Abortion

[JamesR]

Wow, thank you Maria. That story literally brought tears to my eyes. I often find myself lamenting over the evilness in the world. In a sense, those stories inspire me to try my hardest to be a good husband and treat my wife (if God gives me one) right, because I feel so bad when I hear all these stories about these poor young girls being abused and taken advantage of.

[arcmode]

This is good to read, I think this will inspire you James:

VOLGOGRAD, Russia, October 18, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) - An Orthodox priest in the Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) region of Russia has been commended by the Russian Ministry of Health for his work in reducing the number of abortions in his district. His personal efforts in counseling and helping women to keep their babies has reduced the abortion rate in the Volgograd region by 25 percent over the past five years.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/russia ... m-abortion

This is the right approach, prevention through compassion. But it has to co-exist with law, that is ultimately enforced at the point of a gun, because men need to prefer pointing guns at people to aborting children. Ultimately we would hope that the first approach would be so successful that the second would be a rarity, and only necessary in extreme cases with a view to eliminating altogether the need to use violence at all in the case of unwanted children. That is an attainable ideal.

James, have you read Saint Maximus the Confessor? I highly recommend his 'Centuries on Love' and other writings contained in the Philokalia.

You can read the Centuries on love here:

http://genuineorthodoxchurch.com/StMC_1stC_OnLove.htm

[JamesR]

Thank you, that's very inspiring. I haven't tackled St. Maximus yet--I hear that he is really hard to understand. I'll give it a try.

[joasia]

James, I'm glad that you have some consolation from all the responses. They are very sincere and caring responses.

But, I was curious about one comment by Nadir.

I post it here for those already involved in this thread, but the subject can be split to another forum. It is a completely different topic.

Nadir wrote:

...scripture says that woman’s salvation is in bearing children.

Can you provide the scriptural text?

[NadirGP]

James, I'm glad that you have some consolation from all the responses. They are very sincere and caring responses.

But, I was curious about one comment by Nadir.

I post it here for those already involved in this thread, but the subject can be split to another forum. It is a completely different topic.

Nadir wrote:

...scripture says that woman’s salvation is in bearing children.

Can you provide the scriptural text?

Let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over the man: but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed; then Eve. [14] And Adam was not seduced; but the woman being seduced, was in the transgression. Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety.

1 Timothy 2:11-15

[joasia]

James, I'm glad that you have some consolation from all the responses. They are very sincere and caring responses.

But, I was curious about one comment by Nadir.

I post it here for those already involved in this thread, but the subject can be split to another forum. It is a completely different topic.

Nadir wrote:

...scripture says that woman’s salvation is in bearing children.

Can you provide the scriptural text?

Let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over the man: but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed; then Eve. [14] And Adam was not seduced; but the woman being seduced, was in the transgression. Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety.

1 Timothy 2:11-15

I believe that text was referring to Eve, herself. Not all women. Because there are plenty of women saints that never had children. Why would God impose salvation for women only if they have children?

[NadirGP]

...scripture says that woman’s salvation is in bearing children.

Can you provide the scriptural text?

Let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over the man: but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed; then Eve. [14] And Adam was not seduced; but the woman being seduced, was in the transgression. Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety. 1 Timothy 2:11-15

I believe that text was referring to Eve, herself. Not all women. Because there are plenty of women saints that never had children. Why would God impose salvation for women only if they have children?

joasia,

As far as the biblical text is concerned, Saint Paul is addressing the women, who attend the church liturgy. The last verse “Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety” says clearly that St Paul is not thinking about Eva specifically, but women in general, for Eva represents all women from her time to the present day.

Concerning salvation, the text does not say that a woman is not saved if she childless. Historically, we had and still have thousands of consecrated virgins for the sake of the Kingdom, who are spiritual mothers; and women who cannot conceive are not condemned.

Nadir