Personhood for the Unborn What you can do
Personhood for the Unborn • What you can do? • Support CI 102
WHY SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ISSUE? • We must stand up for God’s principles, especially the sanctity of life and speak against this destruction of the image of God. • We must be watchman, our brother’s keepers— not just for the unborn but for the other victims of abortion that need healing—especially mothers and fathers of aborted children. • We must expose deception. Most prochoice advocates don’t know what they’re supporting. • There are dire, expansive consequences of abortion; our nation is being judged.
• Jeremiah 1: 5 Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations. • Isaiah 49: 15, 16 Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have carved you on the palms of My hands… • John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
CLASH of WORLD VIEWS • God is sovereign. • Every human life is sacred and of utmost value because God made it so. • Life and human rights come from God. • Humans are depraved, in need of a redeemer and rule of law VS • Humans are sovereign, and their autonomy and personal freedoms are the highest value • Elite humans are capable of deciding whose life is worth living—who is allowed to live or die • If we create the right environment, we can remove the need for girls/women to abort
OVER 50 MILLION SACRED UNBORN LIVES DESTROYED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1973
HOW HAS ABORTION BECOME SO ACCEPTABLE? • “It’s the law…. Get over it!” • The truth is kept from people.
ROE V WADE WAS AND IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL • The US Constitution does not contain a right to privacy. • Roe v Wade 1973 based on right to privacy. • Though made by an unconstitutional process, it became accepted as a precedent. • Once accepted falsely as law, it is easier to accept.
JUDICIAL and FEDERAL SUPREMACY are UNCONSTITUTUIONAL US Constitution: • limits the power of the federal government over the states • grants balance among the executive, judicial and legislative branches.
WHY PROCHOICE PROPAGANDA ACCEPTED UNCRITICALLY • Clever use of language • Avoid images of the unborn, especially those aborted • Lie about abortion prior to Roe v Wade, risk of pregnancy • Use of emotional appeal of hard cases (<3% for rape, incest, life of mother)
WOMEN’S RIGHT’S GROUPS IGNORE THE HARM DONE TO THE MOTHER IN ABORTION • Many women testify that it is much easier to scrape a baby from a mother’s uterus than to scrape him from her mind.
UNQUESTIONABLY, HUMAN LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION
Personhood is logically defined by membership in the human species.
ATTEMPTS TO DEFINE PERSONHOOD IN OTHER WAYS • • age, stage of development, viability, size degree of skill, intelligence, education self-awareness, ability to relate to others ability to meaningfully contribute to society, to have a meaningful life
WHY A STATE PERSONHOOD CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE?
SUCCESSFUL NONLEGISLATIVE PROLIFE STRATEGIES • Prayer, fasting, crisis pregnancy centers, peaceful protests, sidewalk counseling save lives. • Thousands of unborn children are
PROLIFE LEGISLATIVE STRATEGIES THAT HAVE FAILED • parental notification, provisions for fetal pain alleviation, regulation of abortion clinics • Even the partial birth abortion ban is a failure. • voting for prolife candidates • getting a prolife majority on the US Supreme Court • THEY DON’T ADDRESS PERSONHOOD and are BASED on ACCEPTANCE of ROE V WADE as the LAW OF THE LAND What about a federal human life amendment?
THAT LEAVES STATE PERSONHOOD AMENDMENTS • • Personhood Amendments do not outlaw abortion but… They are a legal stepping stone They are a direct challenge to the central holding of Roe v Wade. They challenge judicial and federal supremacy. There are no reasonable arguments against it.
THE PRINCIPLE OF PERSONHOOD: Every human being deserves equal protection under the law. • Roe v Wade removed legal protection from an entire class of human beings-the unborn.
WHAT A PERSONHOOD INITIATIVE WILL DO • • Brings abortion tragedy to the people Supports prolife legislation Stepping stone to overturn Roe v Wade Allows high powered legal council to take it to the US Supreme Court Encourages other states to follow suit Affirms that Montana is a pro-life state that recognizes the dignity and value of human life Sends this message to our legislators Pricks the collective conscience by dramatizing injustice. Social reform has always been achieved this way
PERSONHOOD IS PIVOTAL The root of legalization of abortion is denial of personhood • In the Roe v. Wade decision, Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun wrote that, “(If the) suggestion of personhood [of the pre-born}] is established, the [abortion rights] case, of the course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14 th] Amendment. ” • Thus, the personhood of the pre-born child is the single point of which the entire debate turns.
LIES FROM THE OPPOSITION & THE TRUTH.
The Lie: l One signature can do a lot of damage.
The Truth: • Your signing the petition for a personhood amendment does nothing more than give your support for it being on the ballot in the November election. If enough signatures are received, Montanan’s in November will have a choice to vote for or against a personhood amendment.
The Lie: l The Personhood Amendment Threatens Women's Health. l The Personhood Amendment interferes in private medical decisions. l It will bring government intrusion into the bedroom.
The Truth: • A constitutional initiative amends the constitution. • It is not a law, doesn’t even mention abortion so it could not possibly threaten women’s health or interfere in medical decisions
The Lie: The Personhood Amendment will: l Bring investigations of stillbirths, miscarriages, underweight babies. l Outlaw contraceptives.
The Truth: • For miscarriages etc. to be investigated, contraceptives to be outlawed, laws to bring this about would have to be enacted. • These things were not done prior to Roe v Wade, why would they be done now? • Its true effect is difficult to predict because it will have no effect until/unless legislation is passed that utilizes it.
The Lie: l It would make it illegal to access safe and legal abortions, no exceptions.
The Truth: • Again, a constitutional initiative is not a bill or law so it cannot make anything illegal. It states nothing about abortion.
NO PLACE FOR COMPLACENCY
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS WOULD SAY ABORTION PLACES OUR NATION IN GREAT PERIL • “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? ” Thomas Jefferson (Engraved on Jefferson Memorial) • “We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained. ” George Washington’s inaugural address 1789
IT’S UP TO US • “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to government of any other. ” John Adam 1798 • But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. Ezekiel 33: 6
• If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7: 14
FIGHT AGAINST ALL ODDS AS WE SERVE OUR MIGHTY GOD • “In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection—Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. ” Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention 1787
WHY BE PROLIFE? WHY SIGN THE PETITION? • Abortion is the ultimate human rights issue • Each human is created for special purpose • Abortion destroys an image of God • Human life is sacred
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ” Martin Luther King Jr. Deliver those being taken to death, and those stumbling to be killed, unless you hold back. If you say, Behold, we did not know; does not He who searches the heart consider it? And the Keeper of your soul, does He know? And He repays to a man according to his works. Proverbs 24: 11, 12 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. . . Proverbs 31: 8 -9
Address and Printed Name Must be Legible • Leave last two columns blank. • Sign on a sheet for the county in which you are registered to vote.
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