there are no real Menno programs for this) and also the location of the nearest Mennonite church. Man2 gets scared, and heads for the hills, never to be seen again. Woman2 is now alone.
The crisis pregnancy place had some good programs, but Woman2 decides to try the Mennonite church. She goes to the church pregnant and scared. SHE KEEPS IT QUIET that she is pregnant. She is greeted with many friendly people who give her all smiles. She never met anybody so nice in all her life. She learns how "moral" the other youth girls are, and she realizes that she would never be accepted in this group if she were to have her baby.
Woman2 makes a big decision. She decides to abort her child because the church will never accept her. They'll always judge her. They'll always brand her with "adultery" on her head. There will always be whispers, rumors, and murmurings.
Woman2 secretly makes an appointment at an abortion clinic. Woman2 then participates in the murder of her child.
Woman2 is in church the next Sunday. She now has murdered, but Jesus forgives all sin.... right? She gets a menno job, menno housing.. eventually adopts the cape dress and covering and becomes a member. Generally she is accepted by the church. Being a non-menno background she is a "SiStEr" but never a "SISTER". Eventually at the age of 22, a young man starts talking to her while playing volleyball. She talks to him and eventually through Biblical courtship (menno style) Marries him. Is planned sin forgivable? Whiter than snow? Free indeed? Let God be the judge. Later after 5 years of marriage she reveals to her husband her sin, and they both cry, seek Christian counseling, he forgives her and the sin is buried forever.
The point of me writing this is that we as Christians should not judge the faults of others who repent. We impute every reason to judge a woman in a bad situation where adultery was her crime. Many Anabaptists commit adultery too. That said, Woman 1 would have her life torn apart by the church itself and its judgments. Woman 2 would still get married and probably have children. Woman1 gets the results of "Christian Judgment". Woman2 gets rewarded in life for "sinning and repenting".
Do we advocate murder by judging somebody into a box?
The crisis pregnancy place had some good programs, but Woman1 decides to try the Mennonite church. She goes to the church pregnant and scared. She is greeted with many helpful and friendly people who give her all smiles. She never met anybody so nice in all her life. They really didn't have a crisis pregnancy program per se.... However, eventually they find her some housing, and the church agrees to help Woman1 through the pregnancy. Woman1 finds a job at a Menno business and is helping at that job. She learns more of the Anabaptists faith.... Eventually, she adopts the cape dress and covering.
Woman1 then has her baby. She still has her job, housing, and wants to stay in the Anabaptist community. Eventually she becomes a member.
As years pass, she wonders why no male ever would speak to her. She seeks an honorable husband for real Biblical courtship. She wonders why she is a "sister" but not a "SISTER" in the church. She notices how women talk to each other differently than to her. She notices she is not exactly trusted. The baby grows to age of 5 eventually, and at 23 years of age, Woman1 is still single. She feels a bit ostracized by the older youth group. She realizes she gets the butt of jokes at youth group gatherings. Then she hears that brothers in a bros meeting were questioning her being in youth because "she had a child out of wedlock and we don't want the influence....". At 30 years of age, now with a 13 year old, Woman1 realizes she will never be married, will always be that woman who "had a child out out wedlock", and "committed adultery". A permanent "branding" of "adultery" is imputed upon her. No redemption. Never made whiter than snow. Never free indeed.
2) Woman2 is 17 years old. She made a mistake, her passions overwhelmed her with Man2 who is also 17. She conceived life, and is expecting a baby now. Being young and in high school, she reaches out to a CAM billboard. They advocate to her AGAINST abortion. They give her the number to a crisis pregnancy line (Roman Catholic because there are no real Menno programs for this) and also the location of the nearest Mennonite church. Man2 gets scared, and heads for the hills, never to be seen again. Woman2 is now alone.
The crisis pregnancy place had some good programs, but Woman2 decides to try the Mennonite church. She goes to the church pregnant and scared. SHE KEEPS IT QUIET that she is pregnant. She is greeted with many friendly people who give her all smiles. She never met anybody so nice in all her life. She learns how "moral" the other youth girls are, and she realizes that she would never be accepted in this group if she were to have her baby.
Woman2 makes a big decision. She decides to abort her child because the church will never accept her. They'll always judge her. They'll always brand her with "adultery" on her head. There will always be whispers, rumors, and murmurings.
Woman2 secretly makes an appointment at an abortion clinic. Woman2 then participates in the murder of her child.
Woman2 is in church the next Sunday. She now has murdered, but Jesus forgives all sin.... right? She gets a menno job, menno housing.. eventually adopts the cape dress and covering and becomes a member. Generally she is accepted by the church. Being a non-menno background she is a "SiStEr" but never a "SISTER". Eventually at the age of 22, a young man starts talking to her while playing volleyball. She talks to him and eventually through Biblical courtship (menno style) Marries him. Is planned sin forgivable? Whiter than snow? Free indeed? Let God be the judge. Later after 5 years of marriage she reveals to her husband her sin, and they both cry, seek Christian counseling, he forgives her and the sin is buried forever.
The point of me writing this is that we as Christians should not judge the faults of others who repent. We impute every reason to judge a woman in a bad situation where adultery was her crime. Many Anabaptists commit adultery too. That said, Woman 1 would have her life torn apart by the church itself and its judgments. Woman 2 would still get married and probably have children. Woman1 gets the results of "Christian Judgment". Woman2 gets rewarded in life for "sinning and repenting".
Do we advocate murder by judging somebody into a box?