Abolition Sunday

Maybe this makes me sound childish, and perhaps in some ways I still am… but one of my all-time favorite movies is “Horton Hears a Who.” The 2008 animated film is based on a book written by the ever-clever Dr. Seuss. I love the crafty rhymes, linguistic rhythms, and the imaginative characters in his writing. 

How could anyone not appreciate such colorful classics as, “The Cat-in-the-Hat” or “Green Eggs and Ham” or not adore “The Grinch?” These short stories bring back many fond childhood memories. 

In case you’re not as “cultured” as one ought be, and unfamiliar with “Horton Hears a Who,” let me give you a brief summary of the plot. 

Horton the elephant, with his giant-sized ears, can hear the voice of these minute little creatures who live on a speck on a flower pedal. These minuscule little beings are called the Who’s. And curiously enough, live in a tiny town called, Whoville. 

While Horton insists the Who’s are real, the other jungle dwellers (especially a mean ol’ kangaroo) can’t see them or hear their voices, and think the goofy elephant has simply gone mad. Yet Horton insists, these teeny tiny people do exist and have the right to live unharmed. So, throughout the adventure Horton the elephant struggles to keep the Who’s safe from all those seeking their end. 

At the climax of the movie, every Who in Whoville raise their voices so loudly, the other animals begin to hear them and join the fight to protect them. Eventually, even the hard heart of the angry kangaroo is softened towards the tiny people. Here is the final line delivered in the story: “And so, all ended well for both Horton and Who’s, and for all in the jungle, even kangaroos. So let that be a lesson to one and to all; a person is a person, no matter how small.” 

It would serve us all well to remember this sage counsel from Dr. Seuss – “a person is a person, no matter how small!” 

I have no idea what Dr. Seuss’ politics were, or if he was even politically-minded? I don’t know if he claimed to be a moral person, or a conservative, or a Christian? But I know this, he is absolutely right – a person is a person no matter how small. Sadly however, there are many in our world who don’t believe that truth. 

In the nine years I have been writing for this paper, I have only once written an entire article to the subject of abortion. Perhaps I should write more, or more often? But one of the main reasons we all avoid talking about abortion is this; there are very few subjects that elicit such an intense emotional response as this one. People have strong, passionate views on both sides of the issue and are normally very quick to angrily scream why you’re wrong. 

Nonetheless, I make no apologies for being adamantly opposed to abortion. An embryo, a fetus, or an unborn child, is not simply a clump of cells or a blob of tissue. It may make it easier to justify the barbaric act of abortion by dehumanizing the unborn by calling them something other than a baby, but every child is a unique person, fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. And a person is a person, no matter how small. 

Therefore, ending the life of these children, before or after birth, is an act of murder. Yes, murder. And make no mistake, God hates hands that shed innocent blood. I am fully aware of the visceral and violent response some will give to this truth. Yet, it is a truth nonetheless. Thankfully, through the Gospel, there is forgiving grace for those guilty of this egregious wrong. 

I will not drag you through the ugliness of abortion procedures, though they are bloody and brutal. Nor will I subject you to heart-rending statistics of the number of abortions, though this is inarguably the holocaust of our day. But I do want to challenge the reader to consider; this is a life-and-death issue, which God-fearing individuals must not shy away from. 

If you have a heart for the unborn and would like to learn more about what you can do, I invite you to join us December 7 at Memorial Heights Baptist Church in Perry, for “Abolition Sunday.” At 10 AM, Allison Fernandez, from Covenant Care Adoptions, will be sharing her testimony and the work she’s involved in. At 10:30, Jason Cantrell, of ATL’s Voice, will speak about his efforts of preaching the Gospel outside abortion clinics. And at 11, Paul Abbott II, from End Abortion Alabama will be preaching. Representatives from Georgia Right to Life will also be available to answer questions. 

I am praying God will use this special event to melt the layers of ice from around our cold and calloused hearts, and force Evangelicals to face this uncomfortable issue … whatever the cost. Confessing Christian, silence in the face of evil, is evil itself. God will not hold us guiltless for our apathy. If you doubt that, remember this: Proverbs 24:11-12 says, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?” 

It may seem a strange transition to go from Dr. Seuss to the ugly issue of abortion, and maybe it is? Or maybe, we could all benefit by considering this make-believe story? And do like Horton and hear the hushed voices that others are ignoring. Then boldly speak up to save those tiny little lives that many are brutally seeking to end. Even this fairy-tale elephant understood all people, regardless of their age, stage, or size, are worthy of life and should be protected. 

So let me close this article as Dr. Seuss closed the above-mentioned book: “Let that be a lesson to one and to all, a person is a person, no matter how small.” Christians … wake up, show up, and speak up. Little lives are literally counting on it.