Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, or Abolitionist?

What do all three of these have in common? They are all focused on abortion. Prochoice say abortion liberates women. Prolife say abortion victimizes women. Abolitionists say abortion victimizes children.

All three believe in the bodily autonomy of women. Prochoice promote a woman's bodily autonomy while ignoring the child's bodily autonomy. Prolife promote the autonomy of women with some autonomy of the child dependent upon varying degrees of developmental ability, circumstance, or prognosis. Abolitionists promote the bodily autonomy of women prior to pregnancy and preborn children's bodily autonomy following pregnancy.

Prochoice ignore the science that children in the womb are living human beings and therefore persons who should be protected under the law. Prolife understand that preborn children are living human beings and argue with each other which ones should be protected under law. Abolitionists believe children prior to birth deserve equal protections under the law.

Prochoice want abortions without restrictions under the law. Prolife want some restrictions under the law. Abolitionists want no abortions under the law.

Prochoice want abortion to be outlawed "never". Prolife want abortion to be outlawed "someday". Abolitionists want abortion outlawed "now".

Some want abortion to be safe, legal, and rare. Some don't want to be able to kill children at all. Some want it unthinkable while others want it unthinkable and illegal. Some have an opinion on abortion without knowing what abortion is. Some just don't want their tax dollars paying for it.

It reminds me of denominations. While all Christian denominations believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we can get focused not on what unites but on what divides. Predestination, dispensationalism, spiritual gifts, dunk or sprinkle, ... those who have studied these intently can be very emphatic as to their theology. But the important thing we can all agree on is to ask the question: have you placed your faith in Christ to save you?

Whether someone identifies as prochoice, prolife, or abolitionist, they are not the enemy. They are people. People who need to have conversations, not labels. People with specks and logs in their eyes like we all do. People who need to be heard, loved, and challenged "as iron sharpens iron" (Prov 27:17).

Scripture and science agree that all children are living human beings in the womb. Scripture tells us Jesus came to earth at conception. Jesus says how we treat "the least of these" is how we are treating Him. Scripture says law is a teacher (Gal 3:24). Law does not say who is to blame for breaking the law. It merely tells you an action that is illegal to do - such as killing children before they can be born.

The judiciary decides who is responsible for breaking the law and the degree to which each is culpable. The judiciary takes into account if someone was coerced and the circumstances surrounding it. It also has discretion over sentencing. For example, if you run a red light and a police officer stops you and you tell him you are running the light to get someone to the hospital, instead of giving you a ticket, he will give you an escort! We are people, after all!

May I suggest we stop focusing on death? May we focus less on the arguments of the death industry and more on the life-giver who is Christ? May we focus on life? On the vision of what it is we are trying to accomplish - not just the labels we give ourselves?

We believe in protecting children. The protection of children begins in the womb.

The argument is not between prochoice and prolife. The battle is not between prolife and abolitionist. The war is between good and evil. Life and death. Light and darkness. The wisdom of God and the foolishness of this world. There is a natural divide between God-worshippers and idol worshippers, between believers and unbelievers, between truth and error (2 Corinthians 6:14).

There is unity under the headship of Christ. The counterfeit is uniformity. The only label one need wear is the name of Christ under whom is given all authority on heaven and earth and who has promised those who know Him that the gates of hell shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18).

Jesus said, "the enemy has come to kill, steal, and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and life in abundance" (John 10:10).

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,...." (Ephesians 6:10-19)