As a child, I watched my mother dedicate a lot of time to CWA (Concerned Women for America), and specifically to the pro-life movement. Her involvement was my first introduction to the word “abortion.” The explanation of an abortion was horrifying! Yet, she explained that there were two positions when it came to the issue: pro-life or pro-choice.

*even at a young age, I knew the word “pro-choice” was intellectually dishonest. It was a diplomatic way of saying, “I think it is permissible to kill an innocent child.” That’s not pro-choice. It’s pro-murder.  But, that’s a side issue.

The point of this article is to highlight a sad reality I recently discovered. There is a current trend to claim a “pro-life” position that’s not actually pro-life. Here’s what I mean: if someone claims to be pro-life, I’ve learned (sadly) that I cannot take that at face value, I now have to ask more questions. Here’s a very summary of what I mean –

QUESTION: You say that you are pro-life. What exactly do you mean by that? What do you believe about abortion? Would you ever support or encourage a woman to get an abortion?

ANSWER: Oh, I am pro-life – which means that I have to consider the ‘whole life’ of the mother. For example, the physical health of the mother must be considered, and mental health of the mother must be considered. Therefore, if the mother and her doctor determined that an abortion was in the best interest of the mother, then I would support her right to make that decision.

It required some mental gymnastics for me to reconcile how someone could claim that this is a pro-life position. The line of reasoning just described is literally a pro-choice position. To paraphrase, “I support her right to choose.”

The statement, “I am pro-life,” is therefore disingenuous. You hold a pro-choice position. So, just be honest about it.

Let me put my cards on the table. I am a Christian. I believe the Bible – all of it. The Bible is clear that all human life is made in the image of the Almighty God (Genesis 1.26). God is clear with the sixth commandment, “Thou shall not murder” (Exodus 20.13), or as numerous scholars have stated, “Thou shall not take innocent life.” A baby is obviously an innocent life. To kill an innocent baby (born or not-yet born) is to kill someone that bears the image of God. It is heart-breaking to me…

I wish we could just be honest: Are you REALLY pro-life?