followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
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In a time when human rights violations are so widely made aware, there is one which is so little recognized as such. While rights are talked about in relation to abortion, for many it isn't the right to life of the unborn who are being killed. The "right" which many are trying to defend is to end the life of the baby in the womb for the convenience of the parents. Unfortunately many have come to believe that the baby in the womb isn't really a person but a mere mass of cells with no rights of its own. This is an enormous injustice which needs to be made more known and understood and for which change must be made.
As I speak about this in quite a straightforward manner, I also speak in this article about the love and mercy of God for those who have had abortions and who deeply regret their choice. As heinous as abortion is, many do not fully comprehend just what abortion is, and proceed in committing this act, only later to realize that they have ended the life of their own child. This is why it is so important when talking about abortion, to also witness to God's mercy, because some who are listening may either have already come to realize what they've done, or in hearing it talked about, become convinced and feel the pangs of remorse. They need to know that God is there for them, waiting for them to turn to Him for mercy and forgiveness. But the wrong must be acknowledged and confessed. While the truth can be difficult to hear at times, it is nothing to be afraid of in itself, because the truth is good and sets us free. The Right to Speak Some say that neither I nor any man has a right to speak on this issue, but what I believe and say is in agreement with what an enormous number of women believe and say. Even so, this is not merely a woman's issue; it is a human issue and concerns all of us, both men and women, old and young, and of course the unborn. Further, let us remember that it is not only female infants being killed in their mothers' wombs, but also males who would otherwise grow into men had they been given the chance to live. Yet whether female or male it doesn't matter, because all are precious in the eyes of the Lord who gives us life, even at the very moment of conception in the womb of the mother. So again, this concerns us all, and men certainly do have a right and an obligation to speak out on this. Abortion is not merely a Woman's Issue but a Human Issue Although some say that men have no place speaking out against abortion, the fact is that abortion can and does hurt men and causes feelings of guilt and shame, as a man named Scott has testified: "After struggling alone for years with the guilt, shame and remorse of my involvement with my girlfriend's decision to abort our child I finally found a ministry that recognized my need to get help. .....The acceptance of the women there was especially helpful because I felt I had hurt my girlfriend so badly that all women would despise me if they knew what I had done." There are many men whose involvement with abortion has caused years of pain, yet this reality tends to be ignored as a man named David states: "A man is not supposed to feel anything for the loss of a child through abortion, according to the mandarins of American society. After all, they say, we men can't get pregnant and the Supreme Court said the choice to abort belonged solely to women. The court made it clear that not even a woman's husband has any say in the matter." He goes on to point out that: "The statistics from the pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher Institute show that by the age of 45, 43% of all women, and hence about the same number of men, will have lost a child to abortion. Women who abort are sometimes called the "walking wounded," but there are millions of men as well who carry this pain in their hearts. We are everywhere, yet almost all of us remain alone in our pain." Abortion hurts all involved; the woman, the man, as well as the baby inside the womb. I reiterate, that this is not merely a woman's issue; it is a human issue that concerns all of us. Freedom and responsibility Even though it is the woman who carries the infant in her womb during pregnancy, the child is still as much the man's who begot the child as it is the woman's. He has as much right to say what is to become of the child as she does, inspite of the poor judgment of the Supreme Court saying that not even a woman's husband has a say in the matter. Adults have the freedom to choose as they wish, whether the choice is the right one or not. But the choice must concern those who can freely decide for themselves, yet even this freedom to choose does not extend to assuming rights over someone else's life. When a man and a woman choose to engage in sexual relations without being married, or if married, to engage in relations while not open to the possibility of new life, and a pregnancy results, then the baby is seen as being unwanted. Is it right therefore, that the baby should be denied life, because the man and woman did not exercise the self control of which human beings are capable? Is the baby to die, because of the actions of those who put their own desires before the well being of the baby? In cases of rape It happens too often, that the conception of a child is not by consent on the part of the woman. In such a tragic thing as rape, whether by a stranger or someone she knows, where a pregnancy results, it is said by some that it would be wrong and unreasonable, even inhumane, to refuse the woman access to an abortion. They say that to "force" her to have the baby would be unfair and that the baby would be a perpetual reminder of what happened to her. Most certainly, the greatest care and compassion should be shown to all women who have been violated in such a terrible way, and her welfare should be of great concern. And in caring for the woman, we cannot overlook consideration for the rights of, and what is fair to the baby, who did not ask to be conceived. Yet if the woman decides to have an abortion, his life is threatened because of the crime of the man. A tragic irony of this, is that although the one who committed such a terrible act will likely not be put to death for his deeds -- nor should he, since that too would be against life, and interfere with his chance to hopefully repent and be saved -- yet the baby who has done no wrong at all is the one to be put to death for the evil done by the man. Since fairness is understandably seen as an issue here, then it is right to also consider what is fair to the baby, as well as to the mother. Is it fair that the baby should die for what the rapist did? But that is what happens if the woman decides to have an abortion in such a case. As a woman named Geri Riggs of Sturgis, South Dakota who became pregnant as the result of rape, asks: "How can we say that the innocent have to die for their father's sins?" Speaking from personal experience, Geri also said: Being a victim of rape did not exempt me from the devastation of abortion. It added to it. She even went as far as to say that she could endure another rape if she had to but was emphatic that she "could NEVER, EVER survive another abortion." When she was asked how she knew it was the abortion that caused her emotional problems, and if it would have been the same if she had been raped but hadn't had an abortion, Geri answered with an emphatic "NO!" She explained that she had also been raped much earlier as a young teen and that she didn't fall apart then as she did after the abortion. Geri testifies of the deep mental, emotional and spiritual pain to which the abortion led. She says that it was through faith in God and the healing power of His mercy and forgiveness that she found healing through the Blood of Christ, Who washes away all sin. Geri's story is not uncommon. There are many women who have had abortions and suffer deep emotional and spiritual trauma as a result; a trauma that those at Planned Parenthood do not warn them about, nor do most others who are pro-abortion, yet claim to care for the woman's well being. What about when a woman's life is at risk? Another point some people make is about when a woman's life may be at risk. But what parent wouldn't give their own life to save the life of their child? That goes for women and men both. Again, I feel I should make the point that there are many women who say the same thing I'm saying about this. The matter comes down to a simple question: Is the baby in the womb a living person with a soul from the first moment of conception or not? We believe that life does begin at conception. If someone doesn't believe life begins at conception, then can they prove it? If they cannot prove that life doesn't begin at conception, then they must admit that it might, which means that abortion might actually be killing living people. Some who are reading this now are perhaps Christian, yet sadly even some Christians are "pro-choice". If you are, I want to speak to you from Sacred Scripture, which gives a strong witness to the sanctity of life even in the womb: For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. (Luke 1:44) Although still within the womb incapable of conscious reasonable thought, the baby is still alive and with a soul. Only a living soul can experience the presence of joy as shown in Luke 1:44. Whereas unbelievers will deny this, there is no excuse for the Christian to support abortion, having been taught about things pertaining to the spiritual life. This being so, let's consider carefully what is said in the following passages of Holy Scripture: Psalm 139:13 For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; 15 my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. 16 Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) From these passages from the Book of Psalms and Jeremiah, it is seen that it is the Lord Himself Who forms the baby in the womb; His unseen hand guiding the course of nature of which He is the Creator. He is Sovereign over all life, and yet many presume to unlawfully take the Lord's authority upon themselves and call the killing of the unborn a "right". They say that a woman should have access to abortion if her life is in danger, should she carry the baby to term. To some, such a situation seems to justify abortion, and those who disagree must be unreasonable. But before judgment is passed, please consider this scenario: A mother is carrying her baby in her arms one day, and an assailant jumps in front of her with a gun and is about to shoot her. She holds the baby up in front of her to shield herself from the bullet to save her life; the baby dies, and she lives. What would be thought of such a mother? There would be outrage at what she did. Most would have shielded their baby from the gun with their own body, and rather die themselves instead of the baby. Consider for a moment that the first woman in this scenario had little time to consider what she was doing. She panicked and acted wrongly. But the woman who has an abortion has days, perhaps weeks and even months to consider whether or not to have an abortion to save her own life. Yet the first woman is condemned for her deed, while the woman who has an abortion to save her own life is accepted and her deed is considered a "right". In any case, is it not the act of a mother who loves her children to give her life for the child? How is it then, that a mother can see fit to let the baby she carries in her womb be killed so that she may live? Whether it is the mother in the scenario above who let her baby take a bullet for her, or a mother who has an abortion to save her own life, in either situation, the mother holds the baby up to die to save herself. Even still, some stick with the argument that it's merely about "choice", and that if someone chooses to give their life for another that's their choice, but that no one has the right to force someone to give their life for another. In a certain way I would agree with that. For example, if a person sees someone about to be killed and is able to save the person by dying in their place, they may or may not choose to do so. It is their choice, but there is a difference. In one instance, a person may merely refrain from making that sacrifice, but in an abortion, a woman willfully chooses not merely to refrain from making the sacrifice, but to kill the baby in order to save her own life. Still more, some might say it is a matter of self defense. Although we certainly have the right to defend our lives, there is still a difference when it comes to abortion. In one case, we defend ourselves from an attacker who willfully and maliciously attempts to kill, but in the case of abortion, the baby has no intention of doing anyone harm at all, yet is killed to save one's own life. That cannot be rightly called self defense. Abortion and the Mental Health of Women It is known that abortion can result in physical injuries to, and even in the death of the woman during the abortion procedure, even in so-called "safe", "legal" abortion "clinics". There is increased risk of infertility and there is evidence that it can increase the risk of breast cancer. Not only is there danger to a woman's physical health, but the deep, profound emotional hurt that results from abortion and its effect on the mental health of women is beginning to be recognized by some in the mental health community. In Great Britain, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has recognized the mental health risks of abortion, and that women may be at risk of mental health breakdowns if they have abortions. There is the tragically sad case of a woman in Cornwall who was a talented artist, and hanged herself because she was overcome with grief after aborting her twins. Emma Beck, age 30, left a note saying: "Living is hell for me. I should never have had an abortion. I see now I would have been a good mum. I want to be with my babies; they need me, no one else does." How many women have to be tormented by such anguish, and exploited by Planned Parenthood, politicians and pro-abortion activists in general, before the world wakes up and realizes the horror of abortion? Abortion hurts women; the very women whose rights pro-abortion politicians and other activists claim to be defending. It is a fact to which women have testified, that they deeply regret their abortions, and that regret led them to things like bitterness, marital conflict, permiscuity, substance abuse, thoughts of suicide, and other ills. Even aborting a baby conceived in rape can lead to deep regrets, as the case of Geri Riggs shows, and that of many other women who have experienced the same thing. Church and state There is much talk in America about the separation between Church and State, as if this excludes the possibility of outlawing abortion. But the First Amendment merely forbids the establishment of a state religion whether it be the Catholic Church or any other faith. The Founding Fathers didn't intend a separation of law and morality. To those who make the claim that the government has no place in legislating morality, I agree to an extent. But there are things that most all can agree are gravely immoral and ought to be outlawed, like rape, murder, theft, etc., and there are laws against them, although some would like to think that they have the "right" to do such things. So with certain limits, the government can and ought to pass laws which protect the people, even those still in the womb of their mothers. Freedom of choice, does not include a "right" to kill someone because they are seen as an inconvenience. True freedom of choice respects the sanctity of life for all people. "Freedom of choice" vs. the right to life Although many view this as a merely political issue, it is truly much greater than that. It is a spiritual and moral matter. But in the political environment, abortion is treated simply as a matter of a woman's right to do with her body as she chooses, and according to this they say that abortion should remain legal. But the choice to do what? The baby in the womb is not the woman's body, or even part of her body as if a mere appendage to be removed at her will. The baby in her womb is an individual person with the right to life. Whatever right a woman has to with her own body as she chooses, that right does not extend to doing what she would with someone else's body. The baby in the womb is not her body, but someone else's. Some say that they are against abortion, but that they feel they cannot deny a woman the "right" to choose to have an abortion. But that is like someone saying "I believe slavery is wrong, I would never own a slave but I'm "pro-choice". I don't want to impose my morality on anyone. Other people should have the right to own slaves." But all human beings have equal dignity and worth no matter what their race or religion, and that includes the child developing in the mother's womb. Abortion is the holocaust of our day. The person-hood and right to life of unborn children is denied. To deny a human beings person-hood, or even to deny they are human at all has been a way to justify all kinds of crimes against God and humanity. The Nazis did it to the Jews and the disabled, and others have done it to indigenous people's throughout the world. The de-humanization tactic makes it easier to deny a person's rights and even to kill them when they become an inconvenience. Unlike other oppressed people, the unborn cannot fight back; they cannot even speak up for themselves and proclaim their rights. We must raise our voices on their behalf. Love, Freedom, and Rights Where is valor? Where is the love which gives itself freely even to the point of laying down one's life for the other? Even the fruit of one's womb? True love requires sacrifice, and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice, whether it is the mother who has her baby even when it might endanger her own life, or the father who gives his life in defense of those he loves. Has the baby become the enemy of freedom? a danger to the parents' way of life, who must be eliminated before it can encroach further into the woman's territory she calls "her life" and "her body" and "her choice"? But while considering her rights to do as she pleases with her own body, she crosses a line, and presumes that her rights extend to doing as she pleases to the baby in her womb, which, as stated before, is not her body but someone else's body, which is attached to her body and dependent on her. The baby in the womb is not a mere mass of cells, or a failed organ or cancer which must be removed, but a living person entrusted to her by God to carry and protect. Yet the baby has become seen as a safe target in society because she has no voice with which to speak up and declare her right to live. It has become easy to kill her because she cannot be heard. The Issue of Personhood Do those who approve of abortion really believe that the baby in the womb is not a person and therefore no actual "killing" is taking place? Do they know for certain that the baby isn't yet a person? And though it may not be proven that the baby is a person to the satisfaction of those in favor of abortion, then by this very "lack of proof", reason demands that the possibility exists that the baby is a person from the moment of conception. Therefore one should presume in favor of life, and that the baby is already a person and cannot be killed; otherwise one is taking the risk that they "might be" killing a living person. Concerning whether or not the baby in the womb is a person even at conception, some say that there is no consciousness, no self awareness, nor awareness of its environment. Even if this were so, what then about those who are so severely mentally retarded that they hardly if at all are aware of their own surroundings? It is a dangerous thing to set one's self up as judge of who is or isn't sufficiently aware, or who does or does not meet the standards of person-hood. And who sets these standards? Even those who don't believe in God must admit that it is at least possible that the baby in the womb is an actual person with all the rights of a human being, and that therefore to kill that baby at any stage of development in the womb, "might be" the killing of a person. If this is denied, then the implications are dire. Society has already begun defining human life and the rights thereof apart from recognition of truth which our Sovereign God would have us follow. When the truth is denied, man is left to define truth for himself according to the whims of whatever trends and standards seem to him the most reasonable. For some the utilitarian standard seems the most reasonable, and the value of life is based on what a person can do, rather than recognize the intrinsic value of human life in all people, even those who suffer the most severe disabilities, whether mental or physical. This latter view is the one held most vigorously by the Catholic Church, Whose Head is the One who said: "Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40). There is Hope Women who have already had one or more abortions are suffering because of their decision and often feel there is no hope for them. But for these women, and men, who have been involved in abortion, there is hope. By God's grace and mercy they can find forgiveness and healing. Through prayer and putting one's trust in the Lord, they can find peace and even joy in living again. Organizations such as Rachel's Vineyard, provide healing retreats for women and men who suffer post-abortion trauma. Here they find a place of compassion and understanding, and a ministry of God's mercy and reconciliation which can open doors for them which they may otherwise have despaired of ever finding again. One's mental and spiritual health need not continue to get worse. There is help, as a woman named Michelle testifies of an experience in prayer one night at a Rachel's Vineyard retreat: "I cannot describe what happened that night. For the first time, I actually pictured children in heaven with God, and with my grandmother who passed away, and they were happy. They were drawing me in to God's love and forgiveness. That night, I knew God existed and that I am not a terrible person, and that I have already been forgiven by God and my children. It was overwhelming. Never had anything like this happened before in my life. I cannot begin to describe on paper, the wonderful sense of peace and love I felt that night. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before." Organizations such as Priests for Life are active not only in the battle to end abortion, but also provide help for those who are considering abortion and think it is their only alternative. I want you to know that you are not alone and that there is help, and that God loves you. Together, may we join in God's love and fight for the right to life of the unborn. |
