March For Babies

Yesterday was the 3rd March for Babies, to protest the change in abortion law in Victoria. I went, and took a friend (Stephen, from Frankston centre, my housemate’s boyfriend).

For those who aren’t aware, the current laws in Victoria not only allow what most people think of when they think of abortions (i.e. early term abortions) but have a great deal of more horrifying implications. Whilst ANY abortion is murder, the fact is, it is so much more obvious when the baby is older what you are doing.

The current laws (passed in 2008) include these particularly horrifying implications:
• Abortion is legal for any reason when the baby is up to 24 weeks (this is particularly horrifying to me – this is nearly 6 months along. I was born when my mother was 6 ½ months along, and that was 27 years ago, when the technology to keep premmie babies alive was much less)
• Abortion up to BIRTH is legal as long as two doctors (the abortionist and the abortionist in the next room) approve
• No pain relief is required for the unborn child
• No requirement to offer medical assistance to babies born ALIVE after “failed” abortions
• No counselling of health risks for mother prior to an abortion
• No ability for doctors, nurses or other health workers to not refer, assist, and perform abortions for reasons of conscience
• No reporting of minors to their parents should a minor request an abortion
• No mandatory reporting of minors who come in with a suspected abuser for an abortion

These are truly horrifying laws. I am completely opposed to all abortion, but this is something different. Not giving medical assistance to a live baby? How much more obvious can you get that abortion is murder?

The march was both incredibly encouraging and discouraging at the same time. It was wonderful to see the thousands of people who turned out in support of unborn life. It was especially encouraging to see that the “opposition” (which included the Sex Party, an Australian political party) numbered a maximum of 40 people. The difference in behaviour between the two groups could not have been more extreme. One had families, older people, people dressed modestly, speakers who were polite. Seriously, the most far-out behaviour I saw from the pro-life side were some Catholics behind us chanting out the “Hail Mary” prayer and another Catholic carrying a statue of Mary for the whole march. We were calm and polite.

The opposition were… not exactly the same. All were around my age, mostly the usual protest types, and dressed… not exactly modestly. At the front of their group they had three or four young women wearing midriff-exposing tops and short shorts, shouting obscenities and holding signs such as “I choose abortion because I choose to have a life” and “MINE” written over their midriffs with lipstick.A bit of a contrast. These women, and many others, need our prayers.

The discouraging thing was that there weren’t that many people my age range there. Aside from me and Stephen, I didn’t see anyone from our church, and I only saw one other person I know (the person who came to our church earlier in the year to give two classes on how we should be responding to abortion). I know many people who are pro-life, but they were not really pro-life enough to give up a few hours on their Saturday to protest these truly hideous laws.

If you are Australian, reading this, then I encourage you to write to your politicians, to see these laws change. They can be changed, but they won’t be if we don’t do something about it!

Here is the link to find the email addresses of your members of parliament

Here is a link to find out how your current member votes on pro-life issues

Finally, be in much prayer – for the babies, their mothers, those who have had abortions, and those who have performed abortions. God can heal them; He alone can heal them with the blood of Christ.