My Thoughts on Abortion

I’ve seen so much on Facebook these last couple of days regarding reproductive rights, women’s equality, and the freedom to choose.  I’ve considered posting something time and again, but have refrained from doing so for several reasons.  The first one is good, old fashioned fear.  I don’t want a confrontation and I don’t want to be ridiculed for my beliefs.  The second was because I was afraid I might lose some friends in the process.  But, regardless of the outcome, I don’t feel I can stay silent any more.

I am against abortion.  Period.  There is no scenario in which I can envision abortion to be an appropriate response.  I believe abortion stops a beating heart and ends a human life.  Ask any woman who has mourned a miscarriage when she thinks life begins.  You can ask me, for that matter.  My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

About the time a woman may begin to suspect she’s pregnant (5-6 weeks), a heartbeat is already present.  The heartbeat is actually what you’ll see on a sonogram when you go in to your doctor’s office to confirm your pregnancy.  If you abort, you stop that heart. You might be able to feel your baby move within you at 15 weeks, but certainly by 20 weeks.   Also at 20 weeks, you might be able to tell, with pretty good accuracy, whether you’re having a boy or a girl.  So, if you’re considering aborting after the pivotal 20 weeks, you likely have felt the unviable fetus move and you can determine whether the unviable fetus was a boy or a girl.  It’s not my intent to be sarcastic.  These are just the facts.  Also a fact - there are babies who have survived abortion attempts.  You can google it.  Gianna Jessen is an outspoken abortion survivor.

It’s strange to me that only with humans do we vary our terminology based on our desire.  If you want to be pregnant, you’re going to have a baby.  If you want to terminate the pregnancy, it’s an unviable fetus, or a cluster of biological matter.  As a society, we place more protections on the unborn of endangered wildlife than we do on human life.

I understand that not all life is conceived willingly.  There are horrific accounts of rape and incest resulting in pregnancy.  I still don’t believe in abortion, because I believe in God.  I believe in a God that can turn a terrible situation into a blessing.  I believe in a God who will not give us more than we can bear.  I believe in a God who has given all of us free will to choose and to act, but who will call us to account one day.

I do believe that I should have the right to exercise free will over my own body.  But I do not believe an abortion fits that description.  It is not my body that will be burned with a saline solution.  It is not my body that will be dismembered.  It is not my body that will cease to live.  It’s all well and good to discuss the ideologies of abortion and the philosophies for and against, but I think the real issue is missed.  To truly understand abortion, you have to see the results.  They are graphic and heartbreaking.  A simple google search will show you exactly what an abortion is and what it does (It was originally my intention to link this. I decided not to, in case someone accidentally clicked on it.  You can google “abortion results” and click on images if you truly want to see it).  Whatever your beliefs, let’s stop kidding ourselves.  An abortion kills a baby.  It doesn’t really matter how or why.  You can’t get around the fact that before the abortion a baby would have been born, and after the abortion the baby is gone.

I do not judge women who have abortions.  I am sad for them and I am devastated for the lost child.  I believe they will live with more emotional turmoil than they can fathom, if they don’t shut down completely.  It is not my place, nor my desire, to pass judgment on them.  Most people are doing the best they can to get by.  I pray for them.  I pray for healing, for understanding, and for a change of heart.  But as a voter, you can be sure I will vote against abortion every chance I get.

If after you read this, you feel the need to defriend me, that is your choice.  If I have caused you to pause and reconsider your stance, I am truly grateful.  If you’d like to have a calm discussion, I am open and available.

Life is short and often hard.  Whatever else we do, let’s be civil and polite, even when we disagree.  As always, thanks for reading