It didn't feel good to me to let this slide without offering a different perspective. What gets me about pro-life activists is that they frame the abortion topic on the assumed bloodthirsty nature of those seeking to protect a legal right to abortion. I searched the NARAL website for the word "blob" and came up with nothing. What I remember from the 80s is the "blob of tissue" argument is no longer widely used in pro-choice arguments. I'm not sure I remember if anybody of credibility used it.
Abortion is a very controversial topic in America and most parts of the world. And rightly so. Even people that respect a legal right to abortion believe in working to reduce the number of abortions that occur. So, as a Christian and a person of compassion, I think the message that we as bloggers or people that speak to larger masses is that a woman who has an abortion is likely experiencing a profound sense of pain and loss.
It's a woman who believes she was backed into a wall and had no other options. That she was still a member of a conservative community or family that didn't want to believe she was having sex, let alone allowing herself to get pregnant. That a man who was her boyfriend and said he loved/cared about her threw cash onto her kitchen table to pay for the abortion. That her boyfriend said he'd kill her if she didn't have the abortion. That her husband said they couldn't afford another child. I've known women like that. They are not bloodthirsty. They are human. And they've been severely let down by the men and the so-called friends in their lives.
I know for many women it's hard to believe that there are men out there that don't support their women. But, it's true. And for the woman who finds out she's pregnant and she's really scared, I don't think it serves her to have an abortion doctor murdered, to have abortion banned by the US Supreme Court, and pro-life activists holding poster sized pictures of aborted babies in her face.
We're all broken. That's why God came to us with a merciful Christ. Why can't we talk about how we're praying for women and extend love and compassion? Why can't we sympathize? I believe that 99.9% of the wrong done out there in the world is not malicious, it's more thoughtless or desperate. I pray that women who are desperate find compassion from people that can help her.
Hi! I'm going to go ahead and respond back in the comments section on my blog, so please go back and check. :)
ReplyDeleteWith a woman who feels she has no choice other than to abort -- how in the world is it being "pro-choice" to deny her any other options?
ReplyDeleteFeeling "backed into a corner" is not a valid reason to kill a living child, so it should not be a valid excuse to kill an unborn child.
To modify my comment above -- I should have said "already-born" child instead of "living" child. Unborn children are living, too. :) (Sorry, it's late and I should get to bed!)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the intense need for compassion and love. I've found this to be CRUCIAL in my conversations on this topic. That being said- Leila really has done that many times on her blog and so has laid the groundwork for this current post. The truth is that sometimes it's loving to shock people into the reality of a situation.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points and I'm so glad you're reaching out to women in need of love and compassion, without being willing to compromise on the Truth!
Thank you for writing this post. I made the mistake of commenting on Leila's blog because it was an "open letter" to pro-choice people. Of course, it turned into a giant attack with tons of questions being fired away and, as always, the judgment that I am some sort of sick, twisted monster who runs around trying to kill unborn babies and supporting genocide.
ReplyDeleteA colleague of mine worked with PP and did research there and sadly, a number of the clients that came in for abortions over the several years she was there, were from conservative families and identified as 'pro-life.' As you put it, they felt backed up against a wall with no where to turn and no support.
Thanks again for this important perspective.
Miss G, it was not a "giant attack." NO ONE said you were "some sort of sick, twisted monster who runs around trying to kill unborn babies and supporting genocide" or even anything remotely similar.
ReplyDeleteIt's silly to say something like that when it's essentially public record.
I would address the questions to you in my previous post. If women feel they have no choice, how is it "pro-choice" to essentially affirm that? It seems more "pro-abortion" to tell women that they have no choice other to abort, so sign here and fork over your $$ so we can kill your baby, even though you don't want to (as opposed to giving her the resources necessary to make a different choice).
JoAnna, I couldn't have said it better. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJoAnna, what you are not understanding is that it is only 'pro-choice' when the 'choice' does not involve carrying the pregnancy to term. The 'pro-choice' stance is so bogus, in my opinion, because there are not enough 'choices' given to these women who are scared and need help and good advice. PP could not be a worse place to go and get sound advice on what 'decisions' to make regarding an unborn child. How will they make any money off of a woman who decides to keep her child?
ReplyDeleteSo to say you are 'pro-choice' is a falsehood unless you are actively, ACTIVELY convincing places like PP to give women loving, non-violent choices. And abortion IS the epitome of violence.
Thank you for writing this.
ReplyDeleteMiss G -- I feel for you. Been there, done that with Leila myself!
"Miss G -- I feel for you. Been there, done that with Leila myself."
ReplyDeleteJust curious, Christa, what you could possibly mean by this. Leila is a very gracious, decent yet passionate person. I find it sad that you are going to fall into the same ridiculous "if you disagree with me and take issue with my stances, you are attacking me personally" trap that Miss G so sadly falls into.
Christa, hi! I have missed you, actually. I wanted you to respond to the questions I had for you.
ReplyDeleteJenny, that is very sweet! Thank you.