{"id":165,"date":"2012-08-22T15:50:08","date_gmt":"2012-08-22T15:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/?p=165"},"modified":"2012-08-22T15:53:40","modified_gmt":"2012-08-22T15:53:40","slug":"legitimate-rape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/2012\/08\/legitimate-rape.html","title":{"rendered":"“Legitimate” Rape"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am\u00a0all fired up! \u00a0Congressman Akin makes me mad.\u00a0The very idea that when a woman is raped and her body shuts down so that she doesn’t conceive is ludicrous. The Congressman said he had consulted doctors…I’d like to know\u00a0which ones. There is no scientific evidence for such a stupid claim.<\/span><\/p>\n

He clearly does not know what he is talking about…what else is he confused about? I wouldn’t want him to represent me! And he does not reflect the Republican Party’s stand on pro-life as the Democrats are now trying to say. Mr. Akin should step aside…his comments are muddying the water. He does not represent pro-lifers.<\/p>\n

I am as pro-life as they come. I have earned the right to be so. My daughter had two babies out of wedlock – the first just after she turned 17 whom she released for adoption and the\u00a0second one at 18 whom \u00a0she parented. She could have chosen an abortion. She did not. She lost something of her reputation, her figure, her friends, her school…but she took a stand for life. Three years ago she she gave birth to a baby with serious birth defects due to a medication she was on for a thyroid problem before she know she was pregnant. She could have aborted him. She chose life. Her son has on-going issues and is often rushed to the hospital for emergency intervention. She has handled life-changing, difficult situations in a courageous way – I am proud of her.<\/span><\/p>\n

But I will not condemn those who have had abortions. There is healing and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Rape is a terrible thing. And unfortunately, all rape is legitimate. I know there are some who claim rape when they don’t want to take responsibility for their actions and perhaps that is what the Congressman was thinking. But his explanation<\/span> was totally off the wall. A woman’s body does not shut down.\u00a0The great Broadway actress, Ethel Waters, was the result of a rape. Her mother’s body did not “shut down”. The world is richer for having had Ethel Waters in it. No life is a mistake…There are no illegitimate children – only illegitimate acts. <\/span>God has a plan for each one. He made each one and loves each one. He died for each one.<\/p>\n

Thanks for letting me sound off!<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am\u00a0all fired up! \u00a0Congressman Akin makes me mad.\u00a0The very idea that when a woman is raped and her body shuts down so that she doesn’t conceive is ludicrous. The Congressman said he had consulted doctors…I’d like to know\u00a0which ones. There is no scientific evidence for such a stupid claim. 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