Prosecuting women for miscarriages

I read in MotherJones this morning that Mississippi has indicted a woman who gave birth to a stillborn baby. The potential outcome of this action could have a chilling effect on pretty much anyone who gets pregnant. Apparently, a woman’s job is to not only get pregnant, but also to produce a healthy baby. Otherwise, the religious authorities in Mississippi and elsewhere will try sending you to jail (or, ironically, possibly implement the death penalty) for murder.

Those who would put a woman on trial for a miscarriage are not interested in protecting babies. They simply want to control everyone and keep them afraid… of them and their particular brand of religion. This isn’t about babies or life, it’s about Men arrogantly and ignorantly believing they know the mind of God and are themselves somehow qualified to judge and punish everyone they believe to be sinners and/or sinners who don’t believe in (insert important religious figure here, such as Mohammed, White Jesus, Xenu or Joseph Smith).

We are given opportunities to learn something from this vast universe we’ve been given. And learning often starts with a mistake, a sin, or even tragedy. It’s the inherent imperfection of being human that allows us to grow and become better, closer to God.

I’m pretty sure God doesn’t punish people for being imperfect or making mistakes, since He made us this way. If I’m wrong, then that means God is pretty much a stupid petty douchbag who isn’t so great and good, and it’s still up to us to learn through our own experience.