Recently, it was reported in the media that American actress Martha Plimpton interviewed online Seattle abortion doctor Dr. Willie Parker. (The video of the interview can be seen online. Google “Martha Plimpton abortion.”) The interview was to promote a new movement called #ShoutYourAbortion. In the course of their conversation Plimpton remarked that she had gotten her first abortion at the Seattle Planned Parenthood clinic. “Yay!” she said. She also boasted that it was her “best” abortion. It makes one wonder how many abortions she actually has had (at least two, I suppose).
That is a troubling thought, but is made even worse by what #ShoutYourAbortion is all about. Basically it is to encourage women who have abortions to feel no remorse. In fact, they should proudly celebrate the termination(s) of their pregnancies as an expression of their freedom. The campaign is distributing T-shirts bearing slogans like “Abortion is freedom” and “Everyone knows I had an abortion.”
Plimpton’s video only reinforces the fact that abortion is still a major moral blight in America, just as it has been for nearly half a century. Now, however, women are told they have nothing to feel bad about. Abortion is just another common medical procedure, like removing a mole or cutting out an in-grown toe nail. They are propagandized to believe that an unborn baby is not a real person and nothing is wrong with aborting it. No reason to feel guilt or shame. They are told that people who oppose abortion are religious fanatics who want to impose their beliefs on everyone.
Christians hear this and are greatly saddened. We ask, “How long will this go on and what will be the societal consequences of this moral blindness? Where are we headed?” The answer may be found in an unlikely place, the tiny nation of Iceland. In August, CBS News reported that Iceland has virtually eliminated what it considers one of its worst health problems. And what is that terrible scourge Iceland could not tolerate in its midst? Down Syndrome. And how did they eradicate it from their population? Abortion.
Yes, women in Iceland are expected to have a prenatal DNA test to determine if the fetus (i.e. unborn child) has the genetic markers of Down Syndrome (and, I assume, other types of genetic abnormalities). If it is found that the unborn child has those markers, the mothers are also expected (though not required) immediately to terminate the pregnancy. The rate of women doing so is almost 100%. They are told that it is the best thing for them to do so that they can live a happy and unfettered life and to rid their society of the burden of special needs children (no Special Olympics there).
Now you Americans may be thinking, “At least we’re not as bad as Iceland!” Well, consider this, according to a recent government data review, the United States has an estimated termination rate for Down syndrome of 67 percent (1995-2011) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22418958). France’s is 77 percent (2015) and Denmark’s is 98 percent (2015).
Why these alarming trends? That’s easy to explain. Over the past century, western societies have abandoned the Christian Theistic worldview. The naturalistic worldview and secular humanism have become predominant in western societies. Ironically, as humanism extolls the progress of mankind, the value of human life has progressively cheapened. Western societies, tragicially, no longer believe God’s statement that all human life is made “in His image,” in whatever stage of development he or she may be or whatever disability he or she may have. In fact, most people have never even heard that timeless truth. I guess Martha Plimpton has a lot to be happy about.