Deep repugnance for pro-life work

  • Thread starter Thread starter timeandeternity
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

timeandeternity

Guest
I am very active in the pro-life movement; I’m running my university’s pro-life student group, I regularly pray outside abortion clinics, I post pro-life articles on facebook and engage in discussion with friends about life issues, etc. However, I have a great repugnance toward this work. The last thing I want to do each week is to head over to the clinic and pray, and when I’m there, it’s all I can do to stop thinking about how much I want to leave. Every week, I’m tempted to make excuses for why I don’t have to go. I don’t like running this group at all. I often feel disgust toward pro-life work and even pro-lifers. I sometimes get bitter about all the work I do, and there have been times when I’ve just vented to God, telling Him how much I hate this and don’t want to do it anymore. I do it because I feel like I have to. After all, it is work that absolutely needs to be done, and not enough people are stepping up to the plate.
Now, I know pro-lifers don’t get up in the morning and say, “Hey, lets head on over to the abortuary and have a grand old time praying and counseling! It’ll be loads of fun!!” Of course not–it’s not “fun” to do. But many are very, very passionate about pro-life work, and find so much joy in what they do, even in the midst of the ugliness and sorrow of what they’re up against. I’m not like this.
Have any of you had this kind of experience with anything (not necessarily pro-life work)? If so, what did you do to overcome your repugnance? Do you have any advice for me? I don’t want to use this as an excuse for inaction and apathy; I want to overcome my disgust so I can be active without hating it.
 
So what is it that exactly you find repugnant? The ‘type’ of work, or the fact you could be doing something else? If you truly ‘hate’ the work, then maybe it isn’t for you.
 
Just the work itself. I don’t really understand it. I do have scrupulosity, so I wonder if that might play a part in this?
 
Sorry, I should mention: it’s praying outside clinics that I dislike the most, and leading the group. I’m fine with debating the issues with others, though.
 
timeandeternity said:
Sorry, I should mention: it’s praying outside clinics that I dislike the most, and leading the group. I’m fine with debating the issues with others, though.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure I’d like that either. Maybe just stick to what you enjoy and do best. That way you wont burn out.

It’s a fabulous thing you do too, by the way.
 
timeandeternity said:
I am very active in the pro-life movement; I’m running my university’s pro-life student group, I regularly pray outside abortion clinics, I post pro-life articles on facebook and engage in discussion with friends about life issues, etc. However, I have a great repugnance toward this work. The last thing I want to do each week is to head over to the clinic and pray, and when I’m there, it’s all I can do to stop thinking about how much I want to leave. Every week, I’m tempted to make excuses for why I don’t have to go. I don’t like running this group at all. I often feel disgust toward pro-life work and even pro-lifers. I sometimes get bitter about all the work I do, and there have been times when I’ve just vented to God, telling Him how much I hate this and don’t want to do it anymore. I do it because I feel like I have to. After all, it is work that absolutely needs to be done, and not enough people are stepping up to the plate.
Now, I know pro-lifers don’t get up in the morning and say, “Hey, lets head on over to the abortuary and have a grand old time praying and counseling! It’ll be loads of fun!!” Of course not–it’s not “fun” to do. But many are very, very passionate about pro-life work, and find so much joy in what they do, even in the midst of the ugliness and sorrow of what they’re up against. I’m not like this.
Have any of you had this kind of experience with anything (not necessarily pro-life work)? If so, what did you do to overcome your repugnance? Do you have any advice for me? I don’t want to use this as an excuse for inaction and apathy; I want to overcome my disgust so I can be active without hating it.
Click to expand...
“To have fun” is just an american expression that people use for everything even for the must absurd things.

I think your feelings are deeply all right.
 
Pfaffenhoffen, I think you misunderstood. I wasn’t trying to say that I should just “have fun.” In fact, I do think that’s a totally ridiculous way to go through life.
However, I also don’t think it’s alright for me to be so disgusted with pro-life work. I’m not asking to have fun, I just want to be able to do this without feeling like I just hate it.
 
I’m pro-life but I have never prayed in front of a clinic. I’m middle aged, a retired ballet dancer, and my current job (physical therapist) keeps me on my feet most of my work days. The last thing I want to be doing to my poor beat-up feet (a picture of which would gross most people out) is stand on them on concrete for a few hours on my off duty time. No pair of comfy orthopedic shoes would minimize the impact of a sidewalk on my poor feet!

I regularly make financial contributions to a pro-life crisis pregnancy center, and have placed some of their literature in the GYN clinic at the hospital where I work (with the approval of the clinic nurse manager.) I figure if we can get the message that there are positive and supportive alternatives to abortion to women who might be feeling trapped by an unexpected pregnancy, there will be fewer and fewer people heading over to those abortion clinics.

There are a lot of ways to support pro-life work without literally standing anywhere. You might want to volunteer at one of the pro-life crisis pregnancy centers, for example, or support a fundraiser for them. You might want to engage in supporting a pro-life legislative candidate.

There are a lot of ways to attack this problem.
 
Odile has some good ideas. Maybe you can do things a bit differently. I think pro-life work is amazing. My only contribution is praying the rosary for that intention, things are not that well organised over here.
 
timeandeternity said:
I am very active in the pro-life movement; I’m running my university’s pro-life student group, I regularly pray outside abortion clinics, I post pro-life articles on facebook and engage in discussion with friends about life issues, etc. However, I have a great repugnance toward this work. The last thing I want to do each week is to head over to the clinic and pray, and when I’m there, it’s all I can do to stop thinking about how much I want to leave. Every week, I’m tempted to make excuses for why I don’t have to go. I don’t like running this group at all. I often feel disgust toward pro-life work and even pro-lifers. I sometimes get bitter about all the work I do, and there have been times when I’ve just vented to God, telling Him how much I hate this and don’t want to do it anymore. I do it because I feel like I have to. After all, it is work that absolutely needs to be done, and not enough people are stepping up to the plate.
But many are very, very passionate about pro-life work, and find so much joy in what they do, even in the midst of the ugliness and sorrow of what they’re up against. I’m not like this.
Have any of you had this kind of experience with anything (not necessarily pro-life work)? If so, what did you do to overcome your repugnance? Do you have any advice for me? I don’t want to use this as an excuse for inaction and apathy; I want to overcome my disgust so I can be active without hating it.
Click to expand...
Think the best thing to do is tell it to God, try d psalms. I dont know if it works for everybody but it works for me. Tell God u dont like the work (u should be honest with it), give him a report and listen to your heart do not wory when your mind begins to give answers. Even in our complex beign we can listen. Better do it before d blessed sacrament.
Ask for devine joy, it makes u satisfied. Hope i helped.
Ubenedictus
 
Perhaps you don’t like leading this. That’s o.k. Don’t fret about it. I am a leader at work and when I do extra things, at church for instance, I just want to help, not be “in charge” of it all. I can completely relate to this. Maybe you could scale back things a bit so there’s not so much pressure on you and the work load is shared. You could start by asking for volunteers to take your place praying at the clinics. If you can’t get any helpers, maybe you could take a more comfortable approach like praying from your car. You’re still making an effort. And don’t think that effort is ever not appreciated. Don’t worry that you are responsible some how that this effort will succeed or fail. Pray and leave it IN GOD’S HANDS. If there is a sponsor at the university for this program, let them know it is wearing you out spiritually and see if they can help.

Thank you for what you do,
Don’t forget to take care of yourself everynow and then.

Peace.
 
Follow your heart.
Do whatever you want as long as it’s not sin. I think St. Augustine said something like that.
 
Well, everyone has given good advice. It sounds like your heart is in the right place.

I guess part of what I wonder is why exactly you find it repugnant. Are you embarrassed to have people drive by and see you and maybe think you’re strange? Just asking, to try to understand more.

I have prayed in front of abortion mills during our community’s 40 Days for Life campaign. Admittedly, the first time I was kind of nervous of getting attacked physically as I had never done it before and imagined it being in a dark shady alley. Also, I came right from work, so I’d be wearing a suit and so I was a little self-conscious there at first. However, the more I did it, the more I “enjoyed” it in so far as I knew I was doing something to help the cause.

In any case, like others have said, if you really hate it, there are other things you can do that don’t make you any less of an ardent Pro-Life supporter, such as prayer, monetary, contributions, educating people you come into contact with, etc.

In any case, God bless you and your efforts.

Bryan
 
Remember the times in Scripture when Jesus went away for awhile for prayer? He knew that human beings NEED to step away for awhile.

For anyone in anykind of ministry, an annual retreat should be required and a sabbatical is necessary every few years.

Take a retreat. When we get to thinking that it will fall apart without ME there, that is our sign it is time to take a breather. We can come back from the time of rest, just like Jesus did.
 
Hi there!

I won’t say that I found pro-life work repugnant but I don’t loooove it and many times I also don’t want to do it. I’m in pro-life ministry too and we pray the rosary every Saturday in front of a local abortion clinic. I have no idea how I ended up being a leader in this ministry because it’s the last thing I wanted to do. There are many groups in my church that I can be a part of but for some reason this is the one I’m in. Since the beginning it wasn’t my favorite but I felt that God wanted me involved and like you I didn’t see many other people stepping up to the plate. Whatever discomfort I feel about it I offer it up to God in hope he uses it to end this horrific practice of abortion.

I don’t mind praying in front of the abortuary as much as before and have come to peace with it. The thing that I dislike the most is talking about the methods of abortion and we sometimes show videos with explicit parts to the ones that are interested which makes me cry everytime. I do think it is important to educate as many people as possible though since many see abortion as any other surgical procedure so that’s why I put up with it.

My advice to you is to try to focus on the things you do like about the ministry and ask God whether He really wants you there. Also, if you can be involved in another group with a totally different focus that helps. I’m in the women’s group and the topics there are completely different and it’s a break from the abortion talk. I used to be part of the young adult group as well and that was fun. I had to quit though because i ended up having no life outside of church and plus I kinda aged out of it lol!

Good luck and God Bless You!
 
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and advice. I will be taking all of this to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament this afternoon!

To those who asked why I find this work repugnant: I honestly have no idea. I’m not at all afraid to pray at the clinic. I’m not embarrassed about it, and I’m honestly not afraid of people’s reactions. It’s not stuff like this that’s repugnant, it’s the work itself. Like I said, I just don’t understand.

But thanks again for everything.
 
The abortion debate is one of the few issues that causes domestic terrorism in the US. Because of this I am always reluctant to publicly be involved with any particular organization or activity solely dedicated to abortion-related work.
 
TheTrueCentrist said:
The abortion debate is one of the few issues that causes domestic terrorism in the US. Because of this I am always reluctant to publicly be involved with any particular organization or activity solely dedicated to abortion-related work.
Click to expand...
Lol so I assume you stay out of politics as well then?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top