Zach’s Theological Musings

  Apart from whatever political, pastoral, or other related opinions you or I might have, it is really great to see the love of the Palin family for their son/brother Trig put repeatedly in the media spotlight.

  I at first intended to go a more positive direction with this blog post; more on that below. But while searching the internet for related material I came across some disturbing  — not necessarily surprising, but nevertheless disturbing — results from scientific studies. And part of loving the weak and defenseless requires speaking out against the cruel and ruthless. So… did you know that 92% of children diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome while still in the womb are chopped up into pieces and sucked out of the birth canal with a baby crushing vaccum, or face a similar fate by other means? At least that is what we hear (in slightly more subtle language) according to a recent study:

Termination rates after prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, spina bifida, anencephaly, and Turner and Klinefelter syndromes: a systematic literature review
Authors: Caroline Mansfield, Suellen Hopfer, Theresa M. Marteau
Prenatal Diagnosis
Volume 19 Issue 9, Pages 808 - 812
Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract:

The aims of this systematic literature review are to estimate termination rates after prenatal diagnosis of one of five conditions: Down syndrome, spina bifida, anencephaly, and Turner and Klinefelter syndromes, and to determine the extent to which rates vary across conditions and with year of publication. Papers were included if they reported (i) numbers of prenatally diagnosed conditions that were terminated, (ii) at least five cases diagnosed with one of the five specified conditions, and (iii) were published between 1980 and 1998. 20 papers were found which met the inclusion criteria. Termination rates varied across conditions. They were highest following a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (92 per cent; CI: 91 per cent to 93 per cent) and lowest following diagnosis of Klinefelter syndrome (58 per cent; CI: 50 per cent to 66 per cent). Where comparisons could be made, termination rates were similar in the 1990s to those reported in the 1980s. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  Here’s another study from 1978. I could be mistaken, and my apologies to the author if I am misunderstanding his language, but the abstract below seems to celebrate the “effectiveness” of abortion “in reducing the incidence of severe mental retardation.”

Title: Decline of Down’s syndrome after abortion reform in New York state. 
Author: HANSEN H
Source citation: American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1978 Sep;83(2):185-188.
Abstract:

The report estimates the impact of the 1970 abortion reform on the occurrance of Down’s syndrome in New York State. The New York legislature removed restrictions on induced abortions during the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy. The sources of data were: 1) 2 series of newborns from the WHO Comparative Study of Congenital Malformations, 2) Jerusalem Perinatal study, and 3) 2 series from the U.S. Colaborative Perinatal Project. The maternal age-specific incidence from the 5 data sources were applied to the number of pregnancies in each maternal age group supplied by the New York State and City Departments of Health. In 1968 and 1969 the number of expected cases remained stable (383 and 379, respectively), and following the 1970 abortion reform the expected frequency dropped from 331 cases in 1971 and 293 cases in 1972. The decline in incidence of Down’s syndrome was attributable to an increase of induced abortions rather than a decrease of pregnancies, especially in New York City and in the older maternal age groups (35 or older). In the 5 years after abortion reform, the proportion of pregnancies terminated rose during the first 3 years and then stabilized. In the same time period, the estimated number of births with Down’s syndrome declined by 20 percent. The decline in Down’s syndome in New York State cannot be attributed entirely to the abortion reform, although the abortion reform was effective in reducing the incidence of severe mental retardation [emphasis added].

  In addition to the important fact that man was made in God’s image, and destroying the image is an affront against God Himself, I believe that another reason that genuine disciples of Christ place a high value on all human life, including (even especially) the frail, weak, helpless, so-called “useless”, and disabled, is that we see ourselves in such as these. In fact, I mean that in two ways. First, many of the literally, physically weak, helpless, and disabled are precisely those whom God has chosen and called to Himself. He uses the weak and the things of the world that “are not” to shame the strong and the things that are (1 Cor 1).  He does this to display His power and so that no man may have any reason to boast.

  Second, even if we are not physically or mentally disabled (as measured by society), a disciple of Christ is someone who realizes that in ourselves we were utterly blind, deaf, dumb, and hopelessly unable to do anything to help ourselves. Indeed, we were born dead in sin (Eph 2:1). When we see someone who is dependent, someone who can’t make it on their own, someone who is in constant need of care and help, we don’t say like the pagans, “Oh what a burden on society, they need to be exterminated,” but rather we say, “Ya, … that’s me.”

Subtitle: Exegeting Creation.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…” 

  The English word “poem” comes from the Greek root “poiema” which refers to a created thing/something made. For example, both Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Septuagint) and Romans 1:20 use a form of this word to describe God’s work of creation (see also “workmanship” in Ephesians 2:10). The physical world is a “poem” coming from the very mouth of God. Creation doesn’t just “exist”, it tells a story. It is God communicating.

  John Piper says it like this, “The universe and everything in it is God’s work of art. What’s the point of this word? The point is that in a poem there is manifest design and intention and wisdom and power. The wind might create a letter in the sand, but not a poem. That’s the point. God acted. God planned. God designed. God crafted. He created and made. And in doing that, Paul says in [Romans 1] verse 19, God made himself evident to all mankind. The universe is a poem about God.” (Sermon at Bethlehem Baptist Church, September 27, 1998)

  It cannot be denied that throughout the Scriptures God uses similies, metaphors and allegories which draw on the physical world to teach spiritual lessons. It seems to me to be almost as surely undeniable that God planned all of this before He created the world. In other words, long before Jesus taught His disciples that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, He designed mustard seeds to be like the kingdom of heaven, in order that He might teach about the kingdom of heaven using mustard seeds.

  Commenting on Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13, Matthew Henry reminds us to hear the word of God preaching to us in all of God’s creation around us: “Christ chose to do thus, … That common actions might hereby be spiritualized, and we might take occasion from those things which fall so often under our view, to meditate with delight on the things of God; and thus, when our hands are busiest about the world, we may not only notwithstanding that, but even with the help of that, be led to have our hearts in heaven. Thus the word of God shall talk with us, talk familiarly with us, Prov 6:22.” (from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.; Matt 13:1-23)

  Here is just a sampling of some ways we can look at God’s creation and be reminded of Biblical truth:

1. God made rocks to be so strong and firm in order that we might understand what it means that, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.” (Psalm 18:2) And whenever you see a stone structure you can be reminded that we as Christ’s disciples are living stones being built up into a spiritual house, leaning in on Him as our Chief Cornerstone (I Peter 2).
2. God designed a solar system in which we observe the sun faithfully coming up day after day without fail in order to help us appreciate God’s faithfulness to His covenants and especially His covenant people. “Thus says the LORD, “If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne… ” (Jeremiah 33:20ff).
3. Why is there hair on your head (at least for most of us)? Hair teaches us many things about God. For one thing, it illustrates how God knows us better than we know ourselves (Matthew 10:30). Hair is also a testimony to mankind’s lack of control over the affairs of the world, even himself (Matthew 5:36). Hair is even a reminder of the extent of our salvation, that even though we be put to death by our enemies in this world, yet in Christ “not a hair of your head will perish” (Luke 21:18). It is not so surprising then that Paul even dedicated half a chapter to issues about hair in I Cor 11.
4. Fishing, farming, gardening, and baking all have a great deal to say about Judgment Day and life in the Kingdom of God. Just see Jesus’ parables.
5. If you eat a Fig Newton be sure to remember the signs that Jesus is coming soon (Matthew 24:32ff).
6. Trees and foliage thrive along the edge of a river, and they do it by God’s design for our sake, that we might grasp our own need to sink our roots into the Living Waters (cf. Psalm 1).
7. Fire is hot! I thank God for the gift of painful yet temporary burns in order that I might learn to fear Him and avoid His wrath in the never ending Lake of Fire.
8. Dust is a humbling reminder of what we came from as well as the destiny of these current bodies (Gen 2:7, Gen 3:19). However, we can also have hope and be encouraged when we look at dust and remember God’s covenant with Abraham and his seed (Gen 13:16).

  We could go on and on, and in future blog posts I probably will. All the different animals, plants, minerals, seasons, weather conditions, relationships, social patterns, human and celestial events, are ultimately about God, Christ, and the gospel.

  That’s all for now. It’s time for me to go think about the regal Lion of Judah while I brush my teeth (Gen 49:12).