What Does it Mean to be “Pro-Life”?
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is commemorated this year on Sunday, January 16, 2022. Sanctity of Human Life Sunday began in response to the Supreme Court decision on January 22, 1973 that resulted in legalized abortion in the US (Roe V. Wade). President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day to celebrate life and to remember the lives lost to abortion. Since then, many pro-life organizations, ministries, and churches take time to proclaim and affirm their pro-life views. This month is a good time to ponder the question—what does it mean to be pro-life?
If you listen to the mainstream media, watch much TV, or spend a lot of time on social media (especially Twitter) you might have the impression that “pro-lifers” only care about unborn babies. Abortion advocates will use expressions like “anti-choice” or “pro-birth-only” to describe the pro-life view. There are, of course, always going to be people on the extreme end of any issue, and this issue is no exception. But the majority of those who call themselves “pro-life” do so because they believe that ALL human life is valuable--men, women, and children. Pro-life Christians believe this because Genesis tells us that God created man in His image (Genesis 1:27). Human life is valuable because God created it on purpose and for a purpose.
The pro-life view is based on the belief that life begins at conception. Because a pre-born baby is a human life, and because abortion intentionally ends the life of the preborn baby, those who are pro-life believe that abortion is morally wrong. We believe that abortion is destructive, not only to the life it takes, but also to the ones involved in making the decision and carrying out the abortion. We believe that protecting life is more empowering than ending life.
People who believe that a woman should have the choice to have an abortion in certain circumstances are referred to as being “pro-choice.” People with this view typically believe one of two things (or both): 1. The preborn baby is not really a living human being--it is only a clump of cells, and therefore abortion isn’t really ending a life; or even if the preborn baby is technically human, it is not fully developed and therefore is not equal to fully developed people; and 2. Even if the preborn baby is fully human and abortion ends that life, the rights of the mother trumps the rights of the baby because she should be able to do what she wants with her own body.
Again, there are extreme views on both sides, but most pro-choice people aren’t “anti-baby” or hateful people. Most of them truly believe that women deserve the right to make that choice, especially in crisis situations. Most are coming from a place of compassion for the woman. They have grown up in a country where abortion has always been legal, and where society tells them that being pro-choice is the compassionate position to hold. And a lot of people don’t even truly understand what an abortion really is.
If we want to change people’s minds on this issue, it’s important to remember that the pro-choice person is just as valuable as the pro-life person. Abortion is a very emotionally-charged issue, but the person who has a different opinion is not the enemy. Part of being pro-life is respecting other people’s opinions. When we share about the sanctity of the life of the preborn, we can share that truth in love. I have seen pro-life people misrepresenting pro-choice views and making fun of what they believe. This is not showing respect. It is also not a great way to get someone to listen to your viewpoint. It is possible to find common ground, and that’s a great place to start. To change someone’s mind, you have to be willing to have real conversations (probably more than one) and you must be willing to be a part of their lives.
Being pro-life also means being compassionate to those who have made an abortion decision in their past. Many women and men have struggled with regret after making that decision, and believers can help them find forgiveness and healing through Christ. It is not helpful or compassionate to either condemn or to condone their decision. To receive healing, one has to accept responsibility and accept God’s forgiveness. Pro-life people can model God’s grace by compassionately sharing this truth.
Being pro-life is also more than just being against abortion. Being truly pro-life means that you value ALL life—not just preborn babies, but all men, women, and children. As believers, we are called to love one another, bare one another’s burdens, and serve one another. We strive to improve the lives of others. I believe we are called to live out our pro-life views in lots of ways that go beyond the abortion issue.
We can live out our pro-life views by donating material items to our local pregnancy centers, and in that way can be part of meeting the physical needs of low-income families. We can mentor young people in our families, churches, and communities. We live in a confusing culture, and our youth need direction and clarity. We can help them navigate friendships, listen to them without judgment when they share their struggles, and point them to the truth of God’s word. We can listen to and pray with mothers who are overwhelmed with their responsibilities. We can help individual families by teaching parents how to parent, pointing them to good resources, and sharing our own experiences—good and bad—with them. We can cultivate relationships with our neighbors by paying attention to the people around us. We can’t identify the needs of others if are eyes aren’t open to see other people. We can build better, more authentic relationships in our churches by sharing our struggles with each other. This means being vulnerable enough to ask for help when we need it, and expressing our willingness to help others with their messy situations. We can learn how to recognize when someone is dealing with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; and we can get them the help they need. We can mourn with those who have suffered through a miscarriage, making sure to acknowledge the pain of the father as well, as he often gets overlooked but grieves just as deeply.
Most importantly, being pro-life is sharing the good news of the Gospel with those around us. Jesus came not only to give us life, but to give us abundant life. I believe that the most important truth—the truth of how we can have eternal life—should be the foundation of all of our other pro-life views. Believers in Christ should be pro-life. Let’s take this month to ponder what that means, and to try to live it out daily.
"Emmy Daniels is the Branch Director of Hope Choice Pregnancy Centers and Mentoring Programs in Pinedale, Wyoming. She is married to Matthew and they have four children. Her family is active in their church and they love living in the mountains where they can hunt, fish, and hike together."
