Happy Father’s Day!
The following article was written by Brian Gibson of ProLife Action Ministries. With their permission, I share it here.
Fathers are irreplaceable figures in a child’s life. They are essential leaders in the home and in society. Yet, nearly one in four children in America live without a father in the home, according to the National Fatherhood Initiative. The relationship between a father and his child often shapes a child’s worldview the most.
The Bible talks about the importance of fatherhood. Fathers are the spiritual heads of their households, responsible for guiding their families in faith and righteousness. Ephesians 6:4 instructs fathers to bring up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”Additionally, fathers provide emotional and physical stability for their families. They are protectors and providers. These are essential for the well-being and security of their children and spouse! Psalm 103:13 compares a father’s compassion to God’s compassion. “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”
The Bible instructs fathers to be encouraging and nurturing. Colossians 3:21 warns, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” This nurturing aspect builds a child’s confidence and emotional well-being, fostering a healthy parent-child relationship.
This is important because fatherhood is used as a metaphor for God’s relationship with us. Just as God is a Father to His people, providing love, guidance, and discipline, earthly fathers are expected to emulate these qualities in their own families.
Abortion diminishes the value of fatherhood. Instead of taking responsibility for one’s actions, abortion encourages men to treat human beings as disposable.
This week as we celebrate Father’s Day and Juneteenth, we cannot ignore the intersection of the abortion industry and the Black community. Abortion disproportionately impacts communities of color, specifically Black populations. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal this stark disparity. In 2020, the CDC found that among the areas that reported race by ethnicity data, Black women had the highest abortion rate and ratio.According to the Department of Public Health, black women disproportionately lead in the numbers of abortions. For example, in Mississippi, 79% of abortions were obtained by Black women. In Washington, D.C., more than 60%. This is something to be mourned.
Black women made up 14% of the childbearing population in 2020, yet accounted for 39.2% of reported abortions, with the highest abortion ratio in the country at 442 per 1,000 live births. Since Roe v. Wade, the Black population has decreased by about 40%, resulting in significant economic and generational losses.
Sadly, in some areas like New York City, Black women have more abortions than live births. The roots of this tragedy trace back to Planned Parenthood, whose founder Margaret Sanger had eugenic and racist motivations. Despite this dark history, many African American leaders and organizations are speaking out against the travesty of abortion. Organizations like LEARN and Issues4Life Foundation, are advocating against abortion and promoting healing within their community.
Used with permission. Copyright (C) 2024 Pro-Life Action Ministries. All rights reserved. https://plam.org/
[ed. note: Originally, this was posted and the attribution was not showing, the article should appear with attribution now. -jbm]
This article, Happy Father’s Day! is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/happy-fathers-day/
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