Throw Out The Bathwater. Keep The Baby.

DRAFTED IN 2020.  THE LAW HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED.  FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MEDICAL ETHICS, THE FACTS AND ANALYSIS HAS NOT. 

In the attached image, one may observe the developing brain, spinal column, liver, digestive system, and lungs of the developing embryo.  Probably more.  Can you see it?  Even with my untrained eye, I can make out these things.  

When I was a child, growing up in the 1960's, the library purchased for me by my parents and grandparents had books with artist images of embryonic development.  There is even a little tail on a human embryo which disappears as development continues.  Can you see the tail, too?  

There are lots of people who would say that a human embryo at this stage of development is entitled to all of the protections we give to fully developed humans.  They say that this is, in every way that matters, a human. In keeping with this view, the embryo is referred to as an "unborn child," and abortion rights activists all over the country are enacting legislation to force a woman seeking an abortion to view an untrasound image of the embryo's beating heart before she can have an abortion.  (For instance, HERE is an article about such legislation, in the New York Times.)   Do you agree, that an embryo at this stage of development should be afforded all the same protections as a full term baby?  

I'm just curious.  Because, when pressed, most people don't.  Even "pro-life" people act in ways that demonstrate they don't, really, think this way.  When a woman in a pro-life church miscarries an embryo, for instance, I'd almost guarantee that she's not given the same level of grief support that is given to a woman who loses a full-term infant.  And I'm not saying that's wrong. Most people can see that the embryo depicted here is not a fully formed human.  

While a woman who has a miscarriage may be devastated by the loss, imagine how much more devastating that loss would be for a woman who had actually felt the baby quickening inside her, held an infant, and whose breasts overflowed with milk for her baby who died.  To say that the loss of the embryo is equivalent to the loss of a full term infant is to trivialize the loss of the woman who lost the full term infant.  I am not saying that miscarriage is not devastating.  But what I am saying is that it does not compare, in emotional terms, to loss of a child one has held physically as opposed to emotionally.

The distinction is not just that a human in embryonic stage is incapable of independent life.  The argument boils even further down, to disagreement about what it means to be "human."   What is it that makes us "human?"  By what measure do we determine when someone is fully "here" and entitled to "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness?"   A human embryo has potential to become human, certainly.  But when interests cannot be reconciled, the rights of the embryo must be balanced against someone who is already here.  

Most people think of things like breathing, consciousness, feeling, awareness,  having preferences, making decisions -- are important kinds of things that distinguish us as humans.  Most people would admit that if the interests must be balanced and one give way to the other, it is the mother who is already here -- the mother who has hopes and dreams, fears and pain --  whose rights should trump, unless there is good reason to override her rights.  But most of us also recognize there is a point when the rights of the fetus must be protected and respected, and increasingly so as the human potentiality of the fetus becomes more actualized.  Most of us -- those of us in the middle -- actually think there should be some balancing of interests, not just the two extremist views of either the embryo as a full fledged human or the view of a viable fetus as being worthless. 

The U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Roe v. Wade recognizes this balancing test explicitly.  Roe v. Wade does not carte blanche allow all abortions, or restrict all abortions,  Rather, what Roe v. Wade does is impose a balancing test to weigh the rights of the mother against the rights of the unborn.  Early in pregnancy, in the embryonic stages, the mother's rights always trump.  Late in pregnancy, when the fetus would be capable of life outside the womb, a woman must show some compelling interest such as a life threatening medical condition to justify killing the baby.  In the middle trimesters, near to the point of viability, there is a balancing test.  The anti-abortion forces seek to undo this balancing.  Extremists, who do not represent the majority viewpoint, seek to create a legal scenario where the rights of the fertilized egg always trump the rights of the mother, no matter what the circumstances.  

To do so, they appeal to emotion.  A common theme is that abortion stops a beating heart.  

I agree.  Abortion does stop a beating heart.  But, I counter, so does a person who decides to eat beef or pork or chicken, or a shrimp for that matter.  All of these creatures, that many people slaughter and eat for supper, have beating hearts.  Having a beating heart is not the essence of what it means to be human.  

In fact, a pig and a cow and a chicken, animals we routinely slaughter in massive slaughterhouses, also have fear and pain and a good bit of understanding of things that happen in the world.  (If you don't know this, then you haven't spent any time around these animals.)  I urge that, even if we do not want to acknowledge animal consciousness as having the same value we ascribe to human consciousness, we would be remiss not to acknowledge that almost any fully developed animal's level of consciousness is greater than the embryo in the picture above.  I suggest that, if we are to respect LIFE, we must respect ALL LIFE, not just that which we choose to acknowledge or that which resembles that which we ourselves choose to recognize.  How anthropomorphic and what a double standard, to say that only humans have value and also to fail to treat all life with respect.

But anyway, on the subject of respecting life.  What do you think of this embryo?  What is your view?   I'm just curious, because if you think this pig is qualitatively the same think as a hog, then I seriously hope you never invite me to your house for barbecue.  And if you weren't aware that this was a pig embryo, that's part of my point.*  My point is, simply, this:  We can respect life, and we can respect the value of a fetus, without accepting the argument that an embryo is entitled to all of the same protections as a full term infant.  It is possible to value life, and at the same time recognize that the "stops a beating heart" is a preposterous oversimplification of the issues.  It is possible to value the sanctity of life and at the same time adopt a balanced, intellectually supportable view that a woman should be able to choose early term abortion without undue guilt or concern about "stopping a beating heart."  

*The image of this pig is taken from Darkfield Image Gallery:  http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/olympusmicd/galleries/darkfield/pig1.html 

Earthbound

"To understand Jesus properly, we have to appreciate how his living makes possible the transformation of our own. God became incarnate in Jesus Christ to show us and welcome us into what creaturely life is ultimately about and for. This means that salvation is not about 

Rootbound!

Gardening gives time for quiet contemplation as one engages with the Earth and God's creation.

The other day, as I was transplanting seedlings from peat pots into the ground, I noticed that even though (in theory) the roots of the seedlings were supposed to be able to push through the peat pots, in most cases they had not.  Instead, as the tiny roots reached the wall of the pot, they turned and went a different direction, back inside the pot.

A healthy plant with room to grow will stretch its roots downwards and outwards into the rich soil, supporting the leaves and growth above. When a plant repeatedly encounters the wall of a pot as its roots try to grow, the normal course of growth is interrupted. Its roots turn inward, doubling back upon themselves.  When the roots of the plant are tangled and curled back upon themselves inside a pot, eventually there it's not enough soil to nourish the plant. Eventually, the crowded roots become a tangled mass that is so dense it can't even absorb water. Because the plant is limited by the confines of the pot, it will have to be watered constantly. Due to lack of nourishment, the plant will always be stressed, and its growth will be stunted. In short, the plant will never reach its full potential.


When the gardener moves a seedling from a small pot to a bigger one or from a seed tray into the garden, the gardener will gently spread the roots so that the young transplant can grow in a healthy way.

In my own life, I find this to be true, as well. When I've been sitting in a comfortable spot in life, I don't always enjoy being pushed out of my comfortable space. Sometimes, however, being pushed out of my comfortable space is what's needed for growth. Sometimes, it may even be necessary for the gardener in my life to untangle my roots in order to allow them to spread out. I'll try to remember this next time I'm uncomfortable with disruption in my life.

Three Personal Benefits to Me of Growing a Kitchen Garden

In two previous blog posts I have discussed practical benefits of kitchen gardens (cost, health, and taste) and collective benefits (environmental, sustainability, and building community). Today, I would like to discuss six more personal, intangible factors that keep me returning to my habit of kitchen gardening.

Slower Pace

I have a "day job" that can be fast paced and stressful. Committing a half hour per day to gardening helps me carve out personal space, engage in an activity very different from my other vocation, and restore a work life balance.  

Introspection Time

 For me personally, gardening time is quiet time. It is a long moment of silence. It is a time to look at some item in detail, whether it is weeds or bugs or dirt or new plants. It involves focusing attention on something that is not related to work or stress or other things in life. It allows for creative interruption and regrouping of ideas in a way that benefits the way I think in other areas of life.

Connectedness With Land

Watching a garden grow, on a daily basis, sometimes feels akin to waiting for a pot to boil. (I am alluding to the adage, "a watched pot never boils.")  Indeed, gardens grow even slower than the water boils! They take months, sometimes years, to reach maturity! Yet, grow and change they do!  Inexorably, plants grow, mature, wilt, and die. It doesn't hurt us to experience this cycle of life, change, and death, on a different pace than what we see in our daily, hectic, industrial lives. It is good to remember that even when things seem to be standing still, they are in fact moving forward. This leads to seasonality and connection with changing seasons, as well. Gardens remind us of seasons. They remind that seasons are real, that there are times for doing things and times for refraining.  They remind us to be patient. And they also remind us that fruit comes to those who do their part and wait. 

Self Sufficiency

There is something simply satisfying about providing food for the table. Whether it is a sprig of basil on a sandwich, parsley in a tabouli, or a curry made all from home grown vegetables, there is a satisfaction that comes from being able to say, "I grew this." 

Connectedness With Heritage

My first memory of gardening was when my mother showed me how to weed the corn seedlings that were popping up in our garden. She showed me which plants to pull up and which to leave in the ground. Then she sent me to work on my row, while she did hers. When she came back, I learned that I had pulled up all the corn seedlings and left the weeds! Fortunately, there was still time to replant, and one must admit that it was a memorable mother daughter time! Other memories of gardening involve my grandparents, my uncles, my father. All passing along their collective wisdom and a heritage that includes growing plants and living a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. This is not the only connection with the past, however. My grandparents learned their farming practices from their parents, who learned from theirs, etc. When I pick up a hoe to weed, I imagine many ancestors before me who used an almost identical tool to do almost the same thing. The fact is, that I am a hobbyist whereas they were working to provide table sustenance through long winter months. Nevertheless, gardening connects me with them, with that heritage, and with the skills of self-sufficiency that they passed along to me.

Connectedness With Future

Just as my parents and grandparents passed their skills and ideas along to me, so I also want impart those to my children. I have wonderful memories of sharing the preparation of soil, planting of seeds, harvesting, cooking, and eating garden produce with my own children. As such, the heritage of my past lives on into the future, passing memory and family story to the next generation. Gardening facilitates the sharing of values and things that I value with those whom I particularly value.

Community Benefits of Growing a Kitchen Garden

In an earlier blog post, I listed cost, health, and taste as three basic reasons to start a kitchen garden. Those are individual benefits.

Today I want to mention a few ways that our kitchen gardens benefit our communities.  This is significant, because collectively our kitchen gardens increase sustainability in a world where it's important for each of us to live lives that reduce drain on world resources. 

As of 2016, the world population is close to 7.4 Billion people. We can't help it that each of us needs to eat, but if we live more sustainably, we collectively can stretch the earth's resources and maintain our blue planet as a place of beauty for all people now and for future generations. Current industrial agricultural practices don't do that. 

The list of damaging industrial agricultural practices is too long to write about here! If you didn't know it already, in the USA the traditional model of the small time, family farm is dead. It was impossible, economically, for the small scale farmer to compete cost-wise, with large scale, industrial agriculture. 

 To make farming profitable, large scale Ag relies on planting fields of crops that are genetically homogenous, often with genetic modifications that enable them to resist herbicides so that herbicides can be applied that will kill weeds but not the genetically modified plants. Machines and / or low cost labor are used in a relatively highly mechanized way, to tend and harvest the crops, which are then sold to commercial distributors. These distributors then ship from their hubs to far flung distribution centers, where they are then purchased by third party sellers. Even the guy who stocks your local roadside stand more than likely purchases some or all of his produce from a distributor. 

Our current system results in unprecedented efficiency and a steady supply of relatively safe food. However, it also has significant negative environmental impacts and relies heavily on petroleum products. Individual gardeners, acting collectively, can retain benefits of industrial agriculture (e.g. have access to strawberries even when they're out of season here), while reducing reliance on big agriculture, thereby reducing  environmental impacts and also increasing sustainability. 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The pesticides and herbicides used by industrial agriculture to prevent pests also get into the ecosystem and cause collateral damage to the environment. For instance, it's estimated that neonicontinoid pesticides are contributing to decimations of bee populations  worldwide. We are hearing that residue from the Monsanto herbicide "Roundup" is appearing throughout the food chain.  We can fight against this by purchasing organic and non-GMO foods at the store, but we also collectively can have a significant impact when we adopt environmentally friendly practices in a home garden. Individually, I am just one person, but if enough of us make small changes the impact can be significant. 

SUSTAINABILITY 

In recent decades, California farms have been some of the most productive cropland in the world, supplying USA consumers with bountiful vegetables and fruits, which are shipped to every corner of the United States. Unfortunately, this appears to be coming to an end. Why? Because irrigation has been used in an unsustainable way. Groundwater that has been used for irrigation has been depleted to a point where it soon it will be no longer available.  If you don't believe me, do a Google search for "drought in California." For purposes of this blog post, take my word for it! 

After the plants are produced on these large scale farms, harvesting and getting the produce to market relies on machinery and shipping, which requires fossil fuels.  And then there's the packaging. And sometimes there are abusive labor practices.  These practices all have negative impacts. 

Growing veggies in our home gardens enables us to bypass much of the negative, unsustainable side of industrial agriculture, even more so when we compost and reduce our reliance on chemical fertilizers.  We increase long-term sustainability when we grow food ourselves (or when we source locally and from small suppliers), when we use heirloom varieties of plants, when we implement more sustainable agricultural practices in our own sphere, when we increase plant genetic diversity, when we provide safe habitat for bees and butterflies, and when we reduce reliance on the fossil fuels used for shipping. 

COMMUNITY 

Another benefit is obvious: the opportunity to share. We build up communities and each other not just by sharing food with our neighbor or our local food bank, but by sharing knowledge and seeds and mentoring and visits with friends in our gardens.  Indeed, in this sense of building community, the garden itself can become a community activity, cultivating leaders as well as plants. To see a longer list of benefits of community gardening, check out this site:

http://www.gardendallas.org/benefits.htm

In summary, in addition to being cost-effective, healthy and tasty, growing a home vegetable garden reduces the environmental impact of industrial agriculture, contributes to a more sustainable footprint, and builds local communities!  So now, in these two blog posts,  I have given you six pretty good reasons to think about growing your own kitchen garden (on whatever scale you wish, small or large). These six reasons are: cost, health, taste, environment, sustainability, and community.  In my next blog post, I will talk about some things that are more personal to me which add enrichment to my own gardening experience.

AN INVITATION TO WILDERNESS

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ….” (Luke 4:1)

The forty days of Lent represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. Lent invites us to enter into and explore the landscape of our own, spiritual wilderness. In this blog post, I would like to invite the reader to explore with me some ideas about what such a journey might look like, feel like, what tools we need before venturing into our own “wilderness,” and benefits of such a journey. (Note: a shortened version of this blog post appears HERE .)



(Christ in the Wilderness, Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

How Should I Live?

"So live, that when thy summons comes to join

The innumerable caravan, which moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,

Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed

By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. "

William Cullen Bryant

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, For They Will Be Comforted

Nowhere and at no time is grief more acute than on those holidays when we celebrate our connectedness to others: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversaries.  If you are grieving, acutely and painfully morning the loss of a precious loved one, this post is for you.  I also write for the friends of the bereaved, to help you understand a bit of what your friend may be going through.

Medicine for the Entire Self

When we are sick, we Americans tend to want to take a pill that will fix our symptoms.  Then, with our symptoms under control, we keep on doing whatever it is we are already doing, without making any other changes to our habits or lifestyle.