EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Unborn children require our protection

The struggle for human life is a topic that grips at my heart and soul.

Like many others, when I see a picture on television or in the news of a starving child, I am deeply troubled. I am so thankful for organizations that dedicate themselves to bringing food to starving people.

I am also troubled by the poverty, malnutrition, and homelessness that we have in our own country. It's a tragedy that should never happen here in America. We should be able to do a better job to help people with their most basic needs.

But, I write today because I am more concerned about a different kind of human struggle. I am troubled by the lack of care in our country shown to the unborn child, that is, the child who is growing inside of his or her mother's body.

As a Christian and a pastor within the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, I believe the Bible clearly teaches that human life begins at conception. These unborn children, however small they are, are still human beings. Therefore, I am enthusiastically pro-life. I would like to see their lives protected.

As I write this, I must say that by no means do I condone the use of violence others have used in opposing abortion doctors or clinics, but I do believe we must stand up for these unborn human beings in the face of strident opposition.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decided to require nearly all private health plans, including those offered by religious institution-affiliated employers, pay for the cost of contraceptives. This includes products such as "ella," also known as the "morning-after" pill, even though those products lead to the death of a baby developing in the womb.

More recently, because of some criticism from the Catholic Church and others, the president compromised and stated that insurers would pay for the contraception, not the religious organizations. But that still doesn't solve the problem.

Over the years, our country has gladly provided care for many struggling people throughout the world. But sometimes we don't even see the struggles going on in our own neighborhoods.

Since 1973, 54 million legal abortions have taken place in our country. This is 33 times the number of people who died in the Civil War. Now, on top of this tragedy, our country is mandating health care providers to pay for the death of even more unborn children. This should not be happening in our country.

As a Christian, I believe the Bible clearly teaches that human beings are created in the image of God. For this reason, we are called to care for all of human life, especially those who are too weak to take care of themselves.

I encourage you to become informed on this topic of health care reform to see what it is mandating. I also encourage you to write to your congressman to repeal this facet of the health care reform, particularly for the free cost of the morning-after pill.

Last, I encourage you to talk with your teens and others. Help them to see their lives, and the lives of their future children, as a gift of God to be protected.

The Rev. Paul Appold is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansing. The opinions are the writer's.