Forty years ago last week, the Supreme Court handed down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision legalizing abortion in the United States. We have lost 55 million people since the rendering of Roe v.Wade – 55 million lives – that would have surely enriched ours. But as we mourn that unspeakable loss, we do so with hope, anticipating the day when this tragedy will end.
Current polling indicates significant trending in public opinion. Half of Americans now identify themselves as pro-life, with one poll showing that 83% of Americans do not believe our country’s abortion laws are restrictive enough.
The pro-life cause is gaining ground because the truth about abortion is coming out.
Technological advances over the last several decades – like ultrasound – give parents a firsthand view of their babies and help uncover the reality of life at conception.
Crisis pregnancy centers and pregnancy medical clinics are now making ultrasounds readily available for parents, allowing them to see the truth for themselves. Coupling technology with compassion, these Christian-based missions are saving countless lives.
This faithful witness against abortion extends beyond technology, as Christians are becoming bolder in speaking the truth about abortion through all sorts of venues, from taking part in march for life events to personal conversations. Refuting the falsehoods of our culture, Christians are unapologetically sharing the tidings that abortion ends human lives and is harmful to women in many ways.
Pro-life legislation over the years has also aided in furthering truth. Informed consent laws ensure that women are not coerced into abortions and understand all of the options on the table. Parental notification laws keep parents from being excluded in these life-or-death decisions. A detailed analysis of pro-life state laws by State Politics and Policy Quarterly reveals a link between a 22% decline in abortions in the U.S. between 1990 and 2005 and state laws like these.
The more we speak and know about abortion the more likely our society will condemn it.
Just this month, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling protecting unborn children under the state’s chemical endangerment laws. As Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange observed, “The Court has ratified our argument that the public policy of our state is to protect life, both born and unborn.” We commend this and pray that very soon our nation’s public policy would be the same.
At the Center for Religious Expression, we are committed to clearing the path for truth. Only the truth will set our country free from the great evil of legalized abortion.
Posted by Nate Kellum
