Just last week, Americans were horrified to learn that a baby born alive in an abortion clinic was promptly put into a trash bag and left to die in a dumpster. And rightly so. It's a horrible tragedy... but really, it's no more horrific than what is done to the other 3,500+ babies aborted every single day in our nation, or tens of thousands every day around the world. This baby just happened to breathe before being murdered for money.Please don't mistake my bluntness for being glib about it. It absolutely sickens me... it's numbing and I find myself almost unable to process when I really stop to think about how many children have died at the hands of abortionists.
After reading the horrible details (and they were ghastly), I did a simple google search for "botched abortions"... and pulled up a dozen or so stories, with varying results, for you to consider:
- Apr. 1985: Botched abortion leads to amputation
- Feb. 2000: During abortion procedure, woman goes into cardiac arrest and is permanently brain damaged.
- Apr. 2004: After "abortion" performed, baby still grows and is born months later.
- Jan. 2005: Abortion kills both mother and baby.
- May 2005: Abortion meds cause woman to go into labor, baby is born alive and clinic refuses to call 911. The baby subsequently died.
- Feb. 2006: After botched abortion, she was awake and screaming as they loaded her into the ambulance.
- Jun. 2006: Aborted baby was born with heart injuries as a result of an "unsuccessful" (depends on your definition of "success") abortion.
- Sept. 2006: After botched abortion, baby born with physical and mental disabilities.
- Jun. 2008: Mother delighted that her baby survived abortion.
- Cemetery of Choice: a record of dozens of women who died from abortions.
- Still alive today: A botched abortion survivor speaks out.
Every day in our nation, children are being put to death at similar ages to the baby who was murdered in Florida last week. So why would journalists and newspapers be eager to report about this one? What makes it different? And why would it bother someone who is pro-choice? Really. It's a question worth asking. The only difference between the poor baby that died then and any other aborted baby that day was location. He made it outside the womb before being killed at the hands of an adult in an abortion clinic.But it's the same action.
Both actions end the life of a human being. Botched abortions show us the life that exists in every unique person; they show us the truth. They hold up a mirror to the action of abortion itself and reveal the horror therein. From the stories above, several things are clear:
- It really is a baby-- a real, unique human being.
- It really is murder-- intention to kill a living thing.
- It really is horrific-- it's easier to see when we actually have a visible, breathing baby involved rather than something nebulous that we can write off as "tissue" or "inviable". (As others have noted.)
- Mothers really do have an instinct to protect their babies. Bird mothers will run down animals 50 times their size for trying to loot their nest... and abortion-minded human mothers (sadly) often only realize how much they want to protect their baby once the abortion has been botched or completed-- many times, even years later.
- Pregnant? Alone? Need someone to talk to?
- Alternatives to abortion
- Scriptures that are relevant to the issue of abortion
- What's it like to have an abortion?
22 comments:
Oh, God bless them all.
The word "abortion" is so misleading, and so sterile.
It does NOT have the connotation of "baby killing." It should.
The term abortion is probably the most disgusting euphemism out there.
I can't imagine what it must be like for the child who survived her murder attempt. To know that your own mother wanted you dead -- wow.
So sad.
I actually know of a young man who survived an abortion attempt. His twin brother was aborted, but they didn't realize he was still in there. His hearing was affected b/c of the machine they used to kill his twin.
His mother is now a staunch pro-life advocate. She actually bought a house right next door to the abortion clinic in town and put large pro-life signs all over her yard. It's an amazing story.
I pray someone who's contemplating doing this, finds your blog and utilises those links.Another dimension is how guilty many 'mothers' feel after having had an abortion...It's just not worth it, not only spiritually, but for the killer's own mental state.
I volunteer at our local crisis pregnancy center. In the last week we have had three young women contemplating abortion. One of them came in, is being pressured by her boyfriend to kill her baby, but she is choosing life. She has some very difficult circumstances to deal with.
Another young lady that I met with has a friend who has gone through an abortion who dreams of babies crying in the night. The young lady I met with knows what her friend has gone through yet, she was still considering abortion. There is a mindset that these women would rather kill their babies than place them for adoption. It really is a spiritual battle which we must fight on our knees against the enemy of our souls.
jenny
Amen!
Wanted to know if you are aware of fightfoca.com and action.aul.org? Both of places were action can be taken on behalf of these innocent lives!
Thanks for bringing light to this topic. I'll have to find the source, but when I was working for a pregnancy resource center I heard a CD of a nurse's testimony of the hospital letting babies die that were born early (or maybe not so early can't remember) that the parent's didn't want to keep. This woman spoke out against was happening and was fired. That didn't stop her but as you can imagine the main-stream media did not report on it.
I think most people who are "pro-choice" do not really understand what abortion is as our media tells people it's getting rid of "tissue." So sad, every time I think of abortion I cry because it breaks my heart so. Though they cannot cry out, I know our Father in Heaven can hear there "Abba Fathers."
Thanks for writing about this. I thought this was also a great article about abortion and what the Bible says: http://www.americanvision.org/article/pagan-and-a-minister-agree-on-abortion/
I wrote a comment about grace in response to Thami's remark about "killers" but I erased it.
The truth is, I am a killer. Years after I killed someone I found out that Jesus died to forgive even that and I don't have to rot in prison like those who kill people who are on the outside of the womb. But my guilt is the same as theirs and so I realize the enormity of our Savior's forgiveness.
Praise God, Catherine. :)
We are all guilty of atrocious sin. And He is so patient and forgiving, and His steadfast love never ceases. And it is very evident in your life.
These are obviously terrible cases. But I am not afraid of death and I hope that I will be in the hands of someone I trust who will let me go, peacefully and compassionately when that time comes.
I also feel compassion for mothers who feel they must go through with an abortion. I believe that when we are prepared to take lost girls (or women) under our wings, and help them grow into the beautiful women they can be, the motives for abortion will be eliminated.
These frightening stories, however, do nothing for me. I just end up feeling manipulated.
Joan
I'm sorry you feel manipulated Joan... that's not my aim at all. I just honestly never knew there was this kind of history and risk associated with abortions and want to honestly present this as yet another reason why I hope and pray that women will choose life.
If you'd been a long-time reader around here (or even around in the last couple of weeks), you'd have seen that there's been a lot of discussion here at MH about how to love and serve women in tough situations. I don't want to sit in judgment of anyone-- but I do want to present the truth about abortion... and over the course of time, through many different angles and viewing the issue through different lenses, I hope to do that.
I'm sorry you've felt offended. I just hope and pray that women considering abortion will open their eyes to how the abortion business seeks to manipulate and use them.
~Jess
Oh, God help us. Thank you for standing up and talking about this, Jess. I'm unable to even process the horrors, such a short time after giving birth to our little darling.
Hi Jess,
Gosh, I should probably clarify. I am not offended, and wouldn't say that I feel manipulated by YOU.
I have seen similar tactics used in the fight against abortion; the use of horror stories, blood, guts, wrongs, unlikely survivals, etc. I know we have to do a good 360 and take into account all of this information, however, the prevalent use of it makes me feel manipulated because I don't feel that it offers a solution. I feel that solution-oriented thinking lies more in eliminating the circumstances that lead these women to feel so desperate.
I do feel that additional solutions lie in educating women, and in giving them economic strength, as well. The more we can stand on our own two feet, the more we can offer our families, and respond to the curve-balls God brings to us as needed. I do believe that God helps those who help themselves. Yes, prayer helps. Prayer is a necessity. But I believe that healthy families are created out of respect, strength and caring. With all of that, I do believe that the number of abortions would be greatly decreased. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every women felt so secure that she didn't even think twice about carrying her child?
Thank you,
Joan
Dear Jess,
As I am reflecting on the day and on how much I have to be grateful for, I had to come back and let you know that I am grateful for a person like you, who is willing to share your thoughts, listen, support and and encourage.
I really look forward to hearing from you and all the other commentators during my little online breaks.
I'm glad to hear everyone's points of view, and relieved to feel that I can share my questions or viewpoints as I work toward understanding, too!
Joan
Jess,
Good blog post. I just wanted to make a correction. The Hialeah case happened in the Summer of 2006, not just last week. I made the same mistake when I heard about the baby's funeral, which was held a few months ago. It's a sickening story, no matter when it happened.
Sandy
oh jess,
thanks for doing the research and posting this. it is so heartbreaking-and unreal-that we, as a society are so callous to murder of children. thanks for the links. darci
It is so upsetting that so many women only experience what I call the "mother bear" frame of mind after they've seen their baby. A mother can go from wanting to "get rid of" that "blob", to crying to protect that innocent child in the same minute.
Hi there! I just stumbled upon your blog today and I really enjoyed reading a couple of your posts.
Abortion is really atrocious. I walk by an abortion clinic almost everyday and I always feel saddened and angered every time I pass by it. Thankfully (in a way) this clinic is only open one day a week. I just don't understand how a lot of people don't "get" that these are real babies that are being killed... very sad.
Thanks for this post.
Genieve
PS. I also love to listen to Mark Driscoll's sermons :)
I think when talking to girls about whether or not they should have an abortion the most effective tool of persuasion you have is reminding them of the love that is involved in keeping their unborn child and of God's grace and mercy. It is ok to talk about the horrors of abortion among other people who are already strongly pro-life, but bringing up such things with those who have unwanted pregnancies can simply stir up defensive feelings.
As always, "...speaking the truth in love..." - Eph. 4:16
Great post Jess! Thanks so much!
Your first paragraph sums up well my first reaction when I read about this story. I marvel at a people who get so "sick" & angry about this particular botched abortion when it's the same thing happening day in & out for decades!!! My reaction was, so? How is this really any different? It's ALL so horrific! But it seems so harsh to verbalize that. It's true, though.
Why God continues to let this nation carry on I'll never know. His grace is truly amazing. I just keep asking God to let me see another great awakening sweep this nation. That's the only way we'll get the hope & change we need.
This makes me want to throw up.
Thank you for posting it. I hope that someone will read it and realize the truth about abortion.
this is terrible. The devil is truly the ruler in the world today. Abortion and euthanasia is the murder of innocents. I pray Jesus opens the hearts of these people to see what they are doing to their babies and their own bodies. God forgive them.
J
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