Anne Lastman
Would the advocates of “reproductive health” and contraception really like to hear how the contraceptive pill and abortion empowers women?” The Big Lie.
There are many ills which beset society today but most of these can be safely laid at the feet of the contraceptive mentality and devices and those calling for this kind of “empowerment”
The contraceptive pill, initiated into societal thought the notion that sexuality can be “enjoyed” without recourse to aftereffects. Sexuality became the new leisure time activity to be used and “enjoyed”. At will, and in any manner, at any place, at any time, at any age and in any configuration. It became nothing more than something “we all do ” It became and is the most common leisure time activity of all time. Today there is a condoned societal voyeurism which is so damaging that its effects will not be recognised for several more generations
In my area of work (post abortion grief and sexual abuse grief) I have heard and hear sad stories. I hear of wounds of the spirit which leave me trembling. I hear of the sadness of abandonment (after sexual use and abuse) unlike other times. I hear deeply damaged persons crying out for pain relief. I hear that the rampant sexuality of the young and at times not so young leaves the person feeling empty and lonely. I also hear that “I started on the pill at fourteen and mum knew about it. In fact, she helped me to get it.” (Sarah) I also hear that “the pill makes sure that I can have sex with my boyfriend and not get pregnant” (Jan 16yrs) I also hear “I was on the pill and forgot to take it and I took all those I forgot to take all at once (felt quite sick for a few days but didn’t tell mum) and then I was on track again” (Mel 15 yrs.) I hear “I am sixteen years old, and I am sexually active with my boyfriend, (my mother knows) and I don’t want to get pregnant and if I get pregnant, I don’t want a kid because I am too young to have a kid” (Terri, 16). I also hear that “my mum had an abortion when she was young, and she has been alright. And if I get pregnant, I am going to have an abortion or as many abortions as I need until I am ready to have a kid.” (Diana 17yrs).
These are some of the comments I have encountered in my practice, or the mobile. There is a hardness of heart in the young which is frightening. The word “abortion” is used so loosely and without knowledge of its meaning. It’s frightening that the young can consider conception and have a plan B ready for such eventuality and unwanted. I such real absent emotionality.
When challenged that a pregnancy means “baby” the response is “No it’s not! It’s just cells. I studied reproduction at school and it’s just cells and tissue. It becomes human after it’s born and breathes by itself.” (16 yr. old Sara from a private school).
Perhaps the sadness in all of these stories and others is that the most common factor is the youthfulness of the speaker and contraception and parents (usually mother) knowing that the daughter is taking contraceptive measures in order to be sexually active. Indeed, by doing this I believe she is giving permission for her daughter to enter into this behaviour. Also, I have never heard a father making these comments though no doubt mother has spoken with him about it.
There is little thought about the meaning of sexuality except “something everyone does” and appears to be of little concern for the psychological and spiritual welfare of the young. The overriding concern appears to be “make sure that if you are going to do it you are careful and don’t get pregnant.”
Whenever I speak to mothers and groups, I am often told that “there should be no need for abortions in today’s age and information climate, because the pill is readily available, morning after pill is available, condoms are available and there is a lot of knowledge about contraception, so there is no excuse except negligence It’s not like the old days when we didn’t know much because sex was discussed behind closed doors” (Cathy 68 years of age). When I say that it is this understanding and attitude which contributes to abortion rate then she becomes offended. “It’s more serious to have an abortion than to take the pill. The pill is good because we can’t really stop the young from experimenting sexually so it’s important to make sure that they don’t get pregnant.” When I try and explain to her that at conception a new human being comes into being. And that it’s now only a matter of size and time and any abortion even at an early stage is a destruction of a new life. And as per usual there is rejection of this and so much anger, as if she doesn’t want to hear this.
And when I further add that contraception actually says no to God and no to life itself, I am told to get off my religious train.
As I struggle with this mentality expressed by this woman (I suspect she is projecting her ideas about her own life) I at times feel like throwing in the towel and going back to the safety and sanctuary of the university campus studying something I love. Or the much safer place… my kitchen! It does not seem to connect that the pill and other anti-conceptive devices and rampant sexuality go hand in hand: It does not seem to connect that the pill and any other forms of contraception have eroded integrity of the human being and removed from the parents their rights, duties, responsibility and authority in guiding their children’s spiritual, physical and psychosexual development. And their own beneficial influence in the area. It does not seem to connect that too early introduction to sexual activity leads to emotional fatigue before their 21st birthday. It does not seem to connect that sexuality is mature activity which requires some maturity in order to process all that it encompasses. It does not seem to connect that when sexual integrity is violated, the imprint always remains, and this leads to confused sexuality. It does not seem to register that too early sexual activity may lead to abortion and then the decision what to do with the pregnancy, abortion and much later with maturity the realisation of what really happened when she was 16 yrs. old.
The emergence of the contraceptive pill, at first posited to be helpful measure to control family size, (Lambeth conference 1930), followed by at first limited abortion (life of mother in danger, incest, rape, hard cases), opened the door to the deeply wounding of human intimacy. The erosion of values followed. This then was followed by ease of marriage breakdown and divorce which has led to fatherless/motherless children unconsciously rebelling at such misfortune which has visited them. Contraception, leading to weakening of the marriage bond led to a barrier between the husband and wife and slow distancing between them. Breakdown of marriage has then led to blended families and introduction of one or many new partners and children being confused about who is my real “mum” or real “dad”
Sexuality abused (whether by sexual abuse, abortion, rape, violence, violation) results in societal illness, disintegration and slow death. Sexuality is at the very core of the human being and forms the mystery, which is love, life, human. Sex can be a sacramental action (inner/outer) or it can be a weapon for pain and use of the person. When sexuality is treated with disrespect the mystery retreats deeper, but when sexuality is treated in a sacred way, then slowly the mystery unfolds and blossoms.
Where do we go from here? There are many roads which can be followed. From continuing on same path which is the “wide” road, or we detour to the “narrow” road. Though the narrow road appearing too hard to follow. The narrow road requires a STOP sign by all members of leadership within society. It requires a change in billion-dollar industries (porn, slave trade, a change in understanding conception (beginning in schools and educational institutions,) It requires other multibillion dollar businesses seeing harm done to the future (children) with their productions and caring about this. (it won’t happen, mammon involved) It requires a control or halting of all drug trade-billion-dollar business (it won’t happen mammon involved) It requires games and movies and social media control billion-dollar business (it won’t happen mammon involved) and so much more it’s impossible to name. This shows us that only the Lord’s hand can bring a change to our society. It needs a sweeping. With all of these deadly present demonic led life activities we can see the difficulty of the task required.
Today we hear not only broken marriages and abandonment of families, and its effects, but horrendous domestic violence which includes murder of partners, wives, husbands and horrifically also children, and we stand and just watch and shake our heads and continue watching the show after the news. How can we change the situation? What can we do? Over the recent past years (half a century) there has been an escalation of the anti-life beliefs and actions. Screeching hundreds of thousands of young who really don’t know what they are saying and doing, and huge proportion of these being female. Slowly this anti life mentality has gathered momentum and very large funding from very monied, population control individuals. So, children are killed because there is the consent of as parent or both. Elderly and frail and other challengers are disposed because they are costly to keep. Those who believe that there are too many people on this planet and population must be reduced in order to be able to allow those living to live more comfortably. Imagine, those living making the decisions to determine who lives and who dies.
Over a short span of perhaps thirty-fifty years, abortion and euthanasia have gone from something whispered about to something bellowed through loudspeakers. From hesitancy to being legal. A law which enables woman (mother) to actually decide if she will have her baby and she even has 40 weeks to decide and if unwanted to end its life. Even to full term. And still not enough. Euthanasia, dispose of unwanted and burden. New methods of child destruction to follow. The effects of transgender long term still unknown. Another way of really killing children. Sterility. A recent story of a three-year-old wanting to change gender and mother approving. Is this a child deciding or a parent wanting a different gendered child? Gender of her preference. How can a three-year-old know that he or she wants to be other gender and what that means? Is this another form of sterilisation, new metho of abortion, and population control?
Having worked in the field of intentional death of children for nigh on thirty years in all its areas I have watched, wondered, grieved, about the speed with which this monstrous child sacrifice has developed and grown and I often ask myself “why is it that we pro-lifers can’t seem to catch a break? Why is it that anti lifers have unlimited funds to spread their death ideas and beliefs across the globe. Why is it that we pro-lifers who pray can’t seem to get ahead. Yes, we do get crumbs when a small achievement is made (e.g. Roe v Wade-marvellous) but at the same time notice that another 3-5 billion dollars donated to Planned Parenthood to widen its work in other non-aborting nations. What is it that we are missing? 73,000,000 (2022-2023) abortions globally (those we know about) and still we’re trying to catch up? What is it that we are missing, not seeing, or not doing? We have all seen the violence and death surrounding all areas of our society, and again what are we missing? How has it been possible that the anti-life spirit has been permitted to grow, develop and thrive during a malaise is society. Even nature has rebelled in all its ways and still we’re not seeing.
I have many thoughts and ideas, but it seems they are different than what is happening. The most important being that unless there is change in woman in whose body the infant grows and brought to life. In whose body the infant finds a resting place. In whose heart the infant finds its first love. Then we are travelling along the very wide road rather than the narrow road. Woman said No! How do we help woman find her Yes. If it has become possible for woman to want and take her baby to die, why are we surprised at the exponential growth in domestic violence, child violence, youth murders and murderers, drug trade which gathers the children even from schools, If it became possible for woman to take her baby to die then why are we surprised that children having felt abandoned, grown angry that they don’t even know why? These angry children then grow into angry young men and women and violence is introduced into relationships whether married or otherwise.
The anti-life movement has its funding and millions of supporters because they have managed to speak to woman things she wants to hear, but not things she really understands. She’s been told superficial things but not the enormity of her essence and being. They have told her of her finite nature and not her infinite nature. They have told her that her value is gauged on her beauty and $$, and availability and not that she’s sold herself cheap. Her value is gauged on a moment in time when a difficulty emerges and its easiest to remove it quickly and then spend lifetime wondering why and with regret.
We pro-lifers are a people called to speak life, speak love, speak that there is a way. But we must mean that there is a way. Be prepared. Build the necessities. Be truthful that there is a real way. We have a need for professionals to be introduced and encouraged to enter into “life” saving charisms those who heal, those who teach, evangelise, service, and so on (Corinthians). Which is a divine gift. Works for the Lord and works for the kingdom We need Medical, psychological, Paediatric, gynaecologists, counsellors, teachers, and others needed to stand up and say “no more. This must change. If these are called to these healing professions, then the Lord called them to continue his work of healing. No doctor should be seen as an activist bellowing. The devil entices activism against life because it causes more confusion. No doctor should be seen promoting images of dead babies. Why? Because there is an overall negative response to this. We want response of love and care and not a response of repulsion. We need the medical profession really be involved to help us help children and their mothers who are in danger. Yes, there will be aftereffects to this decision, but Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Against the Law. found food on the sabbath. against the law.
In my practice came a referred young lady who’d had two abortions. She walked into my office looked at me and I at her and realised that we knew one another. She remembered me and I remembered her. I at the beginning of my work used to pray outside abortion facility and later going to my office for counselling. Big mistake. Her words “you’re one of them, aren’t you? One of them called me a murderer” and she walked out never to be seen again. My deep regret in this my work. I decided there and then that I would need to choose whether I would be an activist, even a nice praying activist or counsellor and I chose counsellor. We need no rage, anger in our work we need visible love, integrity, calmness of voice. Only satan screams and screeches. Jesus spoke calmly and gently to those who were unable to cope or sick or confused or unwanted. We need to be different than we are and then we will find that we reach more supporters. We are in moment in history that is violent. Wars, Abortions, euthanasia, transgender murders, monolith drug addictions, sales, all sorts of unions, panic, sadness, in way a society lost and if we pray sincerely and do what we are asked to do then the Lord does the rest. At the moment we are doing what we think that we do better than the Lord himself. We are nitpicking.
At the beginning of my ministry, I was also in great favour of showing dismembered bodies of aborted babies. I also thought that people seeing them would stop and think “I need to help stop abortions” but today I believe showing dismembered babies of all gestational age turns faces away and hardens hearts. It’s hard to believe that late term babies are killed. “No not possible, you’re just one of those prolife protestors who want to control women’s bodies”. My comment.; But they could have the baby and adopted to someone who can’t have baby. No, these pictures are not real you should be ashamed of yourselves showing these pictures and walks away “disgusted” and will retell the story to others who will then retell the story to others etc. Eventually we are only catholic protestors who want to control women’s bodies “take your rosaries off my ovaries”
Why this response? I believe because no woman really likes to believe that she is wicked, or “murderer,” or even bad person so its easier to be angry and not believe.
We are called to show a face which glows in our work for life, like the one on Mt Tabor, whose face shone like the sun. We are called to show that life began infinitesimally and grew with its own design to self-build and self-deliver instructions and turn to Mum and Dad with love when born. A design never to be repeated.
We are called to show that all life is life and demands the protection of those called to have a face which glows. All life which is threatened needs our care. All life which is destined for death (tree of death) needs rescuing. We are called not to be activists but champions of life, advocate for life Reformers of women’s life.
When we remember why we are called to “honour life and be its protector” then we will be ahead instead of trailing behind the anti-life cabal.
However, we must also prepare the necessities needed not just give lip service of help but prepare and be prepared to give that help. It’s a big ask but there are nearly two billion Catholics who follow Christ and overall, another nearly half billion more who believe in Jesus. Surely, we can beat the screechers and their funding from satan.
Our role is “Life” not death. And we do this work with glowing faces. Not with regret.
Showing women images of dead babies does not change a woman’s heart it hardens it. Especially if there is something to remember in her own history. Something which hurts her very much and undealt with. Something in woman does not want to know that she might be wicked. She wants to know that she has a heart which loves and unless there has been a corruption, that heart is horrified that she might be “wicked”
Our life charism is to rescue those in danger and feed them (healing by Jesus and go and give her/him something to eat) Why professionals needed? because it can be seen that great professionals are willing to be seen helping to save lives and they in turn be happy to join them.
We need to sing from the same page and not every different page in different books It’s just confusion. Pro aborts have words of one page “It’s my body my choice” (The sin of the garden? Choice?)
We need to remember that prolife work is a Call to Love like Jesus loves who created the human being right from the beginning and returned to rescue the human being. Now we must also do same.
To end on a positive note, I had a win this past week. A medical professional whom I see for personal reason used the word “abortion” I asked politely that he not use that word and he apologised and said yes and used another word. he knows what I do.
But the beauty for me was he apologised and respected my thoughts and what I do. I hadn’t ever said what I do so he must have looked me up on google.
If we continue as we have done, we will only end up with more of the same. Let’s start by deciding to do different. Let’s gather in one voice. (once or regularly) the voice of Jesus, and not the screeching one of satan. Screeching, especially when he loses one from his camp. When we recue one mother and child, he screeches. His greatest rage against the human is that a lowly one can bring forth life, and he, in his supposed greatness cannot ever create life. He is sterile.
