De Facto Discussion Outline - Abortion, Adoption and Foster Care

[johnkarls]

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---------------------------- Original Message -----------------------------
Subject: Abortion – Adoption – Foster Care (Zoom Mtg THIS WED evening 6:30 MDT)
Date: Monday, October 14, 2024
To: To Each of Our 229 Members One-By-One
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To Each of Our 229 Members One-By-One – for reasons explained in the 4 postings in Sec. 2 of www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org.


Dear Friends,

Yes, I know that during our “suspension of regular operations,” there would be no promotional materials such as quizzes and discussion outlines.

And that many of you would forget that first-time participants are NOT expected to have read/viewed the focus materials – in this case, two movies.

HOWEVER, you may not have realized that abortion/adoption/foster-care are the real issues up for discussion.

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ABORTION

My mother (1909-2006) was an extremely religious person, organizing children’s religious education for our church and, after school, for the entire 100-thousand-population city in which we lived.

She also worked herself to the bone with unwed teenage mothers.

AND BELIEVED IN ABORTION because she had witnessed so many unwanted children born into lives that were “a fate worse than death”!!!

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ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952) starring Cary Grant and Betsy Drake (his real-life first wife) makes the case for adoption.

Even though technically it is dealing with foster care for reasons explained in the following dialog that occurs 72% of the way through the movie several years after they have enlarged their family which included 3 children of their own, by taking in a troubled teen and then taking in a second troubled teen.

[Obviously, up for discussion is, inter alia, how idealistic and, perhaps, unrealistic the following dialogue between Cary Grant and Betsy Drake is.]

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THE SOUND OF HOPE: THE STORY OF POSSUM TROT (in first-run theaters last July)

Possum Trot is a small unincorporated community in southeastern Shelby County, Texas. Originally settled by small farmers in the late 19th century, Possum Trot’s current residents are mostly working-class African-Americans.

“The Sound of Hope – The Story of Possum Trot” tells the story of how Baptist Rev. W.C. Martin and his wife Donna challenged their congregation to adopt all of the community’s children for whom there was no foster care – 22 families adopting 77 children that nobody else would take.

[Obviously up for discussion is, inter alia, how seriously other Christians take Christ’s TWO commandments for “inheriting eternal life” – love God with all your hear/soul/strength/mind AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF followed immediately by the Story of the Good Samaritan to drive home the point that EVERY HUMAN BEING is your “neighbor” because a Samaritan at that time is the last person on earth a Jew would consider to be human, if that.]

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VALEDICTION

If you would like to participate in our Zoom discussion THIS WED 6:30 pm MDT - 8:30 p.m., please hit your Reply Button and type RSVP -- and you will receive a URL for the Zoom meeting.

If you are a first-time participant but, nevertheless, would like to see the 2 movies beforehand, both are available for purchase or rental from Amazon.


Your friend,

John K.

PS -- To un-subscribe, please press "reply" and type "deletion requested."



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“ROOM FOR ONE MORE” DIALOG 72% THROUGH THE MOVIE

SCENE AT A PTA MEETING FEATURING BETSY DRAKE’S CHARACTER SPEAKING ON “RAISING FOSTER CHILDREN CAN BE FUN” --

Betsy Drake (the first real-life wife of Cary Grant) –

Thank you. Any questions, I’ll be glad to answer them.

Female Audience Member –

Is there any reason why you didn’t legally adopt these children?

Betsy Drake –

There certainly is. You see, under adoption we would be responsible for all their expenses – their hospital bills and their operations, dentist bills, and so forth, and we simply can’t afford it. Now this way with the welfare agency to help us and our older children handing down clothes, and the help of our neighbors in Fairfield, we manage to get by. Of course, sometimes we have to add a little water to the soup, but we keep our figures that way.

Second Female Audience Member –

But with your own children to take care of, I don’t see how you can do it and still keep up with your house work.

Betsy Drake –

I’ll let you in on my secret – I don’t dust the furniture.

Third Female Audience Member –

Wouldn’t you rather take a new baby to raise than a half-grown problem child?

Betsy Drake –

Well no, because you see we’ve already had the satisfaction of our own babies. Anyone can start from scratch but these other children offer an interesting challenge.

Cary Grant – (after Betsy Drake says “Yes, Sir”)

Don’t you find that by accepting this interesting challenge you’re apt to neglect your husband?

Betsy Drake –

In what way?

Cary Grant –

How many ways are there?

Betsy Drake –

Well I can assure you that whatever inconvenience he has been caused, it’s temporary.

Cary Grant –

How long is temporary?

Betsy Drake –

Young man…

Cary Grant –

Well, thank you.

Betsy Drake –

Are you married? [NB: Betsy Drake’s character is married to Cary Grant’s character.]

Cary Grant –

Eh, a little louder please.

Betsy Drake –

Are you married?

Cary Grant –

Sometimes I wonder.

Betsy Drake –

Well, I’d like to tell you this about my husband. He’s deeply interested in our children. He’s reasonably patient and just and firm. He’s unfailingly enthusiastic in helping each one outgrow difficulties. He’s the first one they turn to when they need help with their homework or a new catcher for the baseball team. And whenever they have a new achievement, they run to him to demonstrate it because he’s always so open in his pride and delight. He has the undying love and affection of every member of his family including his wife – and you ask if he’s neglected.

Cary Grant –

Thank you.