Let’s Talk About Abortion

Okay! Let’s talk about abortion.

But let’s talk about it a little differently. Not what our views are, but how we express these views. 

This came to my attention when there was a Facebook post about abortion laws in New York changing and the comments were multiplying by the second. It was between a few, very republican Christians (let’s call them Group A) and one very democratic Christian (Group B).

I’m not implying anything about my own personal views on the matter as a Christian. However, the back and forth responses did stir up some thoughts in me about the way opinions and views were being expressed. So I want to look at not so much WHAT was being talked about, but HOW they were talking about it. How could it have been handled better? It looked like a downwards spiral from the outside - which is what caught my attention. Group B made a comment, Group A then responded; Group B continued to say that the views they were expressing weren’t necessarily personal but just how the law and medicine sees this situation. Group A continued to focus on the emotional side of things and spoke less of facts and statistics. 

If we sit there, first of all, behind our phones or computer screens, pulling out the most commonly used sentences that one can give in an anti-abortion argument, we’re failing to give a thorough debate with depth. Telling the person that the foetus has rights, feels pain and is a human life is nothing they haven’t heard before. Perhaps we ought to try sharing some scripture. This may help people understand that Christians don’t all say things with critical or judgemental intent. They may on TV, but in real life Christians do not say things like “if you do this particular action, your ass is going to burn.” (If you do find yourself saying this to preach the gospel, pray that God gives you wisdom and grace, and definitely think before you speak.) Certain Christian views are not something we can scare into people. It’s not like telling a toddler that if you don’t eat your broccoli, you won’t get pudding. People need dialogue and context. Try again. 

Second, if we sit there, thumbs at the ready, typing out that someone’s heart has turned hard and callous; that someone is a murderer or a killer because they have had an abortion, I would even go as far as saying that we are failing to show Jesus’ love. Let me explain. 

There’s a famous verse, John 8:7, that says, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” The passage that this comes from is basically talking about a woman who was caught committing adultery. The law at that time was that a person who does such a crime is to be stoned. Jesus was approached by the people who were turning this woman in, He wrote in the dirt and then said the line stated above. 

Whoever is without sin, cast a stone. 

Not, “whoever has not committed the same sin”, because sin is sin. 

Then the men left, and Jesus was alone with this woman. Jesus calmly said “...Does no one condemn you?”

“No one, Master.”

“Neither do I,” said Jesus. Look at that. Jesus did NOT condemn this woman. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” 

Words like, ‘murderer’ or ‘killer’ are huge, huge stones. They’re painful. 

In this day and age everything is on social media. People post their opinions on Facebook comments and in tweets and never think about the heart that is sitting behind the screen that the person is receiving these comments on. The opinions stack up because everyone thinks theirs is better or theirs is right. 

Someone may think they’re challenging this person or their views; it may be their intention. It could be their innocent intention. But here is where one lacks wisdom, compassion, grace and most importantly, love. Are we really showing Jesus through what we’re saying right now, or are we being driven by emotion which clouds what we are trying to voice? 

Jesus spoke to this woman at her level. He spoke to her in private. He didn’t publicly shame her, he didn’t dismiss her and he most definitely did not call her names. What I saw on this post was hate. It was looking at someone as if they were less worthy or less important because they were expressing views that didn’t match the opposing’s. Maybe they didn’t match the Bible’s. 

It’s really easy to say “what would Jesus do?” but it’s much harder to deliver this when we become guilty of airing dirty laundry on social media and showing defensiveness so easily. 

Its important to know what to say but it is just as important to know how to say it. If you see someone express views that are different to yours or that you feel don’t fit with what the Bible teaches, talk to them in person. If you can’t, at least private message them. Ask them for a phone call. If you don’t think you can hold back or stop yourself from raising your voice or expressing anger, don’t be the one to talk about it. Don’t just ignore it, or not answer questions - be honest. Tell them who they could talk to because you’re not the right person. Everybody is blessed with different gifts. Some of us may be gifted at sharing the gospel and talking about Jesus and his love to those who find it challenging to believe in God. Others may not be so strong in this area but that’s okay. It’s just as powerful to know when to step down. 

I’m definitely not saying ignore these types of things because they’re controversial. I’m not saying we should keep our opinions to ourselves. We’re not robots. I’m saying discuss these opinions with love laced through every word. Drive the conversation with compassion and empathy. Pray beforehand; ask God to guide the conversation and give wisdom. Be patient when waiting for a response. Not everybody processes and thinks the same speed. 

We as Christians are told to be the light of the world. We are told to be the salt of the earth. How will we shine light over walls we are building with our careless words? How will we put flavour in the world if we aren’t delicate with how we distribute it? We will never, ever all agree on the same things, because we are part of a broken world. We have no control over this. We do, however, have control over how we talk to our brothers and sisters. We have control over our words. We have control over whether we keep Jesus above everything else. We need to make sure we share the most important message of all: 

JESUS. LOVES. EVERYONE.

There is no one that he doesn’t welcome into his kingdom with open arms. 

You have never had too many abortions to be loved by God. You can never be too gay to be God’s child. Let’s get our demonstration of God’s love right first and then maybe we can learn to approach these other complicated issues. Teach love first.