A Right to Choose?

I hesitate to write about abortion because, frankly, the topic depresses me. Since Roe v. Wade became the law of the land in 1973, it's estimated that 60 million abortions have been performed in this country. Let that sink in. 60 million abortions in 46 years. If 60 million lives had been lost for any other reason, public outrage would, in my opinion, be uncontained.

And let there be no mistake. An unborn baby is a human life. It is not a blog of tissue. It is biologically distinct from the mother. An abortion ends the life of a human being, regardless of the stage of pregnancy.

As I read one of my devotional books this morning, Martin Luther Day by Day in Genesis, I was struck by this sentence.

     "Therefore we are officers of the state or private citizens, we should of
     one accord oppose sins, lest the wrath of God come upon us and we all
     be consumer together."

Abortion is sin. It is mankind playing God, deciding who is worthy to live & who is not. Calling abortion murder tends to be "fighting words," but isn't aborting an unborn baby an act of murder.

It sounds reasonable to permit abortion when the mother's health is endangered. I believe that when a pregnancy could result in the death of both the mother & the unborn baby, such as an ectopic pregnancy. aborting the baby is a tragic but justifiable action.

However, courts have decided that the health of a mother can include mental health issues, allowing the emotions of a mother to permit an abortion.

Truth be told, too many times a baby is aborted because it's an inconvenience. This has nothing to do with the health of the mother.

Pro-abortion advocates promote abortion when a pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. First of all, it's estimate that these cases comprise barely 1% of pregnancies. Secondly, aborting the baby in these cases is killing the child through no fault of his or her own.

It is disingenuous for people to call themselves pro-choice when the unborn child has no choice. The argument that one is personally opposed to abortion but supports the rights of others to make this choice is a false dichotomy.

One of the reasons that abortion depresses me is that I feel so helpless in opposing it. I don't condemn women who have an abortion because they feel backed into a corner. Rather, I condemn those who promote abortion, those who campaign for abortion rights, those who "force" women to abort their babies, & those who profit from it, such as Planned Parenthood.

What's a pro-life person to do against overwhelming odds?

• Pray for the abortion holocaust to end.
• Pray for laws that encourage women to have their babies.
• Speak out against those who promote abortion.
• Personally witness against it when given the opportunity.

I realize that this post is rather gloomy. I don't want to rain on your Monday parade, but one reason I blog is for the sake of my own mental health. I felt convicted to share these thoughts today. I hope they make a difference.