It’s no surprise that last year’s Planned Parenthood videos started wave after wave of outrage. In one of the videos, a Planned Parenthood “procurement technician” confesses that she was instructed to cut open a baby’s face while its heart was still beating, post-birth. The goal: procuring an intact brain that can be used for medical research.
First, before I get on my soapbox, let me say that I understand the outrage of my fellow Christians. I myself teared up, caught my breath, and prayed after reading the article.
For those of you who may not subscribe to Christianity, this is where the outrage comes from.
See, as believers, we believe that little, twenty-something-week-old baby was known by God in his mother’s womb, with its every day planned out. We believe he was fearfully and wonderfully made. We believe that his soul, like every soul, had fingerprints of the Divine on it. We believe that his whole being was knit together and seen by God, even in the moments that seem insignificant to the world. We believe that he was given a personality and unique gift-sets and passions that would light him up inside when he got to do them and even little, funny quirks crafted by the hand of the Lord.
I believe that very same thing of every human being I know.
Those are the things that incite all the outrage — the idea that this is a human with built-in, uniquepersonhood that was cut short. I am one who understands and believes in the sanctity of human life, and I’m in favor of shutting down Planned Parenthood, and abortion in general. But I’m also one who wants to understand what that will mean for us all.
Now, let me tell you what I don’t understand about the outrage after seeing the pictures of a huge Christian protest to defund Planned Parenthood.
I was drifting off to sleep, with the images of the rally in my mind. I saw the signs and replayed the prayer that the pastor prayed in my mind. Things started blurring together and the haze of shouts and posters were starting to quiet down as I fell further into sleep.
And then the Lord, as He always does, prodded a bit. He, as usual, asked a question.
How many?
I was annoyed and tired and didn’t feel like going there. Come on, I’m half asleep.
How many?
Ugh, how many what? People were there? I don’t know. Thousands.
How many?
Whyyyyyyyyy do you ask ambiguous questions like this?
I tried to sleep some more but the question was plastered across my mind, in big bold letters. He wasn’t letting up.
How many?
I resituated myself. Sometimes he lets me do my thing, but this time, He clearly wanted to talk.
Okay. How many what? Abortions were there last year? 327,000 or something like that. I think something like 31,000 in North Carolina.
How many?
How many WHAT? Times are you going to ask this question?! I just told you the number of people at the rally and the number of abortions. I have no other numbers for you. And you already know them anyway because you’re God.
I am.
So you asked those … for me to put them together. But…why?
He went silent as he often does when he wants me to put pieces together for myself.
And then it came to me — clear as day.
If we protest for a baby’s life, it will cost us ours.
Christians want the baby to be born, sure. They care about the birth of the baby. But do they really care about the actual life of the baby or mother?
It seems most pro-lifers are really just pro-birthers. They simply want the baby to be born, but when it comes to involvement in the quality of life for the baby or the mom, the majority of Christians don’t really care in an obvious or measureable way.
Let’s say Planned Parenthood did get defunded. No, wait. Let’s say abortion at large gets eradicated. Hooray for the Christians. A burden lifted off, right?
Wrong.
That’s a burden loaded on.
See that’s the big question God had for me —
How many? How many of the great and mighty thousands at the protest were going to be standing in line at the adoption center if Planned Parenthood every truly got defunded, or more — if abortion ever became illegal?
Let me be clear: Places like Planned Parenthood exist because the average woman in crisis doesn’t feel safe or comfortable approaching people in the church for help or guidance.
There was a huge need among a massive group of women in our country — the need to process sexual questions, get advice on pregnancy, and deal with the very real factors that contribute to her desire for abortion. Instead of meeting that need in a personal way, it was easier for the church to act like it wasn’t happening. We stayed in our white picket fences and our prayer circles and our Sunday night potlucks and we never personally befriended women in that situation. So, like any rational person would, women found and advice help elsewhere.
Listen, we never engaged the issue, and that’s on us.
So how should we change?
If we really want Planned Parenthood defunded or abortion to end, then we better get really familiar with our age-old buddy Isaac Newton. Every action has a reaction, remember? Both abortion and birth have consequences.
If the action is abortion, the reaction or consequence is the loss of 1,050,000 human lives per year in the U.S. (This is the total amount of abortions in the U.S. annually. Planned Parenthood’s contribution is 327,000 abortions last year.)
If the action is birth instead of abortion, the reaction or consequence is the gain of 1,050,000 human lives per year.
If you are holding up a pro-life sign, then you’d better be ready for 1.05 million new babies in our country on a yearly basis, and you’d better have a better plan than just “have the baby and see you later.”
If we are brazen enough to demand abortion be ended, then we must be willing to take on those new lives with care and compassion, which leads me to a huge conclusion:
The end of mass abortion to the Christian can only mean the commitment to either serious mother-mentorship or mass adoption.
And this isn’t going to be volunteering at the pregnancy crisis center every, you know, 6 months. This is going to be 31,000 new babies in my state alone that either need a new home or a mother who has been mentored and supported to keep her baby post-birth. This will require changing the life of every Christian family in every church. This will mean a lot more mouths to feed and mothers to mentor, and a lot less time for excuses on how busy we are.
This personally challenges me when I look around at my life, at my house even. We have an extra bedroom. It was originally intended for guests to have their own separate room and bathroom. But guess what? If the end of abortion ever comes, then I’d better be ready to have that room permanently filled with a mom in crisis or an adopted child. Sorry guests, you may have to — gasp! — travel a few extra feet to the bathroom next time or maybe even — how insane! — stay in a hotel for the weekend.
See, this abortion thing is more than just opening up a sign at a protest. It’s opening up your home, your whole life.
Are we willing to do that?
I’d exhort you, friends, who are picketing for the end of abortion — are you willing to take on the new burden of more than a million babies on yearly basis should abortion end in our country? Because that’s what’s going to happen if all pregnancies are legally required to carry to term.
Think about it. If abortion ends, Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers won’t be the only one losing funds. We will, too. Our responsibility will be to invest in these new lives we fought so hard to keep. Our wallets will be strained, our comfort zones will be obliterated, our racial IQ will have to go up, our schedules wrecked for the better, our lifestyle will be seriously cramped, and our homes will have new children in them who will change our whole view of family.
Oh, and just for good measure, since affordable pap smears, STD testing, and checkups will be defunded along with Planned Parenthood, we will be driving a lot of moms to the doctor and more than likely helping her pay the bill out of our own pocket on a monthly basis.
Pro-life says, “don’t kill them.” Christianity says, “we want them.”
If the life of abortion as we know it ends, so will life as we know it. And I mean that in a good way. The end of abortion would change everything. Our comfortable little lives would be over in favor of a very uncomfortable, but glorious new, Gospel-soaked path. If the lights of all the Planned Parenthood practices and other abortion providers shut off for good, then the lights in our homes will have to turn on.
Cole and I have spoken at length about pursuing this over the next 2 years. And we have decided that our light? It’s turning on, regardless of whether abortion stays or goes in our country.
Christians have been so removed from this issue in general for way too long. If we say we care about life, then why are we not already adopting kids that have a horrible life right now? Why are we not fostering unwanted children? Why should we even wait for some organization to be defunded before we engage the need happening in our backyard?
The sad truth is that Planned Parenthood has been meeting a need that the church has ignored. Yes, we have some amazing pregnancy crisis centers and noble adoptive parents out there, and I’m overwhelmingly thankful for them. They are leading the charge and setting the pace for the rest of us. They are our trail blazers and we should join their valiant efforts. But the rest of us, if we’re honest, haven’t loved our neighbor in pregnancy distress on an individual basis as friends. The American church at large for the most part has either pitied or shamed her, and subsequently sent her elsewhere for her needs. We have not been the number she dialed or the friends she asked for advice. We may refer her to a good program somewhere, but we aren’t good neighbors to her. We aren’t her safe place.
What woman do you know, this moment, who is struggling over whether she should have an abortion or not? What women do you know, right now, who is opening up about her sex life and trusting you with sexual questions? For most of us, it’s none. Or maybe we know them as a client at a center we volunteer in, but my point remains: they aren’t our neighbors. They aren’t our friends. They aren’t gathering around our dinner table like they did with Jesus.
Listen, we have to own up to that. I have to own up to that. And then we have to start acting like New Testament Christians who actually befriend and love others and follow in the way of Christ. The early church itself was known for loving the marginalized and rescuing unwanted Roman babies from dumpsters and doorsteps all over their cities, bringing them up as their own, even with very limited resources. And they weren’t complaining that the Roman government wouldn’t fund their religious efforts. Why? Because Rome was never going to fund a Christian agenda; in fact, Rome was quite literally feeding Christians to lions or crucifying them in the gladiator arena during that time of Roman history. The last thing on Rome’s mind was to help the Christians in their baby-saving causes. Yet somehow, in the midst of being cruelly persecuted, the early church rescued babies and lived out a valuable principle that is high-time to be dusted off:
If we protest for a baby’s life, it will cost us ours.
It will cost us our time, our energy, our resources, our lifestyle, our preferences, our daily routines, our guest bedrooms, our extra money, our lives. It will cost us everything. And that’s a good thing because Matthew 10:39 says it’s biblical. It’s high time we join the other brave souls out there who are applying this Gospel-paradigm when it comes to abortion.
So, I ask all those against abortion, like he asked me:
How many are willing to sign up for that?
How many of you sign-openers will be home-openers? How many will be sharing more meals and rooms than posts on social media? How many rioters will be adoptive mothers and fathers and mentors to moms in crisis? How many of those gathered on the streets are actually willing to get to know the women living in their city that they usually ignore, and give her a safe place to process sexual questions and pregnancy issues? How many well-meaning protestors will actually take on the issues that contribute to the abortion conversation — issues like the effect of pornography on our youth, human trafficking and sex-slavery, lack of sex education, and health care affordability? How many of our hands are working in those causes instead of simply holding a sign? How many of us really care about why these women want abortions and what happens to those mothers and babies after the birthing process?
God’s plan for his loved ones involve more than a whole Saturday with a sign. It requires our whole life. Jesus doesn’t just offer us a chance at life, but a chance at life abundant. Psalm 68:5 and Psalm 146:9 tell us that the Lord is the parent to the parentless, supporter of the marginalized women, and defender of the orphan. And so should we be to the marginalized and unwanted children in our culture.
Before this message scares you away from the picket line, understand that I’m not saying don’t protest a belief you consider dear to you. Of course we should band together and fight to change the system. Protest away on this issue, because after all, it is a reflection of our very Gospel — God setting his protective love on those deemed insignificant and unworthy, and adopting them as His own. So sure, protest. But know that protesting simply makes you a pro-lifer, not a Christian.
There’s a difference.
The goal of a pro-lifer is to give a chance to an unborn baby to be welcomed in the world. The goal of a Christian is for an unborn baby to be welcomed in a home — whether that’s the home of a supported and mentored mother or an adoptive parent. The mission of a pro-lifer is to lobby until the system changes for unborn babies. The mission of a Christian is to, sure, try to do the same, but furthermore, astound the society by using its own resources to take in those children regardless if the system changes or not.
The cry of a pro-lifer is “don’t kill them.” The cry of a Christian is “we want them.”
So, I’ll ask you again.
How many?
“If you claim to be religious but don’t control what you say and do, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress.” James 1:26-27
A version of this post was originally published at Ashley Gorman’s blog.
Comments and Pingbacks
2016-04-05 16:45:15
Kimberly Schimmel
Excellent point about the church leaving a vacuum that evil Planned Parenthood was all too happy to fill. However, as a math geek/ engineer, I do have to point out that you have not taken into account that recriminalization of abortion would bring about changes in behavior. So the abortion rate now would not translate into the same number of births, one for one, every year till Jesus comes back. Without everyone around pushing abortion as an easy solution, people would be more inclined to do things such as think before engaging in activity that could produce a baby. Without PP advertising sex constantly and teaching debauchery to young people, more would perhaps spend more time studying or playing sports or working. With the church teaching God's plan , pregnancy rates could go way down. We would still need to foster and adopt, but the trajectory does not have to remain constant. Inertia CAN be overcome by an outside force (as stated by a Christian named Isaac Newton.)
2017-01-25 22:52:09
Cristy
Totally agree with this! Also, if you think about how at least 1 in 4 women have a miscarriage in which they may have chosen to abort before a miscarriage would have naturally taken place if that makes sense. Taking that into account the number drastically declines as well.
2017-01-26 15:55:47
RK
Who has ever "pushed" abortion as an "easy option?" I work in an OB/Gyn office and have never ever ever ever ever ever heard any of the abortion providers here ever frame abortion as an "easy way out."
2017-01-26 18:02:30
Judy Snyder
On the other hand, if PP is gone, women who can't afford it would not have access to birth control and information about birth control so it is unlikely that pregnancy rates would go down. Your math and logic don't work. Likely, the opposite would happen. Women who can't afford it would not have access to health care like pap smears and regular checkups. Abortions are about 3% of what Planned Parenthood is involved in and no federal money is ever used to provide an abortion. Defunding Planned Parenthood is not going to decrease abortions but it will mean deaths of women who have no access to healthcare and it will mean that desperate women may use desperate means to abort a fetus. I am old enough to remember coat hangers and illegal "doctors" causing the death of both mother and future baby. I am a Christian and I think this is a far more complex issue than many other Christians think. I don't think I can possibly judge the agony of another women trying to make this decision. We cannot know the medical issues involved in another woman's body. Therefore I do not think I have the right to make that decision for another woman. I am glad I did not have to make that decision for myself but I will continue to defend the right of another woman to make that decision with the help of a counselor, a physician, and preferably another Christian who can listen to her dilemma without being judgmental.
2017-01-27 12:48:10
Ana
Didn't realize PP started teaching classes on debauchery! When did that start?? Is it tax funded? Come on, people have been getting pregnant out of wedlock for years before PP was even organized. Get a grip lady. IMHO, I do feel like most pro-lifers are pro-birth. There is a difference. This is a great article and it's probably a shame that most won't read it.
2017-01-28 02:42:25
Mandy
Something to consider is that abortion rates have been projected by some to rise if Planned Parenthoods shut down and abortion was made illegal. This is in part because Planned Parenthood offers low cost and free birth control which helps keep unplanned and unexpected pregnancies at bay. Also, with administration that wants to cut education, we are posed to see a rise in unwanted pregnancies. Education in women correlates to better thinking/judgement and hence less unwanted pregnancies to begin with. Before Roe vs Wade (and in other countries that have gone back and forth between legal or illegal abortion), a trend is seen where making it illegal creates abortion black markets and abortion rates actually rise. Statistically women are much more likely to die in these facilities. Women need education, access to birth control and better social support structures if we hope to actually get rid of these procedures. Not to get political, but it is a fact abortion rates went down under Obama's terms. I believe this is because the administration embraced ideology that empowered women, invested in education and better options for conception management (easier access to birth control). .
2016-04-05 21:50:23
June
Our nation, for years, has been backing down on self-control and personal responsibility on most fronts. When a nation focuses too much on the pleasure seeking part of the brain (drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling, 'trending' etc.) and there are so many 'safety nets' and 'second chances', the rational part of the brain never gets a chance to work as it should. The Christian faith will always find ways to protect the born as well as the unborn. Giving to charities for the support of the poor is only one example. That is our faith. But wouldn't it be great if those who are trying to stomp Christian faith from our country would get some skin in the game as well. Stop with the accusations and start offering some reasonable solutions. Part of me thinks the author of this article, whether intending to or not, is rationalizing others behavior by blaming Christians of not doing enough. Responsibility for anyone's actions lies solely on the actor. But telling that to faith deniers will only get you called names.
2017-01-27 18:25:58
Zach
I absolutely agree with this. The question should not be whether or not we are willing to deal with the consequences, but rather when do we start living responsibly in the first place? As a Christian I made it my goal to avoid premarital sex (one which I failed) but ultimately I avoided almost entirely. Now as a parent I am so glad I was given the time to prepare myself for having a child, we shouldn't be grateful we are avoiding responsibility, we should following actual Christian principles and earning those responsibilities one at a time.
2017-01-27 18:57:36
Melissa Lewis Sievering
I agree 100%!!! Well Said!!
2016-04-05 22:06:52
Karl
Ummm. How about the great majority of mothers give birth, love, and nurture their babies instead of killing them? Yeah. How about that? How many women have regretted killing their baby afterwards? How many thought about killing their baby, changed their mind, and feel godly sorrow for having the thought of murder in their heart?
2016-04-06 21:58:02
Donald Holmes
"If we are brazen enough to demand abortion be ended, then we must be willing to take on those new lives with care and compassion" I have a problem here. I am anti-abortion for the same reason I am anti-throw-a-grenade-into-a-theatre. To stand against murder does not require that I take on new obligations to those who live instead of being murdered. We provide for them the same way we provide for everyone, as a society.
2016-04-07 14:43:48
Tremayne
I agree 100%. The flip-side of this is: "If you aren't willing to take care of all these new lives, then you should not demand an end to abortion." This is a pro-choice argument.
2017-01-26 12:21:29
emarsden25
But what if we live in a society that doesn't provide for everyone? In the US alone, 13 million children are not being fed adequately (source: noKidHungry.org). We have to work to build a society that actively takes care of those left behind. That is our duty, regardless of the legality of abortion. That duty will only increase if/when abortion is eradicated.
2017-02-08 19:41:29
Ellie
Perhaps if a woman felt that there were resources available to help provide for a child, she may reconsider her reasons for an abortion. Maybe she doesn't have health insurance, so she can't afford a hospital stay. Maybe her job doesn't provide paid maternity leave, so she can't recover after giving birth. Maybe she can't find affordable childcare, so she has a hard time finding work altogether. This is something we can help with. If we're supposed to be compassionate, it can't only be toward the child, it has to be to the mother as well.
2016-06-27 10:30:58
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[…] What Would Really Happen if We Defunded Planned Parenthood and Ended Abortion? […]
2016-07-22 06:31:24
Weekend Reading: Planned Parenthood, Racism, Religious Liberty & 'The Office' | Intersect
[…] pro-life movement thought that the Planned Parenthood videos would change the debate. They didn’t. What went wrong? Joe Carter gives five reasons they […]
2016-12-08 08:18:16
Don't Just Vote Your Politics. Live Them Out. | Intersect
[…] and encourage life? Think about it this way: if abortion ended in our country tomorrow, at least 1.05 million new babies every year would need care, support and love. Are we as the church prepared to do our part even if […]
2017-01-23 16:54:55
JP
This article is trying to convince you of a BOLD FACE LIE that abortion fills a need. There is nothing that stop an expected mother from putting the baby up for adoption. NOTHING! Not a lack of people willing to adopt not a lack of places to give birth safely. Thirty-Six Couples Wait for Every One Baby Who is Adopted! http://www.lifenews.com/2012/07/09/thirty-six-couples-wait-for-every-one-baby-who-is-adopted/
2017-01-24 10:26:38
Intersect Staff
JP, I don't think Ashley is saying that abortion fills any need. She, like us, wants the practice to end. Instead, she's saying that if abortion ends, there will likely be more children put up for adoption. You cite a helpful adoption statistic. Let's pray that there continue to be families willing and ready to serve these children! Blessings to you.
2017-01-31 13:14:14
DY
How about the lost wages from being pregnant and giving birth which she needs to feed her other kids? Walmart doesn't give disability and maternity leave. Carrying to term and having a baby are a little more difficult than sneezing.
2017-01-23 23:52:02
Ann
I'm sorry, but if the message she received was "If we protest for a baby's life, it will cost us ours", she's not getting messages from God, but from the devil. And the devil is presenting her the temptation of selfishness. In a stark contrast, Jesus always taught to put others before ourselves. Mathew 6:23-34 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, Oh you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, 'What shall we we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
2017-01-24 06:39:32
Intersect Staff
Ann, I think Ashley would agree with you! With that quote in particular, she is calling Christians to give their lives in service to children and families who need it.
2017-01-25 19:15:53
Autumn
The Bible tells us that we have to lose our lives in order to gain eternal life in heaven. So really, becoming a Christians costs us our lives. We are called to use all our resources for God's plan, not our own. I think that's what she meant (and what she explains later in the article)
2017-01-29 22:34:36
Mary
I agree with the poster that found Ashley's comments sounded pro-choice. For some who is pro-choice to read thid (btw I am 100% pro-life), it made me think how in China, they force women to have abortions, and gee, why not encourage more abortions in the USA so to prevent unwanted burdens on us Americans? That's the way this article read to me. Not helpful, to saving pre-born babies' lives, imo. Signed, a mom of 3. My first-born, given up for adoption, and we happily re-connected. My second-born, born out-of-wedlock. The last-born, conveived and born after I was married. All 3, loved to the moon and back. The March for Life 2017, best one yet for me. God bless everyone.
2017-01-24 13:34:27
Gloria
What if a woman was raped or a young 11-12 year old girl and ended up pregnant. What should do in that situation do they supposed to have that baby?
2017-01-25 22:07:07
Tori
Actually, only 1% of abortions (according to planned Parenthood) are due to rape. 95â are for convenience reasons. For how it will affect lifestyle, or they don't like the relationship they are currently in.
2017-01-26 09:31:28
Vickyvicky
I love this article, I am also very scared that if we shut it down legally, how many illegal abortion houses will start and then how many people will end up in more serious conditions because they just couldn't disgrace themselves by having a baby or just didn't want it. This would become a more serious issue!
2017-01-26 20:10:12
Mary
I hate to sound crass, but how much more serious could their situation be than the baby's "situation"? Since the baby will be murdered. They have a choice, the baby doesn't.
2017-01-28 15:11:31
Adam
It is likely that some women would seek an abortion as they do now, and some of them might die, but they know the risks and rewards if their choice. You cannot say "Well, some people will murder others, so lets allow them to do that in this clean murder-room, so that the murderers don't have to do as much laundry"
2017-01-26 20:06:34
Daniel J. Roberts
Great article. Your analysis is much more thorough than my article on this subject. I'm trying to get my blog up and running, and I was wondering if you would be willing to offer any feedback on my blog and article, "Is the Church Ready for the End of Roe v. Wade." http://www.thinkingdan.com/is-the-church-ready-for-the-end-of-roe-v-wade/
2017-01-26 21:37:29
Ashley
I'm curious if the author or the leaders of this blog are involved in any prolife efforts? Sidewalk counseling, volunteering at CPCs, foster care, adoption, contributie financial support for any of these?
2017-01-26 21:53:11
Intersect Staff
Ashley, thanks for asking! I can't speak for everyone, but Ashley Gorman (the author) has documented her experience with foster parenting at her personal blog. Other authors give financially to pro-life efforts and/or are pursuing adoption.
2017-01-27 11:46:18
Steph C
How many are you willing to take in? That is the question God was asking her. Clicked at the end when she asked again.
2017-01-27 15:58:03
peggy marchanti
I think the author is trying to encourage the church to make sure they take care of women and children?? Or make sure we are ready to take in all those babies if abortion is eradicaded?? She states things like this like they are facts,"It seems most pro-lifers are really just pro-birthers. They simply want the baby to be born, but when it comes to involvement in the quality of life for the baby or the mom, the majority of Christians donât really care in an obvious or measurable way. How does she know this? Wow. I have been a christian for over 30 years and I could not make a statement like that in good conscience I have seen a lot of love over all kids of people and situations. I would never make a statement referring to the "majority" of Christians and think I had the right to state anything. Cause I don't know and neither does she. I think overall she trying to encourage people to care about women and babies. Encouragement from a soapbox in not encouragement. Lets not get too hasty here and come against abortion cause it might mean our own lives will be altered??? Thats what I heard. Ill alter my life. Thats Ok . like I have in so many ways since I have known the Lord. Like I have seen so many others do as well. God can handle it.
2017-01-27 16:05:33
srileynh
I am an atheist but I really liked this article. I would go on to say that the church must also EMBRACE birth control as well...especially in other places around the globe where AIDS and too many children lead to major problems.
2017-01-27 17:26:29
rabbisconstitutionalcorner
This article is very informative BUT LACKING just one item of discussion. When an abortion or other man made event is done to an unborn child what will you tell our Savior Jesus or God, upon your day of judgement before his words of condemnation he will say". . .DEPART FROM ME YOU WORKER OF INIQUITY I NEVER KNEW YOU. . ." for then it shall be to late for your soul. It is important of what you say, for then words out of your mouth are anointed unto the Lord. So if you stand for the Savior, Lord, then you have to stand up for the unborn and after they are born.
2017-01-27 20:33:15
Charity
This was clearly not the Lord waking you up. More like Satan himself. First of all God does care about numbers of life's that would be saved He is Not for abortion EVER! He Himself is the only one that can open and close a women's womb and He makes NO mistake! He cares far more about these children's lives than who would "have" to take the responsibility of caring for them don't you remember He feed TWENTY THOUSAND MEN (plus women and children) with a little boys lunch, five loaves of bread and two small fish (with twelve baskets full left over)? If He sees to it that these children are born safe and sound He will supply all their needs! I myself along with my husband have not had the opportunity to have children and have adopted one and working on the other would love to have had more but what families are put through is exhausting and a never ending battle. I am grateful for these two sweet children that God has made just for us that wouldn't have had the chance to love or even live if their mother had made the choice to abort bc of the inconvenience to the church. It's more like "how many" abortions are you going to held accounted for by using the Lord as an excuse to do the work of Satan.
2017-01-27 21:18:13
Intersect Staff
Charity, so glad to hear about how God has used you to bless children! Just to be clear, Ashley Gorman (the author) and Intersect are not at all pro-abortion. On the contrary, we pray God will end this injustice! She's simply saying that if and when abortion ends, the church needs to be ready to serve.
2017-01-27 22:21:59
Ansley
I think you need to re-read the article AT LEAST one even more. :) Sounds like you did not understand the author's message at all!
2017-02-03 17:18:23
Emmy
Only God can "open and close" the womb? Please don't blasphemy the Lord in such a way. A million babies were aborted last year....God did that? No, humans did that. Humans can form a baby by combining an egg with semen, and humans can kill a baby. If God is truly the only one who is in charge, why even have this conversation? God is in charge, we have abortions, therefore God is authoring the abortions? Complete farce. Humans make babies, humans kill babies. As for the original article, GREAT article. Too bad MAJORITY of Christians are not pro life though but only pro birth. Continue speaking the truth!
2017-01-28 14:11:06
ColorItPurple
"There was a huge need among a massive group of women in our country â the need to process sexual questions, get advice on pregnancy, and deal with the very real factors that contribute to her desire for abortion. Instead of meeting that need in a personal way, it was easier for the church to act like it wasnât happening." No, the church doesn't act like it doesn't happen, the church turns these women into outcasts and pariahs because they are sinners. The church teaches teenage girls that if they have sex outside of marriage they'll be like a dirty piece of a tape or chewed up gum - they'll be disgusting, worthless, and no one will ever love them. From the outside, to women who have never been in the church, the church is hostile in its judgements of them. Women seek abortion because the alternative - having a baby as a teenager, having a baby while they're trying to get a degree, having a baby alone, having a baby when they can't afford to take care of one and the same pro-life people who want her to keep the baby also want to deny her any social welfare that might help her - would ruin their lives. The church is too busy calling them harlots to notice their needs. I get that this is exactly the point you're trying to make, but you're being far too generous painting the church as well-meaning but oblivious and a little lazy. The church is openly hostile and aggressive.
2017-02-08 19:48:55
Ellie
This.
2017-01-28 21:00:14
Scott
So many logical fallacies, so little time.
2017-01-29 08:09:51
keithjim
I see what you are saying, but not on my nickel...
2017-01-29 14:57:42
Shane
It just came to me. Instead of senselessly killing newborns we could just give them to countries experiencing low birth rates to keep their countries going strong with a young workforce, who will be raised and educated in that new country! Babies live low birth countries thrive! Win win!!
2017-01-29 15:36:29
Ashley
This is such a beautiful article. It gives me hope that there are more Christians out there who see things like me. I have been distancing myself from the Church because I feel like it has become so self serving. This article really convicted me. I have been thinking about adoption for a while and this piece has given me the final push to pursue it more diligently. If we all focused more on having sacrificial hearts it would be such a better world. The one good thing to come out of this election is that it has opened my eyes to way I want to make a difference in this world.
2017-01-29 16:03:45
mizbitz
God doesn't call us to be comfortable... So your points are well-taken. I'm all for adopting, fostering and so forth, and if at my age, I still qualified, I would be a front-liner. I think the issue here though, goes deeper than that... Yes, be a friend, a mentor, take on the babies... But for goodness sake! Tell them about Jesus! Talk about abstinence! TEACH people God's ways... Yes - even to and especially to those who are lost. If we are to be salt and light, we need a lot more salt in our Christian diets! We've always concentrated on being light, but I get the impression that we try to skip the salt part... and that's the most important part altogether - the flavor gets added there... the presevation gets added there. Don't just "be a friend... Be the kind of a friend who loves their friends enough to tell them the truth...
2017-01-29 18:20:22
dianemar
So my question is, our societies have always stood against murder, no matter what the religion, we all agree murder is wrong. But we also have tons of laws that excuse murder, self defense, manslaughter, insanity, we are not mentioning the civilians who die in the cross fire of war. They especially are truly innocent, wrong place wrong time. Yet we don't call out our soldiers for dropping bombs on the wrong target, or killing in the onslaught of war. Yet it is murder. In our society we do have contingency plans, we also cannot force someone to have the same faith I have. I may be able to carry a child in spite of incest or rape, I may have the faith for that, but if someone doesn't, do we force our standards on them. IF I have the faith for healing and decide at some point that someone else doesnt' have faith for healing, but has surgery, would that be a crime? I had to give up my family for 30 years because my dad said, if you love me have an abortion. I was able to handle some very dark years, because I had faith Jesus was with me, but can I say to someone, tough, you have to just deal with it? Our world is fallen, mercy understands that like with the example of a soldier killing civilians inadvertently. I think we have to have the same mindset here as well. With adults who choose to have sex, I personally feel they need to take responsibility for the life their choices created. Men and women, if a man doesn't support a child he chose to create by his own actions, it should be criminal. I Don't know when life starts, but I do know if you stop a beating heart, it ends. with rape and incest, and underage pregnancies, There should be a mercy contingency , I was molested at a young age and that led to some bad decisions on my part, I can only imagine some of the scenarios young women have been exposed to, and the lack of support and information they may have been taught. I hope this makes some sense, just my ramblings.
2017-01-29 19:56:30
Tom
Sorry, I don't buy the "pro-birther" nonsense; I've heard it for years. Two reasons: 1. How many Christians are desperate to adopt but are unable to due to the massive amount of red tape and expense? My wife and I have personally adopted a child who would have otherwise been aborted, and would adopt more if it were financially feasible. Are there enough willing adoptive parents to take in the equivalent number of aborted babies each year? No, probably not, but lowering the barrier to entry, reducing red tape and expense and bringing back the adoption tax credit would make an enormous dent in the problem. Don't throw away the very good in pursuit of the perfect. 2. I live in a growing suburb that has the stereotypical "church on every corner" - there is absolutely no shortage of programs for single mothers (both pre and post birth), very active food pantries, programs to provide food for school-aged children during the weekend, etc. And we are not unique as a community.
2017-01-29 23:06:21
Michelle
Well wow, this "chat with God" could not get anymore disrespectful! As if you would talk to Him like an annoying younger brother. Anyways, maybe if abortions weren't accessible people would be more careful in the baby making department? If there is no consequence for your actions then the act in question would probably not stop. She says in the article that we better have a better plan than "have the baby and see you later". Well, why don't women line up to get their tubes tied instead of running around like a baby killing machine. If women had to deal with the birth of the baby and realizing the magnitude of love and have to give the baby away, or decide to raise it, chances of them making the same mistake again would be slim to none. Maybe if we ban it with the proof that it is an actual life, then people won't view it as a non-living fetus. There's still many people out there that don't realize this! Also, it makes it very hard to adopt with prices being astronomical! Hopefully that is something that will change in the coming years so that more of these abandoned children can experience a loving family. Unfortunately adoption is not an option for everyone, for various reasons. However, fighting for a life that GOD created and only GOD should end, does not make anyone less of a Christian. There is nothing "brazen" about demanding the slaughter of children to be stopped.
2017-01-30 08:57:34
Emily
This has been my thought exactly! Who is willing to support the pregnant mother, or adopt the child when it is born? I wish there was a universal symbol that we could display on our social media pages, put on bumper stickers, etc. that people could see and immediately know ... that person will support, not just birth, but the life it brings into the world. A side note, the adoption process will need some major improvement. I know a nurse who worked full time, her husband worked full time, they were unable to have children and could not adopt because their income was too low. That would certainly need to change. Another side note, if abortion were illegal I believe the pregnancy rate would be significantly reduced as well, due to a number of factors.
2017-01-30 11:09:14
Me
I once went to a planned parenthood to get a pregnancy test. I was pregnant. They simply asked me what I was thinking and never pushed abortion. They actually responded excited when I said that wasn't something I wanted to do and gave me the information I needed to find prenatal care.
2017-01-30 17:59:21
Mama
I am an American single mpther of a very young child. I have very little in the way of family and friends. Those who remained in my life after I chose to keep my child are wonderful cheerleaders but none in the position to help me in the ways I really need in order to provide for us. We have been taken in and quickly turned out by supposed friends and family who wanted to give themselves a pat on the back but kicked us to the curb when they realized I actually needed them to help me. Some of those people have been Christians in the communities we have belonged to in the last couple of years. To add insult to injury here, we have also been running from domestic violence for two years. The organizations and charities people give their money to so they can feel like they are doing something have repeatedly turned us away for *real* help. Through those organizations I may be able to get a box of canned goods and some toys for a holiday. I can get clothes for my child (but not myself) and things like that. I am quite thankful for what I am able to receive but what I really want is a leg up. That is what every mother in my position wants and needs. I can't say I have ever met another mother in my position who is ungrateful for what help and resources we DO have, but if you want to know what we really want and need, it's this: We want to put warm roofs over the heads of our children, not take them to shelters. We want to stand on our own feet. All that nonsense about handouts is exactly that. I'm sure there are a few people content to live off the system but that's no life and most of us want to do better for our kids than that. We want our children to feel comfortable and stable and not watch us pack up or give away their toys because we have to leave another temporary home. If anyone is wondering why any of this is relevant, I conceived after being sexually assaulted by a very short lived boyfriend. When I realized I was pregnant it was really damaging to every part of my life-i lost my job, I lost my community, my support system, and I was almost completely alone for months at a time, terrified to leave my house. What little support I did have was tapped out while I was pregnant. I had some friends offer to pay for an abortion before they walked out of my life. When I really thought about it, that wasn't the right choice for me. See, before that I had lost more than one with my ex husband who left me to chase other women. Once the shock of finding out I was pregnant wore off, I wanted my child. So what I am asking is for you pro-lifers to put your money where your mouth is. If being pro-birth is what you're about, change your label. But if you are pro LIFE stop throwing money at charities that don't help people get on their feet. Give money to single parents who chose life. I'm about to try one more time to get my lofe together. If I fail, I don't know what I am going to do. But I know no one else is going to give a crap either way, so I am about to go pray like crazy that my fundraiser works so that I can finally get myself up to a place in life where I can give my child a good life.
2017-01-30 20:30:13
Kristine Noland
in what city and state do you live?
2017-02-02 13:54:02
DY
THIS!!!!! I will give to your fundraiser. Want to post a link?
2017-01-30 20:23:53
Kristine Noland
Nearly two million infertile couples in the United States are actively trying to adopt a child. Each of those hopeful couples would give their right arm for the privilege of parenting childrenâlike Hogueâsâwhose lives are being ended prematurely by a scalpel or a pill. http://thefederalist.com/2016/08/18/why-so-many-families-who-want-to-adopt-cant/
2017-01-31 15:57:05
1michaele
The Christians I know are already using their guest rooms for moms in crisis, during the pregnancy & after. They spend their own money & time doing the things you say will be necessary in the future because of the need - because THE NEED IS NOW. They are putting themselves out there as adoptive parents, taking on domestic sibling groups, not just newborns, and regardless of disability or race. They aren't waiting for abortion law to change to do the right thing. You got one thing right - being pro-life is a LIFESTYLE of service & sacrifice. I've been around since Operation Rescue days, and our generation has already raised a generation of children rescued from abortion. Making the time to show up to a walk or protest, or an abortion clinic to do sidewalk counseling, doesn't define a Christian as one dimensional. One cannot generalize based on assumption and opinion. This piece is a good conversation starter, and a great call to action FOR NOW, not for later. There's a mom out there right now who is abortion minded because it makes it easier for everyone around her if that baby is murdered, and she doesn't have any support to keep this precious child. Go find her!
2017-01-31 18:20:14
Ashley
I am horrified and heartbroken over this article. This basically says if you aren't ready to build a wing off the back of your home then quit fighting for babies rights. What a shame that a Christian would even suggest this. There are so many alternatives to planned parenthood that offer services other than abortions but none of those are mentioned. How about using your articles, website and blog to support the innocent lives that have been silenced by the murder machine planned parenthood. And please also know your history. Planned parenthoods very roots are in the belief of eugenics and eliminating the black population. To even think of anyone considering anything other than to shut this evil place down is absurd.
2017-02-01 07:21:40
Intersect Staff
Ashley, thank you for reading and commenting. Ashley Gorman (the author) isn't defending the atrocities Planned Parenthood has committed. Instead, she's saying that we Christians should live out the things we say we believe. (And at her personal blog, she documents her own journey of foster care.) This article is only one perspective in the conversations we're having about the pro-life cause. For example, check out this video: https://cfc.sebts.edu/faith-and-culture/pro-life-bruce-ashford-trillia-newbell-amber-lehman-steven-wade/
2017-01-31 21:17:52
Carol
I'm extremely disappointed in someone who claims to be a Christian and uses the pro abortion industry talking points to make judgements about what Christians are supposedly not doing. Maybe it's your own experiences you are talking about, but in no way, shape or form should you be assuming what others are doing or not doing. The article comes across very angry towards pro lifers and Christians by using the talking points to make it sound like we don't care for the baby or the mother. By you saying people only care about the baby and not the life of the baby....you are so, so wrong. Your logic is flawed. If abortion was outlawed, there would be a lot less pregnancies that would occur, if personal accountability is in the equation. Many mothers would keep their babies as well. You said we better be prepared if abortion is outlawed....there are 3 in our family that were adopted from over seas....and they married people that were adopted from overseas as well. You sound angry, and make it sound like a lecture. I guess I should apologize for being pro-life and supporting our pro-life ministry. You mentioned "rioting"....really? Since when has there ever ONCE been a pro-life riot? Again...please quit using talking points from the pro-abortion side. We are the most generous nation and people. I firmly believe that if the situation arose, people would rise up and take care of these kids. There are 5 other points I would like to respond to: 1. Quality of life these babies will have...You make it sound like it's a terrible thing these babies will be born. Who is to determine the quality of life of anyone that's born? The first thing that needs to happen is for birth to take place for there to be an opportunity to have a life....and ALL life is worth it. 2. You talked about a burden being loaded on society...I think that is sad...you are calling God's gift a burden. 3. It's very judgemental to say Planned Parenthood exists because of the lack of help from the church. Planned Parenthood exists because of the evil in the world, not because of God's church. 4. You say "any rational person would find help elsewhere". You are making broad assumptions and judgements that you cannot know. The reason many are looking for help elsewhere is because Satan is working hard to drive them to where death will occur and away from anything that is pure and holy. It is an irrational statement. 5. Paying the bills? You make it sound like that is something bad and that we don't already do....you are bringing up the cost of having a baby....this is a talking point from Planned Parenthood. In conclusion, when writing a post, it would be good to see a calling for the end of abortion and the encouragement of all to do their best to support the babies and families without casting judgements and utiluzing the abortion industry talking points. I firmly believe the American people would rise to the occassion if and when abortion is outlawed. I hope and pray that day comes soon!!
2017-02-01 07:25:16
Intersect Staff
Carol, we hope and pray that day comes soon, too! Ashley Gorman's (the author) main point in this article is that Christians should live out the things we say we believe. (And at her personal blog, she documents her own journey of foster care.) This article is only one perspective in the conversations we're having about the pro-life cause. For example, check out this video: https://cfc.sebts.edu/faith-and-culture/pro-life-bruce-ashford-trillia-newbell-amber-lehman-steven-wade/
2017-02-01 04:50:39
Jonina Celia
Excellent article. Exactly, every action has a reaction. In the UK, there is a shocking number of children living in poverty (I imagine it is the same in the US) and children in need of foster care and waiting to be adopted as they grow up and it is just not happening. There was a documentary in the UK on the television about social workers finding themselves in mind boggling situations because they need to get some babies and children out of dangerous situations at 'home' but have nowhere to place them so some have to stay in these extremely risky environments. I can't imagine if this situation were to escalate. Where will all these children go?
2017-02-01 10:59:39
DY
I think the best anyone can do to prevent abortions is to fight poverty, educate women, fight for free birth control, paid maternity leave, accessible healthcare, daycare and education. Make it possible for women to prevent pregnancies and have wanted children, and there will be no abortions. This means don't vote for pro-life politicians because these are the same people who hate the poor, limit access to health care, dismiss the idea of paid leave, and destroy the social safety net.
2017-02-02 11:44:26
Diane
I find it hard to believe that God would orchestrate this speech in the condescending, confrontational manner that the author espouses. The Christian church which is under attack now more than ever by the world is now being divided from within it's own ranks and this article serves to further that agenda. She claims to be exhorting, but her attitude and tone are rebuking and condescending.....not encouraging and convicting (and aren't we Christians getting enough of that elsewhere?). History has shown us that this fire and brimstone, accusatory method doesn't always convert peoples attitudes and hearts. I would argue a lot of other misleading information in this article but those have already been addressed in many of the above comments. I hope the author takes a good look at the forceful negative way she uses her words and realizes that this article could stir up more dissension than stirring up to do good works....and that type of confusion is definitely not from God.
2017-02-04 08:57:34
Kelly H
As a foster and adoptive parent, I would say the need is already here. And I hate that she used the phrase "noble adoptive parents". We're not noble, we're seeing the crisis that is already here and doing our part. But it is true, that the church needs to step up now to come alongside struggling families who feel they have to choose this option.
2017-02-05 22:46:36
I’ve Been Thinking and Praying About This Issue | seekingasimplelifeblog
[…] https://cfc.sebts.edu/faith-and-culture/really-happen-defunded-planned-parenthood-ended-aborti… […]
2017-02-19 17:43:08
Lorey Lemus
Those that have called these women murders are guilty of the same thing as the ones they accuse. You hurl your insults insinuating prison time to someone you have never even met, who may never affect your life. Yet if you saw them and spoke to them at least once, you might never be able to manage such a thing. Has it not already been established that many of these people (women and pro-choice protesters alike) see unborn fetuses as nothing but âclusters of cellsâ that feel no pain and have no life? Do you think these same women would be capable of being rid of the child in their womb if they could see in brilliant colored picture the bodies forming inside them at that moment? I can assure you that there are still women who choose the life of their child even when they truly cannot provide for them. They are the women of the shelters. They are the women who jump from house to house. They are also the women incapable of giving them love and providing, and losing them to child protective services. Millions of children are lost in the foster care system, and you wonder why the atheists call us hypocrites and âpro-birthersâ, not âpro-lifersâ. You blame these women for making bad choices not taking responsibility, and as a result want to let the children suffer the consequence for the rest of their lives. If all abortion procedures were banned tomorrow, it would still take -at least- one full generation to change the culture that has created the process in the first place (but realistically, more like two). And in that time you will see more taxes as the welfare needs skyrocket. There will be an increase of petty crime as families are left further and further behind higher education tuition, increasingly difficult -entry level- job requirements, and general cost of living. These are not assumptions, and if you argue they are then you argue for âlifeâ without seeing the truth of the reality that -already- plagues us. The only way to change these womenâs minds and open their eyes is hearing helpful advice from a -friend-. But you will never be that voice they hear, because you insult, attack, and condemn them without understanding the struggles they face. And if for some reason that -does- change a womanâs mind enough to give birth, then you will not have saved that child, but have sentenced them to a life with a mother filled with doubt, or resentment, with no love or compassion. Thatâs years of emotional and mental abuse that could very well weigh them down for the rest of their lives, even if child services for whatever reason comes to take them away. If you donât believe me, take a moment to learn and listen to the stories of troubled teens and those that -do- suffer in the foster care system. If you have free time, try also to listen to the women who wanted to have children and as a result were ostracized by their own family, just like âMamaâ. There is one problem with one of the arguments Iâve seen pop up. And there is the fact that there are â36 couples for every one baby wanting to adoptâ. That is true. But then hereâs my question: what will happen when abortion is banned and we change those numbers to adoption, and that queue stops? Those remaining children will grow older. They -will- be unwanted. And thatâs where the argument I made three paragraphs ago comes from. You are trying to save these childrenâs lives, and itâs a noble cause. But with all due respect, I believe that a lot of you are only joining this battle because you donât feel it will actually -have- a negative impact on you personally. Would you join a pro-life protest if the signs didnât read âabortion is murderâ, but âgive us your childrenâ? By now youâll probably want to argue about me putting up sources. Iâm making bold claims with no statistics or âproofâ. But the problem is that I canât -give- you the sources, because these werenât just articles and videos I read or saw. They were the friend I had that went out to help -her- friends when they got pregnant in high school, but later rushed to get an abortion because she had moved away and was living completely on her own with no feasible way of providing for herself and her child, because -she- was the one helping -her- immediate family members. They were the other friends I had that -were- adopted, the friends of friends that -have- been in the foster care system and have seen both the good and bad. If youâre asking for statistics to prove why you should put yourself out there and help the women and protesters you are condemning, then youâre forgetting one of the most important teachings of our faith. Jesus did not tell us âgo and change the minds of strangersâ, but âlove your neighborâ. If you really want to put a stop to this, then you need to make friends with these people and give them the support and help they need. True change comes little by little, bit by bit, from the people close to us. So please, before you answer this simply to argue my points, take a moment to pray and ask yourself and God if there is any merit to my argument. If not, then feel free to counter me. If so, then seriously consider praying to bring someone into your life to put them on the right path, with love and patience like weâre meant to do.
2018-04-25 15:27:46
#FaithandCulture Reading: The 10 Most-Read Intersect Articles So Far | Intersect
[…] 1. What Would Really Happen if We Defunded Planned Parenthood and Ended Abortion? […]
2018-07-02 15:57:08
Frank Payne
In one breath you praise the pro-lifers protesting with their signs on the front lines, and in the next breathe practically accuse them of hypocracy and rioting, insinuating they are merely pto-birth and not pro-life. Perhaps you are just too young and too limited in exposure to the people who have spoken up for the unborn these last 40 years. These, for the most part, are the vanguard who have been voicing their concerns to youngsters like yourself in the hopes of awakening a generation to take it to the next level. Since we do not riot and destroy to make our voices heard, we rely upon the Bible and educating the vast ocean of Christians who have been clueless to applied Christianity in modern culture. It has taken years of teaching, raising awareness, exposing the darkness to the light, exposing the fraud of practicing medicine and women's health for what it is; premeditated murder for convenience. For the most part, it is still the person in the pew who is blissfully numb and either ambivalent or on the wrong side of the issue who needs to be challenged. We have come a long way and changed a lot of hearts, primarily by those people who carry the signs and do more behind the scenes than you will ever know unless you are one of them.
2019-10-20 22:58:19
Intersect at 1000: The 10 Most Read Articles (So Far) | Intersect
[…] 1.What Would Really Happen if We Defunded Planned Parenthood and Ended Abortion? […]