Who's getting abortions?

River Jordan · Nov 30, 2015

We all know the dreadful numbers...the millions of abortions performed in the US each year. But exactly who are the women getting these abortions? The answer may surprise you.

Study of Women who have had an Abortion (PDF)

Among the findings...

70 percent of the women identified as Christians.
23 percent of Christian women consider themselves evangelical Christians.
Over one third of the women attend a church once a week or more.
30% of women indicate they have had more than one pregnancy termination or abortion

So if these women are in church, why aren't they seeking help/advice from their church?

Over half of the women who attend church regularly have kept their abortion secret from their church community.

Only 7 percent said they discussed their decision with anyone at church.
Twice as many women would not recommend to someone close to them that they discuss their decision regarding an unplanned pregnancy with someone at a local church.
76% of women indicate local churches had no influence on their decision to terminate their pregnancy

49% of women agree that pastors’ teachings on forgiveness don’t seem to apply to terminated pregnancies

The results also show that these women are well aware that their church can give them help, yet many of them decide not to seek such help. Why not?

Two-thirds (65%) of women agree that church members judge single women who are pregnant

64% agree that church members are more likely to gossip about a woman considering abortion than help her understand options

IOW, we could help save more lives if we weren't so judgmental and gossipy. How tragic.

heretoeternity · Feb 8, 2016

The psychological and physical harm done to a woman who has an abortion should be preached loud and clear from the pulpits of Christian organizations around the world..together with the Biblical/spiritual ramifications of this terrible crime against humanity.

River Jordan · Feb 18, 2016

I think you missed the point. If we want to reduce the numbers of abortions, this information shows that we need to start in our own house. And the first thing we need to do is not be so negatively judgmental towards our sisters in Christ who have unplanned pregnancies. Right now it looks like our behavior is driving significant numbers of women straight to the abortion clinics. The good news there is we can actually do something about it.

heretoeternity · Feb 18, 2016

River Jordan said:
I think you missed the point. If we want to reduce the numbers of abortions, this information shows that we need to start in our own house. And the first thing we need to do is not be so negatively judgmental towards our sisters in Christ who have unplanned pregnancies. Right now it looks like our behavior is driving significant numbers of women straight to the abortion clinics. The good news there is we can actually do something about it.

What are you and your religious organization doing to stop this terrible crime against humanity?

River Jordan · Feb 18, 2016

heretoeternity said:
What are you and your religious organization doing to stop this terrible crime against humanity?

First, consistent with what I posted to you above, we've begun a campaign within our church to address the issue of gossiping about/shaming women in our congregation who have unplanned pregnancies. The intent is to ensure that everyone understands how being judgmental creates an atmosphere that actually increases the likelihood of the mother getting an abortion.

We've had a long-standing counseling program for expectant mothers that also provides assistance as needed.

We're also quite active on several political fronts, both locally and nationally.

michaelvpardo · Mar 12, 2016

River Jordan said:
I think you missed the point. If we want to reduce the numbers of abortions, this information shows that we need to start in our own house. And the first thing we need to do is not be so negatively judgmental towards our sisters in Christ who have unplanned pregnancies. Right now it looks like our behavior is driving significant numbers of women straight to the abortion clinics. The good news there is we can actually do something about it.

Unless these large percentages are due to rapes, its hard not to judge those who willfully disregard the commandments. The mature folks in the church are called to discern the difference between the sin and the sinner and deal with people in love with the hope of restoration, but there may not be many who are spiritually discerning and mature. Or it may be that young people (who are rarely spiritually mature) feel compelled by their shame to hide their sin and deal with it in carnal ways. If love was lifted as the cardinal rule in church with the understanding that sin is sin and mercy is a commandment, perhaps the problem wouldn't exist, but we have a natural tendency to look down upon people whose sin we don't share in. That's called self righteousness, and the world is full of this damnable sin. Its a shame that so much of the world remains in the church, but the good news is that it won't for long.

Dan57 · Mar 14, 2016

Years ago, I tried to talk a young lady out of getting an abortion, but failed.. To justify herself, she quoted 2 Samuel 12:14; "the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die". Her reasoning was, if God was okay with killing Kind David and Bathsheba's innocent newborn baby boy, then certainly He hasn't got a problem with me getting rid of my unborn. I told her that David's son was taken as punishment for his sins of murdering Uriah and committing adultery, but her response was; "God still killed an innocent baby, so how can it be wrong? God killed a lot of babies in the bible"... I had no answer except that it is God's call, not ours.. She said; "Sure, its okay for God to murder babies , but wrong for me". She raised a point that I could not answer.

michaelvpardo · Mar 15, 2016

Dan57 said:
Years ago, I tried to talk a young lady out of getting an abortion, but failed.. To justify herself, she quoted 2 Samuel 12:14; "the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die". Her reasoning was, if God was okay with killing Kind David and Bathsheba's innocent newborn baby boy, then certainly He hasn't got a problem with me getting rid of my unborn. I told her that David's son was taken as punishment for his sins of murdering Uriah and committing adultery, but her response was; "God still killed an innocent baby, so how can it be wrong? God killed a lot of babies in the bible"... I had no answer except that it is God's call, not ours.. She said; "Sure, its okay for God to murder babies , but wrong for me". She raised a point that I could not answer.

Its a hard thing for the carnal mind to grasp, but when God kills it isn't murder, such talk is just self justification. What the scripture says is:
36. "For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free.
37. He will say: `Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge?
38. Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge.
39. `Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.
40. For I lift My hand to heaven, and say, "As I live forever,
41. If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me. Deuteronomy 32:36-41
When I was young I had real trouble trying to reconcile the teaching of Old Testament scripture with that of the new and once even wrote in a journal "If God is the God of the Old Testament, then I don't want to know Him." At that time I knew only worldly things, had only worldly desires, knew only worldly experience, worldly kindness, and worldly hatred. Before we know Christ we tend to think that this life is all that there is, or even if we have some belief in an "afterlife" we generally only perceive the things of this life as having any meaning, consequently "good things" are an indication of a "good god" and "bad things" indicate a "bad god." This type of thinking sometimes leads us to a violently reactive atheism. Our natural state is described as "enmity with God," so this is no surprise.
A few years ago, I read a newspaper article about a tornado down south that was a killer storm. Men, women and children were killed in the event and a sovereign God is involved in all things, but one infant was found nestled unharmed in the crook of the branches of a tree, apparently dropped there by the storm. People might ask why God showed this mercy to one child and not to others, but we don't know what kind of life that one child might live, whether good or evil, nor do we know what kind of lives might have been lived by the "prematurely" dead. These thoughts are no comfort to the survivors, but we either grow bitter over loss or we trust in the wisdom and love of the God who redeemed us, knowing "that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." After all, who suffers the loss of an innocent child? Certainly not the child, and if young women (and young men) understood that one point, perhaps they would be less inclined to make an evil choice that they will have to carry with them throughout their lives.

hatedbyall · Mar 16, 2016

Dan57 said:
Years ago, I tried to talk a young lady out of getting an abortion, but failed.. To justify herself, she quoted 2 Samuel 12:14; "the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die". Her reasoning was, if God was okay with killing Kind David and Bathsheba's innocent newborn baby boy, then certainly He hasn't got a problem with me getting rid of my unborn. I told her that David's son was taken as punishment for his sins of murdering Uriah and committing adultery, but her response was; "God still killed an innocent baby, so how can it be wrong? God killed a lot of babies in the bible"... I had no answer except that it is God's call, not ours.. She said; "Sure, its okay for God to murder babies , but wrong for me". She raised a point that I could not answer.

this shows what happens when people "interpret" the Bible their own way. But Jesus established a CHURCH for interpretation, the Catholic Church. That is not to say there aren't serious problems in the Church... but the doctrines are sound

What's wrong in the Church is people... but you know.. that's the case everywhere

StanJ · Mar 16, 2016

hatedbyall said:
this shows what happens when people "interpret" the Bible their own way. But Jesus established a CHURCH for interpretation, the Catholic Church. That is not to say there aren't serious problems in the Church... but the doctrines are sound
What's wrong in the Church is people... but you know.. that's the case everywhere

Nope. John 14:26, John 20:31 and 1 John 5:13.

hatedbyall · Mar 17, 2016

StanJ said:
Nope. John 14:26, John 20:31 and 1 John 5:13.

humans cannot be trusted. Again, we need a Church that never fails, to intrprete the Word

"I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it" Jesus said. he never said that the gates of Hell (being misled, etc) could be overcome by a human being or by a human(only) Institution

michaelvpardo · Mar 19, 2016

hatedbyall said:
humans cannot be trusted. Again, we need a Church that never fails, to intrprete the Word

"I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it" Jesus said. he never said that the gates of Hell (being misled, etc) could be overcome by a human being or by a human(only) Institution

The church that Jesus built was not the RCC, but admittedly, the RCC came out of the original (which was in Jerusalem.)

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Who's getting abortions?

River Jordan

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heretoeternity

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River Jordan

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heretoeternity

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River Jordan

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michaelvpardo

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Dan57

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michaelvpardo

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hatedbyall

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StanJ

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michaelvpardo

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