And So it Continues

Tennessee Right to Life (TNRTL) is continuing with their series concerning the abortion abolition movement. We will continue, as we have in past responses, pulling out quotes and responding with logic and biblical truth. We have mirrored our headings with the ones TNRTL used in their email so it is easier to follow. You can find their commentary in full on this Facebook post.

The “Dear Friends” Section

Our purpose has never been to criticize fellow pro-life advocates. Abolitionists are not “pro-life advocates.” We are Christians who see the treachery of the pro-life establishment and how their laws are leading to the deaths of millions of children in the womb. We advocate for the total and immediate abolition of abortion, unlike pro-life advocates.

Tennessee Right to Life has chosen a particular path, one rooted in biblical truth, practical wisdom, compassionate ministry, and fifty years of legislative experience. TNRTL’s approach is not rooted in biblical truth, biblical wisdom, or compassion (defined biblically). This is why there were no references to any bible passages in in their email (although after reading this, they will probably throw in a few out of context verses in next week’s email).

The “Foundation” Section

Every unborn child is fully human, created in the image of God, and possesses equal dignity, equal worth, and the God-given right to life. We agree, and we also agree that most pro-life advocates support this statement. However, unlike TNRTL, abolitionists ACT like this statement is true.

Before discussing legislation, however, we must recognize that three different concepts are often spoken of as though they are the same.
Equal human dignity is a moral principle. All human life has dignity because all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This is a biblical principle. Because human beings are made in the image of God, the Bible says there must be justice when an innocent life is taken (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 21:12, Romans 13:1-4, Numbers 35:33, Leviticus 24:17, Exodus 21:22-25).

Equal protection is a legal principle. Equal protection is also biblical principle rooted in the law of God. Although the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution uses the term “equal protection,” the biblical term is “equal justice.” Current pro-life laws deprive children in the womb of equal protection and equal justice. Because I have been born, my mother can be charged with murder if she kills me. But if my mother was pregnant with me, she could murder me with complete legal immunity. This is not “equal” protection, and it certainly is not equal justice. The Bible calls laws like the ones TNRTL advocates for an abomination (Proverbs 17:15). God reiterates His impartiality and His abhorrence for partiality in judgment throughout His word (Proverbs 20:10, Deuteronomy 1:17, Deuteronomy 10:17, Romans 2:11, Leviticus 19:15, James 2:4, Acts 10:34, James 2:9, Colossians 3:25).

Criminal prosecution is an action of government. Yes. It is a duty given to them by God Himself so that justice can be carried out without partiality (Romans 13:1-4).

Those distinctions matter because a principle written into criminal law does not remain an idea. Correct—and under the laws that TNRTL advocates for, they are advocating for a principle that the Bible specifically condemns, as noted above. Abolitionists want laws that are in line with biblical principles, which is why we advocate for laws of impartiality.

We must also begin with an essential fact: Abortion is illegal in Tennessee. Under Tennessee’s Human Life Protection Act (HLPA), a person who performs or attempts to perform an abortion commits the offense of criminal abortion, a Class C felony. The law also expressly provides that “the pregnant woman upon whom an abortion is performed or attempted to be performed shall not be criminally convicted or penalized” (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-213(b), (e)). This protection for the mother does not make abortion legal. It reflects a deliberate policy decision about where criminal responsibility should rest while protecting unborn children through the Human Life Protection Act. We know that was a long section, but we wanted to show their absurd argument in full.

First, here is the real-life application–if I were pregnant, according to the HLPA, I could willfully murder my child in the womb with “any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device” and face no legal recourse for the murder I committed. I could do this wherever I wanted—livestream, our Capitol in Nashville, in police stations–doesn’t matter.

Secondly, let’s replace “abortion” with another crime—the crime of rape—using their same logic as TNRTL: Under Tennessee’s Rape Protection Act, a person who performs or attempts to perform a rape commits the offense of criminal rape, a Class C felony. The law also expressly provides that “the man who raped or attempted to rape shall not be criminally convicted or penalized.” This protection for the man does not make rape legal. It reflects a deliberate policy decision about where criminal responsibility should rest while protecting women through the Rape Protection Act.

Thank goodness TNRTL is not in charge of writing our rape laws! Also, as much as TNRTL wants to focus on abortion doctors, the Human Life Protection Act only makes it a Class C felony for a doctor who fulfills a pregnant mother’s request to murder her child. This is a much lighter penalty than hiring a hitman to murder a born person.

Principles tell us what is right. Biblical principles tell us what is right, which is how Abolitionists know TNRTL’s approach is unbiblical and “wrong”.

Wisdom determines how a righteous society faithfully applies those principles through laws that protect both justice and human life. The fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom itself (Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:10). God, in His wisdom, has shown us in His word how to protect justice and human life, as discussed above. The laws TNRTL advocate for deny justice and leave children in the womb unprotected. Their laws are “unwise” because they are in direct violation of God’s word, who is the author of wisdom itself. TNRTL applies unbiblical wisdom in their approach, and, based on the verse mentioned above, it is because they do not fear God.

The “What This Requires of Us” Section

The real question is not whether unborn children deserve protection. They are correct that the question is not whether unborn children deserve protection—the REAL question is whether unborn children deserve EQUAL protection to born children. Based on the laws TNRTL advocates for, they believe they do not.

TNRTL then goes on to discuss three scenarios.

Imagine a woman or teenage girl who is hemorrhaging after taking abortion pills alone in her home. If Tennessee had an equal protection law in place that truly criminalized the ACT of abortion for all involved, this woman would have a deterrent from taking the pills and would not order them in the first place. But because TNRTL’s laws have tutored women that it’s OKAY to murder their baby in the womb, they embolden them to do so.

Consider also a woman or girl who has taken the first abortion pill but immediately regrets that decision and wants to save her baby. Again, if Tennessee had an equal protection law in place that criminalized the ACT of abortion for all involved, this woman would have a deterrent from taking the pills and would not order them in the first place, because she would not want to face potential murder charges.

We must also consider the heartbreaking reality of miscarriage. Multiple members of AATN have experienced miscarriages. It is horrific to think that TNRTL would try to use the pain of miscarriage to advocate for laws that God calls an abomination. Abolitionists have also addressed this topic concerning equal protection laws here.

We must also remember the thousands of women who carry the pain of a past abortion. Tennessee should never create a system that discourages women from seeking either emergency medical care or the spiritual and emotional healing that so many desperately need. Laws of equal protection would not create such a system. They would create a system where women would not seek to murder their child in the womb in the first place, because they would have a law telling them that abortion is murder for them instead of on that tells them abortion is permissible for them. We have spoken with thousands of women who have murdered their child(ren) via abortion, and they tell us a similar story: “If it had been illegal for me to murder my child in the womb, I never would have done it.” Having a law in place that would have restrained their evil would have been the ultimate act of compassion to these women and to the child(ren) they murdered. It is what biblical compassion truly looks like—compassion that TNRTL seeks to deny to both mother and child.

Not only are women being denied compassion by the laws TNRTL supports, but they are also being denied the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. TNRTL does not want equal protection laws because they believe women who willfully murder their children in the womb via abortion are victims as well as their babies. Victims do not need the Gospel because the Gospel is for sinners.

We must pray for our legislators as they continue strengthening Tennessee’s protections for unborn children. TNRTL states later in their email that, “Some voices suggest that because Tennessee law does not prosecute the mother, abortion remains legal or unborn children are somehow left unprotected.” So, if children in the womb are not left unprotected, why do the “protections” for them need to be strengthened? What Christian’s need to be doing, and what Abolitionists are doing, is discipling legislators in the word of God and what it says about murder, the fatherless, and justice as well as biblical mercy and compassion. We call on them to fulfill their duty before God and obey what His word says because they are to fear God more than man (Acts 5:29, Matthew 10:28).

Pray especially for courageous pro-life legislators who are now facing intense criticism. Legislators are facing criticism because Abolitionists across the state are obeying Ephesians 5:11. TNRTL-endorsed legislators are in sin because they are disobedient to God and derelict in their role as civil magistrates to establish justice and show no partiality. Christians must call those who are engaged in sinful behavior to repentance.

The “Real Life Application” Section

Thousands of children are alive because the Human Life Protection Act made abortion illegal in Tennessee. The law protects the child from abortion. If that were true, why have abortion numbers only increased each year that the Human Life Protection Act has been in place?

Justice and compassion are not competing values. When rightly understood, they strengthen one another and allow us to protect both unborn children and their mothers. Correct—but TNRTL is operating as if justice and compassion are in competition with one another, which is why more Tennesseans continue to be murdered via abortion every year. Micha 6:8 says we are to love mercy, but that we must DO justice. TNRTL is advocating for injustice and false compassion.

The “Why This Matters” Section

Abortion is illegal in Tennessee under the Human Life Protection Act, and the closure of abortion facilities following Dobbs demonstrates the law’s real and life-saving effect. No, it does not—and again, abortion numbers have only increased since this law was put in place. Closing the clinics and believing that meant lives would be saved is like believing shutting down a Blockbuster meant fewer people were watching movies.

Our Final Thoughts

We hope this article has provided increased clarity on the difference between the pro-life establishment and the Abolition movement. As always, if you want to learn more about abolition, please visit our resource page or email us at tn.abolition@gmail.com.