Abortion due to spiritual battle

Women struggle with various options when faced with an unwanted pregnancy

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Pro-life leader Dr. Julie Parton says many women in a crises pregnancy see abortion as being better than adoption.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Every woman's decision to have an abortion involves a spiritual battle, says pro-life leader Dr. Julie Parton.

"When a woman is pregnant, deep down in her heart she knows she doesn't want to have an abortion," Parton told about 70 people at The King's College May 13. "Imagine how it must feel to kill your own offspring."

Almost 70 per cent of women in the United States think abortion is morally wrong, according to Parton, who works with the Life Training Institute. Nevertheless, 1.2 million abortions take place in the U.S. every year. Most abortions occur among women aged between 19 and 24.

"It's the image of God we are destroying when we have an abortion (because we are made in the image and likeness of God," Parton said. "While Satan whispers in one ear, 'Have this abortion; you can have a baby later,' God is whispering in the other, 'This is a baby just like you. Do what's right and I'll provide.'"

Parton spoke on Why Women Choose Abortion at the Life 2006 Pro-life Conference.

When asked, most women having an abortion say they feel like they don't have any other choice, blaming the decision on their boyfriend or family, or simply saying they feel it will interrupt their education.

Keep love

But Parton referred to a recent study that found no practical reasons for an abortion. "Instead,`` women felt bound to please or protect some person(s) and that's the reason they had an abortion," she said. "They don't want to lose their love or goodwill."

Women who have been sexually abused are also more likely to choose abortion. Sexual abuse takes away a woman's sense of control but she regains it when she is pregnant. "One place where she is in control is the abortion decision," Parton noted.

Whatever the case, women in unplanned pregnancies must face three evils, the first of which is the sense that their life would be over if they carry through the pregnancy. "(She feels that) the institution of motherhood right now interferes with her own life," said Parton. "It's my life or the baby's life."

But most women feel God will forgive them if they undergo an abortion "because God is a forgiving God."

The fear of giving the baby up for adoption is the second evil.

"For most of us that's the logical answer, but these women see adoption as the worst of the evils (because this implies) she is a bad mother who abandoned her baby."

Women feel adoption leaves their situation totally unresolved. "They see adoption as an unbearable sacrifice," Parton said. "The only ones that would give their babies up for adoption are those who are mature enough to put the needs of the child first."

Least of three evils

The third evil, abortion, is seen as the least of those evils, the pro-life leader said. "This gave me a little bit more understanding of the abortion decision," she said. "We have to forgive. Even God forgives the sin of abortion. We have to be a bit more compassionate."

Most U.S. pregnancy crisis centres have changed their name to pregnancy resource centres to make it less threatening to pregnant women who need counselling, Parton noted. Most of these centres are being supplied with ultrasound machines by Focus on the Family, which a year ago announced plans to spend $4.2 million on these machines for pregnancy centres across the U.S.

The goal is to provide centres with the equipment which has been touted as helping to change the minds of many women considering abortion. So far about 500 of the 2,300 pregnancy resource centres offer ultrasound. Focus on the Family hopes to have as many as 650 machines in centres nationwide by 2010.

According to a Focus on the Family statement, 57 per cent of women considering an abortion will keep their babies after receiving counselling at a pregnancy resource centre. "That figure jumps to 79 per cent when expectant mothers see an image of their baby on an ultrasound machine." Pregnant women get at least one ultrasound free of charge, according to Parton.

Henny vander Gugten, president of Alberta Pro-life, said her organization supports the use of ultrasound machines and would like to see Alberta pregnancy resource centres offer the service. "When a woman sees a picture of her baby (in her womb), it's no longer just a glob of tissue."

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