So, I surfed into an article that was billed as reporting a "an unprecedented [pro-choicepro-abortion] summit [for pro-choicepro-abortion advocates] to re-examine their strategies — and the ethical aspects of the [abortion] debate" and found out that pro-abortionists are now seeking to capitalize on the post-abortion healing services sponsored by pro-life groups by offering their own post-abortion "healing services."
"Aspen Baker does something most women don’t do: she talks about her abortion. When she got pregnant at 23 she wasn’t ready to be a mother and her relationship was already dissolving. Pro-choice, Baker unexpectedly found herself facing a moral quandary about her decision. ‘I really struggled,’ she says. After the abortion, she figured she’d be given a list of support groups or even just a number to call. But the California hospital that performed the surgery sent her home with only a prescription.
"The procedure left Baker relieved, but sad enough to seek out counseling. What she found, though, were mostly judgmental pro-life Web sites and religious groups. Even when her search led her to volunteer at CARAL, the California affiliate of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, she didn’t find many sympathetic ears. The battle to keep abortion legal left no room for emotional turmoil. Neither side of the polarized political debate really spoke to her. ‘Abortion is either tragic or a simple choice,’ Baker says. ‘But I had a lot of complicated feelings about it.’
"Today, six years later, Baker finally has a number to call. In fact, it’s a post-abortion counseling hotline that she helped to create, called Exhale. She has joined a new generation of pro-choice activists and abortion providers that is insisting on talking about the emotions — and, yes, morality — surrounding abortion. Exhale recently went national and fields hundreds of calls a month in five different languages."
Immediately I set aside the reason I checked out the article because I was intrigued by the notion of a "pro-choice" post-abortion counseling hotline. So, I went googling to find it.
And what exactly does Exhale offer women who have suffered abortions?
"Exhale offers a free, After-Abortion Talkline that provides emotional support, resources and information. The talkline is available to women and girls who have had abortions and to their partners, friends, allies and family members. All calls are completely confidential and counselors are non-judgmental.
[…]
"At Exhale, we believe there is no ‘right’ way to feel after an abortion. We also know that feelings of happiness, sadness, empowerment, anxiety, grief, relief or guilt are common. Abortion can be hard to talk about and finding the right person to talk with can be even harder. Exhale provides the opportunity to talk with someone that supports and respects you, in a safe and confidential environment."
Or, to put it more pithily, in the words of one of Exhale’s satisfied customers:
"After calling Exhale, I felt relieved because I realized that I don’t have to feel ashamed about my abortion."
This isn’t about healing from an abortion; it’s about numbing the pangs of conscience. Screwtape must be proud.
How can they actually have the gall to use the word “…empowerment..” when talking about killing a child in it’s mother’s womb?
It is APPALLING.
I agree, Screwtape would be proud…
This seems like a very calculated–although incredibly misguided and devious– move. As the pro-aborts are being put in a new and altogether unfamiliar position in court; given the situation with South Dakota where the true heros, the pro-life counselors are on the offense–or part thereof. Lifesight.net keeps good tabs on the situation.
If abortion is really No Big Deal, the equivalent of having a tooth pulled, why in the world would anyone need counseling to get over it?
If the fetus is just a lump of protoplasm, whence all the emotional turmoil?
People know better. The fact that even pro-aborts are now having to admit that abortion is psychologically traumatic to the (would-be) mother makes this clear.
This is last-ditch desperation. They are beginning to acknowledge the negative emotional impact of abortion only because they have been forced to do so by raw reality.
Since many on the left see emotion as the ultimate font of human values, this may signal the beginning of the end for abortion, which is something to celebrate and which validates the “hearts and minds” approach used by the pro-life side over the past few decades.
Interesting how they called the pro-life healing groups “judgemental”…
Tim, –sarcasm alert–for heaven’s sake, don’t you know it’s the emotional turmoil is simply a ‘by-product’ of Christian culture’s forced inculcation of millions of poor gullible people into believing that there are such objective truths as good and evil.
“Judgmental”= You disagree with me.
There’s a lot of stuff about Exhale been written on the After Abortion Blog.
http://afterabortion.blogspot.com/2005/06/exhale-started-out-as-bay-area-hotline.html – The experiences of a post-abortive woman calling the line
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/emilypeterson/111817554778354218/#212809 Ashli’s experiences calling the line
http://afterabortion.blogspot.com/2006/02/stephanie-salter-has-column-in-terre.html – on Stephanie Salter writing about Exhale for the Terre Haute (Indiana) Tribune-Star
My own take on the site:
Counselors respect each caller’s belief system (social, cultural, political and religious)
Does anyone believe this? That if someone phoned in and said they were a Catholic and felt guilty over their abortion, they’d be directed to their diocese’s resources? No, the only links the site has are to pro-abortion services and to a religious Buddhist ceremony for saying goodbye to aborted children.
What she found, though, were mostly judgmental pro-life Web sites and religious groups.
“Judgmental”= You disagree with me.
I was going to say basically the same thing. What “judgmental” means is:
1. You said something I don’t like.
2. You said something that was truthful, and
the truth hurts, and I am unwilling to
listen to the truth.
3. You don’t give me a pat on the shoulder and
reassure me that my lifestyle of moral
relativism is “okay”, thus hurting my self
esteem.
4. You said something that requires me to be un-
selfish and respectful of a higher power and
life.
In a few years, it’ll be interesting to see how many of the women that go to pro-abortion groups for “healing” are no better off mentally and spiritually than they were before seeking “healing”, versus the women who go to pro-life groups.
I especially like this part:
Exhale provides the opportunity to talk with someone that supports and respects you…
Yes, because making you kill your unborn child and reducing you – as a woman – to nothing more than a means of pleasure for men is so “respectful.” Try telling a pro-abortion person that you’re now pro-life and see how much “respect” you get.
I always thought it was the pro-life side that carried “Women deserve better than abortion” signs at protests. And that wanting to better the lives of others was a sign of respect.
Guess the pro-abortion crowd doesn’t quite understand that.
Just give these women time. When the 23 year old is oh, around 35-40, and she looks at the (say) three gorgeous children she has, the true horror will hit her. Then and maybe only then will she truly realize what she has done, and who is missing from the family table.
Thank God groups like Birthright and Rachel’s Vineyard are still out there and kicking. These women who were lied to again will be able to find a safe and truely healing experiance from them when they realise that 5 or so years after they went to this “hotline” nothing changed and they didn’t get better.
A big AMEN to Amy Pawlak’s post!! Those are my thoughts exactly.
What “judgmental” means is:
Also:
Your comments show you’re thinking about someone other than me.
What is missing from much of the abortion debate is – or perhaps only the perception of – some simple human empathy and Christian charity. They see anti-abortion advocates as uncaring and judgemental, not without a certain justification. If the media reports the anti-abortion efforts as lunatics outside Planned Parenthood shouting “Whore” and “Murderer” at women going in, where will they go for help? Will they turn to us? Or will they turn to places like Exhale, which (on the surface) show them some sympathy?
And if, having had an abortion, feel overwhelmed by the natural guilt of such an event, will they be able to turn to us for the gentle sympathy that Jesus showed the adultress? Will they feel they can find forgiveness from the church or the community after the anger, almost hatred, that so many people have for them?
We must reach out to try and help women contemplating abortions see that there is a better way. But if they make the wrong decision, we must still reach out to help these women realize that God still has a place for them, and that His forgiveness is greater than any sin they could have committed. And if God will forgive them, who are we to hold them up to judgement?
These people are preying on these poor women in a time of immense vulnerability, no doubt with the purpose of driving a further wedge between the women and Christ.
Also worth noting that one of their “projects” Veritas Splendor” has Jennifer Baumgarrdner on the board…she is the woman who worked with Planned PArenthood and designer of the “I HAd an ABortion” tee shirt sold by PP.
Theresa
Lumina/Hope & healing after abortion
http://www.postabortionhelp.org
The LAST place I would turn to after having an abortion* is those judgemental men and women who carry those aborted baby signs around and who pray on those beads outside the abortion clinics and yell “baby killer”.
We in the pro-life movement must recognize that we ourselves have given us a bad reputation by being judgemental and harsh. Many who have had abortions and who are in the prolife movement are scared to come out of the closet and admit that they too are hurting from having had an abortion.
Exhale, although misguided in their attempts at healing, for it is only through Christ that we can be spiritually healed from abortion, is a place where those who are scared of the prolife movement can turn. Yes, they only have the Buddhist ceremony – but at least the woman is not beat over the head with Jesus.
We need to take a good hard look at how we market ourselves. Christ was gentle, loving and compassionate – are we the same?
*I am a post abortive woman as well as a Project Rachel graduate. It took me years before I would reach out to the pro-life groups – they were too scary for me!
“…who pray on those beads outside outside the abortion clinics(sic) and yell ‘baby killer’.”
As a veteran of pro-life demonstrations and one who prays on “those beads” everyday, I have never witnessed any of us yelling “baby killer”. Have you?
BTW, “those beads” are called rosaries.
Was it the pro-life groups that were too scary for you? Or was it the pro-aborts’ caricatures of the pro-life groups that were too scary for you?
Bill, I’ve seen some pretty appalling behavior outside abortion facilities. Not often, but it’s the most appalling, hurtful things that will stick in a person’s mind.