Praying for Reproductive Justice

I think my favorite pro-choice, anti-abortion quote comes from Frederica Mathewes-Green.

I like it not just because it's accurate, in my experience, but because Ms. Mathewes-Green was once an Episcopalian but left with her husband, a former Episcopal priest, to become Orthodox.

That's not "orthodox" with a small 'o' but with a capitol 'O'. You know. The real ones.

She said,

"No woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg."

There are some, however, who refuse to believe that about a woman who has an abortion. They'd rather believe that most women have abortions of "convenience". Or, on a whim. Without the thought or prayer or....well....the agony that are all part of the decision to terminate a pregnancy.

These "anti-abortion" or "pro-life" folks believe in the 'power of prayer' and, for several years, have staged "40 Days for Life" - usually outside clinics where abortions are performed. Except, their prayers are designed not so much to reach the ears of God but those of the women who are entering the facility to talk about having an abortion or to have the procedure.

The point of their prayers is shame.  And, guilt.

Their prayers are all about shaming women into not having a legal, safe, medical procedure which may save her life and that of her family - a decision she has made "not lightly or inadvisedly but reverently and prayerfully".

The "40 Days for Life" people carry rosary beads and prayer books and crosses along with signs filled with gory images and messages like: "Abortion is Murder" and, "Repent" and "Thou Shalt Not Kill" and, "Abortion Kills" and, "Abortion Stops A Beating Heart" and, "She Has Her Daddy's eyes" and, .......

......... Well, you've seen them. You know.

Since this "40 Days for Life" campaign began in 2004, the movement claims to have saved the lives of more than 700 "unborn children" [sic] every year from abortion. This year, their website claims that, "For this campaign, we have received reports of 883 'babies' [sic] spared from abortion — that we know of!"

Four years ago, a UCC Minister named Reverend Rebecca Turner, who also directs Faith Aloud, a St. Louis-based nonprofit devoted to destigmatizing abortion, decided to run a parallel campaign called "40 Days of Prayer".

This year, a Planned Parenthood facility in Humboldt County, Northern California decided to promote the "40 Days of Prayer Campaign". The Six Rivers Planned Parenthood’s “Forty Days” programming runs from March 18 through April 27 with events at Episcopal, Methodist, Jewish, and Unitarian Universalist houses of worship.

A flier promoting the event includes these words: “We trust you to decide about your sexuality, having your children, and planning your family. We are religious leaders who value all human life.  We accept that religions differ about when life begins. We are here to help.”

“We believe that human life is holy. That’s why we believe in your right to choose to be a parent or not,” the pro-abortion religious leaders continue. “It can be helpful to talk with friends you trust, with licensed counselors, and with whatever religious person you choose.  Humboldt County Clergy are available to talk with you about the spiritual aspects of choice.  Find out more by calling Six Rivers Planned Parenthood.”

“Humboldt County Clergy for Choice invite you to set aside time with your family and community to support women and reproductive justice for 40 days from March 18th through April 27th."

The prayers are all contained in a pamphlet and include petitions such as:

“Day 1: Today we pray for women for whom pregnancy is not good news, that they know they have choices." 

“Day 19: Today we pray for all pregnant women. May they be surrounded by loving voices.”  

“Day 30: Today we pray for women to throw away their secrets and claim their histories with power and truth.”

“Reasonable Christian people, when reading these prayers, understand that these are honest prayers for women,”  said Turner, who also developed this video which is played upon request for women in abortion clinics across the country.

“Whatever you decide to do, I want you to know that God is with you. God is with you right now in the abortion clinic,” Rev. Turner, wearing her collar, tells viewers in a gentle voice. “The Bible says that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.”

For women who struggle to integrate their reproductive choices with their spirituality, this message speaks directly to them. A common response is “Thank you, that’s what I needed to hear.” 


Apparently, there are more than a few unreasonable Christian people who have read the prayers and seen the video who do not want to hear this biblical message of God's unconditional love. Well, for themselves, perhaps, but not for those......those.....people. Those....feminazi murderers!

Fox News has, of course, been all over the story, as has Focus on the Family.

The National Director of “40 Days for Life” David Bereit told LifeSiteNews.com, “Planned Parenthood has stooped to a new low by exploiting pastors and churches to ‘celebrate’ the slaughter of babies made in God’s image and likeness.”

The inclusion of spirituality in the pro-choice movement, the Liberty Counsel proclaimed, was “comparable to the religious leaders in Germany who supported Adolf Hitler.”

Ah, see how these Christians love one another!

And, the point is that God is love. For everyone. Not just those who agree with our point of view. As St. Paul reminds us, nothing can separate us from the love of God - not abortion or those "good Christian folk" who hate women who make the informed decision to terminate their pregnancies and those men and women who help them.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you want to stop abortion then begin to work on the reasons most women have an abortion: poverty, hunger, no employment or under employment and lack of job training, poor resources for education, lack of access to good, quality, preventative health care - to name the most common situations women who find themselves trapped in the God-awful place where they have to consider terminating a pregnancy. 

Begin to reverse those conditions and you'll begin to see a sharp decrease in the number of abortions.

That takes an a sense of God's unconditional love for every single member of God's creation. And, an understanding of God's justice. And, hard work. And, commitment. And dedication.

Oh, and the belief that the lives of women are sacred, too, and that women are capable of making important decisions for themselves.

So, pray, sisters and brothers, for justice and mercy and the ability for all God's children to be able to walk humbly with God.

Today is Day 36 in the "40 Days of Prayer Campaign".

“Today we pray for an end to the stigma perpetrated against women who have abortions.”

And, let all God's people say, "Amen."