The Path to the Kingdom?

I read this at the conclusion of an article by Laura M. Purdy entitled Are Pregnant Women Fetal Containers. She discusses eloquently the ethics of a woman’s rights and responsibilities as carrier of a “potential” human life; specifically when it comes to forced interventions (such as abstaining from alcohol) that might improve the health of the baby.

We might want to consider expecting more of each other, both morally and legally. One form such expectations might take would be to assume that people should be willing to sacrifice expendable parts of their bodies (bone marrow, paired organs) to save the lives of others. A still more demanding expectation would be that people make such sacrifices to prevent serious illness on the part of others. Although the first of these would not affect pregnant women especially, because fetuses aren’t persons, the second would have a disproportionate impact on women, despite the fact that for all the reasons suggested in this paper, a humane world would invite many fewer conflicts between women and their fetuses….

A more caring society would be very desirable: its coming should be encouraged by those who are dissatisfied with the chill of the classic liberal approach to relationships. It is time for thinking about what forms such caring might reasonably take, together with their implications for our contemporary values. In the meantime, the contrast between this vision and our current world should be enough to fuel the fight against the invasions of woman’s bodies now occurring.

This has very much intrigued me. An extreme pro-choice (she also argues for the morality of infanticide) philosopher argues that sacrificial communal living may be a potential solution to many of the reproductive ethical debates we struggle with. It’s interesting to me that Jesus of Nazareth also argued that sacrificial communal living is a solution to many social debates in our world:

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Whether we listen to philosophers or prophets may we embrace sacrificial communal living as we strive to live in the Kingdom.