A couple of weeks ago I submitted to the Federal Way Mirror my photo from the 40 Days for Life prayer Vigil in front of Planned Parenthood.
This weekend I found the photo in the Mirror next to an article by Amy Johnson called “40 days to pray for pro-choice,” where it was used to showcase the 40 Days for Life movement as a “protest.”
During 40 Days for Life we pray for the end of abortion. There are never any derogatory or negative signs with this campaign and we do not stomp, rage or scream.
Every person at the vigil has signed a peace agreement, promising to be prayerful, respectful and law abiding. We are quietly praying and very much keeping to the guidelines of the movement in a prayerful, peaceful 40 day vigil. We are not protesting; we are witnessing, and we ask others to stand with us.
The astounding facts are that 125,000 unborn children die each day in the world due to abortion. More than 3,300 of those children die per day in the United States alone, totaling 40-50 million worldwide each year.
The argument always comes up “what about rape victims?” According to world statistics, this would affect 1 percent of abortions. Incest is always another argument, and it too accounts for a very small percentage of abortions. Mostly, abortion is used as a form of birth control in women between the ages of 18-25 years old (51 percent).
The fact that 40 Days for Life people stand on the street asking you to pray to end abortion is much different and much more complex than “it’s legal” and a “choice.” These people are trying to stop the damage that is happening worldwide to innocent victims. The end of abortion would not only impact the 40-50 million children that die at the hands of physicians every year, but it would impact the 80-100 million parents and grandparents who suffer and will suffer life-long depression, addictions, suicides and broken hearts because of their “choice.”
The fact is that the statistics are very slim that women have abortions because it is a “choice.” More often than not, it is because they feel they have no choice, i.e. finances, unplanned pregnancy, affairs, abuse, trafficking, rape, incest, along with a myriad of other reasons. When given a true “choice,” almost always, women will choose life. According to the Local Crisis Pregnancy Centers, 96 percent of women who receive an ultrasound within the first seven weeks of pregnancy will “choose” not to abort.
When you see 40 Days For Life people praying on the sidewalk, they are not only praying to end abortion, they are praying for the lives of women, men, children, grandparents, doctors, nurses, clinic workers, government, clergy and much more. While I agree with Amy Johnson regarding we “have choices” and “empowering” our children to “make mostly responsible ones,” taking the life of an innocent child who has no voice or “choice” should be neither responsible or acceptable.
Lisa Tinsley, pastoral assistant, Federal Way St. Vincent de Paul
