Is Life Conceived by Rape Intended by God?

Pro-life Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, has become the latest target for pro-abortion activists, due to his recent statement that life is a gift from God, even if it results from rape - and that such life was "intended by God". Pro-abortion activists along with the major media, have pounced on candidate Mourdock's remarks, painting him as an extremist. Candidate Richard Mourdock is not the first and he won't be the last pro-life candidate to have their comments totally distorted. So let's look at some real facts here.

To begin with - here is candidate Mourdock's full statement: "The only exception I have to having an abortion is in the case of the life of the mother. I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God. I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

Pro-abortion activists immediately went on the attack, demonizing Mourdock's statement and his pro-life position, as they have done with other pro-life candidates, such as Missouri Senate candidate, Rep Todd Akins' and his remarks on rape. It is for sure, that they have honed in on this issue of "rape" as a tool to confuse voters on the issue of abortion.

Of course, what is at the heart of the issue here is the difference between a spiritual perspective and a non-spiritual perspective.

Our reproductive faculties - along with our free will - are two of the most mysterious of God's gifts with which we have been endowed. Add to this, God's other gift to mankind, which is our capacity to think and reason - which mere brute beasts are not endowed - and we get to the very heart of the matter - that being, the age old struggle to understand and make sense out of suffering, violence, life and death.

So for anyone to say that a child conceived in rape was "intended by God" seems to be saying that God is being complicit in violence and wrong-doing - and that He actually condones such behavior, which even we human beings do not condone. And of course pro-abortion activists are running with this.

So what was pro-life candidate Richard Mourdock really trying to say? Was he saying God intends or condones the act of rape, as pro-abortion activists are accusing?

What did God intend with the mysteries of our reproductive faculties and our free will? God's original design and intent, was for life to come about through the action of a sperm and egg connecting as the result of the sexual expression of love between a man and a woman. This was God's original "intent".

Now whether or not we humans use proper or improper means to cause the meeting of said sperm and egg - God does not change the rules of nature which He set in motion; nor does He interfere with man's free will - even if it means preventing a tragedy. This is for sure a deep mystery to wrap our reasoning minds around, and we will often hear people say, "Why does God permit all the evil in the world?"  

The mystery of our free will results many times, in some people using their free will to overcome and take away the free will of others.  Even still - God does not interfere. This is at the heart of Mourdock's remarks. God never "intended" violence - but merely that we have the capacity to create life with our sexual faculties; and He does not take away those faculties, even if we use them inappropriately - or even brutally.

There is no denying the fact, that a woman who is raped, has had her free will negated by the free will of the rapist. This is totally reprehensible; and neither Mourdock or God intend or condone such behavior as a vehicle to engender new life.  

Nevertheless - life comes about through the natural processes which God set in motion from the very beginning of time.   As the rapist has imposed his free will over the will of the woman - so also is abortion an imposition over the free will of the pre-born child, who now has absolutely no choice in the matter - even though he/she is not responsible for the crime against his/her mother. 

So - is life which comes about as the result of nature's natural response to natural forces - even though those forces may be set in motion by an act of violence, of less value? And is it still not ultimately created (intended) by the Creator Himself?

Children are conceived many times, by means which can be unwise, improper or even brutal. Many a mature married couple may struggle to conceive, while two teenagers engaging in pre-marital sex can easily and thoughtlessly create a new life. Other times new life will even result from an act of violence, such as rape. This certainly highlights the seeming unfairness and senselessness of life, with which our reasoning faculties grapple.  

But, if a flower is lovingly planted and cultivated by a gardener - while another flower results from a violent storm blowing one of the gardener's seeds over the fence - do not each of the flowers possess the same beauty and qualities - and are not those same forces of life imbued in each bud, granted (intended) by the same loving God?

This is what Candidate Mourdock was trying to express - the simple fact that - one way or the other - life itself is a wondrous and miraculous gift from God - whose original "intent" was that we humans should share with Him this sacred privilege - a privilege He did not share with the angels.

The simple fact remains - even though we participate in the life-giving process - either rightly or wrongly - we are NOT the AUTHORS OF LIFE! . This is what Richard Mourdock was simply trying to get across.  We are in God's laboratory.