Some of us may still remember when in 1982, the courts of Indiana allowed a mother and father to let their baby boy die from starvation because he was born with Down’s Syndrome.
What kind of a world do we live in where such things are not only allowed to happen, but are declared “legal” by the law-courts? And as part of the system, we followers of Jesus are partly to blame.
This is the message of Steve Taylor’s heart-wrenching song, “Baby Doe.” As in many of his songs, Steve Taylor prophetically calls our nation back to God and away from our tendency to justify great injustice and evil.
He reminds us that as part of American society, we also are guilty for Baby Doe. And not only that, but also the mass murder of millions of infants through abortion, the exploitation of millions of young girls and women through pornography and sex slavery, corporate robbery from the poor, and numerous other sins.
In light of such horrors, we must all seek God’s face in prayer, asking along with Steve Taylor:
I bear the blame.
Believers are few,
And what am I to do?
I share the shame.
Lyrics:
Unfolding today,
A miracle play,
This Indiana morn.
The father–he sighs,
She opens her eyes,
Their baby boy is born.
“We don’t understand.
He’s not like we planned”
The doctor shakes his head.
“Abnormal!” they cry.
And so they decide,
This child is better dead.
I bear the blame.
Believers are few,
And what am I to do?
I share the shame.
The cradle’s below,
And where is Baby Doe?
A hearing is sought.
The lawyers are bought.
The court won’t let him eat.
The papers applaud,
When judges play God.
This child is getting weak.
They’re drawing a bead.
Reciting their creed:
“Respect A Woman’s Choice.”
I’ve heard that before.
How can you ignore
This baby has a voice?
I bear the blame.
Believers are few,
And what am I to do?
I share the shame.
The cradle’s below,
And where is Baby Doe?
Where will it end?
Oh,
No,
No.
It’s over and done.
The presses have run.
Some call the parents brave.
Behind your disguise your rhetoric lies,
You watched a baby starve.
I bear the blame.
The cradle’s below,
And where is Baby?
This is the passion of my life, the protection of the children, born and unborn. For any facing an adverse prenatal or newborn diagnosis of a child, thinking abortion or ending that little life makes ‘more sense,’ here’s a site full of parent stories of those who chose the Way of Hope: http://www.BeNotAfraid.net
Georgia,
And what a great passion that is! It is my mother’s life passion as well. She was the president of Montana Right to Life for a while. Speaking up for those who do not have a voice is essential to following Jesus.
Thank you for the link to Be Not Afraid. I will come check it out.
I stumbled on your blog and saw this post of yours.
It is heart-wrenching what they did.
I am born in 1982 and I cannot imagine if I am that child.
That baby might seem abnormal in the eyes of the world but his soul is whole in the eyes of God.
Thanks for posting this!!
I hope you do not mind me sharing it on my blog.
Angelina,
Please, share away! It really is heart wrenching. And this boy was not the only one. Other parents in New York tried to do something similar to their daughter.
Thankfully, a few years later, congress passed a bill which does not allow this sort of thing any more. But many people still abuse and mistreat children. It is so very sad.