Why Do We Turn Away?

You've heard about the Planned Parenthood videos in the news. Have you actually watched them? If you haven't, why haven't you? Have you asked yourself that question? Do you want to avoid facing these grisly realities?

If you have reticence, how many of those you interact with at work or in the neighborhood or at school have actually watched the videos? I bet lots of people who are listening to and talking about the political commentary have not viewed the videos.

So, I'm writing here for three reasons:

1) To encourage you to read this article by Russ Douthat entitled, "Looking Away From Abortion."

Here's one brief sample from the article:

...it’s precisely a fetus’s humanity that makes its organs valuable...more than just “products of conception” or tissue for the knife.

That’s why Planned Parenthood’s apologists have fallen back on complaints about “deceptive editing” (though full videos were released in both cases), or else simply asked people to look away. And it’s why many of my colleagues in the press seem uncomfortable reporting on the actual content of the videos. 

Because dwelling on that content gets you uncomfortably close to...that moment when you start pondering the possibility that an institution at the heart of respectable liberal society is dedicated to a practice that deserves to be called barbarism.

2) To encourage you to push back any reticence to watch these videos, and to go and watch them.

3) To be prepared to ask others if they've watched the videos. And if they haven't, to ask them why.

If we Christians want our nation to face the horrific realities of abortion and abortion practice, then we Christians need to be willing to face the horrific realities of abortion and abortion practice. Don't look away. And be prepared to ask others why they do.