Last Friday, one of the sidewalk counselors standing outside the local Planned Parenthood abortuary held her simple sign, "I Regret My Abortion." I also held my own similar sign, and for the first time, my husband also held a sign with a message regarding our regret for abortion by contraceptive methods (Pill and IUD). In the afternoon, a woman parked her car, got out, and angrily demanded to know why we were holding these signs. When our sidewalk counselor countered her demand with, " I really do regret the abortion I had thirty years ago, and I want to warn other women before they do the same," the angry woman screamed that she regrets her abortion, too, but it is the right of women to decide.
We have a rule that when a passerby is angry, only one counselor responds to that person while the rest of us pray in silence. We couldn't hear the conversation, but in a few minutes, the angry woman burst into tears as our counselor calmly talked to her and hugged her. She ended by taking our literature packet with information about post-abortive healing:Project Rachel and Rachel's Vineyard retreats. Now we pray for the healing to continue, as this was truly a first step.
This kind of thing is what makes standing out there for hours worth it, and even one is enough!
Abortion by contraceptive methods? Oh, jeez, now I've heard it all.
ReplyDeleteAnd are every sperm and egg sacred, too? (Just wondering how far the absurdity goes.) I'm for reproductive rights of all kinds - including abortion, which I've had and do *not* regret - but equating contraception with abortion is ridiculous & makes you look positively Edwardian - possibly Victorian.
So I guess I really should be encouraging you to continue, because it's so fringey it makes your position kinda laughable. Almost all of the mainstream so-called pro-lifers & politicians that might support you on anti-abortion will not support this bizarre "keep 'em pregnant"/anti-contraception stance.
Not only has contraception has been one of the best things that ever happened to women (& most men would agree) - it has been a boon to our sadly ove-rused, over-run and over-populated planet.
This is a pretty pathetic position - it truly defies reason. Good for you. And thanks for helping the reproductive rights movement in this way.