Life, Plants, and the Death Penalty

Can they both be pro-life?

There's a debate going on in the pro-life community about what it really means to be pro-life. Much of the time, it's much fiercer than I wish it was. Some people are absolutely convinced that you have no right to claim to be pro-life if you eat animals and are for executing people. Well, I eat animals, and I am pro-death-penalty. I hope that everybody can see that we should still be able to work together to stop abortion, whether or not we have different views on the definition of pro-life--abortion is an obvious evil that needs to stop.

That being said, I decided to write about how you can be pro-life and still be for animal and criminal deaths. (Pro-abortion vegans--of which, I think, there are many--make no sense.)

I'll start with veganism. People are vegetarians for many different reasons; some believe it is healthier and/or more economical,  some believe in not killing any form of animal life if they can help it, some believe that the conditions that animals are raised to slaughter are deplorable enough that it is immoral to eat such meat, thus condoning those conditions and practices. Honestly, I have not looked into these matters much, though I know deplorable slaughterhouses do exist, and animals do have feelings and fears. I'm not for animal cruelty. God gave us this Earth and commanded us to take care of it. I'm not against animal deaths, though, because...they're animals. In an ideal situation, any animals killed would be killed humanely. However, I don't want to lose sight of the people in the world by focusing too much on animals (not using it in the biological sense, since biologically humans are animals too). Sure, let's take care of the Earth and its animal inhabitants, but let's not worship it. Our focus needs to be on humans. Is veganism the most humane/healthy/economical choice? Maybe it is. I'm open to that. But it isn't my focus in life right now.

Now, the death penalty. I believe the two main arguments against the death penalty are as follows: 1) too many innocent people are killed. 2) It's up to God to take life, and we as human beings shouldn't do it.

The first argument is debatable. I tried looking it up once and got so confused I just stopped. It's amazing how different the statistics are depending on whether the website is pro-death-penalty or not. All I know is that it's true that innocent people have been killed. I also know that science has progressed so much, the likelihood of someone being wrongly convicted keeps dropping significantly.

As for the second reason...I recently saw a bumper sticker ('cause we all know bumper stickers never lie) that said something to the effect of "It's God's job to judge terrorists. It's the military's job to arrange the meeting". While I don't quite agree with the message that this implies, it makes a very good point. We have the right to defend ourselves. The death penalty, like war, should be used sparingly and as a last resort, but freely. God commands us to turn the other cheek, but he also told David when to go to war, outlined how to give out death penalties, and I'm not going to hesitate to use the self-defense methods I know (which, I hope, will someday include a gun. Muahaha.) if some man tries to rape me. The Constitution grants everybody a right to life. But if somebody forfeits that right to life, either by killing or some other horrendous crime, then they forfeit that right to life, with full knowledge that they were forfeiting it. Criminals know that the death penalty exists. If they want to risk being executed, that's their concern. I'm not going to let them off the hook.

I am not condoning violence against abortion workers by saying this. There is a difference between the death penalty--which has been given, hopefully, by due process of law--and going out and shooting somebody who was not breaking the law (even if that law is wrong) because you think what they're doing is wrong. Even if it wasn't morally wrong, it would be (and is) counter-productive. The death penalty, like war, should be used as a last resort. We can still win this war against abortion. We are winning this war against abortion. Pro-abortioners don't have a leg to stand on. We can stop violence without using violence.

For Love

I recently wrote a letter to a close friend of mine talking about love. It seems that I've been hearing about love everywhere now, whether it's God's love for us, our love for puppies, or love for our enemies. Particularly, love for all the abortion people. I've spoken briefly about my feelings toward pro-abortioners in my post about generalization "They're All Devils". I've developed since then; I can honestly say I'm starting to feel love towards these people. Not my love. I'm not capable of that. God's love.

I'll try to explain why. And how. Though it may be unexplainable.

Maybe it's because of Abby Johnson and her book Unplanned. I finished re-reading it a few hours ago. But then, maybe she's easy to love, because she's on our side now. She's obviously a very loving, warm-hearted person, and that's what drove her to first work at Planned Parenthood as a volunteer: a heart for people in crisis. She followed all the talking points and everything, and called peaceful, praying pro-lifers harrassers, but still, that's all behind us now, right?

Besides, there are all the negative things. The pro-abortion blogs and articles, where they freely spew filth and can make innocent ears quickly grow older. There are the disgusting clinics, stories of cold-hearted nurses and doctors, moving from one patient to the next as quickly as they can. The obvious lies. The protests to absolutely anything that might make the public think of the fetuses as human.

Except...that isn't all there is to it. There are the stories of kind nurses and doctors. There are the people who claim to have no regret. There are the pro-abortion blogs that tell stories of women relieved and thankful, of clean facilities, and kind-hearted people. The war zones. The disgust towards violent anti-choicers...and they're right. The sacrifice of funds and living space and time and energy. Low salaries. And they keep going.

But there's no doubt we're in a war. Hitler could have been the kindliest, warmest, most loving person in the world, but that doesn't make him right.

I read a website that had stories upon stories written by former abortion advocates (and yes, some actual abortionists). There are videos. People in tears. Perhaps this is what convicts me to pray for the pro-abortioners.

They're lost. They are so lost. And it breaks my heart. I hear stories all the time about what goes on in those clinics, even if they are sanitary and completely law-abiding and never send women to the hospital from botched abortions. Nightmares, alcohol, and marijuana.

Maybe there's a clean, law-abiding, safe, never-send-women-to-hospital, alcohol-and-marijuana-free clinic where no workers ever have nightmares about their jobs. They're all warm and friendly too and love the women they serve. They're truly pro-choice, and make as many adoption referalls and give as much parenting help as they give abortions. Even if this clinic existed, it doesn't make them right. It doesn't make them not lost. It doesn't make them non-empty. It simply doesn't compute.  I don't care how much they tell me they are perfectly happy champions of women, because I know it's not true. Abortion = no God = emptiness.

I'm reminded of Frank Peretti's book Prophet. Where a man begins to hear the anguished screaming of lost souls during his everyday life.

It doesn't matter if they will never be "converted". It doesn't matter if they participate in two hundred abortions a day. Love them for love's own sake. Why? We are commanded to. And they are God's children. Hitler was God's son. They are all God's children just as much as the children they are killing. Screaming at them, degrading them, and telling them to go f-bomb themselves isn't right, and it doesn't even work. Calling them baby-killers doesn't work. So please don't do it. Pray for them. Wish them a good day. You may never see the seeds you plant germinate, but plant them anyway. Love.

All images found via Google Images. Video taken from YouTube. No copyright infringement intended.

How Not to Protest

My last post was a review of Abby Johnson’s book Unplanned. There’s a reason I decided to do that review, besides just introducing you to a fabulous pro-life resource. The other reason is today’s post.

I actually have only been to one abortion clinic protest. I’ll say that right up front. I have wanted to go to them regularly ever since I started studying the abortion debate at the ripe old age of thirteen. The one protest I did attend was a Bound4Life prayer vigil, where I stood for one hour with other protestors, all lined up on the sidewalk beside an abortion clinic, praying, with the word “LIFE” written on red duct tape over our mouths. (I assure you, my attendance at such protests will rise drastically as soon as possible.)

What I’m about to say here then is, obviously, not taken from my own experience. Most of it is taken from the powerful experience of Abby Johnson—a Planned Parenthood director for eight years, turned pro-life advocate—and from other pro-life people, as well as current abortion advocates. I’m blogging about a subject I don’t have much first-hand experience on because I think it’s extremely important.

I posted about generalizing groups of people a few weeks ago. There is a reason that pro-lifers are often painted as reckless, harassing extremists (besides that opponents love to paint each other black). Because there really are reckless, harassing extremist pro-lifers.

Clinic Escorts

Abortion clinics often have “escorts” that go out and walk clients into the clinic. They have these escorts because of the pro-life protestors that try to convince the woman to not go in.

Note those last seven words. “Convince the woman to not go in.” Ultimately, that’s what protestors outside abortion clinics are trying to do. In most, if not all, cases, the woman going in for the abortion is scared, hurt, and often alone. She may or may not be absolutely dedicated to getting the abortion, but she wants—or feels that she needs—to go in. Which do you think will convince her to stay out? Screaming people waving signs with pictures of aborted babies? That only encourages her to flee—inside, where it’s quiet and safe. Or will it be the peaceful, prayer for people, saying gently to her, “You don’t have to do this. We’re here to help. We can help you, for free. You don’t need to go through with this today.”

Are you going to convince her to stay out and talk to you when you’re screaming at her?

Of course, from what I’ve seen and read, pro-abortioners will label any type of protest as harassment. Just because they say its harassment doesn’t mean it is. Peaceful, gentle protests are effective.

From Unplanned:

"'Uh-oh. They got one,' my trainer said. 'I wish they'd leave these poor women alone. Do they have to harass them over such a personal decision?'...

"I watched as the pro-lifer handed our client some literature--she didn't look like she felt harassed to me. Clearly, she'd chosen to talk to the pro-lifer...If we are pro-choice, I thought, ...why do we feel we need to protect clients from conversatoiins about their choices?"

Strong, loud, violent opposition (abortionist shooters, I’m looking at you) only strengthens the other side. There’s nothing like opposition that solidifies the troops. (From Unplanned, after the murder of George Tiller, an infamous late-term abortionist: "Dr. Tiller's death...solidified our ause...rallied our sense of being the despised yet brave advocates for women's health and well being...")

Peaceful prayer and counseling, on the other hand, create quite a different feeling. (From Unplanned, about the 40 Days for Life campaign: "Forty days and forty nights--those are biblical proportions! That's a long time to be surrounded nonstop by a large group of people who disagree with you but are so persistently...well...nice about it. It created an atmosphere I couldn't quite articulate.")

 I could go on with more quotes, but for sake of conciseness, I won’t.

Also, I’m not saying there’s never a time for pictures of abortion and chanting pro-life slogans. There are. I only became dedicated to the pro-life cause when I saw pictures of abortion. I already knew what abortion did, but the pictures “hit it home”, so to speak. As for chanting pro-life slogans…let’s save that for the Walk for Life or to counter a PP lobby day. Not when trying this exact time and place to save lives.

Pro-abortioners claim that sidewalk counselors or other peaceful protestors change nothing, therefore we are useless, therefore go home and keep your mouth shut. Don’t listen to them. If I spent my whole life volunteering at sidewalk counseling or a crisis pregnancy center and only helped save one baby from abortion, it’d be worth it. It’s always worth it.

Images found via Google Images. No copyright infringement intended.