With the recent passage of near total bans on abortion in several states, the pro-choice/pro-life debate has reached a fever pitch. While I’d prefer to stay far, far away from the highly contentious back-and-forth these discussions tend to yield, it’s been extremely challenging for me not to chime in. Indeed, if this were a matter where all stakeholders could plead their own case, perhaps I might be less vocal about this topic. But at the center of this issue lies the fate of innocent, unborn human beings who aren’t able to speak up for themselves, and the truth from which my passion for this topic stems is simply that God created humanity in His image (Proverbs 31:8; Genesis 1:26-27).
Pro-Life, Pro-Logic: Thoughts on Rape
The unborn, though spiritual inheritors of a sin nature just as we all were, are innocent in word and deed. They’ve done nothing wrong for which to be sentenced to death. Though the pro-abortion position suggests the unborn are indeed guilty of being an inconvenient consequence of their parents’ choices. EVERY consenting adult knows full well that sex produces babies and that contraceptives aren’t 100% effective. To claim anything to the contrary is, put plainly, A WHOLE LIE. Even Alyssa Milano, who’s encouraging women to avoid the risk of pregnancy in the wake of Georgia’s abortion ban, has called for a “sex strike” rather than an increase in contraceptive usage. She knows the only sure way to prevent unwanted pregnancies is abstinence. So do most with at least a 7th grade education.
But what about rape? What about unwanted sex that produces an unwanted child?
Pro-Life, Pro-Logic: Thoughts on a Woman's Right to Choose
While they do occur, fortunately rape is rare, pregnancies resulting from rape are rare, and abortions due to rape are extremely rare. Even when one includes aborting pregnancies resulting from incest, that’s still less than 2% of all abortion cases. As such, there are at least 98% of women who’ve elected to abort for reasons resulting from their own choices.
Pro-Life, Pro-Logic: Thoughts on Child Abuse + Other Strawmen
As I shared in the opening of this piece, I recently discussed abortion with a couple of colleagues that left me stunned. One believed abortion should be legal because the death penalty is legal. The other sees abortion as an answer to child abuse.
“If you’ve worked with unwanted and abused children, you’d understand why abortion is needed,” he said.
“So, to protect children from abuse we should kill them,” I asked.
“Well...yeah.”
Why I Renounced My Letters in AKA: Guest Feature
In this guest feature, contributor Lily J shares how her faith in Christ led her to renounce her membership in the historically Black Greek letter organization Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As she says, this piece is a long one, so get comfy!
“I used to be a member of AKA but renounced my letters back in 2016. I posted about it on Facebook & IG last year, and I think it’s important to continue to share my testimony with more people, especially since so many of my friends and associates are greek, some of whom are fellow Christians as well, but seem convinced that this was just a personal choice I made simply for me to honor God, based on my personal preferences but has no impact on them or in their lives.
“Today I want to tell you that it’s not this simple. This wasn’t something God called me to and only me. If you are a Christian, we are all called to assess where our salvation stands and whether it is being jeopardized or at stake with any of our affiliations and associations, so if me speaking on this topic again keeps just one from perishing, if it sets one more free, then it is worth me continuously repeating.”
~ Lily J, www.mylifeaslily.com
"God Told Me to Marry You"...And What God Really Said
Long, long ago, I belonged to a church where it wasn’t uncommon for members to “know” the specific person “God” told them they were destined to marry. A good friend of mine at the time believed God revealed to her that our pastor’s armor bearer (assistant/Bible toter/water getter/forehead wiper) was her husband to be. Another member said God told her she would marry one of our church’s ministers. And I believed the Lord told me a popular radio personality (and church member) was destined to be my hubby. Suffice it say, each of us found ourselves looking like an idiot as time and circumstance played out. The pastor’s armor bearer ended up marrying another woman within six months of meeting her. The minister simply used the other young lady for sex as she pined away hoping he’d one day see they were meant to be. And my radio personality hubby-to-be told me flat out that I wasn’t “the one”, went on to marry a gorgeous gospel artist and (10+ years later) they remain married and have an adorable family.
Since leaving that church, I’ve come to learn that our embarrassingly mistaken “revelations” aren’t uncommon among professed believers in other churches, either. I’ve since met another young lady who so sincerely believed God told her a specific guy was her husband that she remained single and waited for him for 13 years! (THIIIIIIIR-TEEEEEN...YEEEEEAAAAARRRRSSSS!!!!) Meanwhile, that gentleman barely knew her name, and if I recall correctly, he also went off to marry someone else.
Stepping into the New Year Like..."I WILL Have Trouble?"
As I’ve scrolled through my social media feeds these past few days, I haven’t been surprised to see one celebrity pastor after the next declaring nothing but great things for you (whoever you are) in the New Year. They do this madness every year. But, honestly, this year their shenanigans actually caught my earnest attention, namely because I know first-hand how what they “declare and decree” each year is so off base from what the Lord has already promised His children.
"No. Women May NOT Be Pastors." But Can They Be Deacons?
If I had to do a year-end review of my most controversial piece of 2018, “No. Women may NOT be Pastors.” Where’s the Lie? would easily make the list. To be clear, I don’t set out to be controversial. Trust me, I get beat up so much by detractors I certainly have days when I’m tempted to never say or write another word (not out of fear, but out of frustration). But then there’s this whole “fire-shut-up-in-my bones” thing happening that won’t let me stay quiet long, and I’ve come to accept that repeating God’s Word is by virtue a controversial feat. As such, during Women’s History Month this year, “No. Women may NOT be Pastors” went live, and even after all of the backlash I’ve received for it since, I still stand by it. I know that most with a solid handling of Scripture do as well.
Yet, while there are those who would agree that Scripture prohibits female pastors, I recently learned that some of these same individuals would argue that women can be deacons, per the qualifications for the role outlined in 1 Timothy 3.
Social Justice: Why Jesus Didn't Pursue It + Why the Church Shouldn't Fight for It
“Social justice” is a term often thrown around, but very rarely defined, explained or even clearly understood in daily discourse. Yet a clear definition of this concept is necessary because there is indeed a such thing as social justice - and then there is justice. Contrary to popular delusion, there is a difference between the two, for if they were indeed one and the same, the term “justice” would be sufficient. No qualifier or modifier would be necessary. But I've found that most often conflate these two concepts, which causes much confusion, contention and debate amongst Believers regarding our charge as Christians. One might argue that it’s just semantics, but I’d passionately beg to differ. And I am sincerely alarmed when professed Christians not only claim “social justice” is what the Body of Christ is charged to pursue, but that they’d dare argue it’s what Jesus preached or supported during His earthly ministry.
"Hello, I'm a Christian and Physical Attraction is Important to Me"
As a Christian woman, it’s hard to admit that physical attraction is one of my non-negotiables. I'm often made to feel like I’m confessing some secret sin from which I require immediate deliverance, as if wanting to be attracted to my spouse makes me carnal, superficial or “loose”. Now, it is quite possible my present perspective on this topic is spiritually immature. I might look back on this piece years from now, perhaps after I’m married, and find that my current priorities are slightly out of whack. Nevertheless, I feel very strongly about this at the moment and, even on the chance that it isn’t the most mature perspective, I’m certain it isn’t a sinful one.