"I am often asked this question. I usually answer, "Why shouldn't atheists be pro-life?" Nobody questions why non-religious persons fight drug abuse, drunk-driving, rape, poverty, crime, etc. Why should fighting abortion be viewed so differently?
Some people think that unless you believe in God, or more specifically, a God that will punish you in Hell if you do something wrong, then you cannot be made to behave. They apparently believe that atheists must be criminals.
Yet, many non-religious people actively fight crime, violence, and "wrongdoing" for many reasons. We believe in fairness and justice, protection of people's rights, lives and property. Heck, we even register to vote and try to pass laws to govern the behavior of other citizens! I am living proof that a belief in God or religion is not necessary for a person to become involved in the fight against abortion.
In fact, one thing that both the abortion industry and the pro-life movement agree on is that public ignorance about fetal development, abortion methodology and post-abortion complications is necessary if abortion is to remain legal. Ironically, the religious orientation of most pro-lifers may act as the major factor preventing education from taking place.
Once upon a time, I was a "pro-choice" woman. I believed in many mythical things back then: that sex could be "free" from any committments or consequences, that legalized abortion was "safe", that "control" over female reproductive functions would lead to equal rights for women. But the myth I held to most dearly was that opposition to abortion was merely religious.
Since I had allowed my first child to be killed by abortion, I wanted to be reassured that I had nothing to feel ashamed or guilty about. Certain women's groups comforted me by calling abortion a woman's "right" - merely a medical procedure. I would literally hold my breath whenever abortion was the topic on television, waiting for religion to be mentioned. The media never let me down. Abortionists angrily complained about the trauma experienced by patients because of pro-life picketers. Abortion-rights activists harassed preachers who spoke up against abortion, accusing them of being insensitive to women...."
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She has some good stuff here. I help run an anti-abortion organization called End The Slaughter that fights for the lives of the unborn while at the same time caring for women as well (helping them choose life)
ReplyDeletewww.endtheslaughter.org
I agree with a lot of what she is saying. I personally am a Christian and though I don't agree with everything that she said, I agree with her attitude about abortion. They really are prenatal hitmen.
The problem though is not that Christians say Atheists cannot live moral lives, in fact many Atheists live more morally than some Christians! The problem is that in an Atheistic worldview, one cannot justify why to live morally. There is no standard to your morality. What Atheism does is borrow from the Theistic worldview regarding morality because morals do not exist in an Atheistic worldview. It's all relative. Therefore right and wrong do not exist and once one says they do, they are appealing to something greater than themselves. Anyway, kinda getting off-topic.
But what I think needs to happen is that Christians and Atheists need to come together and work with each other. Actually get around the table and talk, putting aside their agendas for a common goal.
Hi Sako,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I am a Christian too, however it is good that we can agree with the atheists on this level: life is sacred, and that abortion is murder, and it is wrong.
If I were an atheist, I would not ultimately care for my own wellbeing, or for yours, or for anyone else's - let alone an unborn child.
I totally agree with your last comment, about Christians and atheists being able to lay aside some differences for the time being, and work together for this common goal.