Letter to the Editor:

In his article “Patriarchy no Longer Rules,” Robert Koehler in his avid support of abortion takes selected portions of the Bible out of context to make his case.

He accuses God of theological misogyny, which literally means hatred of women. And when he implies that pro-life people are part of the patriarchal system, he forgets that millions of those opposed to the killing of babies are women. So is this also a matriarchal part of our society?

Koehler brings up the sin of Eve in the garden. Though she took the first bite from the forbidden fruit, Adam failed in his role as spiritual leader by not stopping her. The broad biblical timeline brings this out later in 1 Corinthians 15:22. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

The Apostle Paul was led by God to show us how we are to value women. In Ephesians 5 he wrote, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” and then, “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” That is the antithesis of theological misogyny.

It is a mistake to pull verses out of context and conclude that the Bible views women as second class citizens. The roles of men and women are different, but a man is not to be a “boss” over his wife. In the ideal marriage the husband tends to be a spiritual leader, and yet the wife is not limited in this area.

Koehler brings up the usual talking points of abortion advocates. They use semantics to make their case, ignoring the fact that the procedure destroys a human life. They talk about choice, women’s health, etc. Word selection is important in shaping opinions and affecting the feelings of people. It factors into advertising and counseling techniques.

The verbal gymnastics of abortion supporters are nothing new in the annals of human depravity. Isaiah 5:20-21 from 2,700 years ago wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”

Three centuries earlier, in Psalm 139, David pointed out the personhood of the embryo — someone who God knows.

God has not changed his mind about “Thou shalt not kill” or any other command. It is not for us to take polls in order to decide the abortion issue. We are a pluralistic nation, but one that agrees that murder is immoral.

I have taken care of hundreds of pregnant women in my medical practice. Each one perceives that what is growing inside of them is a baby. As an example, women undergoing a surgical procedure to correct a miscarriage realize that this represents the loss of a baby. I have witnessed an occasional tearful woman during the induction of an anesthetic pray, “Bless this child.”

Another affirmation of personhood of the unborn is the murder of a pregnant women. If the child dies, it is a double homicide. From the moment of conception, a child is a unique genetic entity.

Rather than talking about patriarchy, let’s pray for a spiritual revival in this country — led by husbands and fathers. God has not changed his mind about his standards for the family and sexual behavior. And birth control is available.

Warren Anderson

Conover