By Dave Andrusko
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological
I am scribbling away frantically, trying to get as much done before I have the pleasure of joining my wife and daughters to participate in the March for Life at noon.
No question could be more pertinent today than that posed and answered by R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a writer of uncommon grace and insight: “Why the abortion issue won’t go away” [http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/23/my-take-why-the-abortion-issue-wont-go-away ].
Writing on the religion blog of CNN, Mohler offers five reasons. He sets the stage for why the abortion issue has the same fierce resonance it always has by quoting from a note the author of Roe v. Wade wrote himself as he drafted the final opinion and speculated on the fallout: “It will be an unsettled period for a while,” prophesized Justice Harry Blackmun.
For a while? How about as long as it’s open season on unborn children?
Mohler’s five reasons are:
“First, the radical character of Roe – overthrowing abortion laws in 49 states – galvanized pro-life forces.”
“Second, Roe also had the effect, surely unforeseen by the Supreme Court, of bringing millions of evangelical Christians into the fight on behalf of unborn life.”
“Third, the death spiral of abortion simply defies adequate calculation.” 1.2 million abortions each year and a 60% abortion rate among African-American women in New York City.
“Fourth, abortion has proved to be exactly what pro-lifers warned it would be: a deadly threat to human dignity that would target specific populations,” a reference to the abortion deaths of 90% of babies found to “less than perfect.”
“Fifth, powerful imaging technologies now allow a look inside the womb – a privilege unknown to previous generations.”
You can’t be a full-throated, in it for the duration pro-lifer and not have an abiding faith in the power of education. Let me clarify: I am not saying that every person from whose eyes the scales fall with sign up for the Movement, or even necessarily shed “pro-choice” convictions.
But I am saying that there is no more profound cognitive dissonance than saying you are “pro-choice” if you are well grounded in the simple truth that there is a living, vibrant member of the human community on his or her way to joining us unless we make a deliberate decision to take their life. The truth is the most power solvent, able to dissolve the most resilient lie.
That is why you and I do what we do in season and out. We are utterly confident that the truth softens hearts and unstops ears.
We know—we KNOW—that when the truth of our common humanity grabs a hold of a man or woman’s conscience, it exerts a near irresistible tug.
And that is why we know with utter assurance that if we persevere, we will someday carry the day for the littlest Americans.
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