Really...

Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update last night saw the humorous "Really!?!" bit take on the topic of Contraception and Abortion.


In the bit, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers poke fun at the belief held by many Christians that human life begins at conception, stating that "What's next? Life begins at last call?" or "Life begins when you click 'send' on your Match.com profile?"

I accept that within a pluralistic society there will be differing views on matters pertaining to human life and liberty. And it may be that Christians should channel their energy into areas other than changing laws while so many people are philosophically at another pole. What Christians should do is continue to challenge society to explore the logical basis for differing attributions of human life, liberty, and dignity.

In this current case, it should be pointed out that the above "joke" rather facilely asserts that human life beginning at conception is ridiculous precisely because temporal points prior to conception would be even more ridiculous. The logic of this "joke" could be reapplied to any point of post- or pre-gestation. "You think human life begins at age three? What's next? Life begins at birth?"

Each one of us must ultimately have a position on when human life does finally begin. You can mock my belief that conception is the only philosophically tenable point to impart human rights, but if you disagree you must then tell me a specific point before, during, or after birth when you believe that it is officially wrong to terminate a human organism.

Nota bene, I use the term "human organism" to refer to each and every creature of the species Homo Sapiens, in every moment of its life cycle. Embryologists specializing in amphibians will inform you that a fertilized frog egg, racing to emerge as a tadpole, is a new life form, with a genetic code distinct from both of its parents. The same is true of every human organism, from the moment of conception, whether you want to grant that human organism all human rights or not.

Any biologist not trying to play politics will admit that every unhatched bald eagle in the egg is already a living organism with its own distinct genetic code. And that places us face to face with the question--when is it wrong to take the life of a bald eagle? Is it more wrong to kill a ten year old eagle than it is to smash one--in ovo--against the ground? Should it even be illegal to destroy bald eagle eggs? I mean, they aren't really eagles, are they?

And so, anyone who wants to mock my medieval view that humans are humans no matter how small, must also reciprocate, in all decency, with a thoughtful counter argument, telling me not just that I'm wrong to impute human rights so far up the gestational cycle, but informing me of a superior point on which to fix human dignity.

All but the lamest will reject the notion that natural vaginal birth can serve as this philosophical point. In any healthy situation, it would be possible to perform a Caesarian Section one day before what would have been a natural birth and the organism we take out of the uterus will grow quite unabated. So those who would mock the notion of conception as the beginning of human life will end up asserting that human life begins at some point prior to natural birth but certainly after whatever point someone might want to perform an abortion.

And so I do put the ball back in your court. Jokes aside, unless you believe killing a three year old is acceptable, tell me the specific point--and why--killing a three, two, one, less-than-one-year old is wrong. I have a view wherein no point from age three toward conception logically presents itself as an obvious point to attribute personhood. And therefore I grant all human organisms, of any gestational stage, human dignity. Christians in the public square will be the butt of jokes. But we also deserve to hear a thoughtful counterargument.

The Pharisee and the Publican: A Tale of Two Prayers

Today's Gospel Reading, as we now come upon our preparation for Lent, is the story of the Pharisee and the Publican (Tax Collector), Luke 18:9-14.

We are told that the two men went up to the Temple "to pray."

Now, prayer is ultimately any communication Man directs toward God.

But basically, true prayers boil down to one of two things. There are prayers where we thank or praise God and there are also prayers where we ask God for things.

1) Prayers of Thanksgiving and Praise. I can say, "I thank you, Lord, for all your goodness to me." And I have just prayed. I can say, "I praise you, God, that I am wonderfully made." And I have prayed.

And this is exactly what the Pharisee did. He prayed, "I thank you, God, that I am not like these other men--extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector."

I'm going to suggest that, despite how this prayer might sound arrogant, it's not really all that terrible a thing to pray. It is a sad and unfortunate fact that those raised in poverty or other disadvantage do tend toward crimes, sins, and vices more so than others. That is not to excuse crime, sin, or vice, but it certainly means I can reasonably thank God for the blessings of the stable and loving environment in which I was nurtured as a child. That's all the Pharisee was really doing. It's the same thought expressed in the famous quote by John Bradford, when seeing a group of prisoners led to execution, "There but for the grace of God go I."

He closes his prayer with the news that he fasts twice a week and tithes. These are good things. The Orthodox Church commends fasting twice a week to us. And every Church would love their people to donate more. Two percent would be fantastic. Tithing would be a dream.

2) Now we come to the Publican. He offers a prayer of the second type. He asks God for something. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

And then we immediately learn that only the Publican went home justified. And by justified, it means forgiven, brought into correct relationship with God.

What exactly did the Pharisee do wrong? I'm suggesting that his prayer was not really wrong at all. But when he told God about his fasting and tithing, he wasn't praying. Fine as they are, God already knew those things.

So why did the Pharisee not receive forgiveness?

For the simple fact that he never asked for it.

This week, the Church forbids us to fast, lest we imitate the Pharisee. And let us more importantly imitate the Publican and be ever ready to repent of our sins and ask God for mercy, trusting in his faithfulness to forgive.


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The Sounding - Orthodox Blog

The Sounding, a blog on a variety of topics, hosted on the website of the Orthodox Christian Network, has officially relaunched with a number of new contributors.

One of the new contributors is...me!

And I'm humbled to be one of the featured writers on the inaugural roll out day (February 1).

Please view a video about the relaunch here:

The Sounding Relaunch from Orthodox Christian Network on Vimeo.

Visit the site and read my essay about my travels in the Holy Land this last summer.

Visit and "Like" the Facebook page for the Sounding.

Finally, visit the website of Melinda Johnson, who is coordinating the launch and who has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of Orthodox writers and artists.