The beauty of human life is more than skin deep

LifeNews.com, the major US pro-life news-agency, reports this moving story:

"Safyre is a young burn victim who lost her whole family in a fire two years ago ... Safyre lost everything—her father, her mother, her sister, her brothers, her home, her favorite toy, her favorite outfit - everything that was familiar to her," her aunt said.

"She even lost the one thing we all take for granted - her reflection. But she wakes every morning with a smile on her face. She is the true definition of hope, faith and love."

And in July The Daily Mail reported a similar story, entitled:

'I'm so overwhelmed with love': Bushfire burns survivor Turia Pitt announces engagement to boyfriend Michael Hoskin - and reveals he bought the ring as she lay in intensive care four years ago"

Miss Pitt said:

"I'm incredibly fortunate to have found my partner Michael. He loves me exactly how I am."

More than physical beauty

These stories are evidence for the truth that human beings are lovable regardless of how they look. This is because human beings are more than the sum of their parts. In true love, two people fall in love with a person, however much they may love some of their features. A loved one’s features may help to attract them to the one who loves them, but they are not sufficient to create a true bond of love. The beauty of human life is more than skin deep.

This truth has important implications for pro-lifers. Yes, it is true that the beauty of the human form and the horror of its dismemberment have a role to play in suggesting to us that human life is worthy of protection. We should not make the mistake, however, of dedicating ourselves to protecting unborn children purely because living babies are sweet-looking (although they are!) and aborted babies are gruesome-looking.

After all, unborn children at certain stages of development variously are invisible to the naked eye, or have a tadpole-like resemblance, or a head noticeably out of proportion with the rest of his or her body. Similarly, disabled people or elderly people may have features related to disability or age which are markedly different from others.

Equal rights for all

We must therefore understand and uphold the very important distinction between (a) the intrinsic dignity of persons and (b) what are merely features of those persons. This understanding is fundamental to the rule of law, which protects the weak and the vulnerable against violations of their rights by the strong and the powerful.

Justice requires that all members of the human race have their equal right to life defended. In today’s society, which is particularly prone to glorifying physical beauty and personal success, those deemed unattractive or unproductive are put in a vulnerable position by laws which allow abortion and euthanasia.

To find out how you can help protect the intrinsic beauty of all human life, contact Isaac Spencer by email: isaacspencer@spuc.org.uk or by phone on 020 7820 3147