“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Self-evident. Really? These familiar words from our Declaration of Independence seem to hold less merit with each passing year.
Today Southern Baptists across this nation recognize ‘Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.’ A national day to acknowledge the value of human life was first set aside in a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. That, of course, was eleven years after the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision, Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States. The principal decision repealed all state laws prohibiting abortion.
Now, some 39 years after Roe v. Wade — and more than 50 million abortions later — many in the Christian community continue to pray for Roe v. Wade to be overturned. Of course, with an increasingly liberal set of supreme court justices, such an ambitious goal seems unlikely in the near future. Still many individuals, churches, and pro-life groups continue to wage war on behalf of the unborn.
Perhaps no one more deeply regrets the high court’s decision than Norma McCorvey, better known as “Jane Roe,” the plaintiff in the case. In her book Won by Love, McCorvey explained her changed view on the issue of abortion:
“I was sitting in O.R.’s offices when I noticed a fetal development poster. The progression was so obvious, the eyes were so sweet. It hurt my heart, just looking at them. I ran outside and finally, it dawned on me. ‘Norma’, I said to myself, ‘They’re right’. I had worked with pregnant women for years. I had been through three pregnancies and deliveries myself. I should have known. Yet something in that poster made me lose my breath. I kept seeing the picture of that tiny, 10-week-old embryo, and I said to myself, that’s a baby! It’s as if blinders just fell off my eyes and I suddenly understood the truth — that’s a baby!
I felt crushed under the truth of this realization. I had to face up to the awful reality. Abortion wasn’t about ‘products of conception’. It wasn’t about ‘missed periods’. It was about children being killed in their mother’s wombs. All those years I was wrong. Signing that affidavit, I was wrong. Working in an abortion clinic, I was wrong. No more of this first trimester, second trimester, third trimester stuff. Abortion — at any point — was wrong. It was so clear. Painfully clear.”
McCorvey, now 64, has since been re-confirmed as a member in the Catholic Church. She is an ardent supporter of the pro-life cause.
Having served as a licensed therapist for a number of years, I have personally witnessed the damage that abortion does — emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Increasingly, there is concern in the medical community about physical harm as well, including a possible link between abortion and breast cancer.
Of course, only God knows the full scope of the impact of abortion. However, in my therapeutic and ministerial counseling with women, I have seen first-hand the anguish, torment, and far-reaching effects of abortion on family relationships. I only know that what many Americans want to view as a choice is altogether inconsistent with both the words of Scripture in Psalm 139:13-16, and the Judeo-Christian values that our nation’s founding fathers sought to serve as the cornerstone of our republic. Consider these words from President Reagan:
“Make no mistake, abortion-on-demand is not a right granted by the Constitution. No serious scholar, including one disposed to agree with the Court’s result, has argued that the framers of the Constitution intended to create such a right.”
Reagan argued that it is impossible “to diminish the value of one category of human life — the unborn — without diminishing the value of all human life.”
Perhaps the most amazing thing about God is His ability to forgive the sin of those who call upon the name of Jesus. If you have had an abortion, you can still find forgiveness in Him. If you are considering abortion, please reach out to a local Crisis Pregnancy Center. Their staff can help you find solutions that preserve both the life of your baby and the integrity of your emotional self. (Click here to find a center near you.)
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
- Pray for those who may be considering abortion.
- Find a way to volunteer or otherwise contribute to a Christian family ministry or local Crisis Pregnancy Center. (Diapers, formula, baby clothes, and bedding are always in demand.)
- Consider adopting a child or serving as a foster parent or respite care worker.
- Become involved in your local or state pro-life movement, and be a voice for the unborn.
- Pray for an end to legalized abortion in America.
On this Sanctity of Human Life Day, let’s pray and work together for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to be equal rights for both the born and the unborn.
IT’S YOUR TURN!
Does your church participate or somehow acknowledge Sanctity of Human Life Day? If so, how? Do you have other thoughts or comments to share on this subject?
Did you like this post? If so, you might also be interested in these previous posts:
• Tonight’s ‘Secret Church’: highly relevant
