Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

There is a saying that the Elliot Institute uses which I find to be so true, it says that many women are "socially aborted" before they ever step foot into a clinic.  Threats of rejection by boyfriends, spouses, family members, and friends are often the motivating factors in making the decision to abort.

Thoughts and fear of abandonment and alienation by loved ones, often too painful to bear, make it seem easier to choose between those familiar and an unborn child never seen, or it may cause the belief that the child does not even exist yet. But, the reality of abortion often sets in, with birthdays never celebrated, hugs never were given or received, anniversary dates, and an ever-present void filled with guilt, shame, and grief.

Social abortion, however, does not end with the death of the unborn child. As “OK” as abortion is supposed to be, it carries a stigma. No one likes to speak of it unless it is in broad terms.  Objection to abortion itself and the personal pain of abortion is avoided like the plague. People are just not comfortable with it. Everyone knows inside their hearts that the life of an innocent has been taken.

I have gotten into “discussions” with well-meaning prolifers who feel the need to remind those of us who are post abortive of the severity of our sin. I have seen the use of saying such as “abortion is homicide," and “abortion is murder” do more harm than good. Many find it condemning and judgmental. I have been chided for speaking out against it, being told to be careful, I will “turn some pro lifers off." Little regard is given to the souls those words are killing.

The prevalent message seems to be “we know better than you… let us do this.” I have come to find that is not true. The aborting of women by both sides is just as lethal, perhaps even more so, because it kills the soul, the life source to living in heaven.

A 15-year-old who called herself “Freaky Ally” wrote to me once. She was distraught over an abortion her mother made her have. I kept thinking of Ally seeing the shirt “abortion is homicide."  I think it would be enough to send her over the edge. No one needs to remind her she killed her child. She lives with it each day. It is her baby that she will never hold in this life.

I have also been told that it is not the responsibility of pro lifers to guard speech for post-abortive people and that they need to proclaim the evil of abortion. Perhaps they need to be reminded of the sheer magnitude of people abortion effects. Everyone knows someone, everyone is touched, the post abortive are everywhere. While the evil of abortion always needs to be proclaimed, the way in which it is needs to be reevaluated.

The killing of life can come in all forms. Although abortion can never be justified and is always wrong, the killing of hope or the life of a soul is also offensive to God. Perhaps before passing judgment on others, we need to look at who we are aborting in our hearts.

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If you or someone you know is hurting from a past abortion, there is hope. There is healing.
Visit www.postabortionhelp.org or call 1-877-586-4621 today.