
Poll after poll say more people’s minds are going against abortion now than anytime since Roe v. Wade passed in 1973.
This is good news, for sure. It seems people’s consciences are waking up to the atrocity that is abortion.
How anyone can favor the dismemberment of an unborn child in the womb defies comprehension. Perhaps sometime in our lifetime we’ll see abortion outlawed once again. But I am not holding my breath.
As great at it is that a growing multitude of people are going against abortion, the pro-life cause cannot end with its being made illegal. “Our goal is not just to make abortion illegal. Our goal is to make abortion undesirable, unavailable, unnecessary in the eyes of those that would want it. In short, our goal is to make abortion unthinkable,” proclaims Fr. Frank Pavone, Director of Priests For Life.
So how do we go about constructing a pro-life society?
Well, it begins by taking the premises we agree on in our opposition to abortion and applying them to our society at large. If you want a better chance at ending the holocaust of child murder, then you must oppose much more than just abortion.
WHAT ABOUT CONTRACEPTIVE SEX?
For instance, every pro-lifer ought to oppose contraceptive sex.
Oh, I realize that is an unpopular opinion, but that does not diminish the truth in the statement. Think about it.
Abortion remains gravely immoral because it seeks to destroy a human life made in the image of God, right? Okay, on this we can all agree.
And how is it that our society makes legal the supposed “right” to end an unborn’s child life before birth? Can we agree that, generally speaking, somewhere along the way we separated the necessity to care for one’s own child from the act of sexual intercourse?
I hope we can agree there. For from there, I hope we can agree that those who engage in intercourse ought to take the responsibility to raise any child that might result. Moreover, anyone who is not prepared to raise a child should not be having sex.
Now, I would hope every pro-lifer can agree on the statements in the last two sentences in the paragraph above.
Yet, why is it that not every pro-life person can agree that contraceptive sex is gravely immoral? After all, does not contraceptive sex seek to circumvent both those statements?
Contraceptive sex says you should expect to engage in sex without any expectation that a child could result. That’s what contraceptives seek to do—prevent conception.
Contraception seeks to prevent a child from existing. Abortion kills the baby before she is born. They are not morally equivalent, but stem from the same rotten root.
So how is it that an abortion opponent can tolerate, much less encourage, contraceptive sex? Is this not encouraging the very attitude that leads to the majority of abortions?
Now, I know opponents of such a position will claim that contraception seeks to reduce the number of abortions. After all, if fewer babies are conceived, then fewer abortions will be procured. And isn’t that the goal: reducing the number of babies dying?
On its surface, this seems plausible. However, such a counter-argument has a large blindspot.
Thought experiment: does the amount of sexual activity go up or go down when contraceptives are allowed? Obviously, the rate goes up. And intuitively, this only makes sense.
People are willing to take more chances, if they think they are “protected.” Sex moves from an act relevant to married folks, who can raise children, to a recreational sport open to virtually everyone.
With a promise of no children resulting, those who engage in sex do not necessarily feel much attachment to their partners. Promiscuity becomes epidemic, as fornication rules the day.
Thus, while the individual likelihood of “accidentally” conceiving a child goes down, more conceptions actually occur. Obviously, this is because a greater number of sexual encounters are taking place, as a whole.
Besides, the majority of women obtaining abortions say they were using contraception at the time they got pregnant. Birth control measures fail. And abortion serves as the backup for when that occurs.
IN CLOSING
So, anyone going against abortion should also oppose contraception use. This is how we can move toward a pro-life society, we pro-lifers all claim we want.
Until contraception use is eradicated, abortion will always remain.
To end contraception use, we need to end fornication. But that’s a blog post for another day.
YOUR TURN
Do you see the argument I am making?
Do you agree those going against abortion should necessarily contest contraceptive sex, as well?
If not, why not?
I imagine I will get some feedback here. Please leave your charitable comment below, thanks.