Is there a god?

The discussions in these pages regarding God, religion and atheism bring to mind the following story.

All the wars had been fought and peace finally arrived around the world. All the nations cooperated in building a giant super-computer that would control the weather, the economies, the health systems and all other matters for the entire world.

Came the great day of the inauguration of this fantastic computer and the honour of switching it on fell to the president of the World Federation. He switched it on and asked the first question of this giant machine.

Of course, he asked the question that has troubled mankind since the beginning of time. He asked “Is there a god?”

The answer came instantly: “Now there is!”

Terry Bate – Għajnsielem

Not archaic but incomplete

A woman who wants an abortion feels compelled by various reasons: she is not free. Photo: Shutterstock.com

While I emphatically agree with Isabel Stabile’s contention (September 24) that there always has to be a man – however irresponsible, however much he may lurk in the shadows – involved in a pregnancy, I equally emphatically disagree with her conclusion that Malta’s anti-abortion laws were laid down as a means of controlling women.

Malta’s anti-abortion laws remain in place for one reason alone: to preserve the life of the unborn child and to afford it the dignity it deserves as a complete and living member of the human race.

Claiming that the law was enacted as a means of controlling women is little more than ideological flippancy.

On the other hand, however, it would make great sense were the biological

father to be held at least as responsible for the decision as the mother.

I can see a number of practical difficulties arising along the way but, in principle at least, it would be an overdue, ground-breaking and eminently logical extension to the law as it now stands.

Ivan Padovani – San Pawl tat-Tarġa, Naxxar

Abortion

When former Yugoslavia was breaking up into the modern republics, warring, enemy soldiers used to break into Catholic convents, rape the nuns and leave with the wish that they “bear the child of their enemy”.

Indeed, dozens of nuns became pregnant. They wrote to the pope, then St John Paul II, asking: “We do not want these babies. What shall we do?”

The pope’s answer was: “Abortion is not an option.” He arranged for them to continue their pregnancy in convents in Germany, with proper material, psychological and spiritual help.

When the babies were born, the nuns were given the option to bring up the child themselves and leave the convent or offer the child for adoption and return to the convent.

Abortion is a crime. The direct killing of a child is always wrong, no excuse whatsoever. The highest civil authorities in Europe declare that a foetus is a human being.

Anybody who believes in God will accept the commandment: “Thou shall not kill”. Indeed, nobody would like to be murdered.

The crux of the debate is maturity.

A mature person’s attitude to law is that it is his guideline; a child’s attitude to law is obedience and subjection.

A girl grows up physically and psychologically and, in her playing with dolls,  subconsciously says: “I want to be a mother.” With abortion she destroys her dream with her own hands, bringing about a great mental breakdown.

I’ve been hearing confessions for over half a century, in Malta and, even more, abroad. I am speaking about individuals, women. And also men. They remain haunted for the rest of their lives.

God forgives but nature does not forgive. Jesus forgives, always, but the psyche never.

Don’t ask a person who lately had an abortion, not even a few years ago. Abortion is such a heinous crime that a person remains in denial for about nine years.

A woman who wants an abortion feels compelled by various reasons: she is not free. She must be judged with great leniency.

Fr Alfred Vella Clark – Msida

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