My Last Editorial for the Gulf Coast Newspaper

Moral Issues of Country Under Fire

Through out our country’s history, we were known to be a people of prayer, religious conviction and those who promote life.  We prayed before meals, before school started, before Congress, and before sport games. George Washington prayed during Valley Forge as well as many other military leaders and men in combat. So why has the media jumped all over Tim Tebow when he drops to a knee to thank his Heavenly Father for his blessings?

Religious convictions, especially Christianity, have come under fire in many areas including entertainment, sports, education and government. Respect for the divine in our country is on a downward slope. The standard of what used to be acceptable in religion is slowly being undermined. In 2006 a public school teacher was forced by a federal judge to remove Christian-themed posters from his bulletin board.  One of them was the picture of George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. We remember the Ten Commandment fiasco when a monument showing the Ten Commandments had to be removed from our own state courthouse. There is a lack of regard for what we used to call respect for God’s authority. It is slowly taking over all those who are opposed to those who choose to keep this reverence.

           

As I researched this phenomenon, there was another issue which arose. In the wake of the 39^th March for Life in Washington D.C., where hundreds of thousands will walk to support the birth of unborn babies this week, the issue of pro-life is under attack.

 Apparently Tim Tebow’s mother Pam had courageously chose to carry Tim to full term despite doctors’ recommendations that she abort him. An abortion never was even considered as Pam knew she was carrying a person within her.  The attacks of their family from certain women’s groups who were opposed to a Focus on the Family TV ad that ran during the 2010 Super Bowl game explaining their pro-life life style was under attack. Pam made her choice but apparently was not the choice others thought she should do.

We all have choices to make in our own life without others judging us and these choices are based on our experience and knowledge.  If the media reports that it’s okay for young mothers to abort their babies, those without the conviction that it is killing an innocent person, will follow the crowd.  But if the true message of what an abortion is all about is revealed, then this knowledge will help women embrace moral understanding; which is why there will be an anti-abortion commercial during the Super Bowl next weekend.

It makes sense to me: praying, religious convictions and choosing pro-life are moral issues which made our country great. In the words of one great American, Ronald Reagan, he said this: "I've noticed that everyone who is pro-abortion has already been born." These standards need to be kept at the forefront of our society and taught to our children at home.