AMAC Exclusive – By Ben Solis
It is difficult to imagine the depths of hopelessness and despair that the followers of Jesus must have felt two thousand years ago upon the crucifixion of their Savior. Today, many Christians undoubtedly feel some sense of this pain as they face a culture determined to slander and destroy their values. But just like the disciples who witnessed the resurrection of Christ, Americans can find great joy in the fact that they are witnessing what could be the beginning of a cultural resurrection through the growing energy for the pro-life movement.
Though no pain was greater than that of Jesus, those in the crowd who had followed His ministry must have experienced incredible emotional and psychological anguish. Not only was their spiritual leader tortured and killed in front of them, but the Roman soldiers mocked and spit upon Him. They made false accusations and charges against Him while making a parody of his heavenly mission.
Here was the man who many believed had come to liberate Israel as a conquering king made to suffer the fate of a common criminal. A crown of thorns was thrust upon His head as He was mocked: “King of the Jews.”
Presiding over this all was Pontius Pilate, who Greek and Roman sources tell us was a cruel and ruthless leader. Corruption, food shortages, overpriced goods, high taxes, and oppressive government control plagued those under his rule. His tyranny seemed to have no end, as he brutally suppressed anyone who dared defy him.
This is the world that Simon Peter, James and John, Mary Magdalene, and the rest of the followers of Christ faced as Jesus was arrested and killed.
America today faces similar struggles. A turbulent economy has many worrying about being able to put food on the table. Inflation and poor policy decisions have squandered the opportunities afforded to past generations. An open border allows drugs and criminals to flow into communities. Mobs of fringe activists censor, defile, and destroy everything that is good and holy.
But in this time of angst and seeming dissolution of the bonds that used to unite us, Americans can take heart in the same words that provided hope to the faithful in Jerusalem on Easter Sunday: Peace be with you! Yes, He is alive!
There is perhaps no better reflection of the love and hope of Christ in our society today than the pro-life movement. Even as many powerful cultural institutions seek to denigrate the value of unborn life, a great grassroots movement is growing to affirm the inherent dignity and worth of the most innocent and defenseless among us.
Just last year, pro-life Americans won a victory generations in the making with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This decision returned the power to legislate on abortion to the states, many of which subsequently passed laws to protect unborn babies from state-sanctioned murder.
This victory rested on the tireless struggle of millions of Americans who fought to change a culture of disregard for the unborn. During a debate against Democrat presidential nominee Walter Mondale in 1984, former President Ronald Reagan said, “I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child is not a living human being, then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us.”
But it would take nearly another 30 years for that belief to be translated into law in many states. Now, thanks to the appointment of three originalist judges by former President Donald Trump, another warrior for the pro-life movement, countless unborn lives have been saved.
In the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision which overturned Roe, a slew of states immediately passed laws protecting the unborn. The battle for a ban on abortions after six weeks is also underway in Florida, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Utah, while Idaho is fighting for a total abortion ban.
Last month, pro-life activist Rachel Campos-Duffy called on Americans to take on the next big challenge – the abortion pill, an anti-progesterone agent known as RU-486. Abortion providers often distribute packs of pills, leaving women and teenagers to handle this gruesome do-it-yourself project alone in their bathrooms, Campos-Duffy said, stressing that 40 percent of abortions are chemical abortions that are likely to end with complications.
In Kansas, the Republican-led state senate has passed a prohibition on prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine, and the house is still deciding. A similar battle is scheduled this year in Wyoming.
In Texas, where abortion is completely banned with very limited exceptions, a judge is considering overturning the Food and Drug Administration’s more than two-decade old approval of an abortion pill.
Lila Rose, the founder and president of the pro-life movement Live Action, has declared that this is just the start. She has singled out three courses of action moving forward, which include sending pro-life Americans into communities with resources and support for mothers, fathers, and children, continuing to place pressure in state legislatures, and winning the hearts and minds of current abortion supporters.
Already there are some promising signs that the pro-life movement is gaining ground in the culture. According to a Marist poll from last year, 71 percent of Americans want some limits on abortion – including 49 percent of Democrats and 93 percent of Republicans.
Nonetheless, there is still a difficult road ahead. Democrat-controlled legislatures in some states like New York and Minnesota have disgustingly passed laws allowing abortion virtually up until the moment of birth. Democrats in Congress are also agitating to codify abortion protections into federal law. Activists are also pushing for a ballot provision in Ohio that would cement abortion rights in the state constitution.
But here again American Christians can turn to the early Church for inspiration. Even following the resurrection of Christ, His followers faced hardship, pain, and even death at the hands of a hostile world. Paul was beheaded. Peter was crucified upside down. Thomas was pierced through by spears.
The apostles that led the ministry of Christ did not do so because they expected to be celebrated by the culture. Nor were they extraordinary men – in fact, they were chosen precisely because they were ordinary, showing that Jesus’s movement was for everyone.
Pro-lifers can take inspiration from this fact today, and know that, like the early Church leaders, their defense of truth and life can have immeasurable impact through the centuries.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
The Dobbs decision restored the constitutionally correct place where the abortion issue belongs: At the state level. Roe V Wade was a constitutionally incorrect and flawed decision based on essentially the Supreme Court of the time simply making up law from the bench for political expediency. Unfortunately, it took 50 years to reverse a bad ruling by the Court.
How each state chooses to handle the issue of abortion is up to them. The legislatures of each state reflect the will of the people of each state, because the voters of each state have empowered them to act on their behalf. So we will see markedly different approaches to the issue depending on each state. That is called federalism, which is precisely what the Founding Fathers intended. Thus we will have New York, California, and other heavily Democrat run states treating abortion substantially differently from say Texas, Florida and more conservative states. From a constitutional perspective, that is exactly how things are supposed to work.
No one who wants an abortion is barred from getting one, as even if they live in a state where abortion is tightly regulated, they can simply fly, drive or take a bus or train to another state. No state has border guards checking each vehicle crossing its state’s borders for whether a pregnant woman is trying to sneak out to get an abortion elsewhere. So, all the ranting and raving by the left that a woman can no longer get an abortion and Congress and Biden need to pass and sign a federal law restoring Roe V Wade is simply BS.
What the Democrats are really upset about is that when Roe V Wade was still in place, the federal government could funnel millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood to fund abortions through the annual Congressional budget bills. Thus circumventing the Hyde Amendment that barred the federal government from directly funding abortions. In turn, Planned Parenthood would kick back millions of dollars each year to Democrat candidates in the form of campaign contributions. So, what is really stoking all this ranting and raving by the Democrats is Dobbs effectively cut back a significant source of campaign donations that Democrat candidates, at all levels of government, had come to rely on as a steady stream of campaign revenues.
Sorry of this is a bit outside the purely religious perspective the author was focused on, but it is important to understand why Democrat politicians are really so agitated over Roe V Wade being overturned and why they are making this such an issue when really nothing has changed for the vast majority of women in America today. It has very little to do with women’s rights or even about the issue of abortion itself. It’s about the loss of reliable campaign revenue stream that the Democrats could count on for over 50 years being significantly reduced. If Republican politicians had the courage to simply lay out the facts this way to the public, they would nullify the Democrat politicians on this issue. Sadly, most Republican politicians either lack the courage to speak plainly or are incapable of complex messaging.
Pac-Man you have shown how little you care about life. Your references to Henry Hyde are infantile and disgrace to anyone that actually thinks and doesn’t live by democrat lies and drivel. In many peoples mind, anyone that condone abortion is condoning murder. And will be sent to hell. Or don’t you believe in hell? If not, shut up!
Very well said. Totally agree.
Well said. Keep up the good fight!
So sad that you don’t value innocent lives that were created by God and have no voice to plead for their lives. That’s why we who are able and know the truth must speak up for them. All life is precious to Jesus only He has the right to discern who will live or die! Let’s do our part by doing (voting) for what is right and He will do the rest!
Very well said. However, during this election cycle we cannot ignore the abortion fight. The truth has to be spoken often that this decision on abortion was given to each state. Plus during each state election the language for the abortion vote for or against needs to be written in simple language. No tricks!!!!
Prayer is our most powerful weapon! The dark forces of evil in this world have no defense against it. Prayer must always proceed action! If we do this, Heaven’s armies will destroy the enemies of our children and grandchildren. May the Lord bless everyone who is “fighting the good fight” in protecting the ones Jesus said are “the greatest in his kingdom.”
The lesson … Suggesting that we should allow innocent humans to be murdered, in order to be more popular is a sad and troubling suggestion. .
Thank you for this great and informative article! And thanks again to PaulE for the additional info. I truly appreciate the people who speak up about this issue and other issues that are important to the welfare of our citizens. Also, if the average Joe or Jane wants to know what they can do , they can search and find organizations like the Thomas More Society who are fighting abortion in the courts. There are several good ones. Check their websites and see what battles they are facing and see if you feel can you support their efforts with prayer and possibly financial. They are looking for people to work with them also. Thanks again!
And when I get depressed with Biden and how our country is doing,I remember that God is in control and ask for comfort which helps me to drive on another and praise God for his goodness and patience with me. We know who wins the game.The Lord will and not mine.Peace and love this Easter. Come lock loop hi as Quickley!!!
The day of the resurrection of our Lord ! Halleluyah !
Men have rights as fathers too. Partial birth abortion is cruel and appalling.
Pro forced birth view is widely reviled outside of conservative evangelicals. Every time the issue comes before the voters, forced birthers get their butt kicked. Now they are trying to rely on activist judges in TX to mandate forced birth policies on pro choice states, and they are trying to get rid of state referendums because they always lose. We will defeat the unpopular, authoritarian forced birthers.
Excellent article.
Happy Easter America.
troll elsewhere
Positive thinking is ok as long as it doesn’t ignore the obvious. The facts are that the scotus ruling, while long awaited and constitutionally correct, kicked over a hornets nest. Radicals demand no limits to abortion but the real issue is the millions who want it there just in case. This silent majority may dislike the idea but they imagine circumstances where it could be very handy. The author refers to winning hearts and minds. Until the silent majority decides they cant support abortion as a parachute there will be no lasting peace on this issue.
The question is what will the pro-abortion crowd learn from the example of Christ.