A couple of things struck me as I watched “Son of God,” the movie of Jesus’ life produced by “Touched by an Angel’s” Roma Downey and mega-hit TV producer Mark Burnett of “Survivor” fame.
The first thing that made me pause was when Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” My mind turned to those who are non-committal when it comes to the point at which human life begins.
At one point in my life, I was in that category. I could understand a being of three months’ gestation being called a baby, but before that, I wasn’t so sure. It took a radio news editor to get me back on track, saying that life began at conception. It seemed an inconvenient truth to me but, in the end, logic demanded that I accept it. The beginning doesn’t start with the heart beat or the brain wave—it begins with the union of sperm and egg. Any other proposed starting point would be entirely arbitrary and, well, untrue.
Another particularly poignant point in the film was when Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who put him to death because they know not what they do. I have known so many, many people who did not understand the cruelty of abortion, who did not know relevant facts about fetal development, who really did not fully comprehend what they were doing when they were advocating for abortion or procuring one.
That is why pro-life education is so vitally important—for opening the eyes of women and men alike to the horror of abortion. Whether the education comes in the form of a fetal model, a 4D ultrasound image, or a full description of a dismemberment abortion, it is critical for persuading the public that abortion is, in truth, the taking of an innocent human life. So too, post-abortive women need to be encouraged and supported when giving their gut-wrenching testimonies about the devastating impact abortion has had on their lives. It can be frustrating to think that, after more than four decades of legalized abortion, we still need to share some basic truths, but that is, in fact, the case.
We also need to empower those who believe that abortion is bad for women, but who are not quite brave enough or motivated enough to work for its end. If we are not speaking out about the world of hurt that abortion causes…if we are not educating our children about it, writing letters to the editor, contacting public officials…we are passive bystanders to the greatest human rights violation of our day.
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For, in truth, each child who has been conceived is a son or daughter of God, of infinite value and undeniable dignity, who should be protected both in the womb and beyond.
LifeNews.com Note: Maria Vitale is an opinion columnist for LifeNews.com. She is the Legislative Director for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and Vitale has written and reported for various broadcast and print media outlets, including National Public Radio, CBS Radio, and AP Radio.
