Have you noticed a shift in strategy by supporters of abortion? Have you detected the establishment of a new philosophical foundation for killing our own children? I think I have.
In the beginning, it was a matter of privacy. Abortion was a simple surgery, on par with a vasectomy, and no one should be listening in on conversations with a woman and her doctor. Abortion was a simple medical procedure that removed a clump of unfeeling, undifferentiated cells from a woman’s body. Of course, this argument became increasingly difficult to maintain, as ultrasounds of babies in utero became more widespread.
In the not too recent past, abortion was called a difficult decision that should be left to a woman and her doctor. That word “difficult” put some moral weight into the conversation. I mean, it is never a “difficult decision” to have a skin tag, or a pre-cancerous mole removed. It is just tissue, and healthy tissue will replace it. Undoubtedly the difficulty of abortion requires that you acknowledge at least the potentiality of this baby having a life of its own.
The argument moved a bit further down the philosophical track by declaring that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” Why rare? The evidence is piling up that a very young fetus can feel pain, that they are unique human beings and are entirely distinct from their mothers even while they are dependent upon them. Abortion should only occur in extreme situations goes the argument. But what qualifies as extreme should again be left to the mother and her doctor.
Well, people became increasingly uncomfortable with abortion for just any reason and at any point in the development of a child, so restrictions began to increase in state legislatures. Can the baby survive outside the womb? You may not kill the child. Can the baby feel pain in the womb? You may not kill her then either. Are you killing the child for a genetic defect, say being conceived a girl? We won’t allow you to kill her for that reason.
Positive care was required. You have to provide medical care to a baby born alive during an abortion. You have to keep medical records on the woman coming in for an abortion. You have to have admitting privileges at a local hospital so that if you rip a hole in the mother’s uterus as you are cutting up her child, you can transfer the mother with her medical records describing what transpired. These restrictions did not sit well with abortion advocates.
In 2015 we learned that Planned Parenthood had negotiated prices for fetal eye tissue (and brain matter, and spinal cords, and feet, toes and tiny fingers) and the outrage became so great there was an actual movement to take away federal tax dollars from them (damn radicals!).
This was a bridge too far, and proponents of abortion set their argument for abortion on a new moral foundation. Abortion is good, and it is good in and of itself. The killing of your child is a thing to be celebrated. You should SHOUT YOUR ABORTION. Let the world know what a good thing it is to kill your baby. Better for him, better for the mother, better for society. Abortion is no longer a necessary evil – it has become a moral imperative.
Today we write hymns about our abortions. We set up virtual shrines with ultrasound images of our babies so we can speak to them about how grateful we are to have the right to kill them. We demand that fetus joins us in our worship of self.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the fetal lullaby:
You can listen to an interview with Al Stout at Kuyperian Commentary.
Alan Stout is the Associate Pastor of Providence Church in Pensacola, FL and active pro-life advocate in the Pensacola community. He serves on the board of Emerald Coast Coalition for Life.
