Andy Gill
What will the repercussions be?
It’s a tough issue to discuss. It’s personal, it’s dark, and it’s deeply entwined with politics and religion.
But, here are the quick facts I think we should consider regarding abortion…
Research shows that women won’t stop getting abortions; there will just be unhealthier and more dangerous attempts made at getting them. It makes my inner “social libertarian” side wonder how effective laws actually are…? [2]
As unsurprisingly, research shows abortion restrictions typically don’t lower rates… While it is true that “The number of abortions in the United States increased gradually from 1973, then peaked in 1990 and has been on the decline since then.[3]”
But, with this being said we must keep in mind that when abortion is illegal it’s a lot harder to track and monitor; re: surveillance… it’s not always a bad thing; contrary to what some might believe, I am not against the government. Putting certain structures in place can help better monitor and therefore regulate the safety of things such as guns, drugs, STDs, and, in this instance, abortion.
It’s the question of, what is this all about, really?
Do women have rights over their body?
I mean, do women have authority over their bodies?
Of course, this is why we’re asking and posing the question of when life begins…
But, before we ask that and even well-after we’ve answered it (if we ever do) there are so many other questions looming around it; for instance…
If we take away the right to abort then, how will this impact a woman’s right to make decisions impacting her body? e.g. if having a baby is life-threatening, does a woman have a right to then abort in order to protect herself? In instances of rape or incest how then do we productively move forward without dehumanizing her experience?
And, if a woman does have an abortion here in the U.S. would she then be threatened with jail or prison? Would an abortion be considered “murder” in the eyes of our court?
How would this impact “abortion drugs” such as the “morning after pill”? Would this be made illegal? And, if so, if there are complications due to taking this drug would woman fear seeking medical aid for fear of being criminalized in the process? A key example of this is seen in other countries who have made abortion illegal:
“If a woman takes the wrong drug or the wrong dosage, particularly too late in pregnancy, she is likely to wind up in the emergency room, bleeding. There is no ready way for doctors to tell the difference between the hemorrhaging from a natural miscarriage and that from an induced abortion. But this hasn’t stopped governments from tasking them with trying.” [4]
Furthermore, how will Kavanaugh’s presence impact the lives of LGBTQ?
Legislation becomes very sketchy when it’s so far intertwined politically.
Sincerely, I wonder, since when has church become about determining who is in and who is not?
Dear Evangelical family and friends, when did the exclusion of others become a primary Christian virtue?
— andy gill (@itsandygill) May 15, 2017
Again, I’ve said it before but, it’s worth noting again, until we, as the Church, make tangible changes here… but, if you’re pro-life then, you also need to be pro-adoption.
The one thing we do agree on is that once someone is born their life definitely matters.
The best way to encourage people to not abort is to show them that we, as a church, are fighting for them and their child to have a quality life.
Instead of fighting against planned parenthood and protesting outside of their abortion clinics what if we started campaigning for adoption agencies, lobbying for better health care, and supporting struggling single mothers [or fathers]? [6]
It’s more than just posting a rant on Facebook, it’s politically engaging within your local community – that is, going beyond rhetoric or “literature” but, providing homes for the parent-less, providing care for terrified single mother…
Driving fear is never done out of love… this also applies to shame. True love is vacant of fear and shame.
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