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Our Belief Statement
Upper Cumberland for Life believes that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. His forgiveness and salvation are available to all who repent and call on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our goal is never to condemn anyone who has experienced or been involved in abortion. Resources are available to anyone suffering from guilt or shame of abortion, and we believe in offering these resources with compassionate counsel.
1. THE HUMAN FAMILY
Upper Cumberland for Life (UC for Life) believes in strengthening the culture of life through allowing each new life the human right to be nurtured and raised within the family unit consisting of his/her mother and father. Such family is sacred and is consistent throughout the ages. It is the place in which each human life can be properly welcomed and protected from harm and can develop into his/her full authentic human growth. Thus, the family is the very heart of the culture of life which we strive to protect and defend.
2. ABORTION
Upper Cumberland for Life opposes abortion at any point of gestation, as it destroys a living, growing human life. We oppose the RU 486/prostaglandin abortion technique because it kills unborn babies whose hearts have begun to beat and has injured, and even killed, women. In the rare case that the mother's life is indeed endangered by a continuation of the pregnancy, sound medical practice would dictate that every effort be made to save both lives.
3. RAPE/INCEST
Upper Cumberland for Life opposes abortion for pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. While we understand the trauma involved in such situations, the unborn child conceived is no less human than one conceived under more favorable circumstances. Instead of furthering the violence of abortion, we believe women should be provided compassionate and competent life- affirming health care.
4. PARENTAL CONSENT
Until our goal of total protection for the unborn is reached, Upper Cumberland for Life supports requiring the pregnant minor’s mother’s and father’s consent before an abortion is performed on a that minor. The involvement of the family is crucial to helping a pregnant minor during the stressful time when she is making decisions regarding a problem pregnancy.
5. INFORMED CONSENT
Until our goal of total protection for the unborn is reached, Upper Cumberland for Life supports helping women make decisions concerning abortion based upon full knowledge of the development of her unborn child, the physical and psychological complications which could result from the abortion, and the availability of alternatives to abortion.
6. ADOPTION
Upper Cumberland for Life supports adoption as one possible, positive solution for a woman bearing a child she is unable to parent. We support programs designed to facilitate the adoption process, thus making it easier to place children with traditional couples.
7. MORNING AFTER PILL
Upper Cumberland for Life does not support the use or sale of the morning after pill or any similar pill or device that prevents implantation. Such pills and devices decrease tubal motility increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy, one of the major causes of maternal mortality.
8. EUTHANASIA
Upper Cumberland for Life opposes the intentional killing of a dependent person for his or her alleged benefit, whether by active intervention or by omitting treatment. We approve the accepted medical practice of administering pain-relieving drugs with the dosage necessary to alleviate a terminally ill patient’s suffering as long as there is no intent to administer, overdose, or withhold treatment to cause or hasten death.
9. HUMAN CLONING
Upper Cumberland for Life supports banning all human cloning, including experimentation on human embryos, which treats human beings as products or commodities.
10. INFANTICIDE
Upper Cumberland for Life opposes the killing of newborn infants either directly or by withholding necessary care to cause or hasten their death.
11. IN VITRO FERTILIZATION
While Upper Cumberland for Life empathizes with the many couples who turn to IVF as a treatment for infertility, we oppose IVF because IVF entails the creation of multiple embryos which results in selective abortions after implantation. Furthermore, cryopreservation is incompatible with the respect owed to human embryos. IVF screens human embryos for genetic disorders, handicaps and sometimes gender. The “undesirable” embryos are often discarded and thus their dignity is reduced to that of a commodity, lacking the preservation of the dignity due to all human life. Whereas IVF is used for surrogate pregnancy,UC for Life supports adoption and other legitimate and morally ethical and life affirming technologies and procedures that do not violate the intrinsic nature of the marital act nor treat human beings as commodities.
12. RESEARCH AND FETAL EXPERIMENTATION
Upper Cumberland for Life opposes any fetal experimentation, which requires or results in the death of an unborn child. UC for Life supports research that can save lives of human beings without causing harm to other lives. Stem cell research, where adult stem cells, cord blood, or other sources are used receive the support of UC for Life. We oppose all forms of research through which living human embryos are destroyed, including destructive embryonic stem cell research, as well as aborted fetal tissue research.
