Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Most of us are still horrified when we think back to World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history, with 70–85 million deaths worldwide over a six-year period. And we should be horrified. Lest we forget.

The biggest killer worldwide today is heart disease. Twenty million people die of heart disease every year. Governments pour money into research, education, and drugs in an attempt to address this problem because we take it seriously. And we should.

But what about abortion — the hidden killer we don’t speak about in polite conversation. Abortion, like the two issues above, is a grievous issue. To compare them, we can see the table below, which looks at a one-year period.

To get some perspective, we have to find the average number of deaths on each issue.

Abortion: The Hidden Tragedy

There is no comparison. Deaths from abortion are an unimaginable horror, yet they are ignored because abortion is hidden. Things hidden, done in secret, not spoken about, need to be brought into the light. This happened once before during the slave trade, as explained by Mark Powell. The horror was ignored until a widely circulated picture shone a light on the truth of the slave trade. People in the 1800s turned a blind eye to the slave trade until they could no longer do so because of a simple sketch and a conversation.

Approximately 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza — a tragic toll by any measure. The news constantly reminds us of the horrors unfolding in that region. In Melbourne, attention is given to the crisis by the thousands who have exercised their right to protest every Sunday for the past two years. The war in Gaza and the constant protests are a stark, visible reminder of what humanity is capable of. Yet, another war, with a death toll literally a thousand times higher than that in Gaza, is being waged against the next generation.

Abortion is largely unseen, but no less deadly, and far more preventable.

The power of the sketch of a slave ship, the horror of war images, and the noise and persistence of the protestors have shone a light on each issue. However, regarding the abortion argument, we still wait for the light of truth. It may simply come in the form of many humble conversations.

Victoria’s Role

Seventeen years ago, Victoria became the first state in Australia to introduce legal abortion for any reason up until the time of birth. Since then, Christians and others have marched every year and written to legislators. Yet there is no change. The issue has not been brought into the light, so we pretend all is well.

Many people are still surprised to hear the extent of Victoria’s abortion laws: that a child may be killed up until the time of birth for any reason. Yet, these are not new laws; many people are simply not aware that there is no access to balanced counselling for women who find themselves with an unexpected pregnancy. Society has no idea that many women face an increased risk of depression and hospitalisation for mental health issues after experiencing an abortion. We are told abortion is “health care” while it kills people, destroys families and undermines the next generation.

We say: “Love the next generation.”

We say: “We love them both.”

We say: “Abortion is not health care.”

We say: “Make adoption more accessible”

The March for the Babies

The 17th Annual March For the Babies in Melbourne will be held on Saturday, 11 October from 1:00–3:00 pm at Treasury Gardens.

This year should be Victoria’s biggest march ever, for the following two reasons;

1. Charlie Kirk’s example is powerful — he never let this issue rest, and neither should we.

2. Joanna Howe recently exposed the fraud of the baby bonus and paid parental leave. So not only is an abortion procedure itself heavily subsidised by the government, but women are receiving paid parental leave and the baby bonus for electing to have an abortion after 22 weeks.

We suggest that if you have never attended a Victorian March for the Babies before, this is the year to start. We request that people promote this event to their family, friends, prayer groups, pastors, and churches.

The dark cloud that hangs over Victoria has only one answer: let the light in.

What Can We Do About This Problem?

• Pray for this scourge on Victoria to come to an end.
• Pray for the next generation to love their babies.
• Pray for adoption to be more accessible.
• Pray for a change in understanding the value of human life.
• Attend the March for the Babies.
• Encourage friends and family to attend.

Don’t let this deep and difficult issue rest, nor hide behind polite conversation. Give “abortion ’til birth” the sober attention it demands. Learn the compelling evidence and the facts, and have loving but convincing conversations with friends and family.

We have marched and written to legislators, but what is missing in this fight is the conversation with ordinary people. Countless comments on Charlie Kirk’s videos indicate people confessing they had been passionately prochoice for many years, but are prolife now after hearing a reasonable discussion that took them on a journey, a thought path they had never properly considered before.

The Urgent Answer

Move the dark spiritual cloud justifiably hanging over Victoria through the simple art of conversation and be encouraged by the Tradies for Babies who are doing just that, while on the job.

See you on 11 October.

___

Image courtesy of March for the Babies.