This week I traveled for five days through five major cities of the midwest with a group of young activists. The pro-life organization, Created Equal, coordinated this trip and called it a Justice Ride. Named after the Freedom Rides of the Civil Rights movement, our tour sought to expose the injustice of abortion to a country that prides itself in its rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Sadly, this very nation has denied an entire generation of its right to life. More than 50 million people have been killed, and yet very few have ever seen the victims. The Justice Riders set up signs in public squares displaying the graphic nature of abortion and sought to engage passersby in conversations about the topic. I learned so much through the Justice Ride, and more posts will likely come about what I've learned. But for the sake of space and the desire to be concise, I'll limit my discussion in this post to what I've learned about the different reactions people have at the sight of aborted children.
Anger. Some people are filled with rage at the sight of the graphic nature of abortion. Some express their anger by attacking pro-lifers with hateful words. Some knock down signs. Others make offensive gestures. It is impossible to know for sure the reason for their anger, but it is possible to make a guess.
My best guess is that they feel guilt. Whether these angry people have participated in an abortion or not, I believe that a certain natural feeling is triggered at the sight of extreme injustice. This natural feeling is guilt. Pictures of dismembered children would make anyone feel angry. If you saw a picture on the news of a dismembered toddler, you would probably become angry. You would say something like, "Who could do something so cruel to such an innocent child?!" It seems reasonable to conclude then that the reason why someone would get angry at pictures of aborted children is because they know the answer to that question. Who could do something so cruel to such an innocent unborn child? Our nation. The people of this country have allowed this barbaric practice to go on behind closed doors for almost forty years. We as a nation like to believe that we are for freedom and equality and justice, but when its inhabitants are confronted with pictures that seem to suggest the opposite, they are forced to recognize their guilt.
You may wonder why I didn't label this section "guilt", but I did this for a reason. While I believe that guilt is the root the anger grows from, I am sure that the woman who screamed at me that I was a stupid girl was not aware that she was doing so out of guilt. Unfortunately, our generation has become skilled at suppressing feelings of guilt. It is much more pleasant to believe that you are a generally good person than to admit that you have serious flaws. It is easier to persuade yourself that you were right for hurting another person because of the circumstances rather than apologize for the pain you've caused. Similarly, the people of our nation have suppressed their guilt for almost forty years. We are guilty of the blood of innocent children, and we don't like it at all.
Sadness. This appropriate response is one that occurred less often than I would have hoped. However, when it did occur, I dove right in to start a conversation. It is easier to talk rationally with a person that still has even a fragment of his or her conscience in working order. Moral sensitivity is key to preserving the life of the preborn baby. If the sight of a dead child doesn't move you to sadness, think about what that says about the condition of your heart.
Apathy. This response is the worst of them all, and it was the most popular response of the day. Some consciences have been so dulled that the pictures didn't even move them to anger. Many people walked past our displays without even a glance. Far more worse off are those who mock the death of innocents. When I asked one young man what his thoughts were on the photos, he retorted with a grin, "I think they are hilarious." It is tempting to believe that such a person is too far gone in moral decline. After all, if one is able to laugh at the sight of a dead child, what else could that person be capable of? However, it is in moments like those that I am reminded that only my King can lift the dark veil that covers the eyes of such people. But if they are unwilling to be changed, the veil will only become heavier and darker with time. As a Christian woman, I was especially convicted this week to pray that the souls shrouded in darkness would come into the light.
It is quite possible that I have missed some of the other reactions, but I won't worry myself with that. The only thing I worry about is the person who reads this post and responds in apathy. There is no response more tragic.
While I learned a great deal about how to speak with people who think differently than me and how to remain calm in moments of fear or intimidation, I learned most about the nature of the times we live in. And what I've discovered has only filled me with more zeal for the movement I have just become a part of. In a time when apathy and anger are the fuel for the war being waged on unborn children, I know that I must take my position in the ranks that defend the weak and the fatherless. I will not stop fighting until justice is restored in our nation. A King is leading this battle, and His servants must follow Him to attain the victory.
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