It takes a special kind of hard-heartedness to look upon the weak and the vulnerable, and not be moved by some kind of compassion. At a time when medical science has enabled increasing numbers of premature babies to survive, society is
looking the other way when babies who were supposed to be aborted are born alive. The ultimate medical complication, according to abortionists.
Despite the worst efforts of modern medical science, some babies manage to survive an attempted abortion. The best-known of these is probably Gianna Jessen who was born in 1977. She is part of a group that was never meant to be.
In Queensland this month (August 2024) a clinical mid-wife, Louise Adsett, has testified that aborted babies who are born alive in a Brisbane hospital are simply left to die. No medical care is given, nor any comfort. She records that one baby of over
400 grams gasped for breath, and had a palpable heart, and fought for his life for five hours before dying. Any right to life has been replaced by a far more nebulous right to life if that life is wanted. In short, if the parents wanted to abort the child, nothing is allowed to interfere with their death-wish. The cold petri dish becomes the final resting place for humanity’s weakest members.
Many have argued that laws to protect such children are not needed because these complications are so rare as to be almost non- existent. This is one of the many falsehoods that the abortion industry has put out. According to Dr Joanna Howe (who works in law, not medicine), there have been about 328 babies born alive and left to die in Queensland in the period 2010-2020.
The figures for other states would surely be comparable (NSW and South Australia being the barely honourable exceptions). It is also claimed that such children do not survive long. Some do, some don’t. That hardly seems the point. If a shop-keeper is shot in a botched robbery, it is no argument to deny him medical care on the grounds that many shop-keepers in that situation die anyway. Figures are notoriously difficult to obtain, but about 25% of all infants born in the 20-24 week period manage to survive, given suitable medical care. It has even been argued that legislation to care for such babies would be cruel on the grounds that it
would make resuscitation mandatory, and there would be no palliative care. In reality, there is no palliative care now, but in any case, proposed legislation has simply sought to have the living aborted child treated as any other living human being would be treated. Human beings are not precious because they are wanted; they are precious because God created us all in His image
(Gen.1:26-27). This is said to be an issue of equality and non-discrimination, and so it is. But it is more than that.
It is an issue of compassion, and what it means to be a human being. Adolf Eichmann tried to defend his brutal activities in World War II by saying he was simply a good man carrying out his moral duty. At his trial in 1961-2, he did not appear to be a moral monster, but was very ordinary. That is what is so frightening about his life. It would be comforting in a way if we could simply write him off as a demented madman. The truth is not so comforting. We can become used to terrible practices, and so embrace an unnatural and ungodly disregard of our fellow human beings.
The apostle Paul says that the Gentiles who lived without hope and without Christ in the world were darkened in their understanding due to their hardness of heart. Indeed, they had become callous (Eph.4:18-19). We are lulled into a spiritual
and moral complacency through being taught that we are all basically good people, just lacking in a little polish and some hefty doses of self-esteem. Abortion is simply wrong, all along the line. The debate over babies born alive is barely a debate.
Most of the media would rather you became excited over the Logie Awards. God promises far better to His people – a new heart (Ezek.36:26). As a society, we need one. – Peter Barnes