The Internet can be a wonderful thing. I’ve already described how the web connected Kevin Lee and I. Another such “stranger acquaintance” is Kevin Williams, a pro-life activist and (I’m guessing) evangelical Christian who has produced a film on abortion in the case of rape.
It is called Conceived in Rape, and through it, Williams hopes to communicate that an unplanned pregnancy “doesn’t have to be the end of a life, but rather the beginning of two beautiful lives.”
I would like to share a personal story that is what birthed this project.
About 4 years ago I had been expressing my convictions about abortion to just about anybody who would listen. I had some Christians telling me, “I believe abortion is a sin and is morally wrong — except in the cases of rape and incest. Then it should be allowed.”
I was a fairly new Christian and had yet to read a pro-life book (other than the Bible) and had yet to think this aspect out. I was quite distraught over their statements until it occurred to me that I had not simply prayed and asked God for understanding. So while driving down a lonely mountain road I prayed this simple and heartfelt prayer: “Father, what about children who were conceived in rape and incest?”
I was totally unprepared for what happened next. It felt like a river of love started flowing through me. No words were spoken, no knowledge was imparted, but I experienced overwhelming love. I wept.
As soon as I got home I got busy searching the Internet and read every testimony I could find of people who had either conceived or were conceived from rape or incest. A few days later the Lord woke me up in the middle of the night and imparted to me the absolute certainty that he is going to get these stories out to masses of people. The emphasis on God was so strong that I remember wondering if I was going to play any part in it at all.
At this point I can see that the Lord is the one who did it. I feel a little embarrassed any time I or anybody else says that I’m the producer because, I know that GOD is really the producer.
The film is an hour-long series of interviews with women (and a few men) who are either “rape babies,” or victims of rape. The full-length film can be viewed at www.conceivedinrape.com. Here’s a three-minute trailer:
Williams is also eager to have an extended interview with Ashley Sigrest widely promulgated. In her last year at high school, a classmate raped her and she became pregnant. Despite her pro-life convictions she decided to abort her child. She had hoped — as she was advised — that an abortion would permit her to put the rape behind her, and she could start her life anew.
Wrong, she says. In fact, the abortion made things worse. She describes it as “a one thousand pound weight added to the rape.” Her interview is calm, articulate, and compassionate. It may help other post-abortive women in their recovery and healing.
Fr John, I really like your article on ‘Conceived in Rape’. I really do appreciate all the women who had their babies even though they were raped. I think these women are very brave and most of all I would like to add here that ABORTION IS EVIL. Every baby is a product of LOVE – Love between the sperm and the Egg. The sperm travels with great speed to meet its love, the egg and hence even rape victims who conceive should have no fear of having the baby. In the early stages the Rape Victim should go for counseling and they should be happy to accept the baby. The rape victim should be helped to get all the pain and the negative feelings and thoughts of rape out of her mind and she should begin to be excited that she is now having a baby and behave like other mothers do – Be excited about having her baby. Those females who have abortions, suffer from guilt because they make their womb a graveyard, every time they abort a baby. I think we should pray for rape victims that they would have the wisdom to have their babies.
Thanks Florence for your insight about love between the Sperm and the egg. I never thought of that before and now i find myself contemplating analogies about how God in His infinite wisdom could interconnect parallel spiritual truths between our redemption and new birth with the biological instincts of a sperm and an egg. WOW, what a God we have! “Since the creation of the world the invisible attributes of God can be clearly SEEN and UNDERSTOOD through the things He made. Even His eternal power and Divine nature, and THAT is the reason humanity is without excuse.” Romans 1: 20
Thanks very much for the link, Fr John. This is one of the best videos I have ever watched and makes articulate, compelling reasons for why aborting babies conceived in rape and those who are special needs is precisely the WORST thing the parents can do.
It occurred to me that parents called to care for disabled babies learn to closely resemble God the Father, because they are always available to these children. In this, they receive a mighty grace.
Babies are little people no matter the situation they come into existence. They are innocent of any ethical question such as IVF as well as crime, infidelity, de facto relationship, one night stand or prostitution. They are completely trusting of those who they are entrusted and it is our duty wherever possible to make sure that these little people are not snuffed out abused or blamed for the situation they are conceived. This includes the support of the mother and father if present, but most importantly the message of love that God has for these little ones and the respect of human life. great article Fr. John!
Cathy, your response is almost dripping with love! It is kind of ironic but some of the most loving people I have ever met have been people praying in front of abortion clinics. I tease them and tell them they are God’s “Sweetness oozers” that have overactive sweetness glands that are over secreting sweetness all the time. 🙂
If we simply loved the babies we would not be killing them would we.
You mentioned IVF. What a difficult moral question THAT poses. I have a “Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program” Flyer in front of me now. The pictures of the infants there are absolutely beautiful.
I just heard a lecture by a Fr Tad on Embryonic Stem cell Research and Cloning. He had a gift for leaving you with the conviction that Human embryos stored in liquid nitrogen are our little brothers and sisters being inappropriately detained in improper orphanages. We must all be diligent to pray that God continues to blind the eyes of researchers and scientists from any cures from Human embryos. One solitary discovery would probably open the floodgates of death to these precious Children!
Thankyou for your kind words Kevin. The ethical questions regarding IVF procedures are many to say the least. It takes away the involvment of love between man and woman to concieve a child through love. it also leaves one lacking faith in God to be able to create a life even when difficulty arises with fertility. It involves emotionally draining procedures that can be painful such as egg harvesting, and immorality of sperm collection. It is also a money making business that robs those yearning for children. During the process of IVF, several babies are created in dishes and analized under the microscope to obtain the strongest before implanting in the womb, the other babies or embryos are then discarded or placed on ice awaiting the parents decision to give them to stem cell research labs or simply discard them if no further pregnancy is desired. IVF also leaves the door open to those in homosexual lifestyle wanting children and being able to find donors to make it possible, then raising the child in an enviroment that denies the child a mother and Father. When men try to play God they become blind to the precious life that God has created and treat it as if it has no worth. But these babies must be loved as they are innocent of their situation.