Pan'Theon: Rise' of th'e Fal'Len - #1 Thread in MMO

I woke up this morning with this topic heavy on my mind. I tried to push it back into the shadows of my mind, but it just won't stay there. I'm sure that I'll step on toes on both sides of the "the Pro Life debate" by posting this and probably make some enemies of people who have been my friends. But I just can't keep quiet about this any more. It's making me sick to my stomach and giving me a headache and if no one else will speak out then I will. We can't ignore it any longer. There is a sticky, putrid, ugly, blackness in our culture that is infecting our society across the globe. I don't think it's limited to America, I think it's everywhere. Maybe there are some locations less effected by it than others, but I'm pretty sure it's a global infection, and it's killing us. Quite literally. I call it the Culture of Death. I didn't coin this phrase, but when I've heard it mentioned it seems like the people in hearing range try to sweep it under the proverbial rug and pretend it isn't there. We can all smell it. We have seen it. We know it's there. The ooze is staining the carpet even as we try to pretend it doesn't exist. And the stench is befouling the air in all our lives. We can lay roses over it, hang pictures on the wall to distract our attention from it, or try to turn our backs on it, but there is no mistaking the lingering presence of death.

Some of us who are profoundly Pro Life in our stance on abortion see the culture of death in the pro-abortion argument and identify "pro choicers" as being Pro Death. Because really, that is what they are choosing, they are choosing death for unborn children everywhere. There isn't a middle ground on this issue. It is a life or death issue. Either the child lives or the child dies. There is no middle ground for the child. There is no, "It's true for you but not for me" in the life of the child. If the mother chooses life then it is life for the child. If the mother chooses abortion then it is death for the child. Nothing more, nothing less. A seven year old can figure this out, it isn't rocket science. All the "But what if.." arguments Pro Death people come up with, they are justifications for choosing murder, for choosing death for an innocent baby. Most of us understand that concept. It isn't really the main issue that is bothering me this morning, but it's at the core of the ideology that has infected our culture so it needed to be stated. There was a time when I might have conceded to some of the "what if" scenarios, but no longer. I know absolutely and with crystal clarity that children are children from conception, and they have an inherent right to be born and live the life that God gave them. It isn't a right granted them by the United States Constitution, though it is listed there. It is a right given them by God. To take away that right to life, is to sin against God himself.

That is the key point that so many people miss in this argument, and in all issues surrounding the creation and perpetuation of life, is that God is the life-giver. When humans step in and take away the life that God has given to a person or animal, we are committing an act against God. Yes, I include animals in that statement as well. This whole idea extends so far beyond humanity, that it truly is corrupting all of life on the planet. Human infants are being killed. Elderly are being killed. Puppies, kittens, and mice are being killed. Horses are being killed. It's everywhere. Our entire species is bathed in blood. And it stinks.

I read a comment from someone on FaceBook today that was pointing out the problems of offering a hand-out instead of a hand-up. I happened to agree with the person's views on financial assistance, but the conclusions the person arrived at were disturbing to me. The argument was that people would naturally prevent (possibly even abort?) the birth of what they viewed as excessive children as evidence of proper financial management, or healthy work ethics. This staggers my mind. The Bible, the word of God, tells us that children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. (Ps. 127:3) And yet people who call themselves Christians view children as burdens, not blessings. How can this be? How did Christiandom get to this point that Christians fear and even despise the addition of more children to their family, rather than embracing them? Do people no longer believe God's own word when He says children are a blessing, a reward? It seems so. Anyone with more than 1.8 children is considered to have a "large" family, when just 100 years ago a family with four children was considered normal or maybe even small. It goes deeper than this too. There is this idea that God can't possibly know how many children are the right number of children for any given family, therefore people must take matters into their own hands to prevent God from giving them "too many" children. And anyone who does not go to such measures is considered irresponsible for producing "too many" offspring. The government and even the insurance companies take this a step further even. They are trying to control world population through medical and surgical interventions! They will pay for abortions, birth control and surgical sterilizations out of tax dollars, but they will not pay for fertility treatments, or surgical reversals that would allow a couple to have more children. The unspoken message here is, "We will help you kill your children, and we will prevent you from obtaining God's blessings, but we sure won't help you grow your family or seek blessings from God!" And what's worse, is that a huge percentage of the American population, possibly the world over, applauds and endorses this sentiment. This is the culture of death, and people love it!

An estimated 40% to 60% of women who undergo tubal ligation sterilization surgery experience a debilitating condition called Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome, or PTLS, which creates a myriad of symptoms including (but not limited to) migraines, severe fatigue, erratic mood swings, cramping, and even early onset of osteoporosis and arthritis. The treatment for this condition is a reversal of the tubal ligation, to reconnect the fallopian tubes. But insurance won't pay for this procedure because it MIGHT produce a baby. They don't care how much a person suffers, they don't care that it completely destroys their life (indeed I'm beginning to think they celebrate the destruction of people's lives!), they don't care if it causes permanent disability, as long as it doesn't produce a new human being they are fine with the suffering of women. I have this condition, and can not get the surgery because it costs $10,000 that we absolutely can not afford, and can not get insurance to cover it. Yes. I am a victim of the culture of death, because 12 years ago I bought into the lie that it was the responsible thing to do, to prevent the creation of "too many" children. I deeply regret that decision now, in more ways than I can begin to describe in a single blog post. This is the culture of death, it is destroying lives, and governments and insurance companies are perpetuating the spread of it.

Another area that I have seen the culture of death permeate society is through our pets. Our culture tells us that spaying and neutering our pets is the right thing to do. I knew a Christian lady once who even had her pregnant dog spayed, knowingly killing the puppies in the process, under the belief that dead puppies are better than "too many" puppies. An atheist I know killed a litter of the family pet's newborn kittens while his little daughter watched, and then tried to justify his action as the most humane thing to do in the situation. The culture of death teaches us that killing innocent babies is better than letting them live. Pets teach us about unconditional love, about trust, about loyalty, about devotion, about compassion, about comfort, and about a loving Creator who gives us pets to enrich our lives. Apartment dwellers are not allowed to have any pets, or if they do they are fined heavily for caring for these small creatures and enjoying the blessings that animal friends give. The culture of death says "too many pets" is a burden on the planet.

This year I've become involved with horse rescue. I always knew there were slaughter houses but I didn't actually know the details about what happens there, and I also felt like I was powerless to do anything about it. I still live in town, in a small house, with a tiny yard, and no possibility of owning my own horse. But I have been introduced to a group of people who rescue horses from these kill pens to place them in loving homes where they will live happy and productive lives to their natural end. Some of the horses they rescue are pregnant mares, foals, yearlings, even professionally trained riding horses that are in the prime of life, amiable, willing, and offering a lifetime of love and service. I have neither the space nor the budget to adopt any of these horses, as much as I would love to, but I pray for them and every once in a while I have an extra $5 to donate to the cause. Even $5 helps to rescue these horses. Our society has rejected these horses. Our society closes their eyes to the brutal treatment and harsh conditions of horses in the kill pens. Our society has taught more than a generation of people that it's better to kill these horses than to find homes for them, simply because the original owner can't or won't keep them any more. Horses are highly intelligent animals. We can learn a lot from horses, majesty, loyalty, forgiveness, strength, endurance, devotion, and yes, just as with the smaller pets horses too can teach us about unconditional love. They can also teach us about a healthy work ethic, and about dedication, and commitment, and other holy virtues. Our society would cast these animals aside, even abuse them, misuse them, and see them only for the financial profit they can gain from killing them. These are animals that have a deep joy of living, they run free in the wind, and love sharing their life with others of their kind. Humans steal their joy and their life, starving them for long distances in overcrowded conditions, to end their days confined, unloved, and abused. It is heartbreaking. I have loved horses all my life, but it wasn't until this year that I learned of anyone doing anything to rescue them. How can there be so few people trying to save them, and so few people helping? For every horse that they save there are probably a hundred more they were unable to rescue due to lack of funds, and lack of help. This is the culture of death, hardening people's hearts to the point they can no longer even recognize the sanctity of life.

Recently one of our cats was hit by a car. She suffered a broken pelvis. She became dehydrated and lethargic as a result of complications from her accident. She nearly died. We took her to the vet for treatment, but we had an extremely limited budget (I spent our last $80 at the vet instead of paying a bill). Given our financial hardship, the vet was quick to offer euthanasia as a viable treatment method, due to the severity of her injury and complications. I told the vet "We brought her in so they would help her live, not to kill her! Only God gets to decide if she dies." The vet gave her subcutaneous fluids, antibiotics, and painkillers, and she sent us home with a feeding tube to keep her nourished and hydrated. Our cat recovered and is back to her old self of trying to escape every time the door opens. But the moment when death was offered as a treatment method for an injury struck a chord deep in my soul and has bothered me ever since. Euthanasia is no longer seen as death, it's seen as "treatment" for a medical condition. Killing the patient is considered a viable option for treatment. This is the culture of death, but people call it compassionate care instead.

A friend of mine has been closely involved with the care of his parents. When his father was hospitalized for a chronic, but treatable, condition recently the hospital staff pressured him, his mother, and other relatives to choose euthanasia for his father instead of treatment. My friend adamantly fought for life and defended his father's right to life. At one point his father recovered well enough to go home, but a nurse told a family member, "If he comes back here, he will not leave alive again." And indeed, the next time he was admitted to the hospital, they pressured extended family members so hard on the euthanasia issue that they finally signed his life away. Euthanasia was the most cost effective treatment for the hospital, the most profitable outcome for them. The hospital stopped treating him, and accelerated the onset of his death. They put him on hospice and called this compassionate care. My friend lost his father. This is the culture of death where life is measured in dollars, and wisdom of the ages is discarded in favor of profit margins.

I've read a few different articles lately about the new Common Core curriculum that indicate indoctrination into the practice of euthanasia as an accepted medical outcome is being taught to children as young as seven and eight years old in the schools. They are given "logic" problems where they have to choose one person from among a group of people in a story that will have to die. They are being taught that choosing death is not only a viable option, but the only option. We know from examples of socialized health care in other countries that the government forms "death panels" where policy is made to determine which patients will live, and which will die. Elderly are immediately culled from the health care services because their lives are determined to be "a burden" on society. Anyone who is unable to work is considered "a burden" and will fall in priority ranking for treatment. There is not enough money and there are not enough doctors to treat everyone in socialized health care, so some people will necessarily be cut off. Children are being taught that it's the right thing to do to kill their grandparents and handicapped relatives to maintain socialized health care. They are never taught that there is another way, a better way, that would allow grandma and grandpa to live. They are never taught the value of learning from the experiences of the older generations. They are institutionalized into government schools, pulled away from their families, and isolated from the people in their lives who have the most experience in how to succeed in life. They are taught through example that money and formal education are more important than love and family values. They are taught by the schools that elderly are financial drains that should be eliminated from society. They are taught to kill old people through a treatment called euthanasia. They are never taught to respect their elders. They are never taught to listen to the wisdom of the aged. Only God should choose when we die. When humans try to play God, destruction follows. But of course, they removed God from the schools and replaced Him with Secular Humanism instead. Children are not taught the wisdom of the Bible any more. This is the culture of death, killing our elders and starving our children of much needed wisdom.

We should not be surprised that the culture of death is killing our most treasured members of society, our children and our grandparents. It permeates every aspect of our culture, even our entertainment and our celebrations. And this is not just about Halloween, and the dance with death that our society engages in every October 31, although it is most evident at this time of year. It is about movies, books, games, even bumper stickers and disaster preparation activists feed on the culture of death with the ever present topic of zombies. Zombies seem to be the devil's perversion of holy resurrection. He can't bring people back to life, but he knows that deep down we all crave to experience new life in Christ, so to distract us from the holy resurrection offered by the Lifegiver he dangles this counterfeit resurrection through undead and zombies to obsess over instead. And people fall for it. Even Christians get excited about the idea of a zombie apocalypse, and will spend hours talking about it, scheming survival plans, and sometimes even preparing for such an event. The Bible does describe an apocalypse that we will endure, but it isn't going to involve zombies, it's going to involve Jesus returning with a sword and an army of angels to wipe out evil from the face of the Earth once and for all. And all the people who made jokes about "zombie Jesus" are going to find themselves at the wrong end of His sword. It won't be funny any more. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and everyone who embraces this culture of death is going to be in for a very uncomfortable surprise.

I am so disgusted with this culture of death. I see it everywhere, every day, and I hate it. I hate that we are pressured to prevent our animals from having offspring. I hate that beautiful horses are slaughtered for profit. I hate that women are pressured into limiting the number of children they have. I hate that the Pro Death agenda spends so much of our tax money on the murder of unborn babies. I hate that animals are euthanized. I hate that death panels choose to kill people instead of treating them. I hate zombies. And I hate that Christians are often caught up into this culture of death as much as the atheists are. The Bible tells us that in the last days even the elect will be deceived. I think it is happening right now. This is the culture of death, and we are all victims of it, in some way infected by it, very likely dying from it, and I hate it. This is what I mean when I say I am Pro Life: I oppose killing, I mourn loss of life, I oppose the prevention of new life, I oppose the glorification of death and the undead, I oppose the culture of death. We need to trust God more, and trust society less. We need to have faith that God knows what is best for us. We need to do our best to live for Him, obey Him, and follow Him. Jesus is the light of the world. We need to walk in the light. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and we need to give our lives to Him to be healed of this culture of death so we can be restored to life, both in this life and the next.