Dear friends,
Upon reflection, we should have attended the protest against abortion outside Parliament House last Tuesday night. We should have joined with 1000’s of others to make a noise and let our State know we cared. Living in Campbelltown gives you 1000 excuses to stay away – it’s too far, it’s too late, it’s too cold. Our culture gives us 1000 reasons to stay away – I’m too busy, protests are useless, I’m tired, I’ve got other things on. But there is one compelling reason we missed – Life is that important.
I wish I had gone.
Christians have been at the forefront of protecting the vulnerable and bringing about social change since the time we were first called Christians. In the first century, Christian people picked up disabled babies left on the street to die, rejected by a culture that demanded infantile perfection. Christian people started the first hospitals. Christian people drove change to slavery laws. Yes, Christian people have done some evil things too, but it is in our spiritual DNA to care for the vulnerable and protect society from itself and point people back to God’s wisdom and God’s ways (James 1:27).
The proposed changes to Abortion law in NSW are barbaric. There is no other word for it. Under the cover of decriminalisation our parliamentarians cheered their decision to allow babies born alive after a botched abortion to lay on a table and die. They cheered their decision to allow perfectly formed 35 week old children to be killed. And many Christians, me included, stayed home or did other things last Tuesday night. I’m not saying you don’t care; I’m just saying we could have cared more.
A few thoughts to ponder:
- We should have protested because our State should know that more than 1000’s are appalled by this new law. The majority of people don’t know a Christian person and don’t know what Christians think on any issue (except perhaps homosexuality!). Here was an opportunity for us to say together with a loud voice, “Life is that important”.
- We should have protested because silence or inaction is always interpreted as agreement or adiaphora. In our families and amongst our friends, do people know what we think on abortion? Going to the march says something. It says we stand for vulnerable individuals and we oppose the autonomous culture of our age.
- We should have protested because we need to wake ourselves up to the importance of keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world. Here was an opportunity to actually say with our time and energy “I am against your thinking!” Here was an opportunity to show real concern; to move beyond hitting the like button. To be countercultural and stand for something.
- We should have protested because it would have provided us with gospel opportunities galore this week and greater credibility for sharing our point of view.
So, I wish I went. Life matters.
What have I done instead? I have written to every member of the upper house. I have purposely tried to engage in conversation with unbelievers with respect and curiosity. I have tried to encourage Christians to stand for stuff they believe.
How about you? Will you join me next time?
In Christ
Nigel