A Heated Debate on the Sanctity of Life

A few months ago my husband and I engaged in a dialogue concerning the pro-life/abortion debate. A mutual friend of ours had posted an article, entitled God Help Us about Obama's plans for the future legality of abortion, on his Facebook page and had "tagged" both Tim and I in it. Some of our mutual friend's other Facebook friends, though they had not been tagged, had also read the article and felt compelled to share their beliefs on the subject. We responded and the dialogue began. We had never and have never met these people. We know nothing about them except what they shared with us in the course of the comments on our friend's Facebook page. The following is the "conversation" we had. I have not changed their words at all. I wanted to share the conversation because I feel it illustrates what we as pro-life advocates are up against as we attempt to change minds and educate others about the sanctity of life. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments as well.

Anonymous #1:at 9:11pm January 31. u make it sound like he is actually killing children, when he is only allowing abortion. its not the best thing in the world to do, but if u aren't ready to have a child u should have the right to abort it

Tim Burke: at 10:58pm January 31. If you "aren't ready to have a child" then you shouldn't have sex!

Anonymous #1: at 12:36am February 1. ppl take precautions, but accidents still happen. u cant just write off having sex with someone u love. and are u telling me u aren't going to have sex until u have the intention of getting a woman pregnant?

Anonymous #2: at 3:05am February 1. What about women that fall pregnant after being raped do they have no say in weather they should have a daily reminder of the horrors they faced?

Anonymous #1:at 3:45am February 1. see there's much more to the subject that u clearly aren't seeing tim. life's not perfect, things happen. as bad as it is u cant wipe out abortion

Anonymous #2: at 3:52am February 1. Women are liberated these days, we can vote, we can work and we damn well deserve a choice. What's worse Tim a woman having a abortion or a woman selling herself to feed a baby she couldn't afford in the first place?

Tim Burke: at 12:29pm February 1. I thought a lot about my response to this, and I can delve into a long lecture about the subject, but I think I can sum it all up with the words of Mother Theresa, "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you live as you wish." If you are so selfish that you can't deal with the consequences of your own actions then there is no hope for this world. With regards to the "rape" issue, only 1% of all abortions are a result of this issue, and arguments can be made against that as well.

Kari Burke: at 1:01pm February 1. Besides being murder, plain and simple, abortion is the ultimate example of not taking responsibility for your actions. If you are ready to engage in adult activities you better be adult enough to face any and all possible consequences!

Anonymous #3: at 3:35pm February 1. It's sad to think that people care more about saving baby seals than their own kind.

Kari Burke: at 4:41pm February 1. I keep thinking about this dialogue and I feel compelled to respond to [Anonymous #1's] comment about holding off on having sex with someone you love until you have the intention of getting them pregnant. The comment was posed to Tim and as Tim's wife I feel I am the best person to answer the question. Our marriage is based on love, respect, and sacrifice. True love is always about doing what is best for the other person and not giving into your own selfish and lustful desires. If the woman you supposedly love is not ready for the commitment of marriage and family than you would be showing her so much more love and respect by NOT having sex until the two of you are in a committed marriage. Real love is willing to wait and sex is worth waiting for, because without love and respect it will make you feel empty and used instead of loved and valued. I also feel I should just go ahead and point out that Tim and I are expecting our 5th child. We are living what we believe!!!!!

Anonymous #2: at 5:00pm February 1. Lad dee daa ever thought maybe the world is populated enough. You don't need a 5th child. God wont provide the water and the food when it rund out because you keep having babies. In regards to rape that would mean that every 1 in 100th person, that's a crock if i ever heard one. Its more like every 40 in 100 I guess you have never worked in a sexual assult out reach center. I guess you've never seen a 12 year old been raped by her father not even know what sex, or pregnancy is come in and have to have an abortion. I believe religion caused all wars. I dare you Prove me wrong on the religion caused all wars. If religion is darn great why does it say in the bible that a woman must marry her rapist? Religion is for deluded idiots. people tell their children not to belive in invisable friends by a certain age but here you are grown adults believing in something no one has ever seen. The same people who wrote the bible thought the earth was flat, goes to show the intelligence of religion.

Tim Burke: at 5:20pm February 1. I don't remember any one of us saying anything about religion....AND I didn't say that only 1% of the population has been sexually abused, I said that only 1% of abortions are related to sexual abuse. My heart goes out to those women and children who have been abused. I won't deny that religion causes wars. History tells us that it has. People have passion for their faith and are willing to fight for what they think is right, no matter what religion they are. However, this wasn't a conversation about religion. This was a conversation about a child's right to life and making responsible decisions in your life.

Kari Burke: at 5:30pm February 1. It is not so much that we NEED another child- though we are truly thrilled to be expecting one- as much it is that the world needs people who are willing to have children if the human race is to continue. As for your concern with over population and a lack of food and water for all children, don't worry there are 4000 children a day killed through abortion. I doubt we'll be overpopulated any time soon as long as so many people are killing their children. My 5 are a tiny contribution to the population when compared with that!!!!

Anonymous #2: 5:33pm February 1. With a title like GOD HELP US ALL.. how can it not be religious. There is a a baby does not have rights untill it is reached 20-22 weeks gestaion(sp) Maybe you should ask my mother what its like to have a 19 year old daily reminder of being raped.....See unless you've experianced or been a part of some ones life where rape has hurt them so severaly then you can not say wheather the child has a right to live...(content edited due to inappropriateness)


Kari Burke: at 5:40pm February 1. Since you want to include God I just want to say God Bless your amazing mother for choosing life for you. I bet she has NO regrets and that instead of a reminder of a horrible event in her life you are a sign that even in the worst of circumstances good can come out if you trust in God. Your life must inspire hope in so many people!

Though this dialogue occurred almost 6 months ago I have continued to pray for the participants, that God will change their minds and touch their hearts. I ask that you will pray for them, and for all those who do not value life, as well.