article by site-founder, Connie Rice
We have recently seen some groups, individuals, and even some government officials vilify pro-life pregnancy centers across the nation, verbally, by damaging facilities, and even through legislation in some areas. The narrative is that the centers are “deceptive” and “harmful” and must be shut down because they don’t refer for abortions. Why is this? I thought it was good for women to have a choice. Unless someone has had personal experience with what goes on in these centers, they may think that this vitriol is somehow deserved. I’ve had personal experience with three different centers over the past 29 years. I only wish I had found one of these centers when I faced my own crisis pregnancy in 1980 – the son that God later revealed to me that I was carrying would be 42 years old now.
These organizations are entirely donor-supported and carry very limited staffing. Most of the positions are filled by volunteers fully committed to helping women face unplanned pregnancies – with encouragement, prayer, a listening ear, material support (ie. maternity clothing, diapers, baby clothes & supplies), and free classes in parenting and life skills, etc.). They also offer studies to help women find hope & healing after having had an abortion and referrals for other forms of available support. They believe that human life is a precious gift from God that should be protected, and they are willing to use their time, efforts, and money to stand in the gap for the youngest and most vulnerable of humans – those in the womb who have no voice and no defense. The “Charlotte Lozier Institute” has fact sheets based on available data and one of these has 2019 data about pro-life centers. A 47-min press conference can be viewed as well.
With medical technology and imaging, we now know far more about human development in the womb than was known when abortion became a political issue early in the 70s. This was the only medical intervention (before recent transgender drugs and surgeries) that interfered with the natural development of a healthy person – the intentional killing of a tiny human. Statistics show that in 95% of all abortions, the moms and babies are both healthy. We now know all the stages of pregnancy and that a baby’s heart is beating at 6 weeks (usually before the mom knows she’s pregnant) and at 10 weeks, that all of his or her major structures are already formed (arms, legs, toes, and organs). With recent technology, parents are even able to sign up for an app where they can see the development stage of their child throughout the entire pregnancy. Recent research shows that fetal pain exists by about 15 weeks of gestation. The Bible acknowledges the distinct human life of babies before their birth.
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.”
Many are not aware of the history of abortion in America before the 1970s. Although in recent decades, the idea of feminism and abortion seem intertwined – that if someone is a feminist, then they are naturally pro-abortion. However, pro-life feminists exist today and the most well known of early feminists (Elizabeth Cody Stanton, Susan B Anthony, Alice Paul, & Lucretia Mott) were staunchly pro-life.
“When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.”
quote from early feminist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
“Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.”
quote from Alice Paul, who drafted the original version of the Equal Rights Amendment
The narrative from the pro-abortion side of the debate has changed over time. At first, they said that abortion should be legal to save women from the dangers of “back-alley abortions” and deadly “coat-hanger abortions”. The narrative changed to that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare”. The original Roe vs. Wade decision was limited to abortion before the child was viable (able to live on its own outside of the womb) or in the life or health of the mother. The follow-up case of Doe vs. Bolton that expanded the newly discovered “right to privacy” (not stated or guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) and adjusted the term “health of the mother” to cover any reason with no limitations regarding viability.
What we are seeing now, especially since the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, is the pro-abortion side arguing for laws to protect killing unborn children up to the point of birth and even once the baby has been born if he or she miraculously survives the attempt to abort them (providing “comfort care” while they die from lack of medical attention). Tragically, our culture has convinced many that abortion is a form of “health care” and use terms that avoid the humanity of the unborn (product of conception, blob of tissue, etc.).
Something else that people may not know is that many of the women involved in pro-life centers are the surviving victims of abortion themselves. They have suffered in various ways – I knew one volunteer whose abortion left her unable to have another child, I knew many for whom the “choice” was pushed on them by someone else (including me). Many women regret their decision and want to keep other women from suffering as they have. They want women to know that hope and healing from the guilt of taking the life of one’s own child is possible through the incredible grace and mercy of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. Many women, like myself, have already experienced His forgiveness and were not aware that He offers more healing beyond His forgiveness.
Many do not realize that a previous abortion affects so many other important areas of our lives and relationships (emotional, mental, physical) in negative ways, and that a post-abortion study brings these things into the light so the Lord can restore us more than we imagined possible. That is why I make myself available to take other women through the healing process that brought me so much peace and freedom, as a volunteer through a local pro-life pregnancy center. More and more centers are now offering Bible studies to men who have been involved in a past abortion decision so they can find freedom through Jesus as well.
The more we learn about abortion and those who promote it, along with the more we learn about the pro-life centers – the more clearly we see this as a battle between life and death. God is the Creator of life and the source of all that is good. Satan is the destroyer of life and seeks to destroy all that is good. Men and women are different, no matter how the world tries to blur the distinctions. Women have been given the amazing role of bringing forth life and have also been given the gift of being able to nurture that life. Abortion cannot be for their good because with it, they are fighting against the very nature of who they are.
Satan has done a great job of convincing women that somehow abortion is for their benefit, but that is a dreadful lie. Bringing a new life into the world and being that innocent child’s protector and nurturer is more rewarding than any career could ever be. It isn’t easy, which is why our culture should promote sex within marriage and not continue to make sexual activity outside of marriage the cultural norm. Studies continue to show that children do best when they have both parents (mother and father) who provide a home in which their children can grow and thrive. A “National Review” article, “Children Do Better When Raised in Intact Two-parent Homes” discusses the issue.
All one really has to do is look objectively at the results of our culture after decades of pushing abortion, divorce, sex without boundaries, and the focus on self and pleasure while trying to eliminate the natural consequences of our actions. Unfortunately, healthy, intact families are no longer common. Of course, every family has a certain element of dysfunction because we are all flawed people, but with weddings in which the couple has decided to honor God in their relationship and with their vows, there’s something so beautiful and pure that is missing in other weddings. The same is true in hospitals when someone dies or at their funerals – if the person trusted in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, there is hope for a reunion along with grief, but a lack of the despair that is present many times when the person and their surviving loved ones do not know the Lord. Death is an intrusion – God created a perfect world, but sin, sickness, evil, and death entered the world as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. For the believer, death is a transition from this life to the next; Jesus sustains us through the trials of this life and in the next, we live forever in His presence in heaven, where no sickness, evil, or death will exist. He gave His life to give us freedom from the bondage of sin and the promise of eternity with Him – our lives belong to Him and He deserves our complete surrender to His will. That is where we find true freedom and the peace that only He can offer.
Pro-life centers have no financial motivation, unlike abortion providers. They exist and offer compassionate support when a woman needs it most – along with material support and helpful classes to help them to get through a difficult time in their own lives. Their services are entirely free, with no strings attached. Those who oppose them must not have spoken to any of their clients, who generally have glowing testimonies of the help they have received. They offer more for free than any other organization offers for a fee. If pro-life centers are not allowed to exist, the losers will be the women who need a helping hand at a challenging time in their lives so they can have real choices – not just the choice to abort their child. If you’d like to know more of what they do, I’d encourage you to do your own research. Women (and men) can benefit from the services provided by pro-life centers. Every precious child that is born is celebrated and it’s not unusual for clients to come back and visit with their child even when they no longer need services. We should do all we can to support pro-life centers, who are valuable assets to every community.
© Constance Rice 2023
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