What is life? What does it mean to have life? How precious is life to us as human beings? These are all important questions, but somehow, in today's culture, we have found a way to refrain from answering these questions directly or make them seem irrelevant. As I was trying to figure out what to write about this week, I came across this article about pregnancy centers. The title of the article is viewpoint discrimination. It talks about how the New York city council is considering the strictest regulations yet for pregnancy centers. In the article, it states how these crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) has a hidden anti abortion agenda. It also states in the article that the CPCs manipulate and trick the people that come in for advice to give birth rather going into abortion. One thing I do not get is that why are certain people so bent on making abortion legal or trying to encourage others to get it. What makes a man to say that abortion is the only way out in the cases where the pregnancy was not planned. I am not by any means saying that it is right to trick people into giving birth than going into abortion. I am not even sure if what the CPCs is being accused of is called tricking. Some of the reasons cited by the council that the CPCs are saying to the pregnant women are breast cancer, future infertility, and post-abortion syndrome. I am not sure about the breast cancer side effect, but the other two are very much possible. Life is too precious and for some reason, we are failing to see that as humans. How can trying to save babies who cannot talk or protest for themselves be an act of discrimination? I do not get this. I guess sometimes we underestimate the amount of evil that can take place in a man's heart or else I do not see how a whole state's council will try to stop organizations dedicated to saving lives of unborn babies rather than aborting them.
I have done a lot of volunteering at Christian crisis pregnancy centers. I used to work at one right across the street from an abortion clinic in Knoxville, and sometimes we would actually have people with appointments there show up at our center on accident. Once I told a lady who accidentally came into our center that she meant to go across the street, but that if she would like to sit down with a counselor here beforehad, this is what we do offer, "free pregnancy testing, STD testing, counseling, and an opportunity to discuss all her options." She wasn't up for that and thats ok. However, an older coworker of mine was very upset with me and told me that I should have met with her because she had an "appointment." What do you think would have happened once she got into that counseling room? She would have realized we deceived her!!! I was not okay with lying! Therefore, unfortunately some, with good heart, do try to trick women out of abortions. However, it is my experience that most people at the crisis pregnancy center want to educate women on all options, assess their orientation toward or away from God, and help them in their current circumstances (many teen girls want abortions because of fear of telling someone). Much of my counseling was helping women make a game plan for having to tell someone, get a job, etc. Often women say they love the Lord, and yet have sex or want abortions. Personally, I try to find those inconstancies and work with it, "On the one hand you say..., but on the other hand you do..., what is your understanding of Scripture in this area?" Thats usually where I find the opportunity to work with Scripture. Last story! I had a mother of 3 come into the center and say she wanted no more children and wanted an abortion. She also said she was raised in church. So on a hunch I had a feeling that what she wanted to do didn't completely fall in line with her belief system. She also fought for her first 3 pregnancies by taking progesterone shots to sustain them. So, in this circumstance we went through all the abortion procedures and the possible side effects so that she would know what she was going into. However, I did not emphasize the side effects to scare her, I said these are possible and probably very rare. This was one of the few circumstances where I actually talked about the abortion procedures. Our center had enough resources that we had a nursing staff and ultrasound machines. Women who were abortion minded we tried to get in very quickly for an ultrasound so they could see their baby. Most often there is a huge disconnect with the mothers and their babies, and just seeing the baby helps them choose life. Is this manipulative? I don't think so. We are fighting not only for the mothers, but for the lives that cannot speak! Where I worked, the understanding was that your best bet for saving the child is to minister to the mother. This means never "preaching" to the mother or making the mother feel guilty by only talking about the life that is inside her, or angry if thats not what she believes. If we help the mothers where they are, we are more likely to see a better outcome than to just continue the "life begins at conception argument" in the counseling room. I'm glad you brought this up Kay!
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ReplyDeleteI think offering counsel and advice to women that are considering abortion is exactly what is needed. The women that are pregnant unexpectantly are confused, uncertain, and pressured by others. In all things I believe we need to tell people the truth and let God do the work in their heart. We cannot force people to choose not to abort but we can be a light to the world by showing others the sanctity of life that God has so freely given by the creation of mankind and through his son Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with Nicky. We absolutely cannot force people to make a certain decision-that would probably serve to create more problems and confusion. We must only counsel and serve as a support for those struggling with such a monumental decision in their lives.
ReplyDeleteWell, life is precious and must be valued. It is gross evil to subvert life or terminate it, therefore, you must not destroy what you cannot create. However, education rather than condemnation is a vital tool in helping people make valued and godly decisions.
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