Hashtags, Planned Parenthood, and the Issue of Awareness

In my last post, I addressed a then-popular hashtag: #LoveWins .  Now, my discussion will include two other hashtags that have recently covered social media.

#PPSellsBabyParts

and

#DefundPlannedParenthood

It may seem odd to draw more attention to something so simple as a hashtag.  But in truth, these symbols play a huge role in our social media-enhanced society.  They promote causes, spread news stories, and help people connect by giving them the ability to search for tweets and posts connected to their subject of interest.  I am not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing that we get so much of our information from social media.  Sure, stories spread like wildfire; but the ease with which we can "retweet" and "share" can make us comfortable in our apathy.  We feel as if we have done our part, simply by spreading the trending stories and sharing our varying opinions.  I saw a quote the other day claiming that "we are drowning in information, but starved for knowledge."  Many people only know about current events that are all over Facebook or Twitter.  They don't take the time to do additional research, to watch the news, or to educate themselves on the state of our country and the world.

Whether you are tech-savvy or not, I am sure you have at least heard of the issues involving Planned Parenthood that have seemingly popped out of nowhere in the last couple of weeks.  Two videos were released within days of each other, recording people who went undercover and interviewed leaders of the organization Planned Parenthood.  The first video showed Dr. Deborah Nucatola discussing the illegal procedures that they use to obtain intact body parts from babies on whom they perform abortions.  These procedures are used so that the body parts can be harvested and sold for prices ranging from $30-100 each.  If you have not yet viewed this video, I would encourage it.  Though it is absolutely revolting, the interview is eye-opening; and I believe that it is necessary for Americans to spread the word about the horrors revealed within.  You can find the link by clicking here.

The second video, released soon after, shows executive Mary Gatter negotiating prices for the baby parts that Planned Parenthood acquires.  She even states at one point in the video "I want a Lamborghini."  But, of course, they would never be in it for the profit...
Watch this video here.

Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, America has quickly been made aware of these shocking disclosures by Planned Parenthood.  People have spread the word using the two hashtags that I mentioned above: #PPSellsBabyParts and #DefundPlannedParenthood.  The purpose of the first is clearly to spread the word about the organization's horrific actions, while the second insists that our citizens are tired of their tax dollars going to those who were portrayed in the videos.

Here are some of my thoughts...  Why is it now that Americans are horrified at what is going on behind the doors of Planned Parenthood facilities across the nation?  Have they become numb to the fact that abortion kills a living human being?  Is it only terrible if abortionists are committing "illegal" acts such as partial-birth abortions and selling of fetal body parts?  I did not hear the cry of "Defund Planned Parenthood" when they were simply killing babies within the boundaries of what the law allows.  

The unborn child is a human being.  Because this has been scientifically proven, it is clear that abortion is murder.  Just because the law currently in place allows for this type of genocide, does that make it right?  Why did it take so long for Americans to realize what is going on...and do they really understand why it is so wrong?


Please do not get me wrong here.  Watching those videos makes my stomach turn.  It makes me angry, sad, and absolutely disgusted.  Planned Parenthood has been breaking the law, and the horrific things that they have been doing must be stopped.  Partial-birth abortions are illegal, as is the selling of human body parts.  But may I remind you that taking the life of an unborn child is legal?  Why has there not been a national outcry against abortion itself?

Too many people go by what is politically correct, and not what is morally and logically right.

I am glad that Planned Parenthood is receiving this negative publicity. The organization has been cloaked under the guise of "trusted health care provider" for too long, and it is time that Americans realize what is really hiding behind the mask of "education" and "family planning".  I only hope that we recognize the severity of the issue that has been there all along; and the terrors of the legal but criminal act that is abortion.

"For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light." -Luke 8:17-

A Problem of Priority

#LoveWins

I'm sure you have seen this hashtag countless times in the last couple of days, following the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage across America.  Though I do oppose this decision, I will not get into that here.  I have a point to make...

#LifeWins

That is the hashtag that I plan to use when abortion is abolished across the United States.  Here's my question...why hasn't this happened yet?

I feel a tremendous burden when I think about the equal protection promised in the Constitution of our country.  The 14th Amendment states: "No state shall...deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

I have heard this amendment being used to defend the recent Supreme Court decision.  But if it can be used to defend a person's right to decide who they will marry (no matter the gender), then why does it not apply to the thousands of babies who are aborted every day?  Americans declare  that they don't want the law to dictate whether or not they can marry who they want to marry.  But why does the law say that people can decide whether or not unborn babies have the right to live?

Roe v. Wade was passed in 1973.  Where has our passion gone since then?  I've seen so many posts about the recent SCOTUS decision, but rarely see a word about the horrors of abortion.  This is not an attack against any of my friends on social media...it just makes me wonder when we became numb to the fact that defenseless lives are being taken every single day.  Why don't we hear about it anymore?  Why isn't there a cry for justice coming from every church in America?  Why is a stance for life rarely taken from behind a pulpit?  Why are we so worried about the possibility of offending others that we rarely, if ever, speak up for the speechless?

America is drifting further and further away from God and the moral teachings found in His Word.  I find myself asking God to help America more than I ask Him to bless it...because I know it would be against His nature to bless a country that devalues life as ours does. 

It's time for our priorities to be straight...for our passion to be strong again.  Silence is just another form of approval.  If you aren't against abortion, then you might as well be for it.  Let's redirect our passions and take our stand on the most life-and-death issue facing America today. 

Everyday Grace

I like to do things.

I want to make my life matter. I know I was placed on this earth for a reason. Though I don't know exactly what God plans to accomplish through me, I want to be completely open to whatever it is.

Because I'm such a "doer", I sometimes get frustrated with everyday things. School...work...homework...sleep...sure, I know all of these things are important. They're just part of the journey of life that I'm on, and they are completely necessary as building blocks for my future.

But often I want to do more. I want to be more. Sometimes I get dragged down by the everyday happenings that I don't feel accomplish much.

A little while ago, I heard a song by Matt Redman called "Your Grace Finds Me". The song talks about how God's grace is always here and has always been there...from the beginning of Creation, up until this very minute, and through eternity. One verse that particularly spoke to me said that God's grace is there "in the everyday and the mundane."

This was so encouraging for me. I have to remember that God has a purpose for even the times when I feel like I'm not "doing" anything.

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" (2 Corinthians 12:9a)

I know that God has a specific calling for my life. I know at least part of that calling is to be a voice for the speechless. I am excited to see how He will use me to do that in the future, and I'm trusting that He will give me  great opportunities even in the everyday happenings of my life. Right now I am praying that He will use this blog to reach people and encourage them. To bring to awareness the Holocaust of my generation, and to encourage others to join the fight. I can't wait to see how God uses me to help the pro-life cause, and I know His grace will be sufficient for whatever He calls me to do!

Life Before Birth

       Anyone who wishes to be a voice in the pro-life movement must know the reasons for their fight.  Why is it that you and I care so much?  What's the big deal?  Fetus...baby...those are two completely different things...right?  Why do we claim that abortion is murder?

       If we do not have answers to these questions (or any questions) that a pro-choice individual might ask, no one will take us seriously.  I mean let's be real here, if someone does not know what they are fighting for, then why does it matter?

       Being informed is one of the most important parts of being pro-life.  You have to know the facts.  If you do, you will stand strong in the faces of both deceit and ignorance.

       So let us start with one of the most vital aspects of our cause.  Abortion is murder.  However, if you simply throw that statement in the face of someone who is staunchly pro-choice, it will not be enough. 
      
       What is murder?  According to Webster's New World Dictionary, murder is "the unlawful and malicious or premeditated killing of one human being by another; also, any killing done while committing some other felony..."  Even though abortion is not against the law in our country, it does fit the second definition of "unlawful" in the same dictionary: "against moral or ethical standards; immoral".

       Unfortunately, our culture does not hold itself to a high moral or ethical standard, so it is up to us to prove that abortion is indeed murder.  Abortion is clearly a premeditated killing...but many people would argue that the unborn child is not a human being.  This is where claiming that Abortion is murder will not go over with some individuals.  So what is our task in this situation?  Clearly it is to prove that the unborn child is indeed a human being--just as much so as a baby who is living outside of the mother.

       Where should we start?  Because abortion laws are often regulated by the trimester in which the abortion will take place, I would like to outline some highlights of the development of a baby throughout the three trimesters.

The First Trimester (Weeks 1-12)
Day 1: At the moment of conception, the embryo possess about 100,000 genes.  These genes code for everything that the child will develop in the coming weeks.
Days 18-22: The heart forms and begins to beat.
Week 6: Facial features are slowly forming, and arms and legs begin to bud.
Week 8: The baby now has the nerves required to feel pain.
Week 10: Main organs are beginning to function; fingernails and toenails are forming.
Week 11: The baby can now hiccup.
Week 12: You can hear your child's heartbeat using an ultrasound.

 

The Second Trimester (Weeks 13-27)
Week 14: The baby can now suck his/her thumb.
Week 15: The eyes are developed enough to see light through the eyelids.
Week 16: The baby's gender can now be determined.
Week 20: The ears are formed enough to hear and recognize sounds.
Week 24: The taste buds and brain are developing rapidly.
Week 27: Baby can now open and close his/her eyes.

[4D ultrasound at 24 weeks]

The Third Trimester (Weeks 28-42)
Week 28: The baby is capable of dreaming.
Week 37: Technically, the baby is now considered full term.
Week 40: Welcome to the world, Baby!

       As you can see, the baby's development throughout its time in the womb is nothing short of miraculous!  Sadly, In Georgia and many other states, abortion is legal well into the second trimester (more detailed information at http://statelaws.findlaw.com/family-laws/abortion.html).  Looking at the facts and pictures listed above, the humanness of the unborn child is quite obvious.  If, according to this evidence, a baby in the womb is a human being; this backs up the statement that I made earlier.  Abortion is murder.  The problem is this: "What we allow is what will continue." (Anonymous)  According to Thomas Jefferson, "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." 
      
       These beautiful babies--who can hear, see, and feel pain just like us--are what the fight is all about.  It has become obvious to me and to so many others that laws allowing abortion are clearly unjust.  People must know the whole truth, and it is our job to get the word out.  Resistance is our duty...will you join me?



___________________________________

References:

http://www.fetalheartbeat.org/fetal-development-timeline/ 
http://www.abortionfacts.com/ 
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/trimesterguide/f/3trimesters.htm 
http://www.numberofabortions.com/ 
http://www.babycenter.com/0_fetal-development-timeline_10357636.bc 
All images used were obtained from google.com

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Over 53,000,000 lives have been taken, with the government’s approval, since 1973.  This fact may shock you until you hear more detail.  In 1973, Roe v. Wade was passed, legalizing abortion.  Since then, more than 53 million unborn children have been murdered.  Your surprise at the first sentence has probably subsided.  Everyone tells you that abortion is legal, and therefore normal and acceptable.  They say that an unborn child is not human and possesses no right to live.  That “it” is simply an unimportant mass of tissue.  God has given me a passion to protect the rights of unborn children, and I am here to tell you that what many people regard as burdens are truly precious, living people.

                God inspired David to write these words in Psalm 139: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.  My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (verses 13-16)  The One who created the unborn children clearly cares a great deal for them.
                Even if you do not believe the Bible to be credible, much scientific evidence exists for the humanity of unborn children.  The strictest limit on an allowable time for abortion is twenty weeks into a pregnancy.  However, so much happens in a baby’s life before that time.  At the moment of conception, the embryo possesses about 100,000 genes, which determine its eye and hair colors, gender, facial features, etc.  And this all takes place in the split second that a child is conceived!  Only 18 days after conception, the baby’s heart begins to beat.  Blood vessels are formed at three weeks, and brain activity can be detected at six weeks.  He or she can have the hiccups at only 6 ½ - 8 ½ weeks.  Nine weeks into the pregnancy, the unborn child can feel pain.  Taste buds are present by 13-15 weeks, and fingerprints exist by the fourteenth week.  Finally, a baby’s hearing ability is developed 16-20 weeks into the pregnancy.  Even with all of these obvious signs of beautiful life, many people will still tell you that a fetus is nothing but a worthless mass of tissue.
                In addition, most Americans have more concern for the rights of endangered animal species throughout the world and the rights of the pregnant woman herself than the rights of the unborn child.  A common argument is that the pregnant female owns her body and can therefore do whatever she wants to do with it.  But the child’s rights are never taken into consideration.  Yes, the woman may have the right to do what she wants with her own body, but she should not have the right to make a decision to terminate the life of another human being.
                So what can we do?  I know this for sure: God demands action, not complacency.  Proverbs 31:8-9 says this: “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”  We must do what we can to stop this genocide.  We must cry out for those who cannot cry out for themselves.  We must help to educate our citizens of what truly happens when they choose abortion; convincing them of the falsehoods they have been told.  We must pray for a change in the hearts of our governmental leaders and the people of our country.  Thomas Jefferson said, “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?  Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.”  God will not let this great sin go unpunished.  We need to stop it, before it is too late.

The Reason for This Blog

My heart is hurting.

The kind of hurt you can feel.  The kind of hurt that pulls and stretches something inside of you.  The kind of hurt that you experience rarely, and often for the same reason. 

I watched a video tonight of a woman who went into abortion clinics, asked questions, and recorded the responses she got.  Something boiled inside of me as the calm-faced doctors and workers behind desks told the woman that what she had inside of her was not a baby yet.  They admitted that the woman needed to have the fetus “terminated” while inside of the womb…because once it was born, it could not be gotten rid of in that manner.  I cried as they showed pictures of a baby born at 23 weeks (legal to abort in many states), as it developed into a happy and healthy 3-year-old.

I finished that video and I sobbed.  I cried over the lives being lost every day, over the fact that the people of our nation seem so blind to the issue.  I was angry and broken-hearted all at the same time.   

I asked God why things are this way.

And then I realized.

Things are this way because they have not been changed yet. 

That may seem like an overly-simplistic statement; probably because it is.  But it is also a loaded statement.

Abortion is a big issue.  A huge issue.  And it will continue to be one until someone does something about it.  There are so many people who are putting their all into this cause—Abby Johnson and Claire Culwell are two who inspire me greatly.

I do not know exactly what part I will play in the fight to abolish abortion.  I really have no clue.  But what I do know is that I will have a part.  I won’t be silent, because we cannot afford silence.  They need someone to speak for them.

To be quite honest, I am not yet even sure how this blog will turn out.  It is 1:01 in the morning as I am typing this, and my mind has not gone quite that far yet.  But I knew I would not be able to sleep until I wrote something.  For now, I want to raise awareness.  I want to talk about the issues involved in abortion and in the pro-life cause; because if people do not understand the issue, then they cannot truly pick a side.  I would love to answer any questions that you may have, so feel free to leave them in the comments. 

I want to end this post with a verse that I always remember whenever I think about my passion for the pro-life cause.  I pray it speaks to you as much as it has to me.

“Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

In Christ and For Life,

Ari Joy