One of our HC team members, Kari, is an excellent researcher. Every morning she pores over numerous news sites, online magazines, and aggregator sites; picks the top three or four pieces that will be the most helpful; and sends them to me. I’ve specifically asked Kari to gather articles from pro-abortion sources, so I can keep tabs on the worldview, thinking, and strategy of the pro-abortion movement.
I’ll be candid: reading these articles is not my favorite part of the day. Here are a few recent examples she sent to me.
There was an article about a movement to place Margaret Sanger’s face on the $20 bill. Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was an overt racist and sterilization advocate.
ThinkProgress is constantly pushing so-called “reproductive rights,” and this piece bemoaned the fact that America is not keeping up with the world in championing abortion freedoms:
“While we do have a federal constitutional right [to abortion], states are taking aim at that in different ways and really trying to chip away at that right in a piecemeal fashion,” Amanda Allen, the state legislative counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told ThinkProgress. She described the political activity since the 2010 elections as “a sustained assault on reproductive rights.” (emphasis mine)
Lies, myths, and more lies. The “sustained assault on reproductive rights” is an inherently discriminatory dogma, considering that the pro-abortion movement wants to protect the contrived reproductive right to abort for only a certain class of females—those who are born. In other words, Allen and her pro-abortion allies are fine with killing millions of females whom they deem unworthy of any rights, all in the name of protecting women’s rights. It’s convoluted and deceitful.
However, the articles that bother me the most are those featuring people of faith or church leaders who promote the mass killing of God’s human creations.
The wife of an Alabama pastor defended her work at a local abortion clinic, claiming, “I feel that we have all sinned. None of us are perfect. No sin is greater than any sin. I don’t know why, other than that’s the only decision [abortion] that a woman could make” … “That’s her right to make that decision, because that’s her body.”
A Presbyterian Church (USA) in New Orleans recently held an impromptu rally for Planned Parenthood. They posted a statement on their website celebrating the event:
Recently First Presbyterian opened our doors to a [sic] impromptu Planned Parenthood rally that was enthusiastically attended by more than 200 supporters, including Councilwomen Latoya Cantrell and Susan Guidry, both of whom are passionately and consistently concerned about the state of health care in our city. We are looking forward to further events and lobbying our government in Baton Rouge for more funding for mental and physical health services in Louisiana.
First Presbyterian is committed to caring for the bodies as well as the souls of our community and supports the work that Planned Parenthood is doing in our neighborhood to build a heath care center.
While First Presbyterian is “committed to caring for the bodies as well as the souls of our community,” apparently it’s only for the bodies and souls of human beings already born. Otherwise, unborn human beings are fair game for being ripped limb from limb, or destroyed with deadly chemicals.
As I continue my education to understand the worldviews, perspectives, and theological foundations of the pro-abortion movement, I keep coming back to two fundamental questions that every pro-lifer needs to ask themselves:
- Should we end abortion?
- Can we end abortion?
The first question is not intended to offend anyone. Most pro-lifers would incredulously answer, “Of course!” And that is most certainly my answer.
However, you might be unpleasantly surprised to hear the answers given by people who claim a pro-life ethic yet unveil a modified and dangerous view when they’re pressed to respond to more specific examples:
- “What about babies conceived in rape? Should every baby conceived in rape be protected from abortion?”
- “What about babies with birth defects or difficult medical conditions?”
- “What about children who won’t survive for long outside the womb?”
- “What about babies born in poverty?”
And, unfortunately, this question:
- “What about black babies born in crime-riddled neighborhoods?”
We may not like some people’s answers to these questions.
There are numerous reasons why abortion is still legal in America. A lack of education about abortion and its cruel and devastating impact on society, as well as abortion’s enormous popularity (an estimated 1.2 million abortions are performed in America each year) are just some of the primary reasons why abortion still exists.
However, I believe one of the other major drivers of abortion is a lack of strong, unified consensus to the question, “Should we end abortion?”
Many Americans think third-trimester abortions are REALLY bad, but first-trimester abortions are somehow okay. And yet, is killing a 3-year-old worse than killing a 1-year-old? Unfortunately, this incorrect view may be influenced in part by legislation aimed at protecting only a certain age of baby in the womb. This leads to an unconscious belief that an unborn 7-month-old baby is worth more than an unborn 2-week-old baby. So “Should we end abortion?” is answered with, “Yes, as long as the baby is of a certain age.”
In fact, those of us who maintain that all unborn human life—regardless of the circumstances of conception or the health of the child—should be protected by law are now labeled as “extreme.” Think about that—the people who want all human beings to have a fair shot at life are considered to be the crazy, fundamental outsiders.
Okay, let’s play with that logic for a moment:
- If a white man wants to kill a black man, he’s rightly considered racist or a member of the KKK. He is an extremist. But if a white abortion doctor kills a black unborn baby, he’s just doing his job and helping a woman exercise her reproductive rights.
- If a woman were to kill her disabled 8-year-old son, we’d consider her cruel and merciless. Her actions would be extreme. Yet, if through genetic testing a woman discovers that her unborn son has a disability and then chooses to kill him, we buy the lie that it would be “unfair” for her to bring her baby into the world.
- If a couple decided to kill a few of their kids because they were struggling financially and unable to make ends meet, we’d think they were crazy. Their actions would be considered extreme. But if parents choose to kill their unborn child because of those same financial struggles, our society praises them for exhibiting financially responsible behavior.
A TV star I’m not familiar with, Jemima Kirke, recently opened up about her abortion. Her explanation for why she killed her child? Her life “was not conducive to raising a happy, healthy child.” If Ms. Kirke had a 3-year-old daughter and decided to kill her as well, because her life “was not conducive to raising” kids, would our culture respond as positively as they did to her choice to kill her unborn child?
No, because the unborn in America are the most hated, most discriminated against, and most neglected class of people in the history of our country.
Here’s my point: The only morally acceptable, sane worldview is the one that protects all unborn human life from harm and death.
“Should we end abortion?” The answer is yes—and no just society can answer any other way.
The second question, “Can we end abortion?” is simply a matter of our commitment to the first question. If we really believe we should end abortion, then the answer to the second question is also yes.
Our beliefs drive our actions. When William Wilberforce, the 19th century English abolitionist, asked if legalized slavery should be ended, he committed himself to the necessary actions based on his answer. When Martin Luther King Jr. asked if civil rights should be extended to blacks and other minorities, his actions flowed from his beliefs. When Susan B. Anthony asked if women should have the right to vote, her actions followed her beliefs.
Can abortion be ended? How firm is our answer? How committed are we to that reality? How convicted are we that abortion is still ridiculously common and available in our country? How horrified are we at the death, destruction, and pain that abortion brings?
Can we end abortion? That, my friends, is entirely up to you and I.
We have value because each of us was created in the image and likeness of God who confirmed that value by becoming a man and giving his life as a ransom for our transgressions. Can we end abortion? Maybe if we would stop teaching our public school kids the lie… Read more »
The right to life should be an entitlement not subject to age, race, gender, size, location, stage of development, degree of dependency, or condition of wantedness.
Absolutely. We have value because of what and who we are, not because of subjective characteristics or circumstances.
Thank you, Brian. This is right on. I would only add that the big name pro-life organizations that have found their “sweet spot” by opposing abortion just enough to keep donors donating and not enough to alienate politicians are our biggest problems. Their compromises in terms of age, exceptions and… Read more »
There is one simple answer, we MUST end abortion!
Have you seen what Right of Life of Michigan has done? We have a person who is our legislative envoy. He does a great job. In 2012-13 we had 6 bills signed in the lame duck session. This year we are going to try to pass these pro-life bills before… Read more »
Thank you for this excellent article, Mr. Fisher, i pray that we all will be able to see the horrors of “choice” soon.
You are welcome, and I pray the same.
Thank you Brian for your tenacious commitment to life! My prayers are with you and I forward many of your posts to my Facebook page. May God continue to bless your work and bring workers to help.
Dawn
Thanks Dawn! I appreciate your encouragement.
I feel as you and the other bloggers feel that abortion is wrong. We will never convince others of this. But maybe we can stop the government from paying for abortions. Then if people have to pay for their own abortions, then abortions would be greatly reduced. I will, continue… Read more »
Thanks Robert. Thanks for those prayers! I’m probably more optimistic than you, only because I have seen numerous hearts and minds changed over the years. I think there is lots of good news in the legislature, culture, and various cities that indicate we will see increasing progress and fairly quickly.… Read more »
Let’s find a solution…can’t just keep saying abortion is bad, without giving an alternative. So, if a woman is poor, and her birth control failed, what alternative can we give her? Obviously adoption will not work..if she is poor how can she afford to take that much time off work,… Read more »
Sheryl – I think the alternative in most cities already exists. For example Human Coalition owns and operates two community based women’s centers and works with 28 others in 15 states. Each of these centers provides counsel, tangible and material assistance, and options for medical care, parental training, and financial… Read more »
Brian, all I can say is you nailed, right on brother! Keep fighting the good fight, we are praying continually for an end to this,
Thanks Roy – and let’s keep praying!
Brian, for those of us who “hold these truths to be self-evident” a huge question is how can we as individuals communicate these beliefs effectively to those who believe differently? When the opportunity is there to share our beliefs with someone with an opposing view, how do we not just… Read more »
Tom – I couldn’t agree more. Though the pro-life movement has not always shown the proper amount of respect or tact, we must also take care to be candid in graceful even when our respectful arguments are met with derision and scorn. Unfortunately many pro-abortion advocates are not interested in… Read more »
What about the possibility of addressing this without scripture? I believe you would reach many, many more lives that way…….
Nita – in this article I don’t believe I used scriptural references. Still I often do use scripture because the pro-life ethic is, at its core, based on a belief that human value is determined by Someone other than us. A humanist can certainly be pro-life and I enjoy working… Read more »
I agree with you, Brian; God is the fixed point of reference for our pro-life stance. Morality apart from God just doesn’t work. It would continually fluctuate with man’s ever changing opinions. If we try to remove Him from morality, our pro-life stance, our words, works or testimony we lose… Read more »
Should we -yes Could we no Long before abortion was legal, there were abortions There were frightened teenagers dying while trying to get the fetus out of their body. Those fears will not go away despite our efforts. And if made illegal, they will again die I am pro life… Read more »
Tess – our goal at Human Coalition is to help make abortion unthinkable and unavailable. I agree that some abortions will unfortunately occur in any society, however, that doesn’t mean abortion has to be legal or available. In fact any just society must outlaw abortions and work to care for… Read more »
Excellent article Brian! I have been expressing my views against abortion on social media for years. For me what helps folks focus on reality and common sense is the question: What is the unborn? Which I’m certain you are familiar with…. But here is a question that was addressed to… Read more »
Hi Mark – thanks for sharing your pro-life views on social media – we need you! I recommend Scott Klusendorf’s excellent work “The Case for Life” if you have apologetic questions – he uses the “what is the unborn?” technique with great effect. Rape cases are extremely difficult to process… Read more »
Brian, Great article, I agree that Christians who call themselves Pro-Choice, should be questioning what they are putting their faith in. The PC(USA) for example has a medical benefit, supplied by The Board of Pensions, for all of the Ordained Staff personnel & their dependants (paid for by the congregations)… Read more »
Fred – though I knew the PCUSA was pro-abortion, I had no idea they actually subsidized abortions within their own leadership. What a deplorable example for society. And yes, we do need a repentance revival! Thanks for the comment.
It goes without saying that all people who accept the God of Creation as a reality should fight against abortion as we do against murder of any human in general……..HOWEVER…….there is irony and even contradiction for those who claim to be atheists who are “pro-choice” but should be more “pro-life”… Read more »
David – I’ve yet to encounter a pro-abortion Christian who can clearly articulate the Biblical basis for their views. If they attempt it, they have to twist and misinterpret the Bible in order to justify their position. Sometimes that position is born of personal experience, lack of education, or uninformed… Read more »
Brian, this article was brilliant. I rarely hear the argument for life expressed so logically. Really, this is a no brainer, that this barbaric act is wrong on so many levels, but people have become so desensitized to the value of a life. Hard to believe the degree of depravity… Read more »
Jena – you are very kind and thanks for commenting. I’m going to explore the idea of pre-born humans being the most hated people group in America in some further posts, so I look forward to your thoughts!
Abortion has to be one of the cruelest things a mother could ever do to their child. Just think on it for awhile. All babies are miracles because a tiny sperm cell inters into a woman’s egg and life begins. Like a seed is planted in the ground and a… Read more »
I certainly echo your frustration. The good news is there is progress being made and, at least in my view, that progress is accelerating. Part of our challenge will be to continue to educate people on the facts, the Scriptures, and the immorality of abortion, provoking the outrage to turn… Read more »
Catholics are a huge group of uneducated people as to what they know about being a real Catholic. The most important group to educate as to the respect for all life are the girls and women living today. These are the ones who date, marry and bear future women and… Read more »
Unfortunate, isn’t it, Theresa, that we all possess the ability to learn from our PAST, but a lot of us never decide to do so.
Great article, agree with all you say. I have a question: what if it’s a question of the life of the mother being at stake? That’s where a lot of prolife people know draw the line. If it were me, the baby’s life would come first because as a parent… Read more »
Very insightful question, Ang. Catholics tend to say that abortion is prohibited in all cases, even when the life of the mother is legitimately threatened. Protestants tend towards a perspective that if one life can be saved, that’s better than losing two. In America this is rarely a practical issue… Read more »
Good article. The sickening reality of the blood and gore we refuse to see in abortion is the absolute evidence that the crazy “extremists” support abortion. It is a radical, bloody, horrible and a final “solution.”
To deal death to deal with problems solves nothing.
Andy -agreed. Not only does abortion not solve anything, it makes all situations far worse.
What I’ve been noticing more and more is the total APATHY about this issue. I’ve posted your article on my FB page and NOT ONE person can be bothered to read it – and most of my “friends” would say they are pro-life! While everyone is talking about ISIS and… Read more »
Boo – I suspect you are correct, at least in many circles. Abortion is a “tired issue” and we tend to move on to the latest social problems. Yet abortion drives many of those problems and we must be vigilant to educate and activate people towards the goal of ending… Read more »
absolutely end abortion! Some of my family and some friends have waited for months to adopt and ended up adopting a bi- racial child. Bless them!
Bless them indeed! Adoption is a fabulous expression of our pro-life worldview.
you need to re-read the mans article and then re-read your comment very carefully. that’s all I have to say to you.
YES ! ABSOLUTELY ABORTION IS MURDER ! PERIOD. NO MATTER THE EXCUSE OR REASON !! WE DONOT & I REPEAT ~ WE DONOT HAVE ANY RIGHT TO TAKE A LIFE NO MATTER THE AGE OF LIFE !!!
Hi Bryan. Thank you for this article. This is exactly what I have been thinking. I also really appreciate this ministry and its unashamed Christian take on this critical injustice. Thank you and Praise God!
Thanks David – I appreciate the kind words and it’s an honor to do this work.
Our Lady said, more is achieved through one day of prayer that years of action. A movement of prayer for the unborn is needed.
I agree. Thank you Brian for clearly stating the facts and deceptions of abortion and abortion rights.
You are very welcome, Sandy.
I believe in Pro_life! If a woman is raped – she can go to the Emergency Room and get “morning after” pill which will prevent pregnancy. I am so against this pre-birth [a week before due date] abortions. The pro-abortion folks say that there are reproductive rights — I say… Read more »
Just as a note, morning after pills, as well as many birth control pills, will abort a fetus in the womb.
If someone is raped she can get the morning after pill. Why then can we not give the morning after pill to anyone who thinks that there may be a problem from the night before. Rape or otherwise. and can you please tell me where does the Father stand in… Read more »
Hi Patricia – the morning after pill is, in most cases, readily available for anyone, not just the victims of rape. Our research indicates that it can also cause an abortion as does a few other types of birth control. The father has virtually no legal right. Roe v Wade,… Read more »
Abortion could be penalized if Congress reinforces Amendment XIV about the “inalienable right” to life stated in the Declaration of Independence. I think Senator Ron Paul has already proposed such an action but with no results so far and with no support of the pro life movement. See below the… Read more »