Dr. Susan vs. Dr. Laura: Should I weep for future generations?

Every once in awhile, Dr. Laura posts a particularly great email that she’s gotten. Although it’s not Dr. Laura talking, she chooses them to reinforce her beliefs. This one was… terrible.

Dr. Laura,

I have been an avid listener for more years than I would like to admit. I agree with your stance on stay-at-home mothers and doing things in the right order which brings me to the subject of my e-mail.

I was at the dentist’s office the other day and the hygienist who was working on my teeth was pregnant. I asked her if she knew if it was a boy or girl, and she said smiling widely that it was a boy. This is her first child, so I asked if she was married (because it’s not safe to assume any more) and she said, “No.” I asked, “When are you getting married?” She replied they wanted to save up and have a nice wedding. I explained they could always go to the Justice of the Peace before the baby is born, and have something later. She said, “Oh, no. I don’t think my father would like that and besides it already feels like we’re married.” I asked why her father would disapprove of a civil ceremony before the baby’s birth and she said, and I quote, “He’s a preacher and would be upset if I did that and he didn’t officiate.” I quit discussing it at that moment as she did have sharp instruments and access to my mouth.

I weep for the future generations if this is the kind of attitude young parents have. Personally, I would think her preacher father would be more upset about his daughter being pregnant out-of-wedlock, but that’s just my opinion.

I look forward to listening to you for many more years to come.

Mindy

Dear Mindy,

You are so right. The most important thing in a child’s life is whether his or her parents have a piece of paper that has been signed by the government. Otherwise, the only appropriate reaction to a pregnancy is horror and disgust, and the child should be shunned for its whole life. You are also right to be shocked that a preacher would be okay with this situation. Your reaction is exactly the kind of thing that Jesus would approve of – hating thy neighbor (if his parents weren’t in a government-sanctioned relationship), judging lest ye be judged not (I mean, come on, we all love to judge), and doing unto others what you would hope nobody would ever do to you (unless they have sharp instruments, in which case, just think awful thoughts and then put words to them later).

But what about when he said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” He must have forgotten to add “unless that little one is illegitimate.” And when he said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted,” there must have been a few words lost through the years, “unless you love to make others feel like shit.”

“It’s not a choice, it’s a child!” scream the anti-abortion protestors. “A person is a person no matter how small!” “There are no unwanted children, only unwilling mothers!” And yet – if an unmarried woman makes the choice that is presumably the honorable one, she should never be smiling with anticipation at the thought of having the child, and let’s all weep for the next generation.

Mindy, you are gross.

All the best,
Dr. Susan