All God's Children

Just finished watching Expelled, the Ben Stein documentary about the science community's attack on freedom of inquiry, specifically related to anyone questioning Darwinian Evolution. It was a great film and I highly recommend it.

During one portion of the film, Ben Stein explored where the study of evolution had led some in the past, specifically the Nazi regime and the Eugenics movement in the early 20th century. They are careful to make the point that believing in evolution does not necessarily lead to such extremes, just that these movements were based on or drew justification from Darwin. Ben Stein visits Hadamar, a "hospital" where undesirables (disabled people) were killed by Nazi doctors. All in the name of bettering the human race, trying to wipe out the "useless eaters" who were a drain on our society.

I became physically ill and heart sick during this part of the film. I would have felt that way even if all these horrors were in the past, but the truth is they are still with us. We are increasingly getting rid of the "undesirables" in our society, only now we are doing it when they are still in the womb.

I understand that abortion is a very sensitive, volatile issue and I am likely to have people get mad at me for what I am about to say, but I've been needing to say it for a while. So here goes.

I've read several articles lately which indicate the rate of abortions for babies with Down Syndrome is between 80 and 90%. Is this not genocide? This article explores how this is the last acceptable prejudice in our society. I don't know if it's quite the last, but it's definitely one of them. This issue of getting rid of "imperfect" children is personal to me. I have had the privilege of spending time with some of these so-called useless eaters -- one like family, others just friends -- and it saddens me more than I am capable of expressing that we are denying ourselves the opportunity to learn from these angelic people. I have seen the discomfort, the inconvenience, the work, the grief, etc. that comes with having a child with Down Syndrome. I have also seen the joy, the growth, the love. If there is anything, there is love. I've had the honor of having a little girl with Down Syndrome kiss my pregnant belly and talk to my baby. So full of love, so gentle, so exuberant. I have felt the Spirit testify to me as a woman with Down Syndrome sang, "I am a Child of God" and was taught in that moment not just that she was a child of God, but that so was I. These are precious moments and memories in my life and to think that we would throw away opportunities to be closer to heaven because we're scared or under the guise of not wanting to subject a child to a hard life is just . . . I don't know, stupid. It's just dumb.

When I was pregnant with Alek, my AFP test came back that there was a chance he might have Down Syndrome. I had a couple extra ultrasounds to detect any additional signs of Down Syndrome, but the only way to know for sure if he had that extra chromosome was to have an amniocentisis, which is just something I was not going to do. I didn't want to risk miscarrying. So I spent the next 4 or 5 months knowing that it was possible that he would have Down Syndrome. And it seemed like everywhere I went, there was some child or adult with Down Syndrome. And when I would look at them, I wasn't scared or nervous. All I felt was that I loved them. And I knew that no matter how hard it would be to raise a child with Down Syndrome, it would be okay because I would love him.

Of course, Alek does not have Down Syndrome. I have not been given that challenge or that privilege. But what I learned from that experience was that my children might not be "perfect" or "normal" and I take that risk every time I get pregnant. And it's a risk I accept because I know that every life is worth living, even for those with an extra gene or a missing limb or a hearing loss or whatever.

And I guess, that's where I am afraid this road is taking us. Children with Down Syndrome are being aborted at astronomical rates, but it doesn't end there. There are so many options to test our babies for a variety of illnesses and disabilities. And so many women and men who are not willing to take on children with special needs. What would happen if we could detect mental illness in the womb or ADHD or autism? Do we start getting rid of all these individuals too? They're just too much work? Their lives will be too hard? They'll cost us too much in medical bills? What excuses can we concoct to breed only those children who are deemed worthy?

For some reason, I have always thought I would have a child with special needs. I keep waiting for it. But truly, no child is perfect and they all have special challenges and needs. I don't think it's up to us as a society to decide which ones are mild enough that a child can be allowed to live and which ones are so severe that a child must die.

We are killing the disabled at an alarming rate. Yes, it's happening in the womb, but we are still killing them. Who will be an advocate for these innocents? Who will stand up to the genocide? My voice is small and it doesn't reach very far, but I will take my stand. Allow these children of God a place in this world. We will all be better for it.