In the words of my critics, they say, “Debate on abortion is not a ‘conscience pricking thing’, it’s a dead horse. Stop trying to beat it. It took far too long to legalize it in the first place, no need to try and send us back 30 years. We as a society are trying to progress and it seems all religion has to offer is regression.”
Well, it may be a dead end debate to some, but not for many others. Abortion is not legalized yet, because Canada does not have an abortion law yet. There is still an open door of opportunity for citizenry to let their voice be heard on this very controversial moral and social issue. Many people are not prepared to exchange innocent lives for what some deem to be progress.
Canada is not the only nation trying to come to terms with their conscience. Two bills intending on decriminalizing abortion came before the Brazilian National Congress recently. This matter has been under review for 17 years. Last week, the abortion debate came to an end.
The bills were solidly defeated, stating, “The right to life constitutes the supreme value of the Constitution, because all other rights are derived from it.” Leadership went on to say that the right to life cannot be abolished even by a constitutional amendment.
There are inalienable rights, liberties set by divine prerogative. There is a law above the law of man. Man’s law continues to change, based upon feelings, opinion polls and cultural preferences. However, God’s law will never change. There is right and there is wrong, and internally we know it.
It is not progress when a nation moves from right to wrong, forsakes its godly foundations and centuries of adherence to righteous standards. No human law can make the taking of innocent life right. Morality will never be able to be determined by majority vote.
The Governor General, in her installation speech quoted an observation by Montesquieu, a philosopher of the Enlightenment, who said, “The duty of the citizen becomes a crime if it makes him forget the duty of the man.” I totally agree.
We all have a responsibility, as citizens of this great nation, to “stand guard over its well-being.” But, we also have a duty, as men and women, to ask hard questions that challenge the decisions our leaders make. We are to be a principled people. It is irresponsible to “go with the flow” when that river is slowly moving us in the direction of self-destruction.
I believe that our nation is morally adrift, unanchored, and its future suspect. Currents are propelling us along at a pace that leaves little time for reason and debate. Winds of change are blowing and driving us – of that there is little question. But, has anybody asked, “Where are they taking us? Is that where we want to go?”
A good captain knows how to use the currents and the winds to his advantage, to help him get where he wants to go. There has never been a more critical hour for Canada to see solid, moral leadership emerge take the helm of the ship and lead us into a future that protects and values every citizen’s life, even those who are yet to be born.
May God bless and help Canada!