Have you run into a progressive spouting aloud reasons to not have an abortion “for the sake of the children” already living at home?
After all, the claim is that one less mouth to feed will benefit the other children. The surviving children will have one less sibling to compete with for time and attention from mom and dad. Does this justify putting their unborn brother or sister to death? Would encouraging abortion for women with multiple children already be a compassionate act?
How do you respond?
I will tell you how I might reply. I will address this as if I were speaking a mother contemplating an abortion. I will address her thinking that abortion serves as a supposed means to improve family life for her other children.
Here are eight of many reasons to not have an abortion “for the sake of your children.”
1. IF YOU ABORT, YOU ARE SAYING YOUR CHILD’S LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING
This may seem obvious, but for an abortion-minded mother, it bears contemplation.
If you put your unborn child to death, you are saying his life is not worth living. He would be better dead than to be alive.
How does a message such as this convey compassion? How does putting to death your own child prove to him, to yourself, or to anyone your mercy?
In fact, it screams just the opposite of such virtues.
Come on, does putting any child to death sound like a solution to anything?
2. IF YOU ABORT, YOU WILL BECOME A WORSE PARENT, NOT A BETTER ONE, TO YOUR BORN CHILDREN
Parenthood requires ensuring the best upbringing for your children. Being a parent necessitates you making sacrifices for your children’s well-being.
If you decide to have one of your children put to death, you have just done the opposite of your duty toward your own flesh and blood. Rather than overcome any obstacle out of love for your child, you would be sacrificing him for your benefit.
Such selfishness would counteract your parental instinct. Forget defending your children from the dangers of the world, like a mama bear. Instead, you would be letting the world get between you and your own baby.
What does that communicate to your other children? It tells them they are expendable. They are alive merely by the grace of being conceived at a different time within your family.
As well, your attitude toward all your children will likely be shifted negatively. Post-abortive women have been known to physically harm their other children. Not all of them will, but hopefully you won’t be one of them.
3. WHY STOP WITH JUST THE UNBORN CHILD?
If it is true that your circumstances do not allow your unborn baby to be born into your family, then what about the rest of your children?
Obviously, you would not allow someone to come by to kill off your other children, right?
But if your circumstances are so bad, why pick the unborn baby to be the one to die? Why not kill off one of the older children? After all, they probably consume more resources.
It would be ridiculous to kill off a born child, for any reason. So why does that change for the unborn child? Both of them are your children!
Furthermore, if your unborn child is such a threat to you, do you want to start down the slippery slope of deciding which children are worth keeping around and for what reasons?
Can you understand your living children’s trepidation? Should they have to ever wonder what will happen to them, if you decide you no longer want them?
4. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE YOU WILL HAVE SUBSEQUENT CHILDREN
Forty to fifty percent of women who go through with an abortion face pregnancy complications afterward for their “wanted” children. So, if you fall for the line that you’re giving up this kid, so that future children will be better off, take pause.
You may not get another opportunity to be a parent.
5. IT IS NOT ‘IRRESPONSIBLE’ TO GIVE BIRTH TO A BABY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
The Culture of Death has succeeded in convincing people of a multitude of lies. Among them is the notion that to give birth in difficult situations would be ‘irresponsible.’
That falsehood needs to be cleared from your mind. Do not fall for such foolishness.
You are already pregnant. There is no undoing the fact that you conceived a baby. The question becomes, what are you going to do about it?
Are you going to take responsibility for the child, as you should? Or are you going to be irresponsible by killing the child?
6. YOU ARE NOT REALLY THREATENED BY A BABY, ARE YOU?
Self-explanatory, really.
7. IF YOU ABORT, YOU WOULD BE DENYING YOURSELF AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN LOVE
Number seven of our reasons to not have an abortion “for the sake of the children” is quite simple.
Babies are cute and cuddly. They elicit joy from those who take care of them. Only those with hardened hearts would wish not to be around them.
Yes, a child would be dependent upon you for everything, especially as a newborn. But that’s what makes parenthood so wonderful.
You would have the opportunity to push aside your needs, and tend to your child’s foremost. By prioritizing his needs, you will grow in love. You will become a better person as a result.
8. IF YOU ABORT, YOU MAY SUBJECT YOUR OTHER CHILDREN TO “SURVIVOR GUILT”
If your children learn you put a sibling of theirs to death, their perception of you will likely change. Instead of trusting you with their well-being, they will likely realize their vulnerability.
If you can kill off one of their siblings, what protection or assurance do you offer the others?
You may claim those other children are different: they are “wanted.” Okay, but for how long? Can you understand your living children’s trepidation? Should they have to ever wonder what will happen to them, if you decide you no longer want them?
** See Chapter 7 of Aborted Women: Silent No More
(This article first appeared on this blog in March 2015.)
YOUR TURN
Can you think of a #9 to add to the list of reasons to not have an abortion “for the sake of the children?”
What other thoughts might you have on this topic?
Please share them below.
