Pro-Life is Pro-love
Hello, all -
I'm not someone to post directly about political nonsense on social media, or get involved in those petty arguments in comment threads. I may share certain articles, or "react" to the ones that I agree with on Facebook. But I do not go out of my way to try and convince other people that I am right and they are wrong; it is not in my nature to try and change people's minds. If someone asks questions about what I believe, or why I think a certain way, I am more than happy to try and explain myself. I can have discussions with people who want to listen, and with those that can hear differing opinions from their own and not lose their minds. I'm sure most, if not all of you know what I'm talking about. HOWEVER, today I've decided to put some facts and opinions out there about a very touchy subject; I do not know how people will react to this post. Quite frankly though, I don't really care if people react the wrong way. I'm not exactly the type of person to coddle people's feelings to avoid conflict. I do not like conflict in any form, and usually choose to stay silent when there's a chance of conflict arising. However, if someone asks me questions directly, I will not edit what I say to save their feelings. This subject especially, is quite near and dear to my heart; it is the only subject I've never been able to stay silent on, and the one subject where false fact-presenting infuriates me the most. But I digress; let's just get down to it, shall we?
Abortion is an extremely touchy subject right now. There's so much tension, strife, anger, and hurt coming out of both sides of the argument. It is a subject that most people avoid, as the waters can sometimes get muddied and confusing. While I definitely understand wanting to stay out of the abortion discussion as much as possible, recent events have popped up in my own hometown that have pushed me to help debunk certain rumors, and explain what the pro-life movement is really and truly about. Before I get into the main course of what I want to say, however, let me give some background on my own beliefs. I have a feeling that if I don't, people will make a lot of general assumptions based on the information I plan on discussing.
As I'm sure you have guessed by now, I am pro-life. Not in the extremist, you-are-wrong-and-I'm-right sense that so many people seem to believe about the pro-life movement. I do not have shouting matches with people, nor do I argue on social media about the subject. I am pro-life in the most literal sense; I believe all life is important, from the moment of conception, to natural death. I believe that all life is sacred because the Lord Himself created that life. I pray for those who do not see the manipulative evil that is abortion. I pray for those mothers who feel hopeless and lost; the women that feel their only choice at a full and worthwhile life is through the doors of an abortion clinic. I pray that they would come to know Christ, and realize that there is always light in the darkest of places. I pray that one day soon, we as a society will come around completely, and realize that abortion is simply manipulation of women that are in dark situations. I pray that the love and peace of Jesus would penetrate even the hardest of hearts in the pro-choice circle. I pray for the women I know on the front lines of the pro-life movement, who come face-to-face with this darkness every day; who get hate mail, and are threatened on the sidewalks. The ones that counsel women directly, and are leaders of the wonderful women's clinics and groups that support true empowerment of women. I pray for the hundreds of abortion workers that have left their clinics in the past years, that they would have peace in their hearts. I pray for those that are currently considering leaving their jobs at the clinics, that they would have the courage to step out in faith; that they would know how loved and supported they are. I pray for people, and I love people, and I truly believe that the tide is starting to turn in our favor. The pro-life movement that I am part of is often referred to as the "new" pro-life movement. We are pro-LOVE, and we do not believe in shouting our way to victory. We KNOW that victory is already ours, through the power of Christ and the Cross, and we have claimed that as our own. We do not push people to our side of the debate; we love them no matter what choices they make. We are all human, and we all sin. We have all been manipulated or coerced into something at one time or another. We MUST have grace for each other. We have to at least TRY to be understanding, and we NEED to learn how to be merciful to one another.
Now that you know my beliefs, let's get down to the meatier section of things:
As with all groups and organizations, there are those that take things to the most extreme level. The people that believe violence and anger are the best tactics for changing people's minds. Most unfortunately for those of us in the pro-life movement, there are groups that undermine what we are truly about. Groups that claim the title of "pro-life," yet are just as hateful and anger-filled as their counterparts; you know, the ones that they believe are evil and wrong. (Yes, that is sarcasm, and I apologize. It is hard not to be infuriated by those that claim the same title, yet undermine our true beliefs.) Most unfortunately, there is a group just like that that has caused several issues for the pro-life movement in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. There is only one abortion clinic left in the entire state of Kentucky, praise the Lord. The pro-life movement in Louisville is also KNOWN for being extremely peaceful and non-confrontational when outside of the clinic. Please keep that in mind as you keep reading.
I'm sure many of you have heard of the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act. It was put into place in 1994, and eliminated the need for blockades outside the abortion clinics. This means that while the pro-life groups and sidewalk counselors are allowed to stand on the sidewalk outside of the clinic, they are not allowed to block the entrance to the clinic. We are also allowed to approach and walk alongside of the women entering the clinic, as long as we don't prevent them from entering the building. At least, that's how things HAVE worked, up until the last week or so.
Operation Save America is one of those frustrating groups that claim the pro-life title, yet so often resort to anger and guilt tactics when talking to people. It is because of this group that a temporary buffer zone was created outside of the clinic, preventing any protestors - peaceful or not - from being on the clinic's property. They are also responsible for an outpouring of flyers that some of you may have pulled out of your mailbox this past week. Included in said flyer was a picture of one of the current clinic workers, along with her personal information and the words "killers among us" blazoned across the top of the flyer in red. This was such a violation of that poor woman's privacy, and puts her in potential danger. ALSO, on May thirteenth, eleven OSA protestors were arrested for chaining themselves to the clinic doors and blocking access to the building. The buffer zone was created before the group's return to Louisville for their national gathering, where they plan on protesting daily, holding a mock trial, etc.. It is precisely because of events like that blockade (what we call "rescues") that the FACE Act was created. Clinic blockades were all the rage back in the '80's and '90's; however, I like to think that we've actually made some progress in the past twenty or so years! Also, and I cannot emphasize this enough: OSA does NOT represent the pro-life movement as a whole. Clinic blockades are not an effective way to reach people. Fighting anger with more anger does nothing besides fuel the fire. I would also like to repeat what I said earlier: as with all groups and organizations, there are those extremists that give everyone else the wrong idea. Forty Days for Life, And Then There Were None, and other such pro-life groups are not affiliated with this angry display. I KNOW that OSA's basic foundational beliefs are the same as my own, and I feel for them deeply; however, I do not agree with their tactics. I believe that their hearts are in the right place, and that we are all fighting for the same end. But like I said before, we have to TRY and be understanding of others. Most importantly, we NEED to be merciful to our fellow human beings that are trying to navigate through dark places.
I know there are people out there who will read this and think I'm crazy for wanting the buffer zone gone. I know there are those who are arguing that it keeps the women safe and protected. All I can counter with is something I mentioned before: the Louisville chapter of the pro-life movement is KNOWN for being peaceful and non-confrontational. We are cautioned by our group leaders to remain peaceful, not engage anyone who confronts us in anger, don't condemn the women that come to us for any choices they've made, and to remember that we are pro-love above all else. To those in the pro-life movement that may become angry with me for calling out those that act out of anger... all I can say is that I'll be praying for the Lord to work in your hearts and soften them toward others. We are better than guilt-inducing scare tactics, and we are above yelling at each other from behind our computer screens.
The OSA members that were arrested before have agreed to abide by the temporary buffer zone; now we must pray that the rest of the members follow suit. More importantly, we need to be praying that this temporary buffer zone does not become permanent. As of today, it is in place for two weeks from the day it was set; hearings are underway to determine whether or not it should be permanent. It will be a very sad step backward if it IS made permanent. We've come so far, and have such a wonderful reputation for being peaceful! To think that it could be taken away is discouraging. HOWEVER, we know that fear is not of the Lord; and again, we know that victory is already ours, and we are claiming that, in the name of Jesus. We need to keep loving people, and stop trying to guilt them to our side. We don't like it when the opposition uses anger tactics toward us, so why would we ever do the same to them?
I'm not someone to post directly about political nonsense on social media, or get involved in those petty arguments in comment threads. I may share certain articles, or "react" to the ones that I agree with on Facebook. But I do not go out of my way to try and convince other people that I am right and they are wrong; it is not in my nature to try and change people's minds. If someone asks questions about what I believe, or why I think a certain way, I am more than happy to try and explain myself. I can have discussions with people who want to listen, and with those that can hear differing opinions from their own and not lose their minds. I'm sure most, if not all of you know what I'm talking about. HOWEVER, today I've decided to put some facts and opinions out there about a very touchy subject; I do not know how people will react to this post. Quite frankly though, I don't really care if people react the wrong way. I'm not exactly the type of person to coddle people's feelings to avoid conflict. I do not like conflict in any form, and usually choose to stay silent when there's a chance of conflict arising. However, if someone asks me questions directly, I will not edit what I say to save their feelings. This subject especially, is quite near and dear to my heart; it is the only subject I've never been able to stay silent on, and the one subject where false fact-presenting infuriates me the most. But I digress; let's just get down to it, shall we?
Abortion is an extremely touchy subject right now. There's so much tension, strife, anger, and hurt coming out of both sides of the argument. It is a subject that most people avoid, as the waters can sometimes get muddied and confusing. While I definitely understand wanting to stay out of the abortion discussion as much as possible, recent events have popped up in my own hometown that have pushed me to help debunk certain rumors, and explain what the pro-life movement is really and truly about. Before I get into the main course of what I want to say, however, let me give some background on my own beliefs. I have a feeling that if I don't, people will make a lot of general assumptions based on the information I plan on discussing.
As I'm sure you have guessed by now, I am pro-life. Not in the extremist, you-are-wrong-and-I'm-right sense that so many people seem to believe about the pro-life movement. I do not have shouting matches with people, nor do I argue on social media about the subject. I am pro-life in the most literal sense; I believe all life is important, from the moment of conception, to natural death. I believe that all life is sacred because the Lord Himself created that life. I pray for those who do not see the manipulative evil that is abortion. I pray for those mothers who feel hopeless and lost; the women that feel their only choice at a full and worthwhile life is through the doors of an abortion clinic. I pray that they would come to know Christ, and realize that there is always light in the darkest of places. I pray that one day soon, we as a society will come around completely, and realize that abortion is simply manipulation of women that are in dark situations. I pray that the love and peace of Jesus would penetrate even the hardest of hearts in the pro-choice circle. I pray for the women I know on the front lines of the pro-life movement, who come face-to-face with this darkness every day; who get hate mail, and are threatened on the sidewalks. The ones that counsel women directly, and are leaders of the wonderful women's clinics and groups that support true empowerment of women. I pray for the hundreds of abortion workers that have left their clinics in the past years, that they would have peace in their hearts. I pray for those that are currently considering leaving their jobs at the clinics, that they would have the courage to step out in faith; that they would know how loved and supported they are. I pray for people, and I love people, and I truly believe that the tide is starting to turn in our favor. The pro-life movement that I am part of is often referred to as the "new" pro-life movement. We are pro-LOVE, and we do not believe in shouting our way to victory. We KNOW that victory is already ours, through the power of Christ and the Cross, and we have claimed that as our own. We do not push people to our side of the debate; we love them no matter what choices they make. We are all human, and we all sin. We have all been manipulated or coerced into something at one time or another. We MUST have grace for each other. We have to at least TRY to be understanding, and we NEED to learn how to be merciful to one another.
Now that you know my beliefs, let's get down to the meatier section of things:
As with all groups and organizations, there are those that take things to the most extreme level. The people that believe violence and anger are the best tactics for changing people's minds. Most unfortunately for those of us in the pro-life movement, there are groups that undermine what we are truly about. Groups that claim the title of "pro-life," yet are just as hateful and anger-filled as their counterparts; you know, the ones that they believe are evil and wrong. (Yes, that is sarcasm, and I apologize. It is hard not to be infuriated by those that claim the same title, yet undermine our true beliefs.) Most unfortunately, there is a group just like that that has caused several issues for the pro-life movement in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. There is only one abortion clinic left in the entire state of Kentucky, praise the Lord. The pro-life movement in Louisville is also KNOWN for being extremely peaceful and non-confrontational when outside of the clinic. Please keep that in mind as you keep reading.
I'm sure many of you have heard of the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act. It was put into place in 1994, and eliminated the need for blockades outside the abortion clinics. This means that while the pro-life groups and sidewalk counselors are allowed to stand on the sidewalk outside of the clinic, they are not allowed to block the entrance to the clinic. We are also allowed to approach and walk alongside of the women entering the clinic, as long as we don't prevent them from entering the building. At least, that's how things HAVE worked, up until the last week or so.
Operation Save America is one of those frustrating groups that claim the pro-life title, yet so often resort to anger and guilt tactics when talking to people. It is because of this group that a temporary buffer zone was created outside of the clinic, preventing any protestors - peaceful or not - from being on the clinic's property. They are also responsible for an outpouring of flyers that some of you may have pulled out of your mailbox this past week. Included in said flyer was a picture of one of the current clinic workers, along with her personal information and the words "killers among us" blazoned across the top of the flyer in red. This was such a violation of that poor woman's privacy, and puts her in potential danger. ALSO, on May thirteenth, eleven OSA protestors were arrested for chaining themselves to the clinic doors and blocking access to the building. The buffer zone was created before the group's return to Louisville for their national gathering, where they plan on protesting daily, holding a mock trial, etc.. It is precisely because of events like that blockade (what we call "rescues") that the FACE Act was created. Clinic blockades were all the rage back in the '80's and '90's; however, I like to think that we've actually made some progress in the past twenty or so years! Also, and I cannot emphasize this enough: OSA does NOT represent the pro-life movement as a whole. Clinic blockades are not an effective way to reach people. Fighting anger with more anger does nothing besides fuel the fire. I would also like to repeat what I said earlier: as with all groups and organizations, there are those extremists that give everyone else the wrong idea. Forty Days for Life, And Then There Were None, and other such pro-life groups are not affiliated with this angry display. I KNOW that OSA's basic foundational beliefs are the same as my own, and I feel for them deeply; however, I do not agree with their tactics. I believe that their hearts are in the right place, and that we are all fighting for the same end. But like I said before, we have to TRY and be understanding of others. Most importantly, we NEED to be merciful to our fellow human beings that are trying to navigate through dark places.
I know there are people out there who will read this and think I'm crazy for wanting the buffer zone gone. I know there are those who are arguing that it keeps the women safe and protected. All I can counter with is something I mentioned before: the Louisville chapter of the pro-life movement is KNOWN for being peaceful and non-confrontational. We are cautioned by our group leaders to remain peaceful, not engage anyone who confronts us in anger, don't condemn the women that come to us for any choices they've made, and to remember that we are pro-love above all else. To those in the pro-life movement that may become angry with me for calling out those that act out of anger... all I can say is that I'll be praying for the Lord to work in your hearts and soften them toward others. We are better than guilt-inducing scare tactics, and we are above yelling at each other from behind our computer screens.
The OSA members that were arrested before have agreed to abide by the temporary buffer zone; now we must pray that the rest of the members follow suit. More importantly, we need to be praying that this temporary buffer zone does not become permanent. As of today, it is in place for two weeks from the day it was set; hearings are underway to determine whether or not it should be permanent. It will be a very sad step backward if it IS made permanent. We've come so far, and have such a wonderful reputation for being peaceful! To think that it could be taken away is discouraging. HOWEVER, we know that fear is not of the Lord; and again, we know that victory is already ours, and we are claiming that, in the name of Jesus. We need to keep loving people, and stop trying to guilt them to our side. We don't like it when the opposition uses anger tactics toward us, so why would we ever do the same to them?
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"
Matthew 5:43-48, ESV.
"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all His mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, 'Jump,' and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."
1 Corinthians 13:1-7, MSG.
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