Jan. 22, 1973, is a day that will live in infamy. On that day, the Supreme Court of the United States made a decision that sealed the doom for more than 50 million unborn children in America. The Court declared in its decision that the unborn child did not have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The right to abortion became the law of the land.
Over the years, those who stand to profit from abortion and their liberal friends have sought to make abortion acceptable. They have twisted the truth to make abortion into a harmless medical procedure to remove pregnancy matter. The favorite word in their abortion vocabulary is “choice.” The woman, after all, should have the right to make the decision regarding her own body. Liberal media has lent support to these views by using the term pro-choice to describe a pro-death position.
Be assured, abortion is no harmless medical procedure. Every abortion ends in the death of a human life. The child is a human being separate from the mother. From conception, the only difference between the unborn and the born is maturation. The whole “choice” lingo is a lie. Every precious child is a unique human being created in the image of God.
America has become a culture of death because of the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court. Since that fateful day, America has allowed the death of unborn children equivalent to twice the population of Texas.
Through the years, one group has been at the forefront of the abortion industry. This organization presents themselves as serving the health of women, especially poor women. No group has done more to destroy human life than Planned Parenthood—the number one provider of abortions in America. According to Planned Parenthood records, they performed 333,964 abortions in the year 2010-2011, which is the latest statistic available.
Every American subsidizes abortions through taxes. Planned Parenthood received a record $542.4 million in government grants and reimbursements during the latest fiscal year. Profits at Planned Parenthood were $87.4 million.
Baptist Press quoted Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life organization, “Planned Parenthood has spent much of the last few years demanding that taxpayers add millions more to their coffers, citing their non-profit status and so-called focus on women’s health. What have we received for our money? While government subsidies to Planned Parenthood have reached an all-time high, so too has the number of lives ended by this profit-driven abortion business.” She added in a written statement, “As if these numbers weren’t already horrifying, Planned Parenthood has upped the ante even further by mandating that all affiliates provide abortions beginning this year. Americans are sick and tired of underwriting the nation’s largest abortion business.”
Not only are we forced to financially support abortions through taxes, Obamacare now requires businesses to provide abortifacients through health insurance. Business owners must pay for these drugs, even though this is a violation of their religious convictions. Religious freedom stands in jeopardy when companies owned by committed believers are forced to provide abortion drugs or face fines of $1.3 million a day. Hobby Lobby is a clear example of this breach of religious freedom.
The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma faces a $50,000 additional cost to eliminate abortion drugs, while providing contraceptive coverage in 2013. So be it. We will not and cannot violate our conviction regarding the unborn.
I am proud Oklahoma Baptists have, and remain, committed to stand against abortion. We are PRO-LIFE, and whether the polls or laws agree, we will not bow down when it comes to protecting the life of the unborn.
