Thanks Wanda
Wanda’s talk at the 40 Days for Life information meeting, August 28, 2019
– research references are noted at the end
As we see in the movie, Unplanned, the lead character, Abby Johnson, a former abortion
worker, worked as a clinic director of a Planned Parent office in Texas for 8 years until she
resigned in 2009. She tells her story of the day she was asked to assist with an abortion and,
while watching it progress on the ultrasound machine, she reacted in horror as a baby boy of 13
weeks gestation fought and struggled for his life and then died.
People don’t think about abortion, because they don’t see it. – Abby saw it and the reality of it
changed her life.
Nobody grows up wanting to work in the abortion industry.
Abortion exploits women. Motherhood empowers women. Women need to be empowered, not
exploited.
We’re fighting for life, because we believe in love. The love that God has for each person He
creates. Every life is worth fighting for. All life, born and unborn, should be valued, from
conception to natural death. Every single life should be shown dignity.
When you hear or read stories about women who have had abortions, you can sense the sadness
in their stories.
Many of them said abortion was the first thought that came to mind when they found out they
had an unexpected pregnancy. Because it meant their lives, as they knew it, would be changed
forever. And it was. Most of them were filled with apprehension. But they went ahead with
their abortions anyways, and then they spoke about the repercussions: the depression, the
sleepless nights, the drinking... They felt ashamed about their inability to ‘just deal with it’ as
they think other women do.
Society tells young women that abortion is a quick fix for their problem. It says nothing about
the problems abortion creates. Something they thought would last an hour or so stays with them
forever.
In every abortion a child dies. And the child’s death is intended.
The World Health Organization estimates that one in five pregnancies worldwide end in
abortion, with over 42 million abortions in the world each year. (estimate for 2003). There is no
question that our entire society has been negatively affected by all these deaths.
Abortion throughout the world, has been legalized because of two basic lies. The first lie is that
abortion only destroys a “bunch of cells,” not a human life. The second lie is, abortion is safe,
and it helps women control and improve their lives.
During the last few decades, the pro-life movement has concentrated its efforts on dispelling
this first lie, it only destroys a clump of cells. Millions of dollars have been spent on advertising
campaigns, books, brochures, and films such as the powerful movie “Silent Scream,” to educate
the public about the humanity of the unborn child.
These educational efforts have achieved great success. In a LifeCanada Poll done in 2011, a
strong majority, 72% of Canadians want to see some protection for human life in the womb.
People know that there is a baby in this picture. Pregnancy is not a disease.
Clearly, the vast majority of the public understands that abortion involves the taking of a human
life. Even many abortion advocates admit this. So, in large part, they have now abandoned their
first lie in favor of a primary claim: “The needs and rights of a woman are more important
than those of a fetus.”
There is an important lesson to learn from this. While efforts to educate the public about the
unborn’s humanity may help to motivate pro-lifers, these efforts will have no effect on those
who support abortion.
So, we have to develop a new strategy.
Some have hardened their hearts to the “fetus.” It may be human – biology forces them to admit
that much – but they believe the unborn child is less important than the woman. End of
argument. Nothing we can say will sway them from this position.
I asked a woman who came to taunt us, “If you have the right to choose – I should also have a
right to choose to be against abortion. She told me, “NO, because her rights are more important
than mine.”
The concern is focused totally on the woman. Therefore, the only way to reach them is for us,
too, to focus on the woman. This point is absolutely critical for pro-lifers to understand. We
must change the abortion debate so that we are arguing with our opponents on their own turf, on
the issue of defending the interests of women.
To do this we must begin to concentrate our efforts on exposing the second lie behind abortion.
That lie, which is the backbone of the abortion industry, says: “Abortion is safe.”
The truth is the exact opposite. Abortion hurts women. It can cause irreparable damage to a
woman’s reproductive health. And perhaps more importantly, as research has shown, abortion
almost always causes psychological and emotional damage. In many cases, this post-abortion
trauma is psychologically devastating. It can literally cripple a woman’s ability to function in
normal relationships, with family, friends, or even at work.
Abortion is never safe. "Safe abortion" is a myth.
Abortion is not safe -- nor it is designed to be. It’s designed to kill our own children and is the
most unnatural act in all of humanity. In fact, an abortion is considered unsuccessful unless a
baby dies. And his or her death is the most violent you can imagine.
Vague phrases and politically correct words like choice, privacy and reproductive health are
used to cover the real horror of what abortion does. Using politically correct words doesn’t
change the fact that abortion kills a growing human being.
This little human located in its mother’s womb, is at a stage of development, just like a toddler
is at a stage of development, a teenager is at a stage of development. I’m at a stage of
development, as a senior. Just because we don’t see the unborn baby, doesn’t mean it isn’t
there. If I was in a nursing home, rather than here, you wouldn’t see me, but I’d still be there.
UNDERSTANDING THE ABORTION MINDSET
Psychologists describe three levels of moral development. At the lowest level is concern only
for oneself. The “me, myself and I” thinking.
The second level is concern only for those close to you: family, friends, co-workers, or even
anyone whom you are able to tangibly see.
The third level is concern for all others, even in the abstract, even if they are unknown, unseen –
or unborn.
We, as pro-lifers, are operating at this third level. Arguments on behalf of the unborn are very
effective with people at the third level of moral development.
To appeal to the concerns of those at the first and second levels of moral development,
however, we must educate them about the risks abortion poses to teenagers and adult women.
We must appeal to their concern for their daughters, wives, sisters, and girlfriends.
In the case of the woman considering abortion, we must appeal to her concern for herself. And
let her know that there are options.
When faced with the turmoil of a problem pregnancy, otherwise compassionate people often
revert to the second or first level of moral decision making.
For example, the father of a pregnant fourteen year old girl is likely to focus his concern on his
daughter more than on his unborn granddaughter, whom to him is only an abstraction. All he
can see is this pregnancy “destroying” his dreams for his daughter’s future, stealing from her all
the opportunities of life still open to her. Even if his daughter wants to keep the child, he may
well insist on the abortion “for her own good” because he thinks her desire to keep the child is
just a juvenile fantasy.
To reach people who think this way, it is not enough to give them facts about fetal
development. It is more important to give them facts about the destructive effects of abortion on
teenage girls.
They must be educated about the risks of permanent reproductive damage. Even more
importantly, they need to be educated about the impact of abortion trauma on a young girl’s
psychological development.
Families of pregnant teens need to be told that over 90 percent of women having abortions
suffer damage to their self-esteem. Nearly 50 percent of post-abortion women begin or increase
drug and alcohol abuse. In the years to follow, 60 percent experience suicidal tendencies, with
up to 28 percent actually attempting suicide. Other problems include promiscuity, depression,
flashbacks, concentration problems, and dramatic personality changes. These are facts, even
though the pro-aborts contradict them.
Clearly, once a young woman is pregnant, it is no longer a choice between having a baby or not
having a baby. It is a choice between having a baby or having an abortion; it is a choice
between having a baby or having a traumatic experience.
Over half of women who suffer post-abortion trauma report that they were “forced by others”
into unwanted abortions, it’s absolutely critical to educate these “others” about abortion’s risks.
By encouraging abortion, these “significant others” are actually hurting the loved ones whom
they are trying to help. Unless we can educate the parents, boyfriends, counselors, and medical
community, women will continue to be pressured into dangerous abortions “for their own
good.”
We must never forget that our long-term goal is not to make abortion simply illegal, but
also unthinkable. To achieve this goal, we must change the public perception about “safe”
abortions. We must convince the public that even if abortion is legalized, it is never safe.
Future generations will recognize abortion for what it is, “medical” butchery of both the mother
and the child.
Our dream is, that years from now, no compassionate person would ever encourage a young girl
to seek out an abortion because everyone will know of its physical, psychological, and spiritual
dangers. Only then will the lessons of our present generation truly have been learned.
We need to make people aware that whenever one hurts a child, one hurts its mother as well.
And conversely, whenever one helps a mother, one helps her child. Therefore, the solution to
problem pregnancies is not abortion; it is compassion.
Research and education is needed to convince the public about the dangers of abortion. This
strategy will have many effects.
• Knowledge of abortion’s risks will decrease abortions. Family members, friends, and boyfriends
will become less likely to pressure a young woman into an unwanted abortion “for her own
good.”
• As the dangers of abortion become better publicized, more post-abortion women will begin to
recognize the underlying cause of their psychological problems, encouraging women to finally
reach out for help and begin the process of psychological and spiritual recovery. This will not
only benefit them, but it will benefit the pro-life movement, as more and more post-abortion
women begin to join us in speaking out about the negative effects of abortion.
• Once average citizens realize that women are being hurt by abortion, they will finally begin to
question why we are allowing abortions at all. Until now, much of the public has been
convinced by pro-abortionists that “abortion helps women.” But once this myth is called into
question, once the public begins to wonder if abortion is actually hurting women, then the
tragedy of killing unborn babies for nothing, becomes more apparent. If abortion doesn’t help
women, it doesn’t make sense.
Pain after abortion is real.
Every year during the March for Life, men and women stand on Parliament Hill with the Silent
No More Awareness Campaign and speak about their personal abortion experiences.
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats are a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by
abortion. Here a supportive environment is offered, where women and men can work through
painful emotions and begin the process of healing. Where the deepest feelings about abortion
can be discussed. Retreats are held every May abd November. The next weekend retreat takes
place from November 1-3. http://rachelsvineyardottawa.ca/
This year, as well as our usual signs in both English and French we are adding an extra sign
which will say, Pregnant? Need Help? and have the help line number given to us by Birthright
Ottawa. 613-613-231-LOVE (5683) It’s a local phone number and they can provide information
in both English and French.
Birthright Ottawa: 613-613-231-LOVE (5683)
As we witness God’s healing love and mercy, during the 40 Days for Life campaign, through
our prayers, fasting and sacrifices, we can work to promote the Culture of Life.
Information gathered from websites:
Abby Johnson’s website
http://www.abbyjohnson.org/
Elliot Institute
http://www.afterabortion.org/elliot.html
LifeCanada
https://lifecollective.io/lifecanada
Videos Shown:
Introducing 40 Days for Life 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEaZbkg1Fs4
Dr. Anthony Levatino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A16gzm9eaa8
Students for Life of America - potential suffering does not justify abortion
Students for Life
click here
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