One of the most common accusations thrown against pro-lifers is that we want to “shame women” into agreeing with us. Here are three reasons why that’s simply not true:
1) It’s not “us” we want people to agree with.
We don’t think we’re that great or that important. Really, we don’t. The pro-life issue isn’t about “us” at all. It’s about innocent, helpless human beings who are literally being executed every day.
Strong words, I know, but it’s the reality of what actually happens in abortion that we want people to face. Human babies are ripped apart, limb from limb; women are physically and emotionally damaged — sometimes destroyed; families are broken apart; society becomes callused to violence and death because it occurs literally everywhere we look.
So what is abortion? Go here to read more about it, here to see the reality with your own eyes, and here to read about 10 reasons not to choose abortion.
2) The real facts aren’t about causing shame.
It’s true that if a woman has already chosen abortion, the real facts about what abortion did to her child could cause her to feel guilt. She could even feel shame — “…results from comparison of the self’s action with the self’s standards” — but not because we, or even the facts, imposed that shame on her.
In 2013, CNN featured the stories of hundreds of women who wrote about their abortions. The vast majority wrote with great heartache, expressing a deep regret for their abortions.
Shame and guilt — while initially hard to deal with — are feelings that can actually point us in healthy directions. Shame and guilt can help us find the healing we need for things in our past that we regret. They can help us come to terms with a horrible decision we made, and actually see what’s wrong about what we did. This is the beginning of a healthy process of healing. What’s truly dangerous and unhealthy is refusing to deal with or face the facts of our past actions. Pro-lifers want women to find healing.
“At 8 weeks, this baby can kick and straighten his legs, and move his arms up and down.” (Photo credit: Life Dynamics.
Even still, the facts surrounding abortion aren’t designed to cause shame. The facts shine light on the humanity of every unborn child, at every stage of life. They shine light on the beauty of responsibility and of an unselfish care for others.
We wouldn’t even need the facts about what abortion is if people willingly focused on the facts about what — and who — a baby is.
The basic facts are actually beautiful and awe-inspiring. (Seriously, check them out.)
For anyone — woman or man — seeking healing after an abortion, contact a pregnancy resource center, and they can point you to an appropriate program or to mentors closest to your area.
3) Our goal is simple: to let innocent human beings live.
Truthfully, the pro-life movement has a lot in common with other social justice movements of our day. The broad goal of social justice — however complicated to carry out — is quite simple in its basic form: to be a part of saving, protecting, defending, and rescuing human beings from the wrong that is happening to them.
What’s the goal of people working to end human trafficking and other slavery? To let innocent human beings live, without being oppressed and abused. What’s the goal of people working to bring clean water to villages around the world? To let innocent human beings live, without being exposed to diseases that kill them at high rates. What’s the goal of people working in refugee camps? To let innocent human beings live, in a safe, healthy environment. And what’s the goal of pro-lifers? To let innocent human beings live, without being suctioned or ripped to pieces in the only place of safety they’ve ever known.
So in the end, what exactly do pro-lifers want? Instead of “shaming women,” what we hope is that men and women throughout our nation will make the humane choice to let innocent human beings stay alive. It really is that simple.
Note: For more help, if you’re considering abortion, check out this article and find a pregnancy resource center close to you or call 800-712-HELP, where there will be people more than willing to talk, share more facts with you, and help you out. For guys, you can call the number, too, or check out this article.
