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--- Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Heroes by Chance
(As seen at The Point.)
In lieu of the sometimes fulfilling, often frustrating addiction to Lost, I've taken a chance on another mysterious fantasy drama this fall, NBC's Heroes. The premise isn't exactly groundbreaking -- a group of unlikely and unsuspecting average Joes discover that they have special powers and now must band together to save the world from villains with equal or greater abilities. We've read this comic book before.
But the story of this team of potentially super heroes is unveiled in a way that is both dramatic and fun, dark and ridiculous. Their mission, as we know it so far, is to stop an imminent nuclear attack against New York City that has been prophesied by at least two of our heroes. Again, not exactly novel territory -- heroes saving New York, how clever -- but the engaging cast and storylines manage to keep it fresh.
More intriguing than the show's plot, however, is an ever increasing tension between the concepts of evolution and "destiny." This is surely quite deliberate, and provides a framework that I suspect will define what the show is all about. On the one hand, the heroes are assumed to have been given their abilities through mindless natural selection. On the other, most of good guys have an unyielding sense that their powers were assigned for a great purpose, that they were called, somehow, as protectors of the world.
That is, perhaps, the underlying question in all superhero stories, though I don't know of any that have laid it out so vividly as this one. At the end of last night's episode, one of the main characters -- Mohinder Suresh, a professor out to learn the secrets of these gifted people -- claims: “Evolution is an imperfect and often violent process. Morality loses its meaning. The question of good and evil is reduced to one simple choice: survive or perish.”
The statement pegs the central challenge of a naturalistic worldview, and one of the most important philosophical arguments in favor of a designed universe: Morality is empty and useless without a foundation transcendent to nature. I don't know how Heroes will ultimately address this question, but it so far has displayed the problem quite profoundly. And it is certainly doing a fair job of showing the hopelessness and despair of a society with no Savior.
--- Thursday, October 26, 2006
Re: A New Generation
FuS reader Jason VanDorsten offers some insightful comments on Ms. Magazine campaign to de-mystify and de-stigmatize abortion.
It certainly sounds benevolent of the feminist agenda to be so concerned about the health and safety of all those unwilling mothers. Beyond the desparation that would drive one to abort their unborn child, there is certainly no question that there are deep psychological and emotional issues that come as a result of having an abortion. That is a reality that any honest woman who has had an abortion will tell you, and those women should be able to express and deal with that impact in safe and non-condemning environments. (The Christian community should be first in line to offer this kind of support, I might add.)
However, I can't help but feel like Ms. Magazine and her masters are pulling the ol' bait-and-switch, preying on the consciences of these women under the guise of protection and safety, while using them as fodder for their own political agenda. If you check out Ms.' defense of the campain, the subtle undercurrent in their message seems to be "since it's going to happen anyway, government should support and fund abortion to make it safe for women." But follow that line of thinking, and it is just as logical to push for government funding for rape, murder, or theft - since they're going to happen anyway, why not make them legal and safe?
Abortion does not merely carry a social stigma - this is far too short-sighted on the part of the feminist agenda (and purposefully so, in my opinion). It is a moral stigma, and you will not stifle your own heart and conscience simply by changing laws. At the end of the day, abortion is still the taking of a human life. Dealing with it on a social level is like putting a band-aid on cancer. Abortion and all roads leading to it are moral issues, and must be dealt with on the level of the heart. This is the perpetual challenge of abortion defenders: to both refute the notion that their cause is immoral and to convince women to ignore their conscience when it suggests as much. It is utter madness, in a very brave-new-world kind of way. While there is much logical inconsistency in the idea that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare," at least such a position acknowledges the natural discomfort with the barbarity of abortion. But the Ms. campaign (and similar projects by Planned Parenthood, NARAL, et al.) seek to numb the conscience and promote the view that abortion is not just morally justified -- but that it's even a moral good.
--- Tuesday, October 03, 2006
A New Generation
Who reads this stuff?
At a pivotal time in the abortion debate, Ms. magazine is releasing its fall issue next week with a cover story titled "We Had Abortions," accompanied by the names of thousands of women nationwide who signed a petition making that declaration.
This seems a far cry from the desire to make abortion "rare" as even Bill Clinton touted while in office. Regardless, I think Ms. Magazine may be losing their audience by using such dramatic (and disgusting, I might add) tactics to gain attention. The fact of the matter is, the upcoming generation (those now in college and beginning to enter the workforce) is known as the "pro-life" generation. Even Hillary Clinton has recognized this trend and is attempting to position herself in a more middle ground area of this debate.
The good news is, not only are many in Generation Y (aka the Millenials) pro-life in their personal beliefs, they are not afraid to take a stand and take action on their beliefs. Organizations such as Wash for Life, Americans on Call, and the Justice House of Prayer are just a few of the many efforts of the Millenials to not only speak out on abortion in the political arena but also raise awareness and funds to help women in unplanned pregnancies so they do not see abortion as their only option.
Working in the pregnancy center ministry, I've had the privilege of meeting many of these young people who are doing amazing things to turn the tide of abortion in our country, so when I see an article like this I tend roll my eyes at their attempts to make such a statement. But, my heart still aches when I realize the stories of women they use are evidence of an anti-baby, anti-family and even anti-marriage culture that still surrounds us.
Jones said she got an abortion 10 years ago - enduring harassment from protesters when she entered the clinic - in order to finish high school. She went on to become the first member of her family to graduate from college, and hopes at some point to attend law school.
"I wanted to do something bigger with myself - I didn't want to be stopped by anything," she said in a telephone interview.
I personally cannot think of anything "bigger" to do with myself than to leave a part of me in another person (or persons) to carry on a legacy long after I am gone. Children do not stop you. Children open up new avenues of influence one would never have without them.
As a Gen Xer, I am thankful for the new generation and the efforts they are making to bring truth to the lives of women and men and restore a culture of life to this country. I pray it will be evidence to others that God's mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations (Psalm 100:5).
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