"Babies Are Still Murdered Here": The Fight to Abolish Abortion
Simply put, abortion is the killing of unborn babies. This horrific act goes by many names to sugarcoat its disturbing reality; some call it “women’s health” or “healthcare.” Even the word “abortion” is an attempt to soften and desensitize us to the true action taking place in this grisly and demonic act. The most accurate way to describe abortion is to call it for what it really is—murder.
This irrefutable term is one that the left and progressives hate because it removes the mask and exposes abortion for what it really is. However, the statement that “abortion is murder” is also a statement that many in the pro-life movement refuse to use.
On Reformation Day (October 31), Apologia Studios and EndAbortionNow.com released a shocking and bold documentary, Babies Are Still Murdered Here (BASMH), exposing the division in the pro-life movement. This sequel to the equally controversial 2014 documentary, Babies Are Murdered Here, exposes pro-life giants like National Right to Life (NRL) who refuse to call abortion murder and do not share the same zeal of completely abolishing abortion as many would expect them to have.
What BASMH does so well is present the reality that in order to abolish abortion in the same manner America abolished slavery, we cannot accept compromise. The documentary points to the recent passing of heartbeat bills across various states as an example of compromise, as it has not been as effective as advertised by politicians and activists.
These soft laws make the assumption that abortionists will be honest in their practices. However, as Sarah Cleveland, an ultrasound tech with 15 years of experience, proved in the documentary, a technician can easily fulfill all the requirements of any one of these various heartbeat bills and manipulate ultrasound results as these machines are “100% operator dependent.” A technician in an abortion clinic can purposely take bad pictures of a baby in the womb for the purpose of dehumanizing them to their mothers. Techs can even avoid picking up a baby’s heartbeat by simply pointing the ultrasound device at different angles.
Although these laws are helpful, they should never be the end goal of the pro-life movement. The reality is that we should not be satisfied with these kinds of laws regarding issues as significant as abortion or slavery. Regulating slavery would be/was just as unacceptable as regulating abortion. We need to completely abolish abortion and end the infant genocide in America.
However, abolishing abortion is not the true goal for organizations like NRL. As the film presents one shocking clip after another, it becomes clear, “National Right to Life and their partners have a long history of opposing even the weakest regulations of abortion.” Organizations like NRL will never abolish abortion (although they may attempt to take the credit for it as NRL has done in the past) because they are not motivated by biblical truth and standards.
In fact, Terrisa Bukovinac, Executive Director of Pro-Life San Francisco said, “It is pro-lifers that want a separation of church and state.” When asked if the religion or the gospel message was a foundational point that Live Action, another national pro-life group, uses for ending abortion, Alison Centofante, Director of External Relations, said, “Who is saying that?...Yeah, not us.” Additionally, Carol Tobias, NRL President said, “We realize we are fighting in a secular world that doesn’t care... A lot of people don’t read the Bible... So we do try to work on a scientific basis, human rights basis... faith comes into a lot of what we do but it is not necessarily the basis for our arguments.”
What they desire is a large, diverse group of followers who are simply trying to make moral arguments to end abortion. The cost of pleasing so many people of various backgrounds means refusing to call abortion murder or refusing to hold those mothers accountable who seek the murder of their child, as they don’t want to offend a large segment of their supporters. Their message is comfortable enough for people of various faiths, including atheists, to support and is simply ineffective at stopping the extermination of babies.
This behavior may seem shocking to those on the right and those who were not aware of this division, but it explains the unsuccessful attempts to get real game-changing, anti-abortion laws passed. Jack Graham, popular SBC pastor (who has recently made other questionable judgments), publicly supported Congressman Jeff Leach in a tweet for his opposition to Texas House Bill 896, also known as the Abolish Abortion in Texas Act. That legislation would have criminalized the act of abortion and held women accountable for the murder of their babies. Many were shocked at Graham’s position and Congressman Leach’s lack of courage to treat abortion as the murderous act that it really is.
This lukewarm attitude towards the crime of abortion is unacceptable for those who are followers of Christ. The original BAMH documentary and its sequel are a wake-up call to Christians who are passionate about ending the massacre of the most vulnerable of classes, innocent babies. The reality of the matter is anyone who is a genuine Christian, who has an orthodox understanding of Scripture, fully understands that to God, abortion is of the most detestable of practices.
Theologian, R. C. Sproul, stated in the film, “I've been a theologian; I've spent my whole life studying theology, teaching theology, and I can tell you, if I know anything about God, I know that God hates abortion. And I know that He will not tolerate this forever.”
Sproul is right on point. The Scriptures are clear on this matter. Jeremiah 1:5 records God saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” Additionally, it is written in Psalm 127:3 that “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”
However, the extraordinary detail David used to describe the way God created us in Psalm 139:13-16 is impossible to deny: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Clearly, a baby in the womb is not just flesh or tissue but human life created in the image of God.
Additionally, murder is listed as one of the things God hates and considers an abomination: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers (Proverbs 6:16-19).”
Child sacrifice, which is what abortion is (if we are being honest), is an unthinkable act to God. Jeremiah records God’s words when He says, “And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind (Jeremiah 7:31).” America’s blatant disregard for God’s commands by murdering the innocent in this horrific manner will result in punishment. As 2 Kings 17:17 says, “And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.”
As believers, this documentary challenges us to not rely on those in the pro-life movement who expect to produce change by calling on the masses. Instead, we need to unite as a group of believers under the power of our God; leaning on Him and His commands are the only way we will ever truly abolish abortion. This means we must present the gospel and share God’s truth in an uncensored manner.
The heart of people will not be changed with a neutered gospel message. We need to be on the front lines of this battle, praying and preaching the Word of God in love in front of abortion clinics. We need to be the Christian voice in each of our local governments and influencing local legislation. So, whether it is in front of an abortion clinic or in front of government officials, we need to be clear in presenting the gospel message as it is our foundation; that we are created in God’s image but are all totally depraved due to sin and our fallen nature. However, we have a Savior in Jesus Christ whose sacrifice paid for the sins of those who place their trust in Him.
As we share the heart-changing gospel message, we need to remember to accept those who have repented of the sin of abortion, just like any other sin. God’s grace is enough to cover any amount of sin. So, whether one is a boyfriend who pressured his girlfriend to get an abortion or a woman who has aborted her child, or even if one is the abortionist carrying out these deadly practices, Christ’s blood is enough to cover these sins. We as believers need to accept these individuals and realize they are just as free as we are from the slavery of sin once they come into fellowship with God.
Followers of the King of Kings need to aim to abolish abortion and not settle for anything less. We must support laws like those being pushed for by Mark Lee Dickerson, Right to Life East Texas Director, who has sought to make Texas a sanctuary for the unborn (for a look at his recent activities and a plan to make Rusk, Texas the next sanctuary city of the unborn, read, The Continued Texas Fight to Outlaw Abortion).
For more information on equipping and rallying the church to end abortion through the Gospel of Jesus Christ please consider joining EndAbortionNow.com along with their Online Coalition.