- Are you Pro-life?
- A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.
- The Bible tells us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” - Psalm 139:14
- "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5 – This would convey to most that even a life in the womb has great value.
- Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion.
- Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion.
- In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were performed, down from 1.31 million in 2000. From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions occurred.
- Each year, two percent of women aged 15-44 have an abortion; half have had at least one previous abortion.
- At least half of American women will experience an unintended pregnancy by age 45, and, at current rates, about one-third will have had an abortion.
- This year marks the 50th anniversary of “The Pill”
- Margaret Sanger was an American birth control activist and the founder of the American Birth Control League. She led the fight to legalize birth control for married couples in America.
- This is an excerpt from her work Women and the New Race -
- “THE MOST serious evil of our times is that of encouraging the bringing into the world of large families. The most immoral practice of the day is breeding too many children.”
- “The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.”
- This is an excerpt from her work Women and the New Race -
- Sanger pushed eugenics but claimed her views thus broke from those proposing Nazi eugenics—an aggressive, and lethal, program. She wrote in a 1933 letter:
- "All the news from Germany is sad & horrible, and to me more dangerous than any other war going on any where because it has so many good people who applaud the atrocities & claim its right. The sudden antagonism in Germany against the Jews & the vitriolic hatred of them is spreading underground here & is far more dangerous than the aggressive policy of the Japanese in Manchuria...” It sounds to me like Ms. Sanger is contradicting herself. Jewish life is valuable but an infant’s is not?
- Sanger pushed eugenics but claimed her views thus broke from those proposing Nazi eugenics—an aggressive, and lethal, program. She wrote in a 1933 letter:
- There are 62 million U.S. women in their childbearing years (15–44).
- Seven in 10 women of reproductive age (43 million women) are sexually active and do not want to become pregnant, but could become pregnant if they and their partners fail to use a contraceptive method.
- The typical U.S. woman wants only two children. To achieve this goal, she must use contraceptives for roughly three decades.
- Virtually all women (more than 99%) aged 15–44 who have ever had sexual intercourse have used at least one contraceptive method.
- Overall, 62% of the 62 million women aged 15–44 are currently using a method.
- Almost one-third (31%) of these 62 million women do not need a method because they are infertile; are pregnant, postpartum or trying to become pregnant; have never had intercourse; or are not sexually active.
- Thus, only 7% of women aged 15–44 are at risk for unintended pregnancy but are not using contraceptives.
- Among the 43 million fertile, sexually active women who do not want to become pregnant, 89% are practicing contraception.
- What does the Bible say about children?
- Ps 127: Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
- Many times we are given the command to be ‘fruitful and multiply’
- Over and over in Genesis we find being fruitful is used as a blessing. To Noah in chapter 9, Abraham and Ishmael in chapter. 17. Jacob in chapter 28.
- What does the Bible say about children?
- Is God Sovereign?
- Do you trust him to provide for all of your needs?
- If he chooses to give you more children would he not also provide a way to care for them?
- Do YOU use birth control?
Thoughts to ponder……
Additional reading:
Side Effect: How the Pill Altered America’s Moral Intelligence
100+ Reasons to have Children
Notes:
Abortion statistics from here
Birth Control Stats from here
Read the full excerpt Women and the New Race
2 comments:
I think another thing to point out is how birth control actually works - especially the IUD. Most forms of birth control work to stop ovulation (though they are not 100%), but the IUD does not. The IUD works to prevent implantation. All forms of birth control create a "hostile" environment, in which a fertilized egg will likely not implant.
I find it really disheartening to learn that many pro-lifers are not aware of this, or worse, don't think it really matters (since it is really unlikely and all...). I have had to ask for forgiveness myself for unknowingly taking an abortifacient when first married. Thankfully, the Lord was so gracious to show this to me. We conceived Lucy two months later. :)
Steph - the Lord IS gracious. I didn't always feel this way about BC. In fact we seriously considered tubal ligation after Silas was born. Even thought a particular IUD was a better option because it didn't contain hormones... He is good to open our eyes and forgive our ignorance and sinful ways.
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