“The God you pray to doesn’t exist!”
shouted a woman from her car to Beth and Hannah who were holding their “Pray to End Abortion” signs on Elm Street. “Thank you for looking at our signs,” Beth replied. “F____ you. Have a nice day,” she shouted back as she sped away.
It’s a bit odd that someone who is so sure there is no God would be so angry in asserting it. As I write this, it’s a beautiful October day with a bright blue sky. If someone asserted the sky was orange, I would smile and nod my head and go about my business. It’s also interesting that her assertion that God doesn’t exist settled the whole argument about abortion for her.
An atheist could make a strong case against abortion. Science tells us life begins at conception, and anyone who looks at an ultrasound can see there’s a baby in the womb. But if God doesn’t exist, so what? As Dostoevsky wrote, “if God does not exist, then everything is permitted.” Our purpose in life becomes our personal fulfillment and self-satisfaction, and anyone who might stand in the way of that goal – an aging relative or an unexpected pregnancy – should be eliminated. It’s no wonder that so many people are turning to drugs and suicides when they realize they stand in the way of their own happiness.
Our vigils do more than send a message of love for the unborn and hope for the mothers. Through the grace of Christ, we testify that everyone – the children in the womb, the mothers who carry them, the boyfriends who come to the clinic, the Planned Parenthood workers, the drivers who honk and wave, the strung-out addicts, and the woman tossing F-bombs from the car – are all created in God’s image, and their lives have meaning and purpose. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have a nice day.
Please join us on the sidewalk. Sign up for a time slot on our vigil calendar at 40daysforlife.com/manchester or email .
Stephen Scaer
Member of the Leadership Team
40 Days for Life Manchester
