It was reported last week that the Animal Legal Defense Fund organization ranked Illinois first in the country for animal protection. Oregon, Maine, and Colorado finished second, third, and fourth, respectively. What an honor it is for Illinois to be ranked first in the country for protecting dogs and cats. Along the California coasts, as well as in Hawaii, sea turtles come to shore to lay their eggs during the summer. Most of the coastal cities go to great lengths to protect the turtle eggs. Upon the mother laying the eggs, the placement of the turtles’ eggs are monitored by crews, and if need be, the eggs are moved to safer locations to protect them from beach front erosion. Additionally, wire cages are placed around the eggs to protect them against predators such as raccoons. Likewise, crime scene tape is placed around some of the egg nests to keep the human predator from disturbing them – with signs posted as to the amount of fines that will be charged for touching the eggs; let alone, picking up a mother sea turtle.
Our nation’s “bird”, the bald eagle, is protected under federal statute. The statute states that anyone who “Takes” a bald eagle (which includes pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb) faces fines of one to two years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Over the years federal legislation has also passed to protect other fowl, such as the Canadian goose, the spotted owl, and the sage grouse, to name a few. Granted, the legislation was enacted to preserve the respective fowl due to them being placed on the Endangered Species List. The bottom line, we have many protections for various types of animals; albeit, four legged, winged, finned. We love the beauty of the animals that God has created, and we protect them.
Last week there was another historical bill of legislation passed. In New York State the state legislation passed, and signed by Governor Cuomo, new abortion law that effectively opens the door for an unborn child to be killed (murdered) anytime from conception to birth – if the mother’s “health” is endangered. (Note, the former abortion law stated that the mother’s “life” had to be endangered, and the abortion had to be performed prior to 24 weeks of the baby’s development.) In this new legislation, M.D.s, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and midwives may perform nonsurgical abortions. Additionally, if the abortion is “botched” and the baby is born alive, the baby’s life can be terminated by the abortionist. When Governor Cuomo signed the legislation, there was much cheering and applauding from the attendees. (Isn’t it something that in 2013 Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted of first-degree murder and given a life sentence for the killing of three babies who authorities say were delivered alive and then killed with scissors. And now New York abortion law allows for this abomination.) Thus, we now have a new set of laws further protecting the two legged animals; the abortionists and the mothers. This new law will have far reaching consequences not imagined by the legislators; for example: it will become very difficult to prosecute someone for causing the death of a baby in the womb because the baby will be deemed to have no human rights.
In the Scriptures we find that life begins at conception, and science has finally caught up with that truth – especially with the advancement of imaging technology.
Jeremiah 1:5 states,
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
As it was with the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord knew you before conception, and He designed a divine plan for your life. The apostle Paul stated in Galatians 1:15-16a,
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen;”
We also find that while John (who became the Baptist) was in his mother Elisabeth’s womb, when Mary (being pregnant with Jesus) came into the room, John leaped in the womb.
Luke 1:41 states,
“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:”
For many, there is this idea that a baby’s life (while in the womb) is not an independent life from that of the mother’s. Therefore, the mother has the authority to “play god” with the baby’s life. Women have been beguiled into believing that abortion is the solution to their “pregnancy problem”; but, their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual states will take a grave toll on one that has an abortion; because of the abortion. So, when are we going to get serious with regards to passing legislation to place unborn babies on the Endangered Species List? God help us.
