I opened the paper the other morning (yes, I still get “hard copies” of several newspapers – I love the feel in my hands) and a front-page headline caught my attention. “Michigan gives voters chance to protect abortion rights”. My initial reaction was naïve disbelief, followed by an overwhelming sense of sorrow. But as I read the article (The Oakland Press, Tuesday, September 13, 2022) my reaction turned to one of frustration.
The article was anything but unbiased. Language around abortion was, shall I say, sugar-coated, while language around protecting life was antagonistic and condescending in nature. Those who support life are referred to as abortion foes. When pro-life was used it was used in quotes, as one might use air-quotes to imply a sense of being disingenuous. Not once in the article is there any reference to abortion being an act that terminates a pregnancy, that terminates a life. Maybe this wasn’t spelled out because ending life is implied, but it occurred to me that maybe there is another reason.
In Genesis we read, “But the snake said to the woman: ‘You certainly will not die! God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.’” In the Gospel of Matthew we have the temptations of Jesus where we read, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
The evil one is cunning, he is deceptive, even to the point of quoting scripture to Jesus in an attempt to trick Jesus into doing the will of Satan rather than the will of God. He will do anything, say anything to destroy what God has created, including human life itself, life which begins at conception.
Just as Eve was deceived into doing that which God had forbidden (and Adam right behind her), many of our brothers and sisters are being deceived into supporting an act that God also forbids, killing. The deception comes in the language used in the newspaper article, language that portrays abortion as a reproductive right while those who support life are portrayed as radicals. Often times those who speak up for life are portrayed as religious Neanderthals trying to impose their beliefs on others while supporters of abortion are painted as progressive intellectuals looking out for the rights of others (except the rights of the unborn).
This is not to say the author of the article is evil. This is not to say those who support legalizing abortion are evil. And certainly, I am not suggesting those who have had an abortion are evil. We are all made in the image and likeness of God, and as such, though fallen, we are inherently good. This does suggest that the deception of the evil one has taken a deep hold on us, so deep that many see an evil and believe it is good.
Awareness of the deception of the evil one is critical to our avoiding this and other sins. Out of love for one another, let us help our brothers and sisters understand this deception so they too may see the sin for what it is.
In the peace of Christ,
Deacon Mike