Your Say: Abortion And The Stem Cell Bill
By PASTOR CEDRIC MOSS
Nassau, The Bahamas
WITH alarm and sadness, I listened to and read the comments of Dr Duane Sands about illegal abortions that are performed in the Bahamas.
I was alarmed because Dr Sands spoke with such certainly about illegal abortions taking place in this country, but never once did he hint his objection to this illegal practise, nor did he indicate that he has provided the police with whatever information he has about these crimes.
Certainly, since he is a lawmaker, there is a higher duty on Dr Sands to do all that is in his power to see that our laws are upheld, even if he happens to disagree with any of them as they presently stand.
Dr Sands is quoted as saying, “Just like numbers, Bahamians want to stick their head in the sand and not grapple with this very vexing issue that demands a national consensus, introspection to decide whether we believe that women in the Bahamas in 2013 ought to have the right to choose, since they are choosing now.”
However, what Dr Sands seems to miss is the reality that, while it is common knowledge that illegal numbers houses brazenly break the law because the government and police allow them to, only he and other insiders are aware of the illegal abortions taking place in this country.
Therefore, I and countless other Bahamians are not burying our heads in the sand about illegal abortions; unlike Dr Sands and other insiders, we just do not know.
In addition to being alarmed at Dr Sands’ comments, I’m saddened by them.
Dr Sands speaks about the killing of innocent babies through abortion using the sanitised language of women’s “right to choose”.
Right to choose what? To kill their babies? The sad, unvarnished truth is that since abortion on demand started in the USA in 1973, approximately 56 million babies have been killed there.
Worldwide, since 1980, it is estimated that approximately 1.3 billion babies have been killed through abortion.
Based on Dr Sand’s revelation, included in the worldwide estimate are perhaps tens of thousands of Bahamian babies similarly killed thorough abortion.
While everyone everywhere should have freedom of choice, no one anywhere should have the right to kill unborn children through abortion on demand.
Human life begins at conception, and societies show their civility and their fear of God (the Creator of all human life) by protecting it.
Dr Sands’ revelations about illegal abortions taking place in the Bahamas got me thinking more about stem cell research and therapy.
Clearly, Dr Sands’ testimony points to the inability (or the refusal) of the government and its agencies to effectively regulate and oversee medical practitioners.
Therefore, while I personally support ethical stem cell research and therapy (ie, using adult stem cells and stem cells from placental and umbilical cord blood), I have grave reservations about how effectively this activity would be regulated and overseen in the Bahamas.
If the wanton abuse of our anti-abortions laws is any indication (and I believe it is), I think it is reasonable to conclude that if the Stem Cell Research and Therapy Bill is passed, there will be those who, in an unhindered way, will illegally engage in activities that destroy, harm, and manipulate embryonic human beings (ie, embryonic stem cell research and therapy which the current bill claims to prohibit, but which will thrive in an environment where easy abortions are the order of the day).
And then years later, we will have a medical insider telling us that what the law actually prohibits in the area of stem cell research and therapy is actually taking place, so we might as well legalise it.
In light of this very likely abuse (and for a few other less important reasons), I oppose the passage of the Stem Cell Research Therapy Bill that is before parliament.
While still alarmed at and saddened by Dr Sand’s comments, I rest in the truth of Psalm 2 that reminds all leaders that they are subject to the Sovereign Lord, and that while God is patient to act, he is not impotent to act, and he will indeed act.
He alone is the Creator of life, and as his creatures, we should value human life and uphold human dignity. We all ignore this to our peril.
Cedric Moss is senior pastor of Kingdom Life Church. Please send comments to cmoss@kingdom-life.org.
