Greg Cromartie
Host of Theology Unplugged

Ideas have consequences. The ideas passionately debated in Michael’s blog: Emergers On Abortion: Where Do You Stand? are no exception. We can discuss this issue until eternity without changing the consequences of the thing itself. That’s what I want to discuss here…“The Thing Itself.”

Those who support abortion rights and those who would turn a blind eye to it including, sadly, many who name the name of Christ don’t deal with the reality of abortion. They’ll discuss women’s rights, Middle Assyrian Laws, poverty, Old Testament penalties for causing a miscarriage, population control and on. All worthy topics in and of themselves. But they don’t want to address what abortion is and what it does . . . the dismemberment and killing of an innocent human being. Indeed, how can one defend this?

Warning: very graphic images—adult supervision advised.

Source for pictures

If one won’t or doesn’t consider these images how can he rightfully defend or even allow abortion—“The Thing Itself?”

The abortion industry (And it is an industry, making millions of dollars killing for cash) knows that when America looks at “The Thing Itself,” America and even pro-choice activists will reject it. This is evidenced in the following statement made by Charlotte Taft, Dallas abortion provider, at a training workshop for the National Abortion Federation:

“…the same woman who Janie Bush was talking about, who was a Pro-choice activist in the Dallas Community, when she came into our clinic—we were inviting her to learn more about abortion—this is a quote from this woman, she said ‘if I believed that abortion was the deliberate ending of a potential human life I could not be pro-choice.’ I said ‘it would be best for you not to see a sonogram.”

This statement was followed by laughter from the workshop participants.1 When America sees abortion it will reject abortion, not until.

Some will say this is uncomfortable, gruesome and sensational. I would agree. But, if these images are uncomfortable, gruesome and sensational for us, how much more uncomfortable, gruesome and sensational was it for the little ones in those images?

Yes, in a Constitutional Republic we must debate on theological, philosophical and legal bases to arrive at Just Laws. But to do so without “The Thing Itself” in view is to abandon a crucial component of the argument. Losing that, as we debate, we risk the injustice we currently have in America’s abortion tragedy.

And there is not only negative consequence for the child, after 35 years of legal abortion in America, evidence is mounting that abortion hurts women too. Look at the stories found on the “Silent No More Awareness Campaign” web site. These women had the idea drummed into them that abortion would solve their problem. To their horror the consequence was, months and sometimes years later, that they began to experience depression, despair, guilt and suicidal thoughts caused by the killing of their child. There is also mounting evidence that abortion is a cause of breast cancer.

The abortion “idea” has real consequences for real persons, child & mother.

So, in light of these consequences, what do we do about the abortion tragedy? The answer can only be that we fight it, on every front, with every means at our disposal.

We care for the mothers in unplanned pregnancies, we support the fathers, we disseminate pertinent information, we counsel outside abortion facilities, we volunteer at Crisis Pregnancy Centers, we pray for and befriend abortionists, we show and talk about “The Thing Itself” and we vote for the political candidates that will work to abolish this greatest injustice in our land. And that has consequences for all of us because a government that won’t protect a defenseless, unborn human being won’t protect you either.

To turn a blind eye to this injustice, even when supporting other good and just causes, invites the greatest of negative consequences to our country.

Here are some resources if you want to get involved in a more hands-on way:

http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org For those who are experiencing the consequences of your own abortion—you are not alone. Healing and grace is available here.

http://www.heartbeatinternational.org A non-political, Christian association of life-affirming education and pregnancy service providers with clinics around the world.

http://www.guysforlife.org A ministry whose mission is to support and mentor fathers in the midst of an unplanned pregnancy.

http://www.priestsforlife.org A Catholic site with comprehensive resources for all believers.

http://learninc.org The largest African-American Evangelical Pro-Life Ministry in the US. They have great articles here: http://learninc.org/page/articles.php And, here is an especially insightful L.EA.R.N. article on abortion and civil rights in the African-American Community (many compelling stats too): http://www.abortionfacts.com/learn/blacks_and_abortion.asp

Some of the phrases used in this post are courtesy of Father Frank Pavone. I produce his Evangelical radio program “Life on the Line,” and am indebted to him for helping shape many of the arguments cited here.

1From the audio CD “Fire & Ice” produced by Life Dynamics at http://www.lifedynamics.com.  

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