Chrysalis

Below is the blog my article in yesterday’s Evening Echo is based on, pick up today’s paper to read David Quinn’s response for the Iona Institute…

I listened with interest to Breda O’Brien (a spokesperson for the group) discussing recently how the very fabric of society as we know it was under threat.
Was she talking about the ever increasing sophistication of global terrorism?
No it was a discussion on gay marriage.
What piqued my interest though was Breda’s segue into the subject of assisted reproduction and how this act was anti Catholic, anti the church’s teachings and an insult to God’s design. The very act of surrogacy and egg or sperm donation was an affront and if allowed to continue unchecked would no doubt lead to the disintegration of society as we know it.
I for one wouldn’t mind seeing a little of what a new society might look like but that is a different conversation.
Ms O’Brien went on to argue that couples who use a surrogate or a donor are in fact cutting out the biological parent from the equation and as a result the child (if these couples are lucky enough to be successful) will live his or her life with an inherent disadvantage. This disadvantage we are to believe is not that they do not have parents who love and adore them; it is in fact that they do not know the donor/surrogate.
I would prefer a child to have two loving parents. Yes there may be complications in these situations but life is full of complications that we deal with every day.
I am lucky I am married and we are lucky we have two sons but not everyone is this lucky. So many couples out there; a hell of a lot more than I would have ever thought are not so lucky and for them child birth is a complicated, costly struggle. When these couples find a solution that works for them and whether that is surrogacy, donation or adoption surely the joy they bring to the world through their love is enough to make any God smile.
It struck me as I listened to Breda make her points that the very foundations of her faith are based on a case of assisted reproduction. We all remember the story; God chose Mary as to be the mother of his son and he sent his Archangel Gabriel to visit her. Gabriel proceeded to fill her with the spirit of God and nine short months later she gave birth.
I am no doctor but that story sounds a lot like assisted reproduction to me and if so then God himself is going against his own rules, well those of the modern church in any case. So I ask the question if the Iona Institute is dead set against assisted reproduction they need to formally ask Pope Francis to excommunicate his boss – no.
Some of you reading this may be annoyed by it, others may find it childish. but I ask a serious question.
Here is a group who purport to be Christians singling out a sizeable sector of society, those with reproductive issue, and not only offending them callously but also adding increased stress and stigma to their lives. In my opinion, the Iona Institute is not against assisted reproduction because it is against God’s will – they are against it because it will allow gay couples to have children, a prospect many on the right fear as they see it is an detrimental to the traditional family unit.
Ireland has gone through a tough few months with discussions and debates on abortion and we are now heading toward our next, whether or not to give equal human rights to those in the gay community. I realise that this is something that creates a lot of fear and some disgust in sections of this wonderful little island and I fear that the small conservative power base on the right will create enough noise to drown out good sense and compassion.
The extreme conservative right in Ireland is not really that big they are just well organised, well-funded, loud and visible. If we as a wider society believe in social justice and real social equality we need to get as organised and as loud if not louder or else we will never achieve true human rights and equality and society will not grow.
I believe in humanity, love and equality and I believe if I met Jesus or God tomorrow he would agree that I am a true Christian.
So Iona if you are true to yourselves excommunicate God and give him back to the rest of us!

Does The Iona Institute Want to Excommunicate God?
I know I know what a stupid question. Of course this ultra conservative Christian group would never want to kick the Supreme Being out of the gang. Or would they? Well I listened with interest to Breda O’Brien (a spokesperson for the group) discussing how the very fabric of society as we know it was under threat. She was of course talking about the ever increasing sophistication of global terrorism… Oh wait no it was a discussion on Gay marriage, or more importantly a discussion on equality of rights for human beings.
What piqued my interest though was Breda’s Segway into the subject of assisted reproduction and how this act was anti catholic, anti the church teachings and an insult (we are to believe) to God’s design. The very act of surrogacy and egg or sperm donation was an affront and if allowed to continue unchecked would no doubt lead to the disintegration of society as we know it. I for one wouldn’t mind seeing a little of what a new society might look like but that is a different conversation.
The erstwhile Ms (sorry I am unaware of her status in polite society) O’Brien went on to argue that couples who use a surrogate or a donor are in fact cutting out the biological parent from the equation and as a result the child (if these couples are lucky enough to be successful) will live its life with an inherent disadvantage. This disadvantage we are to believe is not that they do not have parents who love and adore them; it is in fact that they do not know the donor/surrogate. Maybe I am an idiot (don’t answer that) but I would prefer a child to have two loving parents. Yes there may be complications in these situations but life is full of complications that we deal with every day.
I am lucky I am married and we are lucky we have two sons but not everyone is this lucky. So many couples out there; a hell of a lot more than I would have ever thought are not so lucky and for them child birth is a complicated, costly struggle. When these couples find a solution that works for them and whether that is surrogacy, donation or adoption surely the joy they bring to the world through their love is enough to make any God smile.
So back to the title of the piece.
It struck me as I listened to Breda make her points that the very foundations of her faith are based on a case of assisted reproduction. Now now don’t look at me like that. We all remember the story; God chose Mary as to be the mother of his son (who was also himself by the way, it could be on Jeremy Kyle) and he sent his Archangel Gabriel to visit her. Gabriel proceeded to fill her with the spirit of God and nine short months later she gave birth. Oh yeah I nearly forgot the kicker, there was no sex involved.
Now I am no doctor but that story sounds a lot like assisted reproduction to me and if so then God himself is going against his own rules, well those of the modern church in any case. So I ask the question if the Iona Institute is dead set against assisted reproduction they need to formally ask Pope Francis to excommunicate his boss no.
Some of you reading this may be annoyed by it others may find it childish but I ask a serious question. Here is a group who purport to be Christians singling out a sizeable sector of society, those with reproductive issue, and not only offending them callously but also adding increased stress and stigma to their lives. The Iona Institute is not against assisted reproduction (in my opinion) because it is against God’s will they are against it because it will allow gay couples to get their grubby little hands on children. Oh the horror.
Ireland has gone through a tough few months with discussions and debates on abortion and we are now heading toward our next, whether or not to give equal human rights to those in the gay community. I realise that this is something that creates a lot of fear and some disgust in sections of this wonderful little island and I fear that the small conservative power base on the right will create enough noise to drown out good sense and compassion.
I have spoken and written previously about the fact that the conservative right in Ireland is not really that big they are just well organised, well-funded, loud and visible. If we as a wider society believe in social justice and real social equality we need to get as organised and as loud if not louder or else we will never achieve true human rights and equality and society will not grow. You can argue if you like that I am a flaming liberal, a tag I wear with pride if I am honest, but in truth I believe in humanity, love and equality and I believe if I met Jesus or God tomorrow he would agree that I am a true Christian. So Iona if you are true to yourselves excommunicate God and give him back to the rest of us!