55 Years of Legalised Abortion

10,000,000 lost children

This year marks 55 years since the UK legalised abortion, and as a result, the lives of 10,000,000 children have been taken too early.

The moment I state that sad fact, the initial response tends to be, “You cannot take away a woman’s right to choose!” Which is an unsurprisingly defensive response. I haven’t said anything about taking anyone's right to choose anything. But in this knee-jerk reaction, people expose themselves. The immediate concern is over who gets to decide whether a baby lives or dies, not whether that is the right question to be asking in the first place. What a terrible starting point.

Is it a right? Who grants that right? Where does it come from? What is the choice they’re so ardent to defend? Can we be honest about it? We’re talking about ending the life of an unborn child. I don’t need to use strong language to define it; we all know it is wrong. The question is, is it a choice that anyone should be making, and is that choice a right?

March for Life UK hosted a prayer vigil in the Westminster Cathedral Piazza last night to commemorate the loss of 10 million babies in the UK since that awful legislation came in and to pray for their souls. I was invited to share a few words. At their request, I have transcribed those words:

We are often told every argument has two sides. But that does not mean there are two equally right sides, or two equally good views.

This is a debate about life and death. There are not two equally valid perspectives. Only one is a natural good.

The Bible teaches us that the enemy uses trickery. He manipulates language and uses half-truths because they are far more powerful than an outright lie:

If we are for the protection and the promotion of the sanctity of life - if we are pro-life, the opposition is not pro-choice. The opposition is not even pro-abortion. The opposition is pro-death.

We have to love our enemy. But we have to love them in truth.

When our good friend, the wonderful Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, was arrested for silently praying in her head - in 21st-century Britain! - the question was posed to our Government, and I remember the Prime Minister’s response was, “we have to maintain a balance between the right to worship and the right to healthcare.”

Abortion is not healthcare. It is legalised death. But even if it was healthcare, it is not a right. Where does that right come from? It is entirely abstract. We do have a right to life that is God-ordained and therefore supersedes all other ‘human rights’.

Let us concede a little ground for the sake of argument. Let us assume that abortion is a right. Because even if it was, that right is not being threatened.

By praying silently in one’s head, one is not obstructing anyone else’s right to do anything.

The balance is way off. Our right to pray, our freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and freedom to worship are being directly threatened. The opportunity to end life is not at risk at all.

The enemy is afraid of the truth. But more than that, what this shows us is that the enemy recognises the power of prayer.

There is no balance between good and evil. There is no balance between right and wrong.

Proponents of abortion - the ones pushing this option on women - know they are on shaky ground. They know it is wrong. That is why they don’t want us praying. Prayer sparks consciences.

That is also why they do not want us heading out literature with other options.

If they truly were pro-“choice”, they would want women making informed decisions.

So many lives - both mother and child - have been saved through pro-life campaigners providing alternative options.

We owe every mother the opportunity to informed consent, at the very least, whilst legalised death is on the table.

Pro-death lobbyists are doing women a disservice. Why? Because they are working for the enemy. Whether they know it or not.

We must pray for them.

Pray for the lost souls, pushing abortion on vulnerable women.

Pray for the women, who, for whatever reason, see abortion as their only option.

Pray that eyes are opened to the wickedness in our society, when death is advertised as healthcare.

Pray for better options: marriage, family, adoption, care. Pray for an end to the abhorrent situations that make women feel lost and option-less.

Pray for the babies.

Pray for the fathers, that men take more responsibility.

Pray for the mothers, for that unconditional maternal love to take hold.

Let us pray,

O Almighty God, who didst ordain childbearing as the instrument of our salvation by the incarnation of Thine only begotten Son, be gracious unto Thy servants, opening our eyes to the miracle of childbirth. Have mercy on us, even in our least wise moments, and through Thy grace, lead us to the right decisions, the good decisions. Raise our children in holiness for the fruition of Thine eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.