Posted on 12/08/2014 10:36:04 AM PST by wagglebee
Last January, I was traveling on business, staying in a little hotel in a college town. I like to think I’m usually more aware of my surroundings, but it was so snowy and windy that I wouldn’t have heard his footsteps even if he had he been stomping. It happened so fast. I got the door open, turned around to close it, and he was there – a huge man. My first instinct wasn’t fear, just confusion. In an instant, he punched me in the face. I don’t remember being dragged from the room, but I was found in the stairwell. I don’t know why — maybe I was trying to go for help.
The rape kit came back negative for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and dozens of other things I’d never heard of. God is gracious.
The following month, I was scheduled to work on a cruise ship. Struck with dysentery on day two and not getting better with antibiotics, I was taken to what passes for a hospital when we docked in Cartagena, Colombia. Concerned about intestinal obstruction, I was given an ultrasound. And we saw the pea — my son. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Back on the ship, I told the doctors an abbreviated version of my story, which resulted in me being quarantined. Suicide watch? In danger of a psychotic break that will have me running naked across the shuffleboard courts? Who knows. What I know is that I spent the next week listening to a team of very well meaning doctors and nurses console me with how “easy” it would be to “take care of it” — to kill the child. To start over. Easy???
There were a lot of things discussed over scratchy, tearful transatlantic phone calls home that week, but the possibility of “taking care of it” never came off my lips. Or my husband’s. When I told him I was pregnant, he said with his voice calm and steady, “Okay. Okay . . . all right . . . this is all right.” I asked him, “What do you MEAN this is all right?” “I mean we can do this. We’ll get through this. It’ll be okay. And, . . . I love babies. We’re going to have another baby. Sweetheart, this is a gift. This is something wonderful from something terrible. We can DO this.” And I began to feel the stirrings of joy for the new life in my womb, blossoming under my heart. That new love that would grow so fierce it overwhelmed any trepidation or angst. And my husband was right. We could do it.
On my last morning aboard the ship, I said to this caring team, “If you ever think about this again, if you ever wonder what happened to me — I had a beautiful baby in October 2014.” Their reaction . . . , the looks on their faces . . . , the doctor who had pushed abortion more vehemently than the others — she had tears in her eyes. For the first time, I thought of how God can use this, this nightmare I’d endured. Use me.
I live in North Carolina. My OB who delivered my last two children was running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. He talks to people all the time who challenge him with the “What about in cases of rape?” question. What about them? My son will have a voice. Until he can use it, it’s my responsibility — my privilege — to speak for him. That’s my story.
During my pregnancy, I was in and out of the hospital for a couple of months – more in than out. I had preeclampsia, high blood pressure and uncontrolled seizures. It was terrifying at 26 weeks when they admitted me saying they might have to deliver that night — terrifying because I desperately wanted my son to live! We got past that fear. I had strict bed rest, but was home. Every week we made it further was awesome, knowing how glad I’d be once he got here safely in my arms. Emotionally, I was doing very well.
We were working with a really godly team of doctors. It’s just a matter of trusting utterly. This wasn’t new. I’d felt completely out of control since the assault in January — not that “control” is ever anything but an illusion, but, you know. 8-1/2 months ago the world upended and hadn’t righted since — until my son was born. It’s not a bad thing. It keeps me on my knees, keeps me from my arrogant, self reliant “It’s okay, God. I got this” attitude, which I’m so quick to adopt.
Our little boy may have been conceived in violence, but he is a gift from God — a delicious gift that filled the hole in our family that we never realized was there. He made us complete.
I’m so thankful to have been connected to other mothers who became pregnant by rape as well. We are survivors. Not victims. My son has healed me.
The pressure to abort from the medical community was extremely eye opening to me. So many times I was told how “simple” it would be and how quickly I could just “get on with my life” once it was over. It was heartbreaking to have to repeatedly hear it. Even some friends thought keeping the baby was a mistake — that I wouldn’t be able to handle things emotionally. Every time we, as rape survivor mothers, share our stories, we are strengthened as we strengthen others. . . . And who knows what lives might be spared?
LifeNews Note: Jennifer Christie is a wife and mother of 5, and a blogger for www.savethe1.com.
They won’t, either.
“”The fact that a respected pro-life news outlet vouches for her credibility isn’t enough?””
You know I’m on your side I hope, but the fact that a website or publication (Rolling Stone) vouches for the credibility of someone doesn’t mean squat these days.
Just a couple of days ago someone posted an article from Life Site News about an ex-porn guy and how he turned his life around. He was arrested for child molestation 2 days after it was published at Life Site News. I do not know if that article was removed.
As a matter of fact, Donny Pauling is quoted and is still featured in many archived articles at Life Site News as some sort of porn expert or something.
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So while I agree with you and your argument, that one line doesn’t work.
This is a story about a woman who became pregnant via rape and kept her baby. ANYONE who has been involved with the pro-life movement is fully aware of women like this.
That quote was Post 17.
I didn't jump in until Post 57, I'm pretty sure. I don't think that comment was made in response to anything I said.
Why so much anger and vituperation? My sole purpose in questioning the story was not to hurt anybody, but to ask questions about the credibility of the story. I had no intention of demeaning the publication or the cause for which it advocates
If I'm going to be labeled as evil for wanting to verify sources of information, maybe I should leave this site.
It's pretty clear that your comments were in support of comments supporting post 17.
But let's clear that up, do YOU believe that there are women who love and raise their babies that were conceived in rape and do so with the full support of their husbands? YES or NO
Why so much anger and vituperation?
An INNOCENT AMERICAN is aborted every 24 SECONDS. How come you AREN'T angry about that?
My sole purpose in questioning the story was not to hurt anybody, but to ask questions about the credibility of the story. I had no intention of demeaning the publication or the cause for which it advocates
Okay, we'll try this again, can you give a single reason why a woman would cheat on her husband, have a rape kid done and then GO PUBLIC with the story? Call me skeptical but that scenario carries a lot of risk and no benefit.
If I'm going to be labeled as evil for wanting to verify sources of information, maybe I should leave this site.
Once more, do you believe that the pro-life movement is somehow so unscrupulous that they would fabricate a story about a baby conceived in rape?
I'm very curious why you continue with these verbose and defensive posts where you demand that a woman prove that her moment of deepest despair and subsequent joy is real before she can share it with the pro-life community, yet you still refuse to answer some very simple yes/no questions.
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July4
Since Nov 22, 2004
You've been here for ten years and yet this is your response?
I have every idea that the people who are attacking me and several others are good people, but this situation is becoming unpleasant. I am a long-time supporter of pro-life organizations and a Christian conservative.
I treasure the rough-and-tumble and sometimes hilarious Freeper posts. It's been good, but when emotions trump facts and proof, I'm gone.
This "verification of sources" is nothing more than a red herring.
The original contention by Age of Reason (and your posts defended this) was that if the woman didn't have an abortion, it wasn't rape.
I am a long-time supporter of pro-life organizations and a Christian conservative.
I've been doing pro-life threads on Free Republic for a long time and I've been on THOUSANDS of them. I have a really good memory of who participates on these threads (especially the ones who stand out for a particular reason) and I don't recall EVER seeing you on any of them.
I still find it very peculiar that you won't answer my two questions:
1. Can you give a single reason why a woman would cheat on her husband, have a rape kid done and then GO PUBLIC with the story?
2. Do you believe that the pro-life movement is somehow so unscrupulous that they would fabricate a story about a baby conceived in rape?
The first question is asking you to play devil's advocate and provide some reason for her to put herself more at risk of being caught for having an affair by going public with the story. The second is your opinion about whether the pro-life community would make something up to push an agenda.
As I said, I've been through this stuff thousands of times and I've found that a very definite pattern emerges with people who refuse to answer very straightforward (often a simple yes or no) questions.
I just love the reaction of the husband. He wanted to keep the baby from the moment he heard his wife was pregnant. What an amazing couple!
I have had this discussion with my daughter, even though she was tricked to vote for BO, she told me that her and majority of her friends, they are all 29 or so, will not get an abortion even in the case of rape. When she told me that I was surprised, she exclaimed,” it is not the baby’s fault, why should it die?”
I remember reading an article from Focus on the Family years ago about making the case for not getting an abortion even in cases of rape and incest. One of the reasons for keeping the baby is it helps with the healing of the rape, seems to have worked for this couple.
Well said, and I agree!
You are in error. I have not and will not defend the post you quoted.
I stand by my belief that verification of sources is crucial to understanding and justice.
Ma’am or Sir, I support pro-life organizations with money, not loose talk.
I disagree. Jim and his moderators should censor opinions that are contrary to the mission of Free Republic. This is not a liberal debating society.
Maybe you should read the Statement By Our Founder posted on the main page, before you defend dissenters in our midst.
And don't spend days and dozens of posts trying to outsmart the Grand Inquisitor. He has much experience holding people to their words. You can't squirm out by pretending you never said it.
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With all due respect, the responses that you have made to wagglebee's requests for clarification seem evasive.
That is absolutely FALSE!
Your first post on this thread was #57 to semaj where you wrote:
Freepers can debate in a civil manner. Let's not censor dissenting opinions. FR is a great place to argue in the best sense of that word.This was to post #54 by semaj:
Age of Reason and refermech are more than likely the same twisted person. I base this statement on the fact that both accounts were established November 4th, 1998 and August 6th 1998, respectively, and neither has bothered to provide any personal info on their home page.
I would hope the Admin might take notice.And the post by semaj was...wait for itreferring to Age of Reason's post:
If she didn’t abort the rapist’s kid, then it wasn’t rape.
So, while you may CLAIM that you didn't defend the post about aborting babies from rape, you certainly called for "civil debate" and not "censoring" such barbaric views.
I stand by my belief that verification of sources is crucial to understanding and justice.
You CLAIM to be pro-life, if this is the case than you certainly know that there are thousands of women out their who love their children conceived via rape. When you meet one of them are they required to prove to you that they were raped? The woman in this thread IS NOT speaking of understanding or justice, she is speaking about the love of a mother for her child regardless of the child's father.
Ma’am or Sir, I support pro-life organizations with money, not loose talk.
"Ma'am or Sir," now that's interesting. I'm pretty well known on Free Republic, especially on pro-life threads, and nearly everyone knows that I'm a man. However, whether I am a man or a woman is frequently discussed on anti-FReeper forums, perhaps that is where your confusion comes from.
Anti-FReepers also have a habit of posting lengthy diatribes rather than answering simple and direct queries, so I will ask again:
1. Can you give a single reason why a woman would cheat on her husband, have a rape kid done and then GO PUBLIC with the story?
2. Do you believe that the pro-life movement is somehow so unscrupulous that they would fabricate a story about a baby conceived in rape?
Surely someone who is pro-life would be able to answer these questions.
LMAO!
Perhaps that would be wise. I notice you also stepped up as an advocate for Bill Cosby in the face of allegations of sexual assault by him against twenty women who have come forward so far. What kind of man would do that, and what kind of man would defend him ? If you are ignorant about something just remain silent.
By having the rapist’s baby, the so called rape victim is rewarding the genes of the rapist by helping to pass those genes on to the next generation.
And the result will be more women raped.
She should be so deeply offended by anything associated with the rapist, that she would want him and his spawn eradicated from the face of the earth.
To do otherwise, is to reward those genes that made that man rape.
Because people do what they feel like doing, then make up stories after the fact to justify what they did.
This woman's genes approve that the rapist impregnated her, and so make her want to have the baby.
While at the same time, the woman's conscious mind needs to reconcile her instinctive desire to go through with the birth, so one way is for her to act the martyr, as in "The only reason I am bearing the child of a man to whom I am not married, is because he raped me; it wasn't my choice, and so I cannot be blamed for it."
All rationalizations to justify this particular method of reproducing.
Because a woman's genes incline her to make babies any which way possible, and so she "feels" the need to help the rapist reproduce--or rather, to have his child.
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