What a MOMENTOUS DAY we experienced yesterday, June 24, 2022! I wanted to send along some snippets from pro-life voices across our nation as we celebrate and consider our pending post-Roe reality!
First the facts:
Excerpts from Pastor James Denison’s Denison Forum:
In a ruling that the Wall Street Journal is calling “one of the most consequential in modern memory,” the Supreme Court has eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and returning the question of abortion’s legality to the states. The Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upholds a law from Mississippi that bans abortion after fifteen weeks of pregnancy. In its ruling, the Court’s conservative majority said that the Roe decision was egregiously wrong in recognizing a constitutional right to an abortion. States now have broad latitude to regulate or prohibit abortion as they see fit. The case was decided by a six-to-three margin with Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissenting. The majority opinion was authored by Justice Samuel Alito.
From Zemmie Fleck of Georgia Right to Life
Today, the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson to uphold a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. This returns the question of abortion’s legality to the states. In addressing the 6-3 majority opinion, the justices stated that the Roe decision was egregiously wrong in recognizing a constitutional right to abortion. The reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision and returning the question of the legality of abortion to the states, will not stop abortion. In each state, including Georgia, the existing state law regarding abortion will prevail. In Georgia, the 2012 Unborn Child Pain Capable Act (H.B.954) is in effect that governs abortion. The 6-week LIFE Act, (Heartbeat Bill), which was signed into law in 2019, was immediately blocked by a court, and remains blocked today. With Roe overturned, the appeals process in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals may ultimately bring the law into force.
And from Martha Zoller of Georgia Life Alliance
An Earth-shattering decision from the Supreme Court has confirmed that the highest court in our nation has voted in to uphold the Mississippi pre-viability abortion restriction and overrule Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey – giving abortion regulation authority back to the states. “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” writes Justice Alito in the Court’s Majority Opinion, “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.” This decision means that Georgia’s Heartbeat Bill will very likely be upheld immediately by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which issued a stay order pending the outcome of the Dobbs case.
Now the potential ramifications:
Again, from Martha Zoller of Georgia Life Alliance
It’s time for prayer and preparation. We have been predicting this exact outcome would happen ever since we joined Governor Kemp in passing the Heartbeat Bill that was written by our team and Rep. Ed Setzler back in 2016, which establishes Personhood for babies in the womb and envisions Georgia law without the stranglehold of Roe. Now, more than ever, we need to rally together to prepare for a post-Roe culture in Georgia. The moment Georgia’s Heartbeat Bill is upheld, women are going to begin receiving calls such as, “I’m sorry, but we have to cancel your abortion appointment” – we have to be ready to help them and guide them to the resources they need to step into motherhood with confidence, joy, and support.
From Erin Quinn of Students for Life
So, today, please pray with us and for us…for the entire pro-life movement and now this first Post-Roe Generation. Pray for our safety, pray for our courage to endure the threats and violence that tonight’s “Night of Rage” and “Summer of Rage” have promised us, pray for our wisdom (especially Kristan’s) to make the strategic decisions that will save the most lives and keep our movement always marching forward toward victory…a nation where abortion is one day unthinkable and unavailable.
From Suzanne Guy of Marietta 40 Days for Life / Life Initiatives and Values (LIV)
PRAISING GOD FOR THIS INCREDIBLE DAY! AND Praising GOD FOR ALL OF YOU! God has been and continues to be working through all of you and many across our nation and going forward to bring this day to fruition! GLORY TO GOD THE AUTHOR, and God bless every single one of you for your dedication, perseverance, PRAYERS, love, and faithfulness!!!!
Again, Pastor James Denison’s Denison Forum
Three biblical reflections
One: As we have seen this week, it is always too soon to give up on God.
Two: We must now pray and work for the cause of life wherever we have personal influence.
Three: We are each called to advance the spiritual awakening we need so desperately.
Elective abortion is ultimately a moral issue. Followers of Jesus must pray and work for the day when such a decision is abhorrent. I heard a pro-life advocate recently state his hope that one day America will look back on the fifty years following Roe v. Wade in the same way we look back on legalized slavery—as a horrific evil justified by the courts but eventually overturned by the cause of justice for all.
My parting words stem from an email I received from Passion Life’s John Ensor which includes a “call to action” directed towards CEOs of pregnancy resource centers, but which we all can learn from:
Compassion for mothers in a pregnancy-related crisis has been the leading characteristic of the Pregnancy Resource Center movement. Now we are entering a new season. If we are to remain faithful to our calling, courage must be paired with compassion. It especially falls to you, as a CEO, to lead with courage. Show courage, talk about courage, and infuse courage into your team and your community of support. In this update I [John] will share a few thoughts about courage and give you an introductory way to talk about courage with your team and infuse it into your ministry culture. Courage is to faith what ice is to water: it is the form that faith takes when confronted with cold injustice. Faith hardens into courage under pressure as surely as it melts into compassion when confronted with the suffering of others. You are getting solid guidance on safeguarding your facilities and protecting your life and property. But you alone, as the leader, must summon your team to the courage that comes from faith.
We have, indeed, been walking by faith as we endeavor to reach and equip pregnant women to choose life! We are so grateful for those of you standing and serving with us as we see our vision being fulfilled: “Every life is valued, and families thrive in the love of Christ!”
Compassion and courage! Let’s remain faithful, and let’s walk this out together!
For Life,
Cindy O’Leary
Executive Director