Laura Bush on Abortion

Last week Laura Bush discussed her views on abortion (and other things) on Larry King Live. Based on what she said, she has been, and still is, in favor of abortion rights. Many things could be said about this information, but the thing that struck me most was the fact that she is a woman who is affiliated with conservative views. And not just any woman, a woman married to a president who was praised and endorsed for his commitment to being pro-life.

This says a lot about the need for women, especially Christians, to be committed to and vocal about being pro-life. It is a blessing when godly men exercise their calling as protector and defend women and the unborn. But, there is something very profound about a woman who stands for life in the face of many women who would say she is “abandoning the sisterhood.”

For pro-choice women, a pro-life husband and pro-choice wife makes perfect sense. In their minds a man holds that position because he’s never the one who is pregnant. But a pro-life woman can be perceived as confusing—and anti-woman.

Just because a pro-life man can be explained away as a chauvinist doesn’t mean he needs to stop being pro-life. The same goes for a woman who is labeled as backward and anti-woman. God is the author of life. Babies in the womb are image bearers of our King, not issues to be flippantly discussed and argued over. As much as the abortion movement would like to say that we are autonomous and have rights over our bodies, the reality is they never were our bodies to begin with—they were (and still are) God’s. He is the author of life and he decides when life ends.

I think it is sad that a woman who in some ways claims conservative principles would be so quick to be in favor of keeping Roe v. Wade as law. But it makes me wonder what would happen if an army of pro-life women joined the cause to be defenders of the unborn, even when women of their own political party are against them. People would watch.

(HT: Denny Burk)