It was a post on Facebook where a friend was posting about someone in her community that was running for public office. A woman commented asking for the link to her campaign page. She later commented that she wouldn’t support her because she wasn’t pro-life. That was the one issue that was non-negotiable for her. Now, I completely respect that but I feel that there’s more to a person and their outlook on life than whether or not they’re pro-life.
This really made me reflect and think. When will we reclaim the term Pro-Life? Why is it to be pro-woman you have to be pro-choice? What about the whole life? It’s like the paradox of BLM vs All Lives Matter- all women matter but right now we need to shine a light on those more at risk of having an abortion. How do we reframe the narrative where I’m so pro-life that I will do my best in every capacity for abortion to not be your only option? Simply saying you’re killing babies does a complete disservice to these mothers. I often find society forces me to choose to be either for the unborn or for women. But I’m for both. In my opinion, abortion shows the hopelessness we have in this world; that a woman feels that the chances for her child is better off dead, than their chances are alive.
For the women who choose not to abort, for many of those children, the odds are stacked against them. We cannot dismiss these facts. I’m pro-life because I’ve decided that to have the opportunity to live is always the better way. But, I state that with a heavy heart because I know that until injustices and inequities are truly addressed mentally, physically, and spiritually; neither side will truly win or have peace.
These thoughts and reflections come from the fact that it’s an election year and I’m constantly thinking about the issues that I feel I have to compromise on. It also comes from the continuous debate about Planned Parenthood which in my opinion has done a great service for women. Even though is provides abortions, I know that I’ve benefited from their great services in the past when I needed a Plan B and knew it was a safe place for me to go to without the shame of using my insurance (AKA having my parents know). I feel that’s always been the history with women’s health, it’s either all or nothing and unfortunately, it’s still white men who are the main ones making those decisions for us.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
The beautiful thing about America is that we have religious freedom; we can have different opinions. Jesus’ way is not everyone’s way because not everyone in American is a Christian. It is important we remember that. I know that if I ruled the world, no abortions would exist, but I don’t and I respect and honor where we currently are as humankind. But as a Christian blogger, I am trying to find Jesus’ perspective because His is the only one (for me) that matters. It is my hope that we all can work for a world that a woman doesn’t have to choose, that all women will be free to have their children and not feel like they have to sacrifice that part of themselves in order to be guaranteed a better life.
So many questions. So many thoughts, but it’s currently where I am processing this issue. Thanks for making it until the end. Would love to hear your thoughts about this. Peace, love and blessings until next time.
Confessions of an Enduring Optimist 
It’s interesting to see how policies shaped in the US has the capacity to have raging impacts on political movements across the world due to its sheer popularity. Pro-life / Pro-choice has become a global phenomenon now, and not just limited to USA. A strong policy taken in this regard by a country like the USA can impact the perception of this cause across the globe. Not to put any pressure on USA, because no government is perfect, as we have all witnessed in these last couple of years across several big nations.
So if you look at it locally, then yes, it would always be better to have an option where no physical harm is done to anybody- including the cells which would eventually become a baby. But if you look at it from further away, the movement is about leaving the choice with the woman who is to be responsible for this child for almost as long as they live. Pro-choice is not about ensuring everybody gets an abortion, but its about acknowledging that it is the person who is going to be primarily impacted and who is going to be ultimately responsible for the child, who has a say in deciding this.
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