Some thoughts on the death of Roe v. Wade. (Also, my new venture!)
In all honesty, I never thought I would live to see the day when Roe v. Wade was overturned. I think I am still in shock. Although thousands of unborn human children will continue to be killed in many US states, the death pall over our land has been lightened, and God’s mercy and light are palpable. Maybe, if more battles are won in the states, America will see her way back to God’s favor.
Make no mistake, the heart of this decision is not the effect it will have on women who will not longer be able to abort their children (or those who coerce them). The heart of this decision is the redress of the greatest injustice and legally encouraged bloodshed ever committed on our soil. Michael Stokes Paulsen stated the truth starkly (emphasis mine):
Roe had consigned an entire category of living human beings to the essentially plenary right of others to kill them. And kill them we did, on an almost unimaginable scale: approximately sixty-two million human lives have been lost to legal abortion since Roe was decided in 1973. Roe created a legal basis for an abortion holocaust. Dobbs does not end abortion. But it ends Roe. Overruling Roe is a giant, historic leap for humanity.
All true. And, aside from taking a moment to memorialize and pray for the seemingly endless number of children who died under Roe’s nearly 50-year reign of terror, the other rare take this week is to consider the effect of this momentous news on those mothers (and fathers) who regret the abortions they procured. I was incredibly moved by the honesty and tears of Lorraine V. Murray, who was a 30-something feminist atheist when she aborted her only child decades ago. A childless widow today, she acknowledges the feminist brainwashing of her past, and she speaks a powerful truth that few want to acknowledge:
Would I have gone ahead with an abortion if it had been illegal? I can say with full certainty the answer is No. The fact of its legality made abortion seem like just another medical procedure that women go through. I know I wouldn’t have sought a physician to perform an illegal abortion, but instead would have done what millions of women before me did, which was welcome the little soul into the world.
I’m glad she said it: She is one of millions of women who would not have had an abortion if abortion had not been legal. The law is a teacher. I have many beloved friends and family members over 50 who are only here today because abortion was illegal before 1973. And, I have asked friends who got legal abortions after Roe if they would have aborted their children had abortion been illegal. The answer, like Mrs. Murray, is no. The amount of utterly unnecessary bloodshed and heartache that could have been avoided over 50 years is incalculable.
Meanwhile, we have way too many Catholic “influencers” who have shown their hand during the past few days. Instead of rejoicing that the (literal) child sacrifice may be slowed, they are distressed, angry, even mourning the loss of nationwide legal abortion. The arguments they use are untenable, however, and do not hold up to the most basic moral or logical scrutiny. I wrote something for Catholic Answers that addresses those arguments:
It Was Never About Just Hearts and Minds
Here are a couple of excerpts:
The idea that a smooth life with no serious suffering is a prerequisite for ending child-killing is bizarre (and non-Christian). And not only that, but it’s a condition that these same folks would never apply to any other moral crime. Let’s try it out:
Child molestation is a crime often committed by folks who have themselves been victims of child molestation. Rape is often committed by those who did not have proper formation, perhaps not raised in a happy, two-parent home, and may be fueled by drug or alcohol addiction. Home invasions and robbery may be the result of poverty, lack of a good home life, addiction, etc.
Would any of the Roe-defenders use the “safety net” argument to decriminalize any of those other offenses? Of course not. There is nothing “special” about child-killing that makes it an exception among other crimes; in fact, premeditated murder of the most innocent and defenseless among us may be the worst crime of all.
….
What is particularly ironic about the “change hearts, not laws” crowd is that, for every other social issue, they clamor and fight for laws, laws, and more laws, claiming that laws are the thing that will bring equity and justice. Think of feminist laws, employment laws, gun laws, health care laws, “LGBTQ” laws, “diversity, equity, and inclusion” laws, and on and on.
But suddenly, when it comes to the most basic right of a child to remain living and not be targeted for execution, we hear that “laws don’t work” and we must only “change hearts.” I hope we can all see the massive disconnect there.
There is so much more to say on this topic, and perhaps the sheer magnitude of all that needs saying (on many issues) is why I decided to take up a new endeavor: A YouTube channel consisting of 1) little teachings, aka “the basics”; 2) commentary and/or rebuttals; and 3) interviews (rarer than 1 and 2!)
As when I wrote my Little Catholic Bubble blog, my main purpose is to have a record of teachings for my children (and now grandchildren). They are my primary intended audience, but everyone is welcome! Please feel free to subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Of note: When it comes to “the basics,” I will keep the videos extremely short. No one has time to waste! I want to be precise, clear, and brief—hopefully averaging about five to eight minutes. Below are the first three “basics,” and I even recommend that you speed them up to save even more of your valuable time. (Click the dots on the top right corner of each video to switch the speed.)
I truly wished to be humble in taking on this project, and that humbling came about very quickly (thank you, Jesus!) when I got the year wrong in my very first video, ha!!
Here’s the intro (it is indeed 2022, not 2020!):
Here is a basic primer on Truth:
Here is a quick way to understand why the culture is in a chaotic free-fall:
Next, here are the first two examples of commentary. James Martin’s unfortunate Instagram post needed to be addressed:
And Nancy Pelosi’s scandalous reception of Holy Communion at the Vatican needed some moral context:
Clearly, I need to become more polished in putting my thoughts to video, but like I said, this is mostly for my own children and grandchildren, so that my family, please God, can all make it to Heaven someday. And I pray I will be there, too!
Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of this beautiful week, full of goodness, life, and rejoicing! Let us continue to offer God prayers of thanksgiving for our new national landscape, which gives hope for a profound spiritual renewal!
