What Has Happened to the Sanctity of Human Life?

Legalized abortion has been a part of the American landscape for almost 50 years. The facts behind this are sobering. Since 1973, 62 million unborn babies have been killed, and abortion remains the leading cause of death in our country.

For most of those 50 years, everyone agreed that abortion was a sad and tragic event. Even those who identify as pro-choice and pro-abortion have viewed abortion as a sad, unfortunate event. They believed the right to an abortion is needed, albeit a necessary evil. No one celebrated abortion.

Until now.

In their opposition to the pro-life crowd, many are doing more than just trying to weakly justify abortion as a “necessary” option; they are seeking to encourage and celebrate abortion. We’d expect Planned Parenthood to encourage abortion; there is a huge financial profit for them in taking the lives of the unborn. But others are joining their praise of abortion.

Maybe it’s their way of trying to feel good about themselves. We’ve heard the stories of women who were emotionally and spiritually scarred and devastated from an abortion, so I wonder if the shouts of celebration are meant to drown out the internal pain or doubt. Or maybe if they can get others celebrating this tragic event, they can feel justified. I don’t know that, but I wonder.

Pro-choice individuals and groups are encouraging women to “shout your abortion.” Now, instead of secretly seeking an abortion in another town and never talking about it, women can boldly—even gladly—tell others.

• One website sells “Thank God for Abortion” necklaces and foam fingers.
• T-shirts are available in two styles: “Everyone Knows I Had an Abortion” and “I Love People Who’ve Had Abortions.”
• A store in Portland, Oregon offered “Rocky Roe v. Wade” ice cream.
• Celebrities are working to remove the stigma of abortion by celebrating their own abortions.
  • Miley Cyrus posed for a photo in which she was licking a cake that read “Abortion Is Healthcare.”
  • Actress Michelle Williams said she could not have won a Golden Globe award “without employing a woman’s right to choose.”
  • A growing list of well-known women—from Gloria Steinem to Ashley Judd—are celebrating their past abortions with pride. [Source]

God does not celebrate with them. One cannot read Psalm 139 and not see that God values life even in the womb. Proverbs lists seven things that God hates and finds detestable, including “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:17). God’s judgment will come upon the abortion industry. And God’s judgment may very well come upon America for allowing—and celebrating—the killing of children.

Followers of Christ have been good at speaking out against this sin. We must continue to speak out—but we can do more. Let’s address the issue of why abortions are sought in the first place. Let’s offer strong, positive alternatives: adoptions, support for unwed mothers, and coming alongside women during pregnancy and motherhood.

I am not proposing anything new. In fact, many individuals and groups are doing these very things. But let’s join them. Let’s join them in their work, and let’s join them by supporting any and all efforts to save the unborn children and to save the mothers. We can be the hands and feet of Christ as we seek to love, support, and speak these words over them:

“May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace” (Num. 6:24-26).

Related Post: Extending Grace to Those Who’ve Aborted a Child

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This post supports the study “Seeking Justice in an Unjust World” in Bible Studies for Life and YOU.

Join Lynn Pryor and Chris Johnson as they discuss this topic.

http://ministrysites.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/bsfl_adults/BSFL_ADULTS_WIN22_U2S1.mp3