Fatherhood - The Abdicated Role
In the backdrop of the national debate surrounding abortion, the vital role of fatherhood is often overlooked and treated as a footnote. The discussion regarding abortion usually discourages men and fathers from formulating an opinion, citing “no uterus, no opinion,” but then centers men as the reason most women seek to terminate their pregnancies.
This conversation rarely seeks to explore the source of the issue that has created the abdicated role of the family unit. But it is the erosion of personal relationships due to the introduction of social media that has largely affected the ability for modern generations to form stable, healthy relationships. Studies by the National Institutes of Health report associations between time spent on social media and high levels of social isolation.
In reality, fatherhood and men are the foundation of a happy and healthy society. Without the proper function of men in their most necessary role, society visibly erodes. Data provide evidence of the connection between heavy social media use and its subsequent emotional detachment and increased conflict resulting in fractured families. The family breakdown, through divorce and single-parent households, is attributed to an increase in social ills such as poverty, mental health issues, lower levels of education and ultimately crime.
It is thus necessary to accommodate and celebrate healthy fatherhood as much as we do motherhood, as it is a remedy for most of society’s ills. Not in the superficial manner in which social media does, by changing diapers and pushing the swing. But in its proper function as spiritual and moral leaders of the family unit. The impacts of motherhood are measured not in the daily, but in the completion of a contributing member of society. As Lincoln is quoted, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Research from the Institute of Family Studies indicates that nothing can replace the figure of a father and his contribution to the family dynamic. In fact, children with present and healthy fathers are twice as likely to go to college, 80% less likely to go to jail, and 75% less likely to experience teen pregnancy.
It therefore becomes vital to discuss the issues threatening new generations of men from forming healthy bonds. It is the absence of these functional relationships that eventually leads to the practice of abortion.
The popular and widespread accessibility of pornography, now merging with social media, essentially removes the dignity of women and instead reduces them to body parts that exist for the function of popular consumption. Abortion then becomes a natural extension of this degradation as it removes the “barrier” for acknowledging that women are made for the creation of life rather than simply pleasure.
But this shift in the image of women cannot be squarely placed on the shoulders of men, the willing consumers of available content, as women in recent years have entered into this Faustian bargain for “freedom” by exchanging their virtue for a seat at the table.
But the truth can no longer be ignored that we are at a point in history where a complete abandonment of popular culture in favor of the biblical example of fatherhood is desperately needed, in order to salvage future generations.
The normalcy of previous generations is changing. The concept of a man walking away from duty, family, and responsibility has always been a point of shame. Today, the practice of abortion allows men to cheaply destroy all evidence of their moral failings whilst being applauded. As singer Lily Allen stated after losing count of the number of abortions she has undergone, “I remember once getting pregnant and the man paying for my abortion and me thinking it was so romantic.” This behavior was once rejected by society at large; it is now celebrated and reinforced. The role of protector has been reduced to a caricature of a man, applauded only when they play supporting roles.
But the pro-life movement has preserved men’s true purpose as leaders and protectors. We uphold and affirm their place in families and society as God intended. We also rebuke the modern temptations that exist to pull men away from their God-given duties.
Family is the one certain place where a man can truly be a leader of his own making. It is the cure for societal ills that plague it. Family provides men with comfort and peace, even lengthening their life span. Fatherhood in particular inspires transformation and motivation for success.
Purpose grounds men, making them better people while providing a positive environment with accountability. A father becomes a man who is in service to something larger than himself. This role also provides value for men and a status within society. Men who are fathers become individuals who are worthy of being heard as they have a tangible stake in the future.
It is, as heads of their families, that men can find true peace, happiness, and fulfillment of their ultimate purpose in life. It is our duty as a society to encourage this choice and meet those who truly step into their role with gratitude and respect.
