UPDATE: Pete Arnold, the husband behind the BirthOrNot web site admitted to CNN that the site is a hoax. Arnold said that his wife supports abortion and the couple put the site up knowing that they never intended to have an abortion. He said that he put the site up to engage people on the issue of abortion.
Demonstrating a remarkable callousness toward the dignity of the human person, a Minneapolis couple has decided to let a website vote determine whether they should give birth to, or abort their unborn child.
Peter and Alisha Arnold, both 30, of Minneapolis, Minn. said that they set up their website www.birthornot.com because they’re uncertain whether they want to be parents.
Alisha is currently 17 weeks pregnant. They launched their website Sept. 28. They’re giving website visitors until December 7 to cast their vote. That date is just two days before the 20-week mark.
Peter’s a non-practicing Catholic. Alisha is Methodist. Both work in the IT industry. They’ve been married for nine years.
Alisha said that she worries about the pressures of juggling her career with motherhood.
“I’m not convinced that I want to change the status quo,” she wrote on her site. “I feel that as I age, I’ve actually gotten more selfish and set in my ways. I fear that the constant pressure to be the perfect wife and mother while maintaining a full-time job will eventually cause my brain to implode and lead to a nervous breakdown.”
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold, if you’ll allow me to speak to you personally, you already are parents, whether you want to be or not.
The fact that you are parents should be clear to you through the ultrasounds posted on your website, and by the fact that you’ve already nicknamed your son “wiggles.” Whether you want to be parents or not is immaterial. You are.
Life has begun and is growing inside of you. You are cooperators with the Author of Life. The choice before you is not whether or not you should give birth to the child, but whether or not you want to raise the child. Hundreds of thousands of couples unable to have children, including my wife and I, would gladly adopt your son and raise him in a loving home. Right here, right now.
What a world of contradiction we live in.
“We want coffee without caffeine. Cream without fat. Beer without alcohol. War without casualties. Warm fuzzy faith without truth. Freedom of choice without responsibility,” said Father Jay Kythe, pastor in Canon Falls, Minn. during a recent homily before 1,000 young people.
Modern theologians, such as Scott Hahn, teach that Original Sin is the consequence of Adam’s failure to protect Eve. While the serpent was tempting her with his lies, convincing her to bite into that bitter apple, Adam was nowhere to be found. He had abandoned his post as guardian and protector.
While the abortion debate is most certainly about the rights of the unborn child who cannot speak for himself, we have to remember that it is also about protection – protection of the lives of the most vulnerable among us - mothers and their unborn children.
This week I spent a day walking the hallowed ground of Gettysburg and contemplating with gratitude the sacrifice of so many. The debate over slavery was not won through merely a discussion about human rights and dignity, and the wrongness of slavery. The debate over slavery was won through battle – and a costly one at that. At Gettysburg alone, there were more than 51,000 casualties over those three days in July. Our nation engaged not only in a war of words, but a physical war to protect the dignity of the human person and to preserve our union.
Our nation stands at a new crossroads. Before us is either life or death. How will we choose?
Scripture asks, “Would a mother desert her child?”
We live in a country, where, not only will a mother desert her child, but she’ll “take out” her own child, or even allow the public at-large to decide whether to kill him in her life-giving womb. Is this “freedom of choice”?
But, we also live in a country where the father deserts not only his child, but the child’s mother as well. He has abandoned his duty to protect mother and child. Both mother and father have abandoned their duty. A culture that cannot produce women who will care for their own young, will never produce legislatures, or courts that will make laws, that can do the maternal job for them.
Not until we restore a culture of protection, will we be able to change our present Culture of Death. In that culture of death, life is a commodity that can apparently be voted upon.
“Whatever may or may not be real about this website, the ultrasound of the baby is of a real human being,” said Rebecca Ng, spokesperson for the ProLife Alliance. “To think for one minute that his or her existence is going to be determined by those who log on and vote is absolutely spine-chilling.”
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Something the mother said, I think, was very telling. She said she believed as she has gotten older she has gotten more selfish. I think this is true for many of us; I certainly know it was true for myself. That is the beauty of God’s plan for marriage and family. Nothing pulls you out of your selfish ways like having an infant and/or children in the home. In other words, children are an instrument of God’s grace (at least I believe so) to help us overcome one of the most dangerous of sins.
Maryland Bill,
That’s so true. I remember comedian Paul Reiser’s comment that “parenthood drags you, kicking and screaming, from your own selfishness.”
Great comments, Tim; thank you, very much. I wrote the same thing on their site that they are already parents. Why not give the baby up for adoption, and at least give the child a chance, was another suggestion. Praying hard for that poor child.
Thanks Tim… Maybe when we here people say that they are too selfish to have kids, we should respond by saying they are too selfish not too have kids.
I suppose it is true that some people are truly too selfish to have kids, but these people would also, in my opinion, be too selfish to get married in the first place (Though alas, that is too rarely seen as a prerequisite for having kids these days).
Firstly i think you guys are sick and do not really deserve to be parents!!!!!!!!!!!How would you have felt if your parents decided to let other people decide your fate whether to live or die….your miracle is a gift that so many other couples would love to have and here the two of you wants to take a life depending on people vote…i have struggled to conceive and have just about given up when we found out that we are expecting..we were bursting out of our seams of all the excitement and 5 n half months ago i gave birth to a healthy little boy..i went through trials and tribulations through out my pregnancy..at 12 weeks i almost lost him i cried for weeks even though all was okay..the doc put me on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy but i did what i had to,to protect my little angel..then i had another scare my membranes
ruptured and he was 2months premature and i had my hubby through all this i couldn’t ask for better..if i had to do all this over i wouldn’t hesitate because he is the love of my life since i have been told i am gona be a mommy…you afraid of pressures of being a good wife?, is a kid not more important, how many other parents dont have to leave their kids and go work 2 jobs at a time and yet they manage..to end please go seek councling coz normal people wouldn’t do what you are doing..
This is probably a hoax. There are several elements that don’t add up. See Jill Stanek’s article for more details.
And what is wrong with putting the cild up for adoption? There are many families who can’t carry a child to birth. What is the need to ‘be a perfect mother and wife’? God leads us on the right path, trusting in Him will lead you to the Right thing to do.
Sadly, many won’t even consider adoption because it’s “too hard.” How depressing to live in an era where people consider killing their own child easier than giving him to a loving family.
A similar site showed up several years ago, and was proven to be a hoax. I am hoping this site is either the same hoax site, or a similar hoax.
Whether this is a hoax or not, if we can get people to pray for those who are trying to make a decision such as this we are doing the work of God.
totally sick! why don’t you make the decision yourselves? like many other people do!
felt sick at the thought of anyone putting a lottery on there child whether it lives or dies. They should be arrested and seen by a doctor some thing wrong with there heads.
First of all I am speechless. As an adopted, mother of four,aunt of 11, I have never read or heard anything so heartbreaking. There’s nothing like a baby to pull you out of your selfishness, whether you keep or give up the baby for adoption. I pray for you and that CHILD.
You both are disgusting, if you are of an age that you feel too “old” then you should have been more careful not to get pregnant in the first place, i think both of you are careless in every sense of the word, your not a couple of teenagers you are adults so start taking responsibility for your actions!
u r both disgusting people theres soooooooooo many people owt there that cant hav kids and then theres scum like u, i hope u r so proud u stupid idiots
do you know what aborting, i have 7 miscarriages from 11wks to 20wks
each one was entirely complete and you saw every detail but i never gave up i have a boy and girl so if you are wanting to carry on your career
have him adopted and dont bloody moan about it. THERE IS MANY WAYS OF
CONTRACEPTION and dont dare tell me you that ignorant and get a grip
Disgusting….to make people vote. If she has to do that, well that means a lot doesnt it!!! these babies are not asked to be brought in and if she feels that she has to vote well she should be desexed!!!!!
The vote is not weither or not the child should live or die at the whim of the people who vote, the choice is between GOD’s will or Satan’s will.
May GOD have Mercy us as a nation for even allowing Satan’s will to be legalized. I for one want GOD’s will. Pray, Pray, Pray, and Pray some more.
After reading the article I am not sure the parents are seeing the entire picture. First, they are already attached to this child by giving him the nickname “Wiggles. Secondly, I don’t think they have though out the long term affects this decision will bring with it if they choose to abort.
They see in the moment and not a year from now when the guilt, shame and pain sets in once they realize they have taken the life of a child.
As a post obortive woman I speak from experience to the fact that lives situations, timing and other issues plague the mind with doubt as to whether you are ready to be parents. Taking the life of an innocent child is not the answer, there are other choices available. It took me 30 years to come out of the closet with what I had done and I have finally received healing and forgivness from God as well as forgiven myself as well as watched many other women face the same struggle.
I pray they will chose life.
i think both soon to be or not to be parents should be disgusted with themselves, just because they dont know if they want the child doesnt mean that another couple wouldnt want to give the child as much love as it could possably have.
instead of getting the child aborted put it up for adoption to a family that can not have chilren and long for a child to love and bring up as their own. this selfish soon to be or not to be mother should stop thinking about herself and think about that little tiny heart bating inside her and think of his life that he could have.
Shockingly, they’re not the first couple to do it. Here’s another story: http://is.gd/hvT9j
Most of you have paid little attention to the one or two (wise!) comments suggesting this “BirthOrNot” thing is a hoax, as in NOT REAL. I’d like to let you know: you all have some lightning-fast knee-jerk reflexes. Untwist your panties and THINK about this for a minute. Somebody who is intent on having an abortion is NOT going to put it up on their blog for a vote! I know a lot of people like to think women who choose to abort a pregnancy give that decision less thought than what to have for dinner but it’s not like that. I can assure you, if the unfortunately-nicknamed “Wiggles” does in fact exist his life is not in danger. We don’t yet know what this couple’s true agenda is here but it will come out eventually. It could be their (really crappy) idea of a joke. Maybe it’s some sort of social experiment. Or some bizarre protest. Maybe it’s an ill-conceived (pun definitely intended!) bid for their 15 minutes of fame. I’m willing to bet a million dollars and a steak dinner on “publicity stunt”. Well, OK, a steak dinner anyhow. I’m not rich enough to wager a million on anything, no matter how much of a sure thing it is! Now if you can’t relax and stop being furious that a (probably non-existent) child’s life (most likely doesn’t) depend on a vote, you should instead direct your fury at the two people who are yanking everyone’s collective chain and are probably laughing themselves out of breath over it.
Haaalo, was ist da nur los bei Euch???
Ihr bekommt ein Kind!
Das ist das Schönste was es gibt auf der Erde!!
Scheiß auf die Karriere!!!
Die Familie ist DAS WICHTIGSTE auf der Erde was es gibt!!!!
Was Ihr hier macht, ist echt der Hammer!
Auf Deutsch “Nicht ganz KLUG in der BIRNE”!!!
Ich hoffe das ist echt nur ein Joke!
Ein gesundes Kind zu bekommen, ist ein Geschenk!
Sorry, aber Jeder muss einen Fühererschein machen, aber Vater u Mutter werden darf Jeder?
Ö ha…da fehlen mir die WORTE!!!
Gruß aus Husum
Ihr Spinner
U HAVE NO RIGHT TO DECIDE TO KILL THAT BABY!! IF U DIDNT WANT TO BE PARENTS U SHOYLD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE HAVING SEX!IDIOTS.HAVENT U HEARD ABOUT CONTRACEPTION??! U R PATHETHIC IDIOTS,DUMP JURKS
Abortion:391-92
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Temptation of Jesus
MATTHEW 4:1-11
The New American Bible
Witchcraft:344
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Tobit 3:16
The New American Bible
I may be too late, but I hope you decided to keep your child, because it is a child not a fetus. You will regret your decision if you abort. If you really don’t want to be parents, give the child up for adoption, if you can!
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