Essay Contest Winners 2005

2005 RTL Essay
By Nick Lesch
Grade 7

A Plan for All

I respond to a culture that advocates abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality, with astonishment and sorrow. Rather that losing hope, it helps me realize the presence of evil in this world and motivates me to act for the protection of all human life. I convey my pro-life beliefs more effectively by praying to God for guidance and wisdom in my actions. Doing God's will by speaking to others about the value of human life may increase our culture's understanding of this issue and lead to a change in hearts and minds. "Thou shalt not kill," the fifth commandment of the Lord, is broken constantly through abortion and euthanasia. Same-sex relationships are against God's law and the natural law because marriage is meant for a man and woman with the opportunity for pro-creation.

A person comes into being at the moment of conception. Being made in the image and likeness of God, all human life is sacred and must be respected and protected. When a baby is aborted, a human life is destroyed. With nearly 4,000 abortions every day, over 45,000,000 abortions have been performed in the U.S. alone. In the case of an abortion, the child's parents are causing the death of another human being willingly. Abortions corrupt the society by killing innocent lives and by leading people away from God's truth.

Euthanasia, when the doctor intentionally terminates a patient's life, is increasing in our world. The recent death of Terri Schiavo is an example of the conflicts, pain, and sorrow that euthanasia can cause. Some people say that terminating the lives of those with problems is "mercy killing" and that the person is not supposed to live that way. However, God has a plan for everyone and everyone was made in God's image. Pope John Paul II showed us that life, even when subjected to disease or old age, was worthy of dignity. A Dutch government study in the Netherlands showed that of 130,000 annual deaths, 25,306 (20%) involved euthanasia. Of all the euthanasia cases, 58% were involuntary. Euthanasia corrupts the society by killing innocent lives and by undervaluing God's gift of life.

Marriage is a holy covenant between a man, a woman, and God, that should be taken seriously and not abused. The entertainment today and most of the news media openly promote shows with relations between people of the same sex through T.V. shows, movies, and news. This can have a very bad influence on the people who watch these shows especially the young and innocent. Homosexuality closes the door to the gift of life. Same-sex relationships corrupt the society by breaking and making impure the covenant of marriage.

Responding positively to a culture that openly supports abortion, euthanasia, and homosexuality can be difficult. It is only through the grace of God that one may achieve an encouraging outcome. When I heard about Terri Schiavo's life threat, I immediately contacted President Bush and his brother Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida, through e-mail, urging them to save her life. My family prayed each day in hope of an intervention to stop the killing of Terri Schiavo. I tried to let others know what was going on and to influence them to act. The media strengthens the evil effects of abortion, euthanasia, and homosexuality. Everyone, from the moment of conception until natural death, is a child of God and worthy of life as God has a plan for all persons. Our greatest hope of happiness lies in living the fullness of God's truth concerning life.

2005 RTL Essay
Caroline Fitzgerald
Grade 8

Never Give Up the Fight

It is everywhere. Media is constantly trying to persuade us. It is our responsibility to counter media messages in which wrong things are portrayed as right. By rejecting the things that are false, praying for a change, becoming educated on life issues, and encouraging media that supports life, we encourage others to respond in a pro-life way.

The most important action to take is discerning and acting on the morality of media. If we turn on the television or radio, or open a magazine and hear or see something wrong, we need to immediately turn it off or put it down. It is a choice. When we take in false media, we might be subtly influenced in thinking wrong is right. We should also stop ourselves from buying products advertised in these circumstances. By not supporting the advertisers we make a statement that we do not accept the false media. When we stand strong in our faith, we not only protect ourselves from falling into worldly sin, but also support others in making a stand.

This support is often demonstrated in prayer, as we are called to pray for conversions. We can pray as individuals, in small groups, or we can participate in large groups. As individuals we offer our personal prayers for life to God. In small groups we are able to hear about pro-life concerns held by others. Church, school, friends, or families are good places to look for a small group. By participating in large groups, such as the Right to Life March in Washington D.C. or Life Chain, we are encouraged to continue our fight by the volume of people concerned for life. Prayer is one of the most powerful actions we can take in our effort for life, because prayer unites us with God, who increases our understanding of life.

As an individual we are called to be educated about pro-life activities and issues. It heightens our awareness and response. When we become personally informed we can support actions that bring life and oppose those that do not. By sharing our personal pro-life beliefs and sending this message out into the public, through the media, we bring hope to our culture.

Though there are many challenges in the media and the world today, we need to promote media, which supports life. Using different media effectively enables us to distribute pro-life information to a greater variety of people. The American Family Association sends out e-mails about the abuse of life in media and encourages people to contact their government officials, while the National Catholic Register highlights life issues from around the world. Focus on the Family predominately informs people concerning life issues via their daily radio program. Taking the time to search, find, and support good media resources will maximize our knowledge and unite our efforts.

By rejecting false media, praying for it, becoming informed, and supporting positive media, we become stronger, and the pro-life message becomes stronger. We should always be encouraging others to join the fight, and we must never give up ourselves.

2005 RTL Essay
By Emily
Grade 9 & 10

Defenders of Life

The value of life is something our culture has thrown away. In our self-centered society we have lost sight of what really matters by allowing life to be so easily destroyed by abortion or ended in the name of science. Our past inaction has forced us to deal with those that accept and advocate abortion, euthanasia, cloning, fetal stem cell research, and same sex marriage. We must respond to our culture as soldiers for life. Decisiveness, compassion, devotion, and high moral conviction characterize a soldier for life.

Above all, a soldier in any situation must portray decisiveness. He must assess danger and remove it. His life depends on his swift and accurate action. The lives of young and old depend on our ability to act without delay. Our hesitation to stand for life in the face of opposition has caused lives to be lost. We have allowed indecision to weaken our stand for life. We must recognize the lies of those who oppose life, in order to help save it. We must take our stand for life now. Hesitation is costly.

In addition to being decisive, a soldier must be compassionate toward those he defends. We must demonstrate compassion for the helpless that are being robbed of life before even drawing a breath, and the young mothers that face difficult decisions. A soldier defends his country because he loves her. So we must defend life. We must take a bold stand for the lives of the unborn because they cannot. As a Christian, I must do so because I have been called to defend life as a tenderhearted soldier of the cross.

Though a soldier is decisive and compassionate, a true soldier serves because he is devoted to his cause. Soldiers must take up arms to fight for life, not with weapons of violence but with those of change. We must do the same for life because it is our duty. God has given life to us as a gift. We must do all we can to preserve it. We need to live our lives in a fashion that show our society a better way: life.

Ultimately, along with decisiveness, compassion, and devotion, a soldier must possess high moral conviction. Moral conviction must be ingrained within him, or all he has sacrificed for is futile. Possession of moral conviction will enable him to choose to right over wrong, and life over death. A soldier that has high moral convictions is self- sacrificial. He puts the needs of others above his own by putting himself in the line of fire to protect them. We must be willing to sacrifice our time and abilities to save lives. We must put ourselves in the line of fire for them. This may cost us.

In a culture that has lost all regard for life, we must respond as soldiers for life by being decisive, compassionate, devoted, and led by moral conviction. Demonstrating these characteristics in the defense of life is uncommon. As a Christian, I must hold myself to at higher standard. This standard includes loving life, defending it, and responding positively to my culture. To do this I must take up my cross and follow Jesus Christ knowing that He gave His life that I might have life and preserve it for others.