Today would have been my five-year anniversary with Starbucks, and I was going to blog about that. Instead, I'm going to blog about abortion.
Why?
Because the protesters are out with their signs again: gruesome images of aborted fetuses, threats that God will destroy you and that abortion doctors are evil. They're at major intersections and in front of Planned Parenthood, silent sentinels with bloody banners high. They're causing major commotion, angrily flung middle fingers and religious slurs.
And it breaks my heart.
I read Twitter updates and facebook notes from both liberals and moderates slamming these people as intolerant and stupid. The thing is, though, I think these protesters are right. I agree with their beliefs. I do believe abortion is wrong.
But this is not the way to communicate it.
I wonder how many women have approached an abortion clinic, truly undecided as to what to do - and then made the choice to have an abortion purely because the signs stirred up rebellion in their frantic hearts. "You tell me not to? You're self-righteous. I'll do what I want." And I am sure that many, many women left childless, bearing instead the unexpected fear, guilt, shame and physical pain associated with abortions.
I do not write this message to convince you that abortion is wrong. I write it to appeal to those who already believe that it's wrong, and who want to know how best to convey that belief.
In lieu of favors for our wedding, Ross and I donated a sum of money to the Women's Choice Network - a pro-life, Christian organization offering help to women of all walks of life who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant. They provide ultrasounds, counseling, financial and medical aid, and educational services. The most important part is that they get to know each woman on an individual basis. They do not condemn these women with signs calling down sulfur and brimstone from the skies. No one at the center is prepared to pin a scarlet "A" on all the women who enter. Instead, they find out who she is, what her fears are, how she feels about being pregnant, why she wants an abortion, or if she is being forced into one. They do tell the medical truth about abortion; their website even details what happens during an abortion and what the clinically proven results may potentially be. They offer loving counsel to women who have chosen abortions. They share the exact same message as the bloody-baby protesters, but there are major differences in both the message and, more importantly, the results.
Because they feel respected and cared for, many, many of these women who visit centers like this one do decide to carry their babies to term. Some parent, and some put the infants up for adoption. But the choice for LIFE was made. I would be guessing, but I'd say that those who made the choice for life because of angry sign-wavers are few and far between.
The New Testament book of Ephesians reminds us that "speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ" (verse 4:15). If we are telling the truth but veiling it with hatred and judgment, who will listen to us? It is hard to see or even imagine the presence of a pure, loving truth when it is covered by layers of accusation and self-righteousness. Now, are the protesters I mentioned -or those who protest military funerals or the support of Israel or any number of things - hateful and self-righteous? I do not know; only God sees the hearts of men. But do they appear that way? Yes, often. And to many people, appearance is fact. If the motivation of the heart cannot be seen in the actions, then why even perform the actions?
(If anyone who happens to read this has found herself unexpectedly pregnant, please visit this website: http://www.pregnancycareinfo.org/home.)
I've always wondered why people that had the time to protest weren't somewhere doing something more productive. I mean, I get it. They don't like abortion/burying people/Jews/foreign oil/Republicans. They want to convince others not to like the same things that they don't like; or do they? At what point does the zeal for speaking their truth become weighed down by the fact that the people that they want to reach aren't listening. I think that angry protesters aren't so much angry at clinic patients or liberals. My theory in progress is that they're angry at the society they live in that they feel has ignored them. The sad truth is that they are being ignored. They yell so that they'll be heard, and are ignored because nobody wants to be yelled at. They're being crushed under a metric ton of irony, and it pisses them off.
ReplyDeleteBut, back to the point that I rambled from -- Doing Something More Productive.
I think that people protesting abortions should set up a booth outside the bar handing out condoms with spermicidal lubricant. That way, they're combating infectious disease as well as unplanned pregnancy. C'mon, who's with me on this?