Here we are at our final session of Get Equipped and our second session of Module 4: THE CHURCH’S CHOICE. SESSION 9 is about Defending vs Demolishing Flawed Arguments. This is where we learn to articulate the correct response to the typical arguments and learn to determine the correct arguments to begin with.
To review Session 8, This describes it a little differently than we did last week.
Worldly sorrow is knowing we’ve messed up, feeling bad about our sin but believe there is nothing we can do about it. We continue accumulating regrets and it leads to more sin and death – spiritual, emotional, relational, and eventually physical. Godly sorrow is seeing our sin through God’s eyes which leads us to repentance.
Repentance leads to our salvation – eternal salvation the first time and to daily salvation every time. It leaves us with no regret for choosing God’s redemption, though we may always regret the sin. When we live a repentant life, we don’t continue to accumulate as many regrets from bad choices because we are learning to choose better. Godly sorrow always leads to a fresh start spiritually and often emotionally, relationally, and physically.
FACILITATOR: PLEASE PAUSE THE VIDEO AND THEN RESUME IT AFTER YOU GO OVER THE QUIZZES ON THE READING MATERIAL FOR PARTS 1-3. REMEMBER TO SAVE ANY DISCUSSION FOR LATER.
Our reading material this week talked in detail about some of the common arguments that have been presented over the years in favor of abortion. We have a choice in the way we respond to these arguments. We must first recognize that the arguments, themselves, are flawed just as the thinking behind them is flawed. People believe the flawed arguments for no other reason but because the next person believes them.
We, the body and bride of Christ, have the responsibility to know the truth because we are ambassadors of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So, let us begin with this very appropriate quote from your manual by Iranaeus of Lyons, an understudy of Polycarp, who studied under John the Evangelist!:
“Error indeed is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced more true than truth itself.”
PART 1: MYTHS AND FLAWED ARGUMENTS
Flawed arguments – the reading material discusses this with conversations to help us see how to do this.
We can take any argument and learn to discern, both logically and through the Word of God.
We have the truth.
Myths – let’s point them out and learn the truth
Myths Common to Christians and Some Self-Proclaimed Pro-Lifers:
MYTH: “Women who choose abortion do so out of selfishness and arrogance.”
TRUTH: Many do so out of fear, wrong beliefs about it, coercion or pressures from others and would more likely choose life if they had SUPPORT to do so.
—I was told of a study that found that approximately 92% of women will choose life if they have a man (who does not have to be the father) provide support and assistance. Only 12% will choose life without that.
MYTH: “Only pro-choice people have abortions.”
TRUTH: Unintended pregnancy can often outweigh CORE beliefs in a personal crisis (See TRUTH to Myth #1)
MYTH: “Abortion is the “easy way out.”
TRUTH: There is NOTHING easy about it – the process is frightening, painful, and has life-altering consequences.
—No one wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone. She wants an abortion as an animal, caught in a trap, wants to gnaw off its own leg.” (quote by Frederica Mathewes-Green).
MYTH: “Adoption is the easy answer to abortion.”
TRUTH: You can’t save the baby without saving the MAMA first, and caring for her needs and often those of the dad and the grandparents
—It sounds like a “happily ever after” for all. Adoption is not as easy a swap as it appears on the surface.
Grief can be as traumatic for mothers as abortion. Abortion seems extremely selfish, adoption seems the opposite – women who choose adoption feel gut-wrenching emotions (including feeling selfish) that last a lifetime.
Adopted children, even in most loving families, can experience great loss and confusion over identity.
At a national gathering people were told “adoption is the answer to abortion. There was a charge to raise their hands if they were willing to adopt a baby. Thousands raised hands. While this seemed a victory to everyone, where are they going to find all these babies to adopt?” Many might take a baby in, but what about the mama?
There are already more parents willing to adopt than there are babies available.
Women in a crisis pregnancy won’t place their babies for adoption without support during their pregnancies – food, finances, love, encouragement, and other resources such as current/future housing. They won’t give birth if we aren’t there first for them.
TRUTH: Most prefer to raise their own children if have resources, guidance, and support.
They’ll be better prepared for life if:
Church families are willing to “adopt” a pregnant woman, mentor her through pregnancy to prepare to parent, and help her find financial stability.
Churches can offer parenting classes, and educational scholarships
Christian business owners – can offer coaching, employment
Church members – can offer affordable housing.
Most women can be empowered and prepared to provide for their children.
If adoption is a better choice, both she and her child are still saved from consequences of abortion and the mama is better prepared for life.
NOTE: Terminology is important in changing culture of the church.
Let’s not say: “Giving up a child to adoption.” This reminds us of the Orphan Trains – children were put on auction blocks, given away to whoever wanted them. “Giving up their baby” sounds like purposeful rejection. It denotes pictures of abandonment and severing. Instead: “Adoption is making a careful plan for a better life for the child.” It is a “Loving choice based on an educated decision.”:
MYTH: “A baby is better off in heaven with God than to suffer through life in poverty.”
TRUTH: This is DISEMPOWERING to the mom and playing God.
There are unspoken messages – that say,
“You’re not rich enough or good enough to parent this child.”
“You don’t have a right to make a child suffer like that.”
If the woman is empowered to believe in her own capabilities and directed to resources to help her out of poverty, she is much more likely to be strengthened in character, have more positive outlook that will affect the rest of her life.
Heaven is a good place, but taking the life of a pre-born child and sending her there because of difficult circumstances is an identical rationale to choosing suicide for same reasons.
Let’s review the OTHER MYTHS WE’VE OVERCOME IN THIS COURSE:
MYTH: ”The problem with abortion is that it kills babies.”
TRUTH: It is not the problem, but only one of many problems. It also causes extreme trauma to the moms and dads and anyone else involved in that choice. In addition, it affects all of us because it devalues all human life. It also affects churches in numerous ways.
MYTH: “People who have abortions just need to repent and ask forgiveness from God and it will be okay.”
TRUTH: They also need to GRIEVE the loss of the child and heal emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes physically and relationally
TRUTH: They also must overcome TRAUMA from their abortion experience along with the loss of their child by a false choice.
MYTH: “People who have abortions are just wrong.”
TRUTH: No one has an abortion in a vacuum. Many make this choice based on fear, pressure or coercion from others, lack of understanding about what they are doing, lack of empowerment to choose life, and/or cleverly disguised DECEPTION.
MYTH: “Abortion is too big for the church to overcome.”
TRUTH: Get EQUIPPED proves OTHERWISE!
MYTH: “Abortion is an unforgivable sin.”
TRUTH: Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God  and all are JUSTIFIED freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
MYTH: “Abortion can be effectively addressed in the church without being proactive in teaching about sexual sin.”
TRUTH: This is simply not true. Sexual sin is the ROOT of abortion. And abortion makes sex trafficking, prostitution, and porn possible.
FACILITATOR: PLEASE PAUSE THE VIDEO AND THEN RESUME IT AFTER YOU GO OVER THE QUIZZES ON THE READING MATERIAL FOR PARTS 3 AND 4. REMEMBER TO SAVE ANY DISCUSSION FOR LATER.
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