Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice.
This was the subject of the day in my Ethics class at the Marriott School of Management in the fall of 1997.
One can imagine that a discussion regarding this sticky subject at Brigham Young University would not be much of a debate.
Brigham Young University is a private, religious institution. The vast majority of her students are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Mormons.)
Life is a sacred gift not to be taken lightly. Life is not to be disposed of when one deems it inconvenient.
I sat in a class of approximately 75 students. I yawned and toyed with the buttons on my emerald green silk blouse.
I thought about how after this class I would walk down the street to Wendy's and have a baked potato with green peas and ranch dressing on top.
I wrote "I love Mr. Pistol" with a heart around it in my notebook next to the word "Ethics". I was a newlywed then.
I checked the clock every few minutes. I sighed and drummed my fingers lightly.
The conversation was very ho-hum.
Everyone had the same opinion to share.
We were all Pro-Life, of course.
The powers of procreation are of the greatest powers given to man and woman on this earth. We are meant to guard our virtue until, within the bonds of marriage, we share sexual intimacy only with our spouse.
As sober students at BYU we all understood the same scriptural concepts.
As God's children we are commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. We know our Heavenly Father's precious spirits will inhabit the physical temple of the body. When we procreate we allow a body to come to be.
Parents (a man and a woman) are to nurture and care for their children in love and righteousness.
Student after student shared testimonies of faith in God's plan of Happiness.
Our professor threw us a curve ball.
"What if a woman is raped? ...What then? ...How do you justify your anti-abortion stance then?"
I woke up.
How would my fellow classmates handle this jarring question?
I looked within myself. Despite all my previous faith, I felt unsure of my stance.
How could I defend such a thing?
How can a young woman who has been RAPED come to terms with KEEPING that child?
Could I do it?
For a moment the classroom was silent. We were uncomfortable. How does one answer such a question at BYU?
A handsome young man with a missionary hair cut and a starched shirt tucked neatly into his slacks raised his hand.
"My mother was very young when she was raped," he said. "I am the result of the rape. I am eternally grateful to her for having the faith to let me live."
You could have heard a pin drop.
I now knew my stance without a shadow of a doubt.
