Fraternity-Testvériség, 1967 (45. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)

1967-02-01 / 2. szám

I

justified because women are entitled to equal rights and freedoms and, therefore, should be permitted to decide whether they want to bear a child or not. Others argue that social investments, such as homes, apartments, day care centers, schools, hospitals are needed first, before children can be brought into this world. They point to the housing shortage.

Zsuzsa Ortutay, Secretary of the National Council of Hungarian Women states the following: “The large number of abortions may be caused by the fact that contraceptions are not sold commercially.”

There are other official explanations. However some of the more obvious reasons are not readily admitted by the regime of Janos Kadar. The government is in charge of all construction in the country. The supply of new houses and apartments is woefully inadequate. Apartment-houses, that are being built, tend to accommodate the male bachelor or the bachelor carrier girl, or perhaps even the childless couple. There is just no room for children.

Industry is still largely concentrated in the capital city of Budapest and its suburbs. One fifth of the total Hungarian population, approximately two million people live crowded into the large, obsolescent apartment houses of Budapest, a lovely city, which to the casual tourist observer still appears to be the undisputed “Queen of the Danube”. But young couples of the metropolitan Budapest area are compelled to move in with relatives who’s living conditions may be overcrowded to begin with. As a rule, young married couples have to wait years to receive a government allotment for their own apartment. This factor, at best, tends to delay the birth of the first child, often it is instrumental in causing another addition to the huge group of childless couples.

In these Communist ruled countries religion is persecuted and ridiculed, Judeo-Christian moral concepts are declared to be old-fashioned and obsolete. All means of communications being owned, operated and controlled by the Communist party, society has no effective way of expressing its displeasure over abortion. The seriousness of the situation is purposely being kept from the population and the decline in birth rates is discussed only in meaningless percentage points. Priests and pastors are not allowed to preach on this “dangerous” topic.

Thus, as there are no moral or religious restrictions, in today’s Hungary it seems to be “all right” to go through

with an abortion, it is socially acceptable, everybody does it, and circumstances force the reasonable person to do it. The government is very helpful in assisting the girl in trouble or the reluctant wife: an official certificate is issued by a physician excusing the woman from work for a few days on the pretense of some minor illness, such as a virus.

The party line, while accusing America of being overly materialistic, promotes the aquisition of material goods, such as cars, refrigerators, television sets as substitute goals for the lack of freedom and for the abolition of spiritual-religious life. So one hears young girls explaining that they do not want children because the upbringing of a child is expensive, and the absence of children leaves just enough money within the existing meager pay structure to acquire eventually at least some of the finer things in life. With a child or children, the communist admit themselves, life does become rather rugged.

Thus a Hungarian woman may go through abortion and what she is doing is legally sanctioned, socially acceptable and materially beneficial. This leaves the only question: how can they live with their own conscience?

Following the tragic oppression of the 1956 Hungarian Freedom Fight, the young Hungarian couples see no hope in the future, no forseeable chance for liberation and for a decent life. “Why bring children to this world?” — seems to be a question so often raised, “Why produce another slave for these oppressors?”

An exiled Hungarian political leader now living in the United States, says that the memorable uprising of 1956 and the unforgettable 12 days of freedom were followed by a terrible letdown as Soviet tanks slaughtered thousands while the Western world stood by passively.

“The shock of having been abandoned struck at the heart of Hungary and the resulting despair is reflected in the population data during the years following 1956” — declares the exiled Hungarian political leader.

Here is, then a nation emotionally depressed. Their suicide rate is second highest in the world, outstripped only by the equally desperate East Germans; 2.8 per cent of all deaths as compared to 2.7 per cent in Hungary.

The present rulers of Hungary, apparently with the approval or at least knowledge of their superiors in Moscow, handed the nation the surgeon’s knife.

With this knife, the Hungarian nation in its emotional depression is allowed and encouraged through legalized abortion to commit national suicide.

THANK YOU FOR THE BIBLE . . .

Last year, commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the founding of our Federation, which year we also declared as the Year of the Bible to all those, who became members of our Federation during the Anniversary Year. The Bibles were mailed to all the eligible persons and many of them, in return, have been sending us their gratifying letters and thank-you notes. We are planning to publish some of these responses in the following issues of our Fraternity and we hope that through such services and similar gifts, we can gain even more friends during our Charter Year of 1967. *

February 6, 1967 Dear Rev. Kecskemethy,

To the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America:

Thank you most kindly for the two Hungarian Bibles in the Revised Version which were received with the greatest pleasure last week. We had been looking forward to them with great anticipation. The lovely letter that was enclosed with it warmed my heart and I was quite proud of myself to be able to read it and understand it. Thank you for those kind words. I hope I never forget the Hungarian language which was the first language taught to me as a child, being born of Hungarian parents.

It has been a pleasure to be in the Federation as a member all my life and to have my family as members also.

God bless you all and every continued success is wished for the Federation.

Thank you again, sincerely,

Mrs. Julius (Alice) Torok Erie, Pa.

HISTORICAL FACTS

Abraham Lincoln “The Great Emancipator”

On February 12, 1809, 158 years ago, Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States and one of the most beloved men in American history, was born in Kentucky. He grew up on the frontier as his family moved westward into Indiana and Illinois. The story of Lincoln’s rise from the humble log cabin of his birth, as backwoods rail-splitter, storekeeper, lawyer and Congressman, to the Presidency, is known to all Ameri10