Posted on 11/05/2014 11:24:24 AM PST by wagglebee
I recently spoke at an amazing pro-life conference in Washington State. After my talk, I had a woman come up to me and tell me that I should really tone down my message. She said that she is sure that my message will offend people. She said that I should try to find “common language” with those who support abortion.
Okay, let’s explore that.
“Common language” sounds nice, but when you actually look at the differences behind that language, you see it just isn’t possible. Here are eight reasons why finding a "common language" with pro-aborts is impossible:
1. When I say, “I want women to have access to authentic female healthcare,” I mean that I want women to have access to healthcare that supports their natural femininity. I mean that I want women to have access to healthcare that doesn’t include the use of contraception and abortion.
Maybe it’s time to worry less about delivering watered down messages and speak truth in love without compromise.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want women to have access to authentic female healthcare,” they mean that they believe women should have easy (and free) access to pills that suppress their fertility. They mean that they believe that taking the lives of unborn children is part of healthcare.
2. When I say, “I want women to have control over their bodies,” I mean that I want women to know and embrace their fertility. I want women to value their bodies, not simply be seen as a sex object. I want women and men to understand the dignity of their sexuality. I want women to understand that the most beautiful thing a woman’s body does is to grow other human beings.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want women to have control over their bodies,” that is a rallying cry for abortion. They mean that women should be able to control and kill the separate human being in their body. They mean that they want women to hate their fertility, to see it as enslavement, and in response to that, to “fix” their unbroken fertility with pills and other invasive methods of birth control.
3. When I say, “I want women to be safe,” I mean that women deserve better than abortion. I mean that I want women to stay away from abortion because it is not safe for them. I want women to understand the physical and emotional consequences related to abortion.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want women to be safe,” they mean that they want women to have unlimited access to abortion services without any additional barriers…even if those barriers are there to protect women.
4. When I say, “I want women to choose what’s best for them,” I mean that I want women to make choices that don’t involving harming themselves or killing another human being. I want women to know that there are other choices besides abortion…choices they can live with and have no regret.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want women to choose what’s best for them,” they almost always mean abortion. Abortion supporters have attempted to normalize abortion in a way that makes it seem “okay” to take the life of another human being. They aren’t interested in a woman actually making a choice. They are interested in women having abortions.
5. When I say, “I want us to take care of children,” I mean that we should take care of all children…born and unborn. I mean that we should all stand up for those in our foster care systems. I mean that we should sacrifice our luxuries for children and their mothers.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want us to take care of children,” they mean that we should only care for those who are already born. And what they really mean is that it is only the pro-life movement’s responsibility to care for children in foster care. They mean that it’s only our responsibility to provide for women and their children. They mean that they are not willing to sacrifice their own luxuries, but we are to sacrifice ours.
6. When I say, “I stand for equal rights,” I mean equal rights for all persons…from the moment of conception until natural death. I mean that I believe in the equal human dignity of all persons, no matter the “contribution” they make to society.
When an abortion supporter says, “I stand for equal rights,” they mean that they only stand for the rights of those who are contributors to society. They are quick to marginalize the most vulnerable among us: the unborn, the elderly and the differently-abled.
7. When I say, “I am for choice,” I mean that I am for choices that don’t involve killing a human being. I mean that I support women making wise choices before they get pregnant. I am for women choosing to make adoption plans, choosing to be single parents, choosing to marry the father of their child and raising that child together, choosing to still pursue a career and education after having a child, choosing to ask their parents and support system for help when raising their child.
When an abortion supporter says, “I am for choice,” they really only mean the choice of abortion. Period.
8. When I say, “I want women to feel empowered,” I mean that I want women to embrace their bodies, their fertility and their children. I want women to know that they don’t have to choose between their baby and their education…that they don’t have to choose between their baby and a career…that they don’t have to choose between their baby and a man. I want women to know that there are hundreds of people who will support them in their decision to parent or place their child for adoption. I want them to know that abortion strips you of your power. I want them to know that empowerment does not come from pitting a woman against her child.
When an abortion supporter says, “I want women to feel empowered,” they mean that women are too weak to be moms and complete their education. They mean that you have to choose between being a mom and having a successful career. They mean that they actually have no idea what empowerment really is.
Abby, how can you possibly say these things? How can you possibly know what abortion supporters mean when they say these things??
Well, because I have said these things on both sides of this issue. I know the meaning behind these phrases as an abortion supporter, because I was one for eight years.
I speak on this issue because I get it. I get how people are blinded by language. And honestly, I get how people are blinded by our desire to “meet in the middle.” But when you look at the reality of abortion, there is no middle ground. You either support the killing of the unborn or you don’t. There is no grey area.
How do we convert people? How do we help them see that the meaning behind our language is totally different?
Well, we just speak charitable truth. We love people. And sometimes that truth and love offends. We have to be okay with that.
Maybe it’s time to worry less about delivering watered down messages and speak truth in love without compromise. Maybe we should worry less about offending those who are far away from the truth. Maybe we should worry more about being compassionate, loving and planting seeds of truth…even if it’s a hard truth.
I say it’s time to stop apologizing for delivering our message of truth. I will never be sorry for speaking the truth in love.
This is really all anyone needs to know. Nearly 4000 INNOCENT AMERICAN BABIES ARE KILLED EACH DAY and the abortionists only want to see that number go up.
As the pro-aborts get more brazen there is actually some common ground on the facts. The pro-aborts are now more likely to admit that they are killing babies rather than “tissue.” This is common ground of a sort.
I am 100% against abortion.
This woman wants to regulate women’s fertility.
I don’t see what one has to do with the other. Well, actually I do. Less contraception, more abortion.
Why would anyone force a woman to conceive a child that is unwanted or not able to be cared for? This kind of attitude is fodder for the “pro-choice” folks.
uhhh....cause there is no middle ground between alive and dead?
Do you say "Okay, you just get to kill two out of every three babies and the third one gets born and adopted."?
"In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit."
-- Ayn Rand
Excellent article.
My Dad is a member of the clergy in New York. He gave a sermon two weeks before the election that didn’t at all endorse a candidate, but told the congregation that they had the obligation to vote in favor of life.
The next week, the church got nasty letters from some members of the congregation.
It’s amazing to me that those people can sit in a church and be pro-abortion. Really, if ANYONE is wasting their time going to church, it’s people who are so offended by a clergyman telling the congregation that they should vote against the murder of babies.
Good article by Abby Johnson.
Abby Johnson claims millions in fraud in ‘whistleblower’ lawsuit against Planned Parenthood
Abby Johnson: When I was a Planned Parenthood manager, I would have died for abortion
Abby Johnson: Celebrating Two Years Since I Quit Planned Parenthood
Abby Johnson: Parents, Tell Your Kids About Abortion; The Baby is Broken
Two Abortion Facility Workers Quit, Abby Johnson Says [FReepers: we can help them]
The new Abby Johnson?: Another Planned Parenthood manager quits and converts to pro-life
Abby Johnson: Abortion Doc Told Patient “I Will Take Your Sin”
Abby Johnson Joins LifeNews.com as Guest Pro-Life Blogger
Abby Johnson: ‘I would give my life’ to undo the evil I caused at Planned Parenthood
Former Planned Parenthood director: Dr. Nathanson ‘gave me hope I could do the same’
Former Planned Parenthood director, now pro-life, to become Catholic [Catholic Caucus]
A Deadly Domino Effect : Abby Johnson left Planned Parenthood and joined the cause of life.
Former Planned Parenthood director joins staff of Live Action
Former Planned Parenthood director to become Catholic
Former Planned Parenthood director to convert to Catholicism
Former Planned Parenthood director releases book
Escape from Abortion: A Review of unPlanned by Abby Johnson
Former Planned Parenthood director releases book
Escape from Abortion: A Review of unPlanned by Abby Johnson
First Chapter of Abby Johnson's Planned Parenthood Book Unplanned
As bad as abortion is it is an even worse political football. It is one of the top 2 or 3 issues that give the Democrats power. It’s just too easy. A battle that you can’t win today. You can despise those who do it but tbe cost of it being a policy weapon is Obamacare which kills people too
“Really, if ANYONE is wasting their time going to church, it’s people who are so offended by a clergyman telling the congregation that they should vote against the murder of babies.”
I would imagine they are the people that need to be in church. And I imagine God is trying His best to open their hearts. (But yeah - I don’t get it either.)
I think some Christians are Democrats as because the Democrats sell themselves as the helpers of the poor, the weak, etc. Which some people confuse with the Biblical traits of helping the poor and weak.
But then I guess they end up buying into all of the other crap (abortion, gay marriage, etc.)
"This woman wants *WOMEN* to regulate women’s fertility."
Fixed it for you.
True - about God trying to open their hearts — but it almost seems demonic to go into a church and then send abusive letters to the clergy preaching the tenets of the religion.
I often tell the annoying holier-than-thou atheist liberals among my friends, when they get on my back about “Jesus would have been a democrat” that it’s BS because Jesus isn’t handing out any brownie points for FORCED giving.
This is EXACTLY what the Whigs were saying to conservatives 160 years ago:
As bad as abortion SLAVERY is it is an even worse political football. It is one of the top 2 or 3 issues that give the Democrats power. It’s just too easy. A battle that you can’t win today.
Guess what? The conservatives left the Whigs, formed the GOP and in just over a decade they ended slavery.
You can despise those who do it but tbe cost of it being a policy weapon is Obamacare which kills people too
Abortion has killed nearly 60 MILLION INNOCENT AMERICANS since 1973 and that number increases EVERY 24 SECONDS. I really don't give a damn what it "costs" to end it.
The fact is, abortion and contraception go up in tandem.
Now, why would that be?
(Think, think, think.)
The problem seems to be this:
Your idea that contraception reduces unintended pregnancies is a perfectly reasonable inference from pharmacological evidence, but not a reasonable inference from societal evidence. Your conclusion is obvious, common-sensical, and factually incorrect.
This is because contraception has two principal results, one intended and one unintended.
A contraceptive reduces the odds of any particular act of intercourse resulting in pregnancy.
But the easy availability of contraceptives spawns a mentality which holds that intercourse, once intended for procreation and for pleasure, is now intended for pleasure tout court.
The first (intended) consequence has resulted in fewer births per x number of acts of intercourse, albeit with a 3% - 30% typical-use "failure" rate (Highly relevant link on contraceptive failure rates).---an offensive term, but its meaning is "pregnancy rate." The second (unintended) consequence has been a massive increase in the frequency of intercourse between people who are not married to each other, hardly even like each other, are not building a life together, and/or, even if married, have no intention of being co-responsible for a baby.
Altogether, 53% of unplanned pregnancies occur to women who are using contraceptives (that includes the Pill, condoms, jellies, jams, and sprays), but nearly 100% of these women are surprised, affronted, feel angry, betrayed, etc. by the now-shocking fact that sex led to pregnancy.
This number is greater than the number of men who feel that way, because increasingly, men don't think about it at all. ("Pregnancy? Well, whatever. That's her problem.")
This leads to promiscuity, divorces, abortion, skyrocketing STD's (HPV now infecting one in four sexually active Americans), sub-baboon levels of sexual responsibility, mutual contempt between men and women, mutual contempt between parents and children, etc.
Contraceptives were the paraphernalia of Ye Olde Sexual Revolution. That's old news. That happened 50 years ago. What's happened since --- the 50 million American abortions and the 30% American illegitimacy rate (in the most contraceptive - subsidized communities, 70% illegitimacy) is the result.
(Just waiting for the typical liberal response: It didn't work? Well, that's because we didn't do it enough! Do it earlier! Easier! Faster! Door-to-door! Coast-to-coast! Make it mandatory! Above all, let's throw more money at it...)
We just saw that here in Tennessee 25 hours ago. We passed a pro0-life Amendment (Amendment One) and MORE PEOPLE voted on the Amendment issue than voted on the entire governor's race, and I mean Democrat+Republican+ all the Seen Dwarves. The pro-abrtion ide outspent the pro-life side by almot 4-to-1 and pro-life sill won.
And how 'bout Texas! Look around.
Language can be confusing. Try thinking your ideas through before committing them for just anybody to read. Then, perhaps, you can explain your concerns.
When I say that I am for abortion should it threaten the health of the mother, I mean that should the mother get a life threatening illness or be so severely injured that the only way to save her is to take the baby, then by all means, save the mother.
When a pro-abortion says it, they mean that should the mother even worry about the pregnancy, that is enough “mental anguish” to qualify for an abortion.
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