Thursday, August 24, 2006

Plan B Not A Good One


I do not pretend to know all of the scientific details of the highly controversial drug Plan B, aka "the morning after pill," but I think the FDA has made a mistake today by making this drug available over-the-counter to girls as young as 18. I mean think about...if an 18 year old girl is not responsible enough to legally drink an alcoholic beverage, why is she responsible enough to take Plan B?

I teach high school and I am exposed to young girls and boys. I've had many conversations with youth regarding sex and unwanted pregnancies. And for the most part, sex is viewed as casual to them. I believe the approval of making this drug will send the wrong message not only to youth, but to everyone. I believe we are perpetuating the problem here. Check out this press release from the organization Concerned Women for America.

The problem does not lie solely in taking the emergency contraception, but why one is needing emergency contraception in the first place?

My fear is that women will begin to abuse this drug and use it as a form of abortion due to making a poor decision. Again, I'm not so much concerned with the actual taking of the drug as I am the reasons why people get themselves into "emergency contraception" scenarios. In saying that I do not want to appear judgmental or demeaning. We all have made poor decisions in life, and much of life consists of learning from our poor choices. All I am saying is that the debate is a much deeper one. There are enormous implications for a society which sells "the morning after pill" over-the-counter. And there are enormous implications for the Church and how to do ministry within this context. We must search answers to this debate through God's Word.

I type this with a humble prayer that I am never in a situation where I feel as if I need to resort to a "Plan B." Of course, we know as Christians there are no plan B's with God. His Providence and Sovereignty are always at work-even in a situation with someone who thinks they need a "plan B".

It is a complicated issue, but one we as Christians need to engage ourselves in, striving to see it in a spiritual perspective.

1 comment:

Lyn-z said...

thanks for your post! i too believe that there are no plan b's, but rather plan a's with God! i think the clearance of this drug by the FDA is a picture of where our society stands on the issue of sex...it is not sacred in the eyes of the world--it is a right for anyone at any time, any age, any sexual orientation one prefers...sad times, but Christ can pull the scales off people's eyes!