{"id":3374,"date":"2020-04-20T08:30:43","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T16:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/randyalcorn\/?p=3374"},"modified":"2020-04-13T07:35:31","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T15:35:31","slug":"routine-surgery-still-get-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/randyalcorn\/2020\/04\/routine-surgery-still-get-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"In Many States, You Can\u2019t Get a Routine Surgery or a Colonoscopy Right Now, But You Can Still Get an Abortion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/p>\n

Last week Breakpoint\u2019s John Stonestreet shared\u00a0this commentary<\/a>\u00a0related to abortion and the coronavirus crisis:<\/p>\n

All crises reveal what\u2019s truly important to us.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, in Massachusetts, hospitals are postponing all \u201c\u2018non-essential surgeries\u2019 in order to prepare for the potential onslaught of coronavirus cases.\u201d<\/p>\n

But how do you define nonessential? A person in constant, excruciating pain could consider hip-replacement essential to their well-being, or a colonoscopy could be essential to prevent or detect colon cancer before it spreads.<\/p>\n

In Massachusetts, those procedures didn\u2019t fit the definition of \u201cessential.\u201d But guess what did? Abortion.<\/p>\n

So, a colonoscopy, which could literally save a life if timely, is non-essential, but an abortion, which literally takes a life, is\u00a0essential<\/em>? Postpone an abortion and, in the worst case, a child is still alive but given up for adoption a few months later.<\/p>\n

Gloria Steinem once said that \u201cIf men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.\u201d Apparently, in Massachusetts at least, the coronavirus has revealed it already is.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

LifeNews has a list<\/a>\u00a0of the U.S. states that have shut down abortion clinics right now, and the states that are still allowing them to operate.<\/p>\n

The list doesn\u2019t include the status of my home state of Oregon, but one clinic in Portland says on their website, \u201c[We believe] it is our responsibility to stay open so that we may continue to provide safe and legal abortions.\u201d They list some restrictions, including checking temperatures and not bringing any guests.<\/p>\n

My friend Kathy, who has prayed outside this clinic, writes, \u201cI do think that with their slight restrictions it could possibly save some lives because they have to go in alone and most people have someone with them. This might give them pause to reconsider, and we can pray for that!\u201d (The Planned Parenthood website says several clinics in Oregon are temporarily closed to in-person appointments.)<\/p>\n

Writing for\u00a0Care Net<\/a>, Heather Creekmore says,<\/p>\n

As our nation\u2019s activity screeches to a halt to stop the spread of COVID-19, I find it curious that some Planned Parenthood facilities are still open and performing abortions.<\/p>\n

Specialists of all kinds have been asked to stop seeing patients, while citizens are asked to postpone all elective surgeries so we can preserve sorely needed medical equipment like masks and gowns.<\/p>\n

But abortion services continue?<\/p>\n

Last week, the National Abortion Federation\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0the following: \u201cDuring this public health crisis, pregnancy care, including abortion care, remains an essential health service.\u201d Calling abortion a \u201ctime-sensitive service,\u201d the NAF argues that deferring abortion to a later time is unacceptable, as abortion is an \u201cessential business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even\u00a0a headline from pro-choice news outlet, vox.com<\/a>, says, \u201cAdvocates say\u00a0all abortions are essential<\/em>.\u201d (emphasis mine)<\/p>\n

But doesn\u2019t this contradict much of what the industry promotes? Haven\u2019t we been told that abortion is about \u201cchoice\u201d? If so, then abortion seems to clearly fall in the\u00a0elective<\/em>\u00a0procedure category.<\/p>\n

Read the rest<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You might also like to check out\u00a0the April 1 episode<\/a>\u00a0of Focus on the Family, featuring Drs. David Hager and Bill Lile, who provide a prolife perspective on the growing national controversy about whether abortion should be considered essential healthcare during the coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n

Focus on the Family has put together\u00a0a great prolife prayer guide<\/a>\u00a0during this coronavirus crisis.\u00a0It includes prayer ideas for foster children, the elderly, and those with special needs, as well as these prayer points for single moms and pregnant women:<\/p>\n

Pray for those women who are pregnant and considering an abortion and don\u2019t know where to turn. Pray that they will receive love, compassion and support from God\u2019s people, and that they would choose life.<\/p>\n

Pray for the mothers who have chosen life. Ask that God would provide for them and their children.<\/p>\n

Pray that local churches will rally behind Pregnancy Resource Centers with supplies, prayer and support.<\/p>\n

Pray for local Pregnancy Resource Center directors across the country\u2014that they would be encouraged, uplifted and protected.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>

Browse more prolife articles and resources<\/a>, as well as see Randy\u2019s books\u00a0Why ProLife?<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments<\/a><\/em>.<\/center>Photo by\u00a0Christopher Boswell<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/span>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week Breakpoint\u2019s John Stonestreet shared\u00a0this commentary\u00a0related to abortion and the coronavirus crisis: All crises reveal what\u2019s truly important to us. For example, in Massachusetts, hospitals are postponing all \u201c\u2018non-essential surgeries\u2019 in order to prepare for the potential onslaught of coronavirus cases.\u201d But how do you define nonessential? A person in constant, excruciating pain could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2661,"featured_media":3376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[41,2702,2711,2699,2696,1896,525,42,2705,2708],"class_list":["post-3374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prolife","tag-abortion","tag-clinics","tag-commentary","tag-coronavirus-crisis","tag-essential","tag-open","tag-planned-parenthood","tag-prolife","tag-shut-down","tag-surgeries"],"yoast_head":"\nIn Many States, You Can\u2019t Get a Routine Surgery or a Colonoscopy Right Now, But You Can Still Get an Abortion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"LifeNews has a list of the US states that have shut down abortion clinics right now, and those still allowing them to operate.... 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