Roe v. Wade, compassion, and you. All three of these intersect.

I need to make something really clear first, and this may determine whether you continue reading. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is something I’ve prayed for for decades.

I’m not much of a protestor, in ways like picketing abortion clinics, making signs, etc. Once, years ago, I did stand in a long, long line of others along the side of a highway, but it didn’t feel like a protest. Maybe it was.

My sense about most protests, with signs, chanting, confrontations, is that it usually degrades to a whole lot of sputtering along in impotent rage. Nobody is listening. There are exceptions: Gandhi and Dr. King come to mind.

But Roe v. Wade is the hill I was willing to die on. Still am.

What this blog is about today is the simple expression of genuine compassion. I’m not seeing much of this in our current environment.

The abortion debate is so heated (rightfully so) and so politicized (I just threw up in my mouth) that it’s hard to try to be a voice of reason. I want to be that; maybe it’s a fool’s quest. 

I’ll listen respectfully to whatever anyone wants to say. I’ll engage. But as much as I value an open mind, this is one of those areas in which I’m beyond rigid. So I’ll listen, show love, but don’t expect to change my mind. I’m answering to a Higher Power, not you. 

I have many friends, true friends, that would come totally down on the opposite side of this debate. My love for them, and respect for them as people, is unquestioned.

But loving you doesn’t mean I’m compelled to agree with you. It’s not that I’m all that enlightened, or better than anyone else – it’s just that if our friendship is predicated with agreeing with you, it’s on pretty shaky ground. 

Anyway. We were talking about Roe v. Wade – but, more specifically, to our response to it.

Here we go. I’m going with my beliefs and worldview, which might not align with yours. 

I haven’t done the best job of considering “what would Jesus do?” If I’ve considered it, I haven’t followed through. My sense of scripture leads me to think that He would love unconditionally. No better example of that can be found than the woman caught in adultery account. The whole story is found in John 8:1-11. Read it for yourself, but the gist of it shows Jesus offering supernatural forgiveness to a woman who sure as heck didn’t deserve it. He did put a condition on it, though: The NIV reads “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Did the woman ever sin after this encounter? As long as she had a pulse, you bet she did. If she sinned, did Jesus take away His forgiveness? Nope.

But I’m not doing anyone any favors if I don’t tell them that apart from receiving Christ’s forgiveness, they will be banished forever to a Christless hell. No one wants to talk about that. Fact is, we are all in need of forgiveness, because a sin – whether it’s taking someone’s life or telling the most benign of lies – is enough to cause eternal condemnation. 

Regarding Roe v. Wade and our personal stance on it, consider this little diagram. I keep referring back to it:

Is this not true? Whether someone is livid at the end of Roe v. Wade, or taking victory laps, we don’t know why they believe what they do. I’ve read some accounts of women who’ve had abortions and have continued life completely at peace with their decision. I’m also aware (and have talked to) women who are utterly consumed with guilt. In either case, I must understand that their feelings are valid, and their opinions are based on what they genuinely felt was right at the time.

And while this is pretty obvious to me – in an abortion, someone dies – I do need to know whatever part of their story they’re willing to share. That has a way of putting some humanity into what otherwise might be just an abstract “cause.” 

This isn’t just a gender-specific issue, nor is it one strictly couched in religious terms. There are tens of millions of pro-life women, so to say that this is strictly women’s issue doesn’t mean all women see this in the same way. It’s not like there are males on one side, and females on the other. 

There are untold numbers of pro-life proponents who have no religious affiliations, much less Christianity. You can’t view this as a purely religious issue.

Fact is – no group is monolithic. Anyone who judges a whole group by the actions of an individual or a few is a nitwit.

A few days ago I posted this on Facebook (maybe that was a mistake.)

I thought this was pretty wonderful. So I was caught flat-footed by this comment, from a young lady I love and respect much:

“This is guilt tripping under the guise of compassion. What about a woman who had an abortion due to a septic uterus but still feels guilty? Was that a mistake? Does she also deserve forgiveness for not letting herself die?… What about the 11 year old in Ohio who was raped multiple times and impregnated by a 26 year old? If she had been allowed to have an abortion, would she be in need of forgiveness?”

Gotta admit – I didn’t see that one coming.

Fact: We are all in need of forgiveness, no matter what the circumstances. We are all sinners, by nature and by choice. Scripture informs me that forgiveness is available to all, and one sin of any sort is enough to send us to hell. That’s where the Cross comes in, of course. That’s a level playing field. But no one deserves forgiveness. That’s a gracious act of a sovereign God. It’s pretty clear where we’d all end up apart from that. Of course, we have to respond to that invitation.

I’ve spent a lot of time this past week being an apologist. Bring up Roe v. Wade, and I’ll engage you. Which isn’t necessarily like me – color me non-confrontational – but I felt like this was one area that I felt compelled to address.

I understand that, for many, Roe v. Wade never was a spiritual/religious/Christian issue. Fine. While that is definitely my overarching concern, I see other factors playing in. Roe v. Wade is also one of embryology and biogenesis, whether it was good law to begin with, whether the fetus has a right to life as found in the 14th Amendment (there are some human rights points there to consider), and I could go on. I’ll engage someone using both logic and reason. 

When it comes to Roe v. Wade, some people don’t want to submit themselves to logic and reason. It just annoys them. 

The wisest counsel I can give myself is to give it a rest. I’ll intercede for those hurting and confused. And I also realize that, if I’m honest with myself, I’ve said all along this is a spiritual matter, and, as such, it is God alone who will change hearts and minds, and none of my persuasive arguments.

Finally, here are my personal mandates. I haven’t mastered them all yet. Maybe we can walk together as we try to inculcate them.

• Love first. No condemnation. At least, don’t condemn the person. We’re at different stages in the journey.
• Listen. And you don’t have to respond.
• You don’t know their stories. They all have one. It isn’t yours.
• Give yourself and others the freedom to feel however they want to.
• Always be ready to give an account of what you believe, and why. Hint: “I just feel it in my heart” isn’t a good answer, because the heart is deceitful.
• If you find yourself proud of your debate skills and searing intellect, you are not in a healthy place.
• What would Jesus do? And, in the flesh, you might not like the answer you find. What He would do and what you’d like to do might be two different things.
• If you and I are intellectually honest, we have to at the very least acknowledge that an abortion is the termination of a life in progress. Left unimpeded, that zygote, embryo, fetus will be just like you. To willfully intercede in that process is going to mean a life is lost. The difference between me and a gestating baby is primarily one of size and location. 
• Love first. No condemnation. In case you missed that the first time.

 

That’s all. Be well. Be blessed. Talk later.

Appendix

I wanted to share a Facebook post from June 27. It is optional reading. It’s my attempt to be reasonable. It wasn’t universally accepted. 

June 27

Here’s my appeal to logic and reason this morning. I could be way off, but it’s where my head is.

When Roe v. Wade came about in 1973, there was rejoicing and despair everywhere. Sort of like now.

Then, and now, it seems to have been couched primarily in gender terms. Women’s rights were espoused on one side; the unborn’s rights on the other.

When Roe v. Wade passed, all women were painted with the same broad brush, with the implication that this was a victory for all women. But millions of women felt disenfranchised, because the law didn’t reflect their values and beliefs.

Now Roe v. Wade has been relegated to history. There is a whole new group that feels disenfranchised. The shoe, as they say, appears to be on the other foot.

Consider this, though. Prior to last week’s overturn, there was an “us” and “them.” Not anymore. Here’s why.

The playing field is leveled. Those with no voice after 1973 now have one. What is equally as fascinating is that those who have “had their way” (not the best term, but it’s what comes to mind) can still have their way. 

Now, rather than having a law that millions couldn’t speak to or change, the deck is cleared. Everyone has a voice.

The matter of abortion has been returned to the states. Whether someone was pro-abortion (or pro-choice, which has a much more positive feel) or pro-life (or anti-abortion, which is the media term and carries a much more negative feel), now everyone has an equal voice. That seems fair.

Now – and I couldn’t say this just a few days ago – our elected state government officials are freed up to write law. Many states have already banned abortion. Many others have assured that abortion will remain available.

Here’s the minor miracle. Now, all citizens have the opportunity to vote into office officials who reflect their beliefs. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE PRIOR TO LAST FRIDAY. 

So, if someone is in a state that either allows or abortion or not, we can now speak to that by the ballot box.

Work hard. Get or keep your man or woman in. You have a voice you may not have had prior to last week. Use it.

And if your person loses, use that reset button and try again. 

It’s great to be an American. Not everyone has these liberties and freedoms.