Many so-called pro-life politicians and organizations believe that abortion should be illegal except under certain circumstances. Those usually include when the mother was raped or a victim of incest, when her life might be in danger, or when her baby is too young for technology to determine a heartbeat. They think that saving some lives is better than saving none.
But condoning these exceptions means that some babies will die, and we can never advocate for that. A child should never be punished for the sins of his father, and in an emergency a doctor should always try to save the life of both mother and baby. There is never a reason to intentionally kill a child.
This quote from the Gospel of Matthew provides a simple explanation for why we do not support abortion exceptions: “All you need say is ‘Yes’ if you mean yes, ‘No’ if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”
Christ’s instruction about how to respond to the world and its challenges is as valid today as it was when He shared it with His flock. His words are pertinent to every aspect of our lives, including our efforts to end abortion. In fact, they are the reason why we oppose all exceptions to abortion. Either we say yes to life or we say no.
As simple as this may sound, politics and public opinion make it difficult to hold to this principle. Sadly, many fellow pro-life Americans believe that they should allow for some abortion as a way of saving some lives. And when these self-proclaimed pro-life elected officials tell us that the best they can do is allow for some abortions, many pro-life people seem content with that.
Why? Because they believe that half a loaf is better than none.
I often wonder why this is so, as we are the people who speak for the voiceless and who have dedicated our lives to protecting the innocent. Not some of the innocent. All of them.
We are not part of the misinformed public. Our task is to teach the simple truth that all babies have value.
Therefore, we must always stand up for the truth about abortion, whether in the public arena, the classroom, the grocery store, or in our homes. This truth is not fashioned after an opinion poll or a publicly funded focus group. The truth is simple: Every human being is a unique individual created in the image and likeness of God. Each of us is special. Each of us is loved.
When we defer to political winds or popular culture, we are tempted to alter this truth and are forced to accept something that should be detestable. That is, we must agree with the devil that half a loaf is better than none.
If we allow and advocate for exceptions, we are saying that some people are expendable and some have more value than others. This is simply not true.
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