It’s the story Satan wants us to ignore. Or at least forget.
By now, many of you have probably seen the Facebook posts and tweets about the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell — and the media’s silence on it. What you read in the recent op-ed in USA Today or article in The Atlantic about the violent murders of live, full-term babies at an abortion clinic in Philadelphia is sickening and horrifying. Gosnell is on trial for the murder of one woman and seven babies.
As the columnist of the USA Today article, Kirstin Powers, said: “This is not about being ‘pro-choice’ or ‘pro-life.’ It’s about basic human rights.”
The only encouraging thing about this terrible case is that I’ve watched my Facebook page light up with links to the articles and relinks. (One article talks about how conservatives broke this story on Twitter.) And some fellow Christians have written some incredibly moving blog posts, such as this one by Boundless writer Joshua Rogers, “To the Infant Victims of Dr. Kermit Gosnell.” The gruesome details we’ve learned about Dr. Gosnell’s practices at his abortion clinic have crossed the line in a big way and have appeared to awaken us to this issue in a new way.
The thing is, if we believe what happened there is wrong — and it certainly is — we must back up and consider the whole issue of abortion and the reality that millions of preborn children are killed in abortion clinics each year. Yes, it’s a particular kind of evil that snips the spinal cord of a living, breathing child as he comes out of the womb. But, the truth is, all abortions end a human life.
I’ve watched some Christian leaders respond to this case, and the notoriety it is receiving, with a rebuke toward believers. Some of these leaders have reminded us, “This is nothing new! Such atrocities have been taking place for years — killing millions of babies and hurting millions of women. Where have you been, Christian?”
And while I respect the truth they speak and stand by, the Lord has reminded me that the shocking and heart-wrenching nature of this story — and the fact that it is getting out among Christians — is an act of His grace. As Romans 2:4 says, “His kindness leads us to repentance.” And though, I personally, have not kept the deaths of preborn children as close to my heart, mind and prayers as I should have, God has been kind to remind me, along with many fellow believers, that evil is being perpetrated against some of the most innocent of our society.
This is a fact that Satan wants to mask under the confusion of a “political issue”; but you can not read about the Gosnell case without feeling extreme compassion for the individuals involved — beings created in God’s image.
The fact that what happened in the “House of Horrors” in Philadelphia shocks us into remembering the plight of preborn children, is a grace from the Lord, that should bring us to repentance and compel us to action. And I’m grateful for that. I hope our response to this case is not as short-lived as “sharing” an article on Facebook. I know that would be the enemy’s desire. But I pray we would all dig deep and ask the Lord what our role should be in defending these children. Lives depend upon it.
