Among words that first appear and become popular in our society are words that currently engender scorn or repulsion. The term “woke” may have started as a praiseworthy description but is now used insultingly as language and culture constantly evolve. The terms woke or wokeism fall into the latter category. We will discuss wokeism later in this post as it links to abortion and transgenderism.
Several social issues earn a wide spectrum of approval or disapproval. The first term, abortion, has been discussed tirelessly using the same means of persuasion. Advocates for abortion—the termination and removal of embryonic or fetal life in the womb—repeatedly use the same arguments. For example, abortion proponents relentlessly reference “a woman’s right to choose.” Another phrase popular in our culture is “My body, my choice!”
The first phrase uses the words choose or choice to cast abortion in a favorable light. When women are characterized as having the right to choose, some are impressed with the positive flavor of the argument. After all, we make voting choices as citizens of a democracy including voting in national elections every other year. Grammatically, the verb “choose” in the expression “woman’s right to choose” is an intransitive verb. The right to choose what? It does not have an object. Do we have the right to choose to end the life of another person, including an undeveloped embryo or fetus?
Many books have been written on the subject of human rights. Famous documents such as the US Constitution and even the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) discuss human rights. Our Creator bestows human rights in the sense that He created all things. God imparts rights to humans because He created our physiological existence. A fundamental right is not a right to practice abortion, but rather, the right to preserve our physiological existence—life itself. The practice of abortion is, therefore, contrary to our God-given inalienable rights.
With respect to abortion, many proponents cast abortion not only as a right, but also as a desirable women’s health practice. In the face of the horror of the abortion procedure, it is inconceivable that this issue has become foremost in the political campaigns of many US politicians and party members. In the face of the scientific evidence for the wonder of genetics and our current knowledge of prenatal development, the wokeism supporting the concept of abortion is painfully out of place in our society. We should remind our fellow citizens about the inspirational and instructive scripture in Psalm 139: “…For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well; My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance…” vv 13-16a (ESV)
Another social issue our society currently wrestles with is the woke endorsement of
transgenderism toward which a startling number of political leaders and ordinary citizens have become aggressively supportive. In addition, some professional medical organizations have become highly supportive of gender confused and gender variant persons and the medical treatments offered. According to Scripture, there is no reason to contemplate the validity of the transgender phenomenon. Genesis 1:27 states: God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (ESV). (See also Genesis 5:2 and Matthew 19:4-6.) Scripture offers instruction on matters of gender and its creation in the mind of God.
The transgender and gender incongruence issue is even more complex than the abortion issue because it relates to choices made by post-natal or mature humans. In contrast, abortion affects innocent pre-born human subjects whose existence depends upon the tender care provided by a human “caretaker.” Most Christians find the issues of abortion and transgenderism disturbing and shocking.
Wokeism challenges science in the area of abortion and transgenderism. Scientific truth is not affirmed by abortionists who remove embryonic and fetal tissue in the womb call the tissues “the products of conception.” Embryonic and fetal life and its development is a miracle of the Creator. Likewise, human gender originates in the mind of God.
Our blog posts have promoted the subject of science as it affirms faith and belief in the God of Creation. Popular exhortation to “Follow the Science” has become “a cultural mantra.” A quotation by Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, illustrates the misuse of the “Follow the Science” mantra: “The science is clear: the current restrictions on (medical abortion medication) are medically unnecessary. For two decades, restrictions have only created additional barriers for patients seeking abortion care. It is critical that the FDA follow the science and lean into facts to ensure that all people can access a safe and legal abortion without obstacles.”
Our posts have promoted real and true science as it supports scriptural faith. There are many examples of fake and pseudo-science. Let us ask God for wisdom to recognize true science and understand true scriptural faith.
