Abortion: If You Could Say Just One Thing

[akrulisky]

I strongly disagree. A quick sidewalk conversation is never going to change someones knowledge, or theology. You cannot put this issue on a bumpersticker and expect results.

What does matter is money. Many women have abortions specifically because they are in dire straits. Some have even engaged in sexual acts specifically FOR money. Others are just worried about how they might pay for the procedure.
Many women getting abortions are doing so at the most desperate time of their lives. This is a time where a hug and a view of the person hood of a fetus has no interest in their minds. Someone suggested a recording of a baby saying I love you mommy. That could very well be the scariest thing someone could hear at that time.
1000 Dollars and medical bills paid?
10,000 Dollars?
100 Dollars?

There is a price for this decision. If you only could just say one thing as the OP suggests, money is the easiest, most understandable and most effective approach.
I have been a sidewalk counselor, I have also worked with women who are beaten and/or prostitutes and druggies. I can tell you that money is by far and away the single biggest attention. But you better be prepared to back it up.
I have given money to women in front of the clinic before. Knowing full well they may indeed make another appointment or use it for drugs. But it turned them away from the baby death camp for the time being… That is worth it to me.

I’m not rich by any means, but I would have no problem giving a woman 10,000 strait out of my retirement to save a baby. Of course there would be strings attached…

I, also, strongly disagree. Money may motivate some, but that is a very simplistic approach to a very global problem. You speak as those you know the heart of every woman who comes to the door of an abortion clinic, but there is much more to it than hard cold cash. Like, being tied to an abusive relationship, not having family support, not understanding that it is not just a medical procedure, maybe they feel alone regardless of their financial situation, possibly is being pressured by a boyfriend/husband, etc. If money was the answer, then all we would have to do is allocate the funds to resolve the problem. I have seven adopted special needs children and some of their birth mother’s had previous abortions and money was not the deciding factor in those abortions. My 66 years of life experience does not support your hypothesis, but believe what you choose. However, keep in mind that not every woman is motivated only by money and to put everyone in one category does not allow the Holy Spirit to work through reaching out with compassion and kindness. Sorry, but we must agree to disagree.

 

[pensmama87]

Considering how this discussion has gone, maybe one could ask, “How can I help you to make a different choice for you and your baby?”

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I, also, strongly disagree. Money may motivate some, but that is a very simplistic approach to a very global problem. You speak as those you know the heart of every woman who comes to the door of an abortion clinic, but there is much more to it than hard cold cash. Like, being tied to an abusive relationship, not having family support, not understanding that it is not just a medical procedure, maybe they feel alone regardless of their financial situation, possibly is being pressured by a boyfriend/husband, etc. If money was the answer, then all we would have to do is allocate the funds to resolve the problem. I have seven adopted special needs children and some of their birth mother’s had previous abortions and money was not the deciding factor in those abortions. My 66 years of life experience does not support your hypothesis, but believe what you choose. However, keep in mind that not every woman is motivated only by money and to put everyone in one category does not allow the Holy Spirit to work through reaching out with compassion and kindness. Sorry, but we must agree to disagree.

You are right. Everyone is different. That is why all of us can do what we can and go about it our own way. that is why some pray, some hold graphic signs and some vote. Some seem to think that the exact right words in some sort of life saving elevator pitch is the answer. I think that the goal should be to save the most possible. And cold hard cash is the answer to many. Perhaps in the most extreme cases money would not be a factor. But most people could be bought. The question is just how much would buy a life in each situation. This certainly has precedence in Holocaust times. How much to stop the scared girl heading into the clinic. 100? !000? One million? Ten million? That is less than most sport contracts. The point is, many times there is indeed a pricetag on the decision. And I know it sounds dirty, and sometimes the pricetag is too high, and not everybody has ten grand to throw at a baby. But the reality is this. What would you do to stop a mother from slitting her 1 year old’s throat? Beg, scream, plead, offer basically anything you could? Of course. Why is it so different because you cannot hear the child crying?

But if somehow purchasing a life is displeasing to you, perhaps just a benjamin franklin to listen to you for 2 hours so that you don’t have to try to fit the entirety of the horror of the truth of infanticide into a 20 second sound byte.

No one will ever have a perfect approach. Ever. I know you dont. So I wont tell you to NEVER do something and you can kindly return the favor…
I could never speak to a specifc woman and her state of the abortion but I can tell you that abortions are more common in impoverished situations. And money can buy not only lives but ideologies as well. As dirty as it sounds, it is true.

 

[JamalChristophr]

Women who are walking in the door are the most difficult to dissuade. They have already thought a long time about it and have enough resolve to make the appointment, pay the money, and then walk through the door.

More than 95% of the women will not dialog with pro-life advocates before they walk through the door, but they usually have 30 minutes or perhaps more to reflect on what was said to them as they wait their turn.

It seem that prayer is still the most important, but words could make a difference, too, it seems.

I think one of the main things is that when a young woman is in that situation, the last thing she wants to do is consider that the “clump of cells” inside her is actually a baby. It’s a cognitive step that they don’t want to take.

 

[akrulisky]

You are right. Everyone is different. That is why all of us can do what we can and go about it our own way. that is why some pray, some hold graphic signs and some vote. Some seem to think that the exact right words in some sort of life saving elevator pitch is the answer. I think that the goal should be to save the most possible. And cold hard cash is the answer to many. Perhaps in the most extreme cases money would not be a factor. But most people could be bought. The question is just how much would buy a life in each situation. This certainly has precedence in Holocaust times. How much to stop the scared girl heading into the clinic. 100? !000? One million? Ten million? That is less than most sport contracts. The point is, many times there is indeed a pricetag on the decision. And I know it sounds dirty, and sometimes the pricetag is too high, and not everybody has ten grand to throw at a baby. But the reality is this. What would you do to stop a mother from slitting her 1 year old’s throat? Beg, scream, plead, offer basically anything you could? Of course. Why is it so different because you cannot hear the child crying?

But if somehow purchasing a life is displeasing to you, perhaps just a benjamin franklin to listen to you for 2 hours so that you don’t have to try to fit the entirety of the horror of the truth of infanticide into a 20 second sound byte.

No one will ever have a perfect approach. Ever. I know you dont. So I wont tell you to NEVER do something and you can kindly return the favor…
I could never speak to a specifc woman and her state of the abortion but I can tell you that abortions are more common in impoverished situations. And money can buy not only lives but ideologies as well. As dirty as it sounds, it is true.

Call it what you like… dirty, whatever, but you will never convince me of this approach. I have seen Prayer do far more than what you suggest. Two of my adopted children were saved as a result of prayer, and I take part in that approach through the network that I actually serve on behalf the unborn. God is not perfect? You form your ways and I will form mine. God Bless!

 

[7_Sorrows]

I, also, strongly disagree. Money may motivate some, but that is a very simplistic approach to a very global problem. You speak as those you know the heart of every woman who comes to the door of an abortion clinic, but there is much more to it than hard cold cash. Like, being tied to an abusive relationship, not having family support, not understanding that it is not just a medical procedure, maybe they feel alone regardless of their financial situation, possibly is being pressured by a boyfriend/husband, etc. If money was the answer, then all we would have to do is allocate the funds to resolve the problem. I have seven adopted special needs children and some of their birth mother’s had previous abortions and money was not the deciding factor in those abortions. My 66 years of life experience does not support your hypothesis, but believe what you choose. However, keep in mind that not every woman is motivated only by money and to put everyone in one category does not allow the Holy Spirit to work through reaching out with compassion and kindness. Sorry, but we must agree to disagree.

I agree with you. We can’t have people standing around offering money. That would lead to a whole new set of problems that I don’t have time to go into now. They are scared and think abortion is the quickest way to solve the prblem. There is no turning back. Like you said, abortion is more than just a medical procedure.

 

[akrulisky]

I think one of the main things is that when a young woman is in that situation, the last thing she wants to do is consider that the “clump of cells” inside her is actually a baby. It’s a cognitive step that they don’t want to take.

Yes, you are right , it is a cognitive step many do not want to take, but to reach the brain one must get to it through the heart. I am deeply convinced that it is the Holy Spirit who can reach that heart. I have seen it happen. There was a mother who had three abortions when she found out she was pregnant again. The evening before her fourth scheduled abortion, our whole church gathered together to pray for her and her child. I did not know her personally at the time. She lived in Florida and we lived in Tennessee and she was the step-sister of a member of our Methodist church.

Although we had been looking to adopt, this was not our motive. We were merely praying because we were asked to do so. My husband and I just went to church that night along with almost the entire small country church and fervently prayed for this unknown woman and this unknown baby for over three hours. Then we continued to pray when we got up the next morning asking God to spare this child. It was not until that evening did we get a call from our pastor telling us that the mother had changed her mind and was going to have the baby. Then our pastor asked us if we were sitting down, then said, “She is asking if we know of someone who wants to adopt her baby, are you interested?”

On July 4, 1987, our daughter was born and two weeks later we drove to Florida, met the mother, and brought our daughter home. This mother told us that she could not explain why she did not go through with a fourth abortion, saying “something just happened in my head.”

Thought I’d share. God answers prayers in remarkable ways, if only we have the faith to trust him.

 

[akrulisky]

I agree with you. We can’t have people standing around offering money. That would lead to a whole new set of problems that I don’t have time to go into now. They are scared and think abortion is the quickest way to solve the prblem. There is no turning back. Like you said, abortion is more than just a medical procedure.

Yes, money is not the solution, but neither is abortion, as you say.

 

[JamalChristophr]

Yes, you are right , it is a cognitive step many do not want to take, but to reach the brain one must get to it through the heart. I am deeply convinced that it is the Holy Spirit who can reach that heart. I have seen it happen. There was a mother who had three abortions when she found out she was pregnant again. The evening before her fourth scheduled abortion, our whole church gathered together to pray for her and her child. I did not know her personally at the time. She lived in Florida and we lived in Tennessee and she was the step-sister of a member of our Methodist church.

Although we had been looking to adopt, this was not our motive. We were merely praying because we were asked to do so. My husband and I just went to church that night along with almost the entire small country church and fervently prayed for this unknown woman and this unknown baby for over three hours. Then we continued to pray when we got up the next morning asking God to spare this child. It was not until that evening did we get a call from our pastor telling us that the mother had changed her mind and was going to have the baby. Then our pastor asked us if we were sitting down, then said, “She is asking if we know of someone who wants to adopt her baby, are you interested?”

On July 4, 1987, our daughter was born and two weeks later we drove to Florida, met the mother, and brought our daughter home. This mother told us that she could not explain why she did not go through with a fourth abortion, saying “something just happened in my head.”

Thought I’d share. God answers prayers in remarkable ways, if only we have the faith to trust him.

Wow. Pretty amazing stuff. I do pray, but honesty, I don’t think I would be able to pray that long. But I do pray, and hopefully God can make use of my tiny prayers.

That is a beautiful story.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I agree with you. We can’t have people standing around offering money. That would lead to a whole new set of problems that I don’t have time to go into now. They are scared and think abortion is the quickest way to solve the prblem. There is no turning back. Like you said, abortion is more than just a medical procedure.

But crisis pregnancy centers and pregnancy help is really just another way to throw money at the problem. The issue is that they do not reach the people walking in to have an abortion. We live in a day and age where people will pay exorbitant amounts of money to rent a womb or have a surrogate. Money for a baby is quite common. The average adoption is tens of thousands of dollars. Is what I am saying really different?

 

[akrulisky]

Wow. Pretty amazing stuff. I do pray, but honesty, I don’t think I would be able to pray that long. But I do pray, and hopefully God can make use of my tiny prayers.

That is a beautiful story.

Yes, when I was retelling it, it made me cry all over again. I must say, Protestants do pray a lot. I was a Protestant my whole life and just came into the Catholic Church. I can honestly say, though, that being Catholic has so much more than what I experienced as a Protestant in so many other ways. Actually, being Protestant prepared me well for becoming Catholic. Does that make sense?

 

[akrulisky]

The average adoption is tens of thousands of dollars. Is what I am saying really different?

Actually, we adopted all of our seven children, except for our first one, through the foster care system. There are so many children who need homes, including sibling sets. Yes, they do often have problems, but they are many lovely children in the foster care system who need families.

 

[7_Sorrows]

But crisis pregnancy centers and pregnancy help is really just another way to throw money at the problem. The issue is that they do not reach the people walking in to have an abortion. We live in a day and age where people will pay exorbitant amounts of money to rent a womb or have a surrogate. Money for a baby is quite common. The average adoption is tens of thousands of dollars. Is what I am saying really different?

I don’t like the idea of buying babies.

 

[wild_thing]

Yes, you are right , it is a cognitive step many do not want to take, but to reach the brain one must get to it through the heart. I am deeply convinced that it is the Holy Spirit who can reach that heart. I have seen it happen. There was a mother who had three abortions when she found out she was pregnant again. The evening before her fourth scheduled abortion, our whole church gathered together to pray for her and her child. I did not know her personally at the time. She lived in Florida and we lived in Tennessee and she was the step-sister of a member of our Methodist church.

Although we had been looking to adopt, this was not our motive. We were merely praying because we were asked to do so. My husband and I just went to church that night along with almost the entire small country church and fervently prayed for this unknown woman and this unknown baby for over three hours. Then we continued to pray when we got up the next morning asking God to spare this child. It was not until that evening did we get a call from our pastor telling us that the mother had changed her mind and was going to have the baby. Then our pastor asked us if we were sitting down, then said, “She is asking if we know of someone who wants to adopt her baby, are you interested?”

On July 4, 1987, our daughter was born and two weeks later we drove to Florida, met the mother, and brought our daughter home. This mother told us that she could not explain why she did not go through with a fourth abortion, saying “something just happened in my head.”

Thought I’d share. God answers prayers in remarkable ways, if only we have the faith to trust him.

What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Actually, we adopted all of our seven children, except for our first one, through the foster care system. There are so many children who need homes, including sibling sets. Yes, they do often have problems, but they are many lovely children in the foster care system who need families.

That is wonderful! God bless you!

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I don’t like the idea of buying babies.

Well really no one does when you have it as black and white as “money for a baby” But many of our close friends have paid incredible amounts to adopt babies from Africa or Russia. Tens of thousands of dollars. Do you not like that idea either?

 

[7_Sorrows]

Well really no one does when you have it as black and white as “money for a baby” But many of our close friends have paid incredible amounts to adopt babies from Africa or Russia. Tens of thousands of dollars. Do you not like that idea either?

Not really.

 

[marymary1975]

Yes, you are right , it is a cognitive step many do not want to take, but to reach the brain one must get to it through the heart. I am deeply convinced that it is the Holy Spirit who can reach that heart. I have seen it happen. There was a mother who had three abortions when she found out she was pregnant again. The evening before her fourth scheduled abortion, our whole church gathered together to pray for her and her child. I did not know her personally at the time. She lived in Florida and we lived in Tennessee and she was the step-sister of a member of our Methodist church.

Although we had been looking to adopt, this was not our motive. We were merely praying because we were asked to do so. My husband and I just went to church that night along with almost the entire small country church and fervently prayed for this unknown woman and this unknown baby for over three hours. Then we continued to pray when we got up the next morning asking God to spare this child. It was not until that evening did we get a call from our pastor telling us that the mother had changed her mind and was going to have the baby. Then our pastor asked us if we were sitting down, then said, “She is asking if we know of someone who wants to adopt her baby, are you interested?”

On July 4, 1987, our daughter was born and two weeks later we drove to Florida, met the mother, and brought our daughter home. This mother told us that she could not explain why she did not go through with a fourth abortion, saying “something just happened in my head.”

Thought I’d share. God answers prayers in remarkable ways, if only we have the faith to trust him.

Wow this is one powerful and beautiful story! You should share it everywhere!!! Definitely when there is faith the power of prayer is huge.

 

[808Catholic]

Yes, when I was retelling it, it made me cry all over again. I must say, Protestants do pray a lot. I was a Protestant my whole life and just came into the Catholic Church. I can honestly say, though, that being Catholic has so much more than what I experienced as a Protestant in so many other ways. Actually, being Protestant prepared me well for becoming Catholic. Does that make sense?

I can understand your Protestant background helping you become Catholic; I’ve witnessed others experience the same and am always impressed with their depth, knowledge, and sincerity. Welcome home.

 

[808Catholic]

I don’t like the idea of buying babies.

Probably no one on CAF likes that idea but the adoption agencies are making the rules and collecting the fees. There is a cost to the adoption agencies as well so, unless the Catholic church is willing to start their own Office of Adoption and provide these services free to prospective adoptive parents, we have to live by the earthly rules. I believe what’s important is that there are those willing to “offer” up the fees in order to bring a child into their home and raise them in a Christian family as one of their own. That’s truly following Christ because didn’t He “adopt” us all by His Sacrifice on the cross?