Thirty times. Yes, 30 times Ms. Garner used “I” in her short editorial concerning her support for “Pro-Choice” on abortion (see editorial written on March 22). The repetitive use of “I” often sums up the Pro-Choice (Pro-abortion) agenda and the stance often taken by those who side to the left.

I applaud Ms. Garner’s decision not to kill her son and it appears his birth has allowed her to reflect deeply on the sacredness of all human life from conception to natural death. However, we all have room for improvement in our Christian walk. We must continually form ourselves in the Christian life through strengthening ourselves in virtue.

How? By taking the “I” out of many of the decisions we make about our own comforts, desires, needs and wants. Ms. Garner stated, “I need to have control over my life and the choices I make.”

We can agree about needing to be prudent in decision-making and using the intellect God gave us to make rational, just, and sound choices, but “control” is something we Christians need to give more to God and less to our own selfishness, especially when it comes to the gift of life.

There are many instances in this country where women have “unplanned” pregnancies and as Ms. Garner stated “were unsure whether [they too] wanted to be a mother.”

It must be difficult to sort through all the emotions when this occurs; however, with great sacrifice comes great blessings. These blessings don’t come from “I,” they come from “Him.”

I apologize if these thoughts appear as being too hard on Ms. Garner, because she seems to be a great mother and devoted Christian. Nonetheless, there is no room in the Christian life to “choose” to kill an unborn child.

Ms. Garner admits taking the life of a child in the womb is “termination.” If so, can we choose to terminate our neighbor if they inconvenience us? What is the difference — termination is termination?

In the secular world there is a law against one and not the other, but in the Christian life there is no distinction. “Let’s call a spade a spade!”

To clarify one last point, Ms. Garner stated, “Abortion is murder and it is a sin. Just like fornication, adultery, homosexuality, jealousy, etc. ...”

Yes, they are all sins, but Ms. Garner needs to understand sins ”are rightly evaluated according to their gravity.” (CCC 1854) This is supported by 1 John 5:16-17 which states, “If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.”

When it comes to killing the most innocent and the most helpless of society, the gravity of this sin far outweighs the others.

Rick Walker
Peachtree City, Ga.

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