Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade. To date, millions of unborn lives have been “legally” murdered as a result of this lawless decision which “gave birth” to America’s Holocaust of the unborn. With few exceptions, America acknowledges the murderous atrocity of the Jewish Holocaust under Hitler’s fascist Nazi regime of WWII. However, recognition of the abortion Holocaust pales in comparison even though its bloodshed far exceed in comparison (6 million in Jewish Holocaust versus 50 million in the abortion Holocaust).
The two holocaust’s have more roots in common than one might think. Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood (the world’s largest abortion provider), promoted Hitler’s eugenics program in the United States and became very interested in National Socialism. We find that her goals were rooted in racism and fascist ideology. She said, “More children from the fit, less from the unfit–that is the chief aim of birth control.” By “unfit,” Sanger included those with mental problems, handicapped, and poor people. With an Evolutionist worldview, she believed that social problems were the result of biological determinism and could be eliminated by sterilizing the poorer classes. She sought to stop the population growth of blacks, Jews and southern Europeans. Sanger wrote:
The philanthropists who give free maternity care encourage the healthier and more normal sections of the world to shoulder the burden of unthinking and indiscriminate fecundity of others; which brings with it, as I think the reader must agree, a dead weight of human waste. Instead of decreasing and aiming to eliminate the stocks that are most detrimental to the future race of the world, it tends to render them to a menacing degree dominant.
Records demonstrate that her racially rooted motivations for Planned Parenthood eugenics have been successful. For instance, abortion rates are much more common among minority women in the U.S. In 2000-2001, the rates among black and Hispanic women were 49 per 1,000 and 33 per 1,000, respectively, vs. 13 per 1,000 among non-Hispanic white women. In other words, though non-Hispanic, white women make up 69% of America’s female population, only 36% of all U.S. abortions are performed on them. Lauren Wilson writes:
Margaret Sanger’s prejudice was also fueled by a belief in Arian superiority, as well as her belief in a right to promiscuity unencumbered by consequences. She too was an Arian, and a wildly promiscuous woman. No matter who is targeted: Jews, people of color, unborn children – the same irreconcilable beliefs which motivated the Jewish Holocaust motivate the abortion industry to this day, and these discriminatory principles are enshrined, preserved, and thriving in abortion mills across the world.
CNSNews reported, “Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s latest annual report for 2011-2012 says that its affiliated clinics performed 333,964 abortions in fiscal 2011.” That’s an average of one abortion every 94 seconds. Planned Parenthood received $542.4 million in “government health services grants and reimbursements,” which it states includes “payments from Medicaid managed care plans.” Planned Parenthood’s total assets top $1 billion dollars. PPFA president Cecile Richards and Cecelia Boone, chairwoman of the organization, signed an introductory letter to the recent report in which they stated, “We are so proud of the year’s many successes, and deeply grateful for all the partners, sponsors, volunteers, staff and friends who helped make them possible.”
I’ve learned by personal experience that political involvement has been a major distraction from my heavenly Father’s business. So this article is not a plea to legislate morality in the country wherein I happen to live as a Christian in the Kingdom of God. Morality cannot be legislated upon an immoral people but must be regenerated by the power of the Holy Ghost when people repent and believe in Jesus Christ (not only as Savior but also Lord). Nevertheless, as a Christian, God has put a heavy burden of pain and grief in my heart concerning this issue, though I’ve never been necessarily considered a “pro-life activist” per se. Three years ago at a city festival, I spoke to some abortion advocates at their booth when the Holy Ghost gave me intense sorrow and tears for their murderous cause and cold hearts. I walked down the street, stood in the midst of the crowd, closed my eyes and began to cry out against the atrocities of this holocaust while weeping and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel. We cannot be silent!
Secondarily, I am compelled to speak out against this because it has sadly become an issue in the Church. This is primarily because Christendom for the most part has forsaken the faith which was once delivered to the saints in exchange for an adulterous affair with the world. According to The Guttmacher Institute (AGI), 37% of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant, and 28% identify themselves as Catholic. We know that judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).
Although Christians are not under the civil ordinances of the Law of Moses, the Old Testament did punish the person who caused an abortion (Exodus 21:22,23) which in turn demonstrates the severity of this moral issue. The Scriptures declare that life begins at conception as the Lord declared to Jeremiah the prophet: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5; cf. Isaiah 44:1,2; Job 10:8-12; Psalm 119:73; Psalm 139:13-16). This kind of murder of the unborn within the worldly church is reminiscent of apostate Israel sacrificing their children to Moloch (Deuteronomy 18:10-13; 2 Kings 21.6; Ezekiel 20:26, 31; 23:37).
Presently 40 years and over 50 million abortions later, there remains hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our only hope, not only for the unborn but also for the mothers plagued with guilty consciences, not only for the world but also for a worldly church. I was so thankful to discover that Jane Roe, the once pregnant 21-year-old plaintiff of the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade who wanted a legal abortion in Texas 40 years ago, is now a pro-life Christian. She says today that she was a very “confused” 21-year old with an unplanned pregnancy. Upon knowing God, she now readily admits that her case which legalized abortion was the “biggest mistake” of her life.
With that, I bring you an excerpt from Russell D. Moore’s article called “Abortion and the Gospel” which demonstrates how the Gospel “speaks right where the abortion culture is in slavery, to the conscience.” He writes:
For one thing, those guilty of this silent atrocity often don’t think we’re talking to them. For some, the demonic structures have helped them to conceal this secret, and to convince them the safest thing to do is to try to forget it altogether. Others are so burdened down by guilt, they really don’t believe they are included in the “whosoever will” of our gospel invitations.
Speak directly to these people. To the woman who has had the abortion. To the man who has paid for an abortion. To the health care worker who has profited off of tearing apart the bodies of the young and the consciences of their parents.
Speak clearly of the horror of judgement to come. Confirm what every accusing conscience already knows: clinic privacy laws cannot keep all this from being exposed at the tribunal of Christ. When the Light shines, there’s not enough darkness in which to hide and cringe.
But don’t stop there.
Proclaim just as openly that judgment has fallen on the quivering body of a crucified Jesus—accused by Satan, indicted by the Law, enveloped by the curse.
An abortion culture knows that hell exists, and they know judgment waits (Rom 2:14-16). Agree with them, but point them to the truth that God is not simply willing to forgive them. Show them how in Christ God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:26). . . .
The consciences around us don’t believe what they’re telling themselves. They’re scared and accused. Shine the light in the eyes of their consciences. Prophetically. All for justice, legally and culturally, for the unborn. But don’t stop there.
After all, the spirit of murder doesn’t start or end in the abortion clinic (Matt. 5:21, 15:19; Jn. 8:44; Acts 9:1; Rom. 1:29; Jn. 3:15). And the blood of Christ has cleansed the consciences of rebels like all of us.
Warn of hell, but offer mercy. Offer that mercy not only at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but in the small groups and hallways of your church.
Still the call of the Christian is to preach the Gospel! In ancient Egypt, when the unborn male babies were sentenced to death, the Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah feared the Lord and demonstrated civil disobedience by letting the boys live (Exodus 1:14-17). In like manner, we must not turn a blind eye to the injustice and murder of abortion. Today, for example, despite risking fines of up to $1.3 million a day, the conservative Christian owners of Hobby Lobby are attempting to block part of the federal health care law that requires employee health care plans to provide insurance coverage for the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills. In like manner, even if it costs us our livelihood and even our very lives, we must stand against injustice as Christians and everything Jesus represents.
In 1932, Nazi sympathizers formed the “German Christian” movement much like the culturally relevant, postmodern worldly church of our day. The Reichstag officially approved of a National Reich Church which joined all nominal Christians into a single denomination that was syncretistic with fascist culture. However, the “Confessing Church” movement (allied with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and dissident anti-Nazi) defied Hitler and the nazification of the Church by holding fast to the fundamental truths of Christianity. In like manner, we must not compromise with a worldly church, but come out of her and be separate and holy. No matter how much people tell us that pro-life is anti-woman (though “pro-woman” is anti-child), love and justice in the name of Christ compels us to offer the hope of forgiveness and repentance to the guilty and to cry out for the rights of the unborn and victims of the Abortion Holocaust.
Resources:
Associated Press, “Atty: Hobby Lobby won’t offer morning after pill,” CBS News, December 28, 2012, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57561086/atty-hobby-lobby-wont-offer-morning-after-pill/
Gene Edward Veith, Modern Fascism: The Threat to the Judeo-Christian Worldview (St. Louis, MS: Concordia Publishing House, 1993).
Lauren Wilson, “The Holocaust and Abortion,” Texas Right to Life, August 11, 2010, http://www.texasrighttolife.com/a/410/The-Holocaust-and-Abortion-Comparable-Atrocities
Penny Star, “Planned Parenthood’s New Annual Report: We Did 333,964 Abortions; 1 Every 94 Seconds,” CNSNews, January 7, 2013, http://cnsnews.com/news/article/planned-parenthoods-new-annual-report-we-did-333964-abortions-1-every-94-seconds.
Russell D. Moore, “Abortion and the Gospel,” Moore to the Point, January 22, 2013, http://www.russellmoore.com/2013/01/22/abortion-and-the-gospel/.
“Abortion and Race,” Abort73, last updated January 12, 2011, http://www.abort73.com/abortion/abortion_and_race/.
“Jane Roe’s prolife commercial,” YouTube video, posted by “hbpen,” June 18, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_MUUvcvjEg.
Guttmacher.org, Get “In the Know”: Questions About Pregnancy, Contraception and Abortion, http://web.archive.org/web/20080311171704/http://www.guttmacher.org/in-the-know/characteristics.html.