Today I was in Church and we prayed for lawmakers, and health care givers to value life. On the face of it that’s hard to fault, but I found myself disturbed by what we didn’t also pray for.
We did not pray for the woman choosing to abort to have a change of heart, We did not pray for the woman that may later choose to abort to abort to avoid pregnancy. We did not pray for the woman who consider to abort to have more ways to care for their unborn child and to choose to bring that life in her to fruition.
Whether one is pro life or pro choice, as we have labeled the two sides of this 41 year old debate, the question seems to boil down to when does life begin before birth. On this I find it hardest to understand those who are pro choice. How can you be so sure of when life begins? That leaves me unable to believe that any good society doesn’t wants as few abortions as possible. I am unable to be anything close to sure that abortion is not murder.
That said, I’m still also uncomfortable with the idea that using the power of the state, the use of sanctioned force, to reduce abortion is in fact moral, or at least the best way to save babies from abortion. I certainly don’t think that the use of force against abortionists, and their clients are the only approach we should take for the protection of life.
I think we should offer as many alternatives to abortion as we can. We should encourage birth control. We should make it as easy for unwanted babies to be adopted.
I think we should pray for those things.
Most of all, I think of the woman choosing to abort to have a change of heart, We did not pray for the woman that may later choose to abort to abort to avoid pregnancy.
Why didn’t we?
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