Question: With the 40th anniversary of the controversial Roe v Wade decision this month, do we know how many babies have been aborted?
Answer: Sadly, at least 54,559,615 babies have been aborted since the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationally in this country. (See more on this figure in The Weekly Standard Blog for January 22, 2013, http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/40-years-later-54559615-abortions_697459.html). As Christians, this horribly high number of abortions should continue to motivate us to fight for the pro-life cause.
Christians know that it is Almighty God who gives life. We have read those powerful words of Psalm 139:13-14, “For You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works And that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV) As Believers, we also know that the Bible says children are a blessing from God. Psalm 127:3-5 says ,”Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is His reward.” (NKJV) We are to protect and value life!
Unfortunately, it is politically incorrect to even talk about the baby when discussing abortion. Pro-abortion advocates tend to keep the debate centered around the woman and her so-called “right to choose.” They do not discuss the baby’s right to live. They also tend to keep the debate focused around pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, or the need to abort to save the life of the mother. Statistics show that all 3 of these causes together amount to less than 5% of the reasons for abortions. Don’t hold your breath to think that the pro-choice crowd would even agree to outlaw all abortions except for these reasons. Their goal is to keep all abortions without any restrictions.
That’s one reason the pro-choicers rally around their pride and joy, Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortions in this country. They give referrals for things like mammograms and Pap tests, but their main business and big money-maker is abortions. As taxpayers, you help to fund this organization. Therefore, taxpayers aid in helping Planned Parenthood stay in business. Many taxpayers would cringe at the knowledge that they are supporting an abortion organization started to promote “racial betterment,” or eugenics. This is what Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, thought abortion could do for the black community. After 1964, more abortion clinics were located near African-American communities. The result: by 2011, the abortion rate for African -American women was higher than the rates for both Hispanic and white women according to the Guttmacher Institute. See more on this at www.blackgenocide.org and at http://www.afajournal.org/2012/October/102012_default.asp.
Obviously, as Christians, we know that we are to pray for and help those who are in distress. That’s why churches and Christians must reach out and help women who are experiencing unwanted pregnancies. We want these women to choose life, even if they decide to put their babies up for adoption. We want them to know that adoption is a loving option for those moms who do not choose to keep their babies because they were raped, don’t have enough money to take care of them, feel they are too young, etc. Some of the best resources available to help women with unwanted pregnancies are the local crisis pregnancy centers. They can often provide free ultrasounds, baby clothes, and information on other resources in the community that can help them. For more information on such groups, visit www.care-net.org.
While no woman wants to be in a crisis pregnancy situation, women must be informed that what they are carrying is not some meaningless piece of tissue. It is a new life. Even if that new life was a result of something as horrible as rape, destroying the baby is not the morally correct thing to do. That baby from an evil, rapist biological father can still become the loving child of wonderful adoptive parents and become a great citizen of this world. For a complete guide to this topic and all issues pro-life, check out the National Right to Life website at www.nrlc.org.
Also, while it is very rare in this country to have a mother’s life literally threatened by giving birth, the Bible does speak of being able to practice self-defense to save your life. Even then, many mothers would want the doctors to do everything possible to try to save both mother and child. All this said, if a woman has had an abortion and regrets her decision, Christians know that these women can ask the Lord to forgive them of their sins, and He will. They can be very effective spokespersons for the pro-life movement. They can tell other women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies not to listen to the deceptive voices of the pro-abortion movement. They can tell them, instead, to listen to the little voice of the new life inside them that wants to choose life and is saying, “Please save me, Mommy!”
Make the right choice. Choose life!
Helpful Links:
Focus on the Family http://www.focusonthefamily.com
Crown Financial Ministries http://www.crown.org
The Christian Broadcasting Network http://www.cbn.org
World Magazine www.worldmag.com
valclarksplace 
All life is a gift from the Lord….created for His purpose! No life is ever a mistake!
Amen, Shirley!
I do not support abortion as a method of contraception. However, in the case of incest, rape, or the life of a mother being in jeopardy I believe that it is a woman’s personal right to decide whether or not the pregnancy should be continued. The woman making the decision has to reconcile herself with her personal spiritual beliefs. Jesus has given us a choice to follow Him or not. I do not believe that we are to force our will on others. Can we offer prayerful advice and concern? Yes. But, laws should not dictate what a woman does with her personal body. I am the mother of two adult children and I made the choice to stop having children. However, I did not have to face the decision to have an abortion. I knew what I could afford and I wanted to give my children the best life possible.
I cannot and never will believe that a pregnancy out of rape or incest is a gift from God. In addition, I resent the male lawmakers who make such proclamations and then vote against funding for single moms, and families who cannot afford to raise children on meager wages. Research the number of children living in poverty in the United States. Look at the mental health debate and recognize that children are being born into homes of despair and abuse. Also, if you conduct additional research you will see that there have been women who should have never been able to bring a child into the world. We need Planned Parenthood, so that women can be counseled about birth control and other health issues.
In conclusion, Jesus loves us all and will forgive us of our sins if we truly repent and accept Him as our personal Savior. I do not favor abortion as a form of birth control. It is wrong. However, there are extenuating circumstances where abortion may have to be a viable choice. We have to examine all sides of a controversial issue and pray that the Lord will guide us in making whatever personal decisions that may arrive on our stage of life.
Thanks for sharing,
Sharon
Thanks for taking time to comment. Obviously, I disagree with you. Every child IS a gift from God according to the Word of God-The Bible. God loves and values every baby no matter what evil their parents have done. Women can decide about their own bodies, but not choose to kill the baby’s body. They can have the baby and put the baby up for adoption for the many loving parents who want these children. Plus, if nothing is wrong with having an abortion, then why not use it as a form of birth control? If it’s all about a woman’s right to choose to end the baby’s life, then why is it not okay when we hear of the moms who kill their children after they are born? Are they not also exercising their right to choose? Of course none of these women should choose to kill their babies.
I do agree- as I wrote in my blog- that if a woman who has had an abortion repents and asks God to forgive her, God will forgive her. Take care!
I never said that there is nothing wrong with having an abortion. When I was a child I used to ask my mom why people who did wrong could have good jobs and have big houses, and lots of money etc. Her answer was, the devil is in the blessing business too and that we have to study the Word of God to be able to discern what may seem right from wrong. This is my explanation for why I believe what I believe. Anyway, let’s agree to disagree. Can you tell that I have always been and will always be a staunch liberal democrat?
Sharon
Yes! And, you can tell that I am a strong, social conservative and independent (I don’t belong to any party anymore.) Love you, and pray everything is well with you and your loved ones. We’re all well here and looking forward (prayerfully) to the kids finishing college this year!
The article was very informative. As we get closer to the end time, it is very important that we make decisions according to God’s instructionS. The decisions that we make do carry consequences. Thank you Val for being a leader.
I appreciate your comments, Carolyn.
Thank you, Val, for sharing. As this new year continues, I hope I will remember to lift up those who are pregnant and who struggle with the question of what to do about the life that lives within them. May our Lord use someone, some situation, some thought… to encourage these mothers to choose life for the child and to follow a godly path to ensure the child has opportunity to live surrounded by love.
Amen, Valerie!