As Kermit Gosnell of Philadelphia stands trial for heinous, violent acts against pre-born and post-born children that were reportedly committed at his abortion clinic, the abortion debate is renewed in America. Taking center stage this time in the debate are not those who have had an abortion, but rather those who provide them.
As of 2013, the nation’s largest abortion provider remains the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In a controversial move, President Obama agreed to speak at a national conference for Planned Parenthood, which continues to promote itself as a “reproductive health services provider.”
Each year, the organization raises funds for its billion-dollar budget, and receives millions in funding from tax dollars. The organization was founded in the first half of the 20th Century by Margaret Sanger, whose ideas on eugenics are an embarrassment to the supposedly politically-correct group.
Planned Parenthood operates hundreds of locations in the United States, including several in Oklahoma. At the 2013 Rose Day, pro-life activist Lila Rose, whose undercover reporting exposed egregious business practices (such as not reporting clients who were posing as minors who had sexual relations with an older man) spoke out harshly against the group.
In the halls of Congress, lawmakers continue to debate whether taxpayers should fund Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, no real change has occurred. While the taking of innocent human life through abortion remains a central problem in America, a related problem is now coming to the surface: namely, childlessness.
America is, according to experts, going through a baby bust. In his new book, What to Expect When No One’s Expecting, author Jonathan V. Last presents the case that our country is on the cusp of a demographic disaster.
Mr. Last documents fertility rates and trends throughout the world today, and he spells out what it could mean to us. New evidence has revealed China has aborted more than 300 million children in recent decades, a number too frightening to grasp. The Chinese fertility rate is now 1.54, due to abortion and the forced one-child policy.
Last claims, meanwhile, that America has effectively imposed its own one-child policy as well, through abortion and artificial birth control means. He shows the falling fertility rate and explains how, as the population ages, there will be fewer children who become young adults to replace the population and care for the elderly and support programs like Social Security.
These predictions about an under-population crisis call to mind the ideas of Paul R. Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb (1968), who created widespread fear about an overpopulation crisis. His book began, “The battle to feed all of humanity is over. In the 1970s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now. At this late date nothing can prevent a substantial increase in the world death rate.”
Ehrlich’s ideas would seem humorous today, had they not fueled the rationale for abortion-on-demand in America. Time will tell if Last’s prediction of the under-population problem will prove true. Yet, the evidence he presents is compelling. Either way, his conclusion that a low birth rate is bad for any nation rings true with Christianity.
The Bible teaches that a high birth rate is good for the nation, “In a multitude of people is a king’s glory, but in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin” (Prov. 28:14). Scriptures also teach having children is an honorable endeavor and God is pleased when His people are fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:28, Ps. 104:24, 31; Isa. 6:3).
As America continues on its public collision-course debate on social issues, it is the duty of every Christian to love each person born into this world (and love those whose lives were snuffed out), praying compassionately for all expecting women. Above all, let us pray God would put an end to the barbaric taking of human life in this country, and that we as God’s people would be fruitful and multiply.
