By Bud Shaver- Prayer and a Pro-Life Witness
Within the Pro-Life community…“To use or not use graphic
images, that is the question.” My desire in contributing to this dialogue is
not to cause division; while I personally use graphic images every day as I
sidewalk counsel and stand for life out at late-term abortion clinic
Southwestern Women’s Option in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I would never tell
someone that disagreed with me that they had to use graphic images. I believe
we should extend grace to those who choose not to. However, my experience is
that those who do not use graphic images are not as gracious; in
fact, they can be some of my harshest critics! The main reason that I use graphic
images is because they restore meaning to the word abortion; they change minds and
they save lives.
My wife Tara Shaver and I work with Project Defending Life
(PDL) a Pro-Life ministry center in Albuquerque, NM, that has a vast amount of
resources for abortion-minded women. I have a rare opportunity to be both out
on the street referring women at the abortion clinic to PDL and inside PDL as
my wife Tara counsels the women that we reach. My wife makes the point to ask
the women what was it that changed their mind. Time and time again the graphic
images are what penetrated their heart and most contributed in saving their
babies from abortion.
This question is usually raised when large numbers of
pro-lifers plan a major event. Most recently there was an article that surfaced
around the March for Life, 2013, in D.C. titled: “Eight Reasons Not to Use
Graphic Abortion Images at the March for Life,” by Simcha Fisher.
Our convictions must not be shaped by the world, our own emotions,
or by our own understanding. They must be shaped by the Word of God. The most
brutal and graphic sign the world has ever beheld is Jesus’ broken and bloody
body hanging on a cross at Calvary. So, I am going to examine each of these eight
reasons levied against the use of graphic images and examine them as if they
were levied against God Himself and his choice to hold the most graphic sign of
all.
1. There will be
children at the march. I am sure there were children that witnessed Jesus
being led through the streets of Jerusalem and at the foot of Calvary. Whether
or not children would be present at the crucifixion did not deter God from
choosing this graphic display to convict the world of sin, judgment ,and
righteousness!
2. There will be
post-abortive women at the march. There were murders, thieves, and sinners
at the foot of Calvary. In fact, these are the very ones that need this sign
(Christ being lifted up…to be drawn to Jesus; John 12:32.) We are all sinners
and need to be continually reminded of what of our sin produced…the death of
Jesus!
3. Mothers will be
there. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at Calvary. Enough said!
4. Those are real
babies. Calvary was real too! In fact, we need the truth about what Jesus
experienced on the cross to become more real to us each and every day as we are
tempted to sin!
5. Public image
matters. Did public image matter to God? Jesus Christ was brutally murdered
at the hands of sinful men and displayed for all to see. In fact, Jesus was
ridiculed and mocked on the cross. His own disciples and the apostles scattered
and were in confusion after the crucifixion. However, Jesus personally rebuked
Peter when Peter told him not to use Himself as a graphic image! (Matthew
16:21-23)
6. They sometimes
push women into abortion. (Personally this is the most ridiculous!) Does
Calvary push people to sin more? I don’t think so! Calvary and its brutality
is what penetrates the most hardened hearts! God knows best what convicts of
sin, judgment, and righteousness…the brutality of the cross is it!
7. Desensitization is
a real danger -- even among pro-lifers. No matter how many times we see a
cross and realize the implications of what Jesus endured we will never become
desensitized to Calvary! In fact, God chose to leave us
His Word to read daily and meditate upon moment by moment the implications of
the cross! We should come to the foot of Calvary more often! Let it ever be
before us!
8. People see what
they want to see. When it comes to Jesus, people see what they want to see;
however, may we never shirk back and fail to lead people to the foot of
Calvary!
The greatest accusation (not mentioned above) that can be
levied against those of us who choose to use graphic images is that we are
insensitive or unloving. People do not usually come out and make that accusation
it mostly comes out in statements like, “We are not going to use graphic
images; we are going to use more loving signs.”
The most loving sign the world has
ever seen was held by God Himself. That sign was His Son, Jesus the Christ,
bloody and marred beyond recognition. This sign forever declared to the world
our sin and draws those who are convicted out of darkness and into the light.
(John 12:32) May our concept of love never be fashioned by the world or our own
understanding. Our concept of love must be fashioned in light of the cross.
There are some great resources that defend in depth the use
of graphic images. I personally recommend these:
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