Donald Trump recently seemed to back away from some conservative, family-oriented issues like abortion and gay marriage. Many conservatives are concerned about this apparent backsliding on issues of morality. A friend of mine was even talking about pursuing a federal ban on abortion. While I am not a proponent of abortion, I am not a fan of a national ban for two main reasons.
A National Ban on Abortion?
First, we never had a national ban on abortion. With Roe v. Wade, we got a national ban against limitations on abortion. Removing that was a great victory and was the right move. But does this mean that we should push further and try to get abortion banned at the national level? I have often thought that a national ban on marijuana was bad law. I’m not pro marijuana, but I am against the federal government usurping the rights of the states. In the same way, I don’t think it’s the federal government’s place to make a rule on abortion by law. Legally, it would need to be an amendment to the Constitution, like the 18th amendment which banned alcoholic beverages. The Constitution does not give Congress the right to ban either social ill, and the country recognized the limits on the federal government back in 1917 but they are much more cavalier about assuming new authority these days. But even though an amendment could ban abortion, I don’t think it’s practical for a number of reasons. One is practicality. I don’t think there is enough support for banning abortion to get an amendment passed. But there is another reason that is even more important.
To rid this country of the scourge of abortion, we need to change peoples hearts. Even if we could somehow get enough votes to pass a Constitutional ban , I believe it would have serious unintended consequences if people’s hearts were not changed. In states where the majority of people are pro-life and the community supports bands on abortion, then happily those laws can pass or stand and be enforced effectively. Will people still travel to get abortions ? Yes. Is abortion evil? Yes. Would abortion stop even if a federal law passed? No, it would merely drive it underground.
Protecting Babies
To really protect babies, we need to change people’s hearts to love children, and love life. That will protect children before and after they are born. Then, as states pass their own laws against abortion, it will have the support of the communities and will be effective. It will also mean that peoples lives will have been transformed by the Spirit of God and all manner of other good things will be happening in peoples lives.
To protect unborn and newborn babies, we also need to protect the mothers. The best way to take care of a baby is to take care of the mother. And many women contemplating abortion are in a crisis where they are facing an uncertain future. If we are to end abortion in this country, we need to give pregnant women in crisis options for how to take care of their babies and themselves. There are many organization focused on helping pregnant mothers. The National Right to Life organization has been working to support pro life causes since 1968. There are also referral services for mothers, like Heartbeat International and Option Line (see links below).
Righteous Living
Let’s remember that the main motivation for abortion is the desire for sexual freedom without the constraints of morality and the biological baggage of pregnancy and childrearing. As people of faith, we can do a much better job of living pure, undefiled lives and preparing our children to do the same. We need to watch how we talk, what we watch, and how we dress. Living lives of purity ourselves will give us the moral conviction and authority to call our society to the moral high road that promotes the safety of the unborn while offering grace to those who have fallen short or have become compromised to the point of putting themselves and their unborn babies at risk.
Conclusion
As people of faith, we want to end abortion, but we need to be realistic about the process necessary to legitimately accomplish it. Seeking to ban abortion by national fiat is like praying for fruit without being willing to plant a tree and allow it to grow. Let’s not pull our support from the party that is promoting limits on abortion at the state level, lest we give succor and support to the party that wants unrestricted abortion. And more than just being politically pragmatic, let’s lay the groundwork for
National Right to Life | Protecting Life in America Since 1968.
Truth Be Bold 