The problem of pain

"As Christians, we’re not meant to dwell in hopelessness, but we’re not meant to blind ourselves to the pain and suffering of others either. Instead, we package up our hope and carry it into the chips and cracks and broken spaces. Instead of letting the guilt of our lack of suffering leave us helpless, we give thanks for being unscathed, and show that gratefulness by climbing down into the trenches with the bloodied and binding up the wounds of the broken.

Much like the malignancy that seems to be spreading through our world, when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, I know I can’t cure it. That doesn’t stop me from delivering a meal or driving them to a chemo appointment. If we allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with the magnitude of disease, then we become unable to do any good.

God speaks through the smallest of voices—even through ones that may not have the largest platforms or the broadest circle of influence. We all have the ability to stand up for the right thing and love people who are hurting. It would be foolish for any one of us to believe we can solve the world’s problems. It would be a waste of hope to let those problems paralyze us and prevent us from doing anything good."https://relevantmagazine.com/article/c-s-lewis-the-problem-of-pain-is-more-relevant-than-ever/

Parsing the 24-week rule for abortions

Tan Seow Hon For The Straits Times dated 18 December 2014

"In abortion debates, I have observed that pro-choice advocates love to dismiss arguments of pro-life advocates for being based on religion.

However, it is science - not religion - that reveals that unique DNA, distinct from gametes from either parent, is carried by the embryo. Moreover, as Princeton philosopher Robert George noted, unless "severely damaged or deprived of a suitable environment", the embryo is capable "by an internally directed process of integral organic functioning" of developing "to each more mature developmental stage along the gapless continuum of a human life".

Women may play complex classical tunes to their unborn hoping that a world-class musician will be birthed. But aspects of the development of the unborn across the embryonic and foetal stages of life, and likewise, of the newborn across infancy, childhood, puberty and adulthood are internally directed by DNA.

Most of us know we are very different now, as adults, from the infants we once were when we were just born. But we recognise "the gapless continuum of a human life", and do not think the infant versions of ourselves were somehow not "us", just because they were a fraction of our current stature or had not attained puberty. The infant and adult us are one and the same person, with unique DNA that we possess from the moment we were born."

http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/parsing-the-24-week-rule-for-abortions

Impose parental consent requirement for minors undergoing abortions

I am dismayed that a young girl became pregnant at age 14, underwent an abortion procedure and even had to split the bill with the man - all without her parents' knowledge (Man jailed for having sex with girl, 14, who split the bill for abortion with him; ST Online, March 5).

In Singapore, a person under 18 cannot legally buy cigarettes or alcohol, consent to be married or enter into a contract.

This is based on the principle that young people are unable to fully understand the consequences of their actions and, therefore, are unable to give valid informed consent.

Hence, it is ironic that under the Termination of Pregnancy Act, there is no minimum age for the abortion procedure.

There is also no legal requirement for parental consent for minors to go through abortion.

Why is this so? Abortion is an invasive surgical procedure which carries with it risks of various complications.

Which parent would want their daughter to shoulder the psychological and physical trauma of abortion at such a young age, and without their knowledge and consent?

Parents are primarily responsible for the upbringing of their children. They are in the best position to protect teenage girls from potentially dangerous medical situations before, during and after an abortion.

The child might suffer from depression or there could be post-abortion complications such as infection or haemorrhaging.

The parents might also decide to offer support to their teenage daughter in bringing up the baby, thereby avoiding abortion altogether.

In cases where the parents are abusive, the girl's life is in danger or obtaining parental consent is difficult, exceptions can be made. But let us not let hard cases make bad laws.

http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/impose-parental-consent-requirement-for-minors-undergoing-abortions

Do not ignore the pitfalls of IVF

This letter was sent to The Straits Times Forum but was not published.

I thank Mrs Joni Ong for her honest sharing of her in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) journey, that was emotionally draining but now rewarding since she has borne five children, three of which are naturally conceived ("'Untaboo' IVF and other fertility treatments"; 3 March). 

The same cannot be said for my relatives who went through the excruciating psychological and physical pain of assisted reproduction technology (ART) treatment.  They were drained out of their financial resources and are now still childless. 

In a programme On A Red Dot shown on Channel News Asia last year, Ms Felicia Tan recounted her grief in suffering two miscarriages and having lost three sons while on IVF, all within two years. It was a miracle that she and her husband finally had a boy through natural conception. She asked a poignant question, "Did I create life or destroy them?" 

I read with regret that the Government's co-funding for ART treatment would be raised from $6,300 to $7,700 for fresh cycles and $1,200 to $2,200 for frozen cycles from April 1 this year. This is based on the false premises that people have a right to have children and ART treatment is one of the tools to promote population growth. 

According to the statistics provided by the Ministry of Health (MOH) last year, overall from 2013 to 2015, the average ART success rates are 21.3% at public centres and 19.0% at private centres. This translates to a huge loss of human embryos created through IVF. What about the long-term follow-up on the elevated health risks of children conceived through ART treatment as compared to naturally conceived children? What are the repercussions on the offspring of these children?   

In 2013, over half of the 9,282 abortions were done on married women ("Abortions fall to 30-year low"; July 27,2014). Why not divert our precious resources to helping women with unsupported pregnancies and facilitating life-giving options like adoption? What recourse can a citizen take when he does not agree that Government should use tax proceeds to fund IVF and abortion as they violate his freedom of conscience? 

A child is not an expensive toy that we want at all costs, at our convenient time, imputed with utilitarian value. A child is a gift bestowed, of intrinsic value like us, a sweet burden that no money can buy.