To us this is a great evil

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Afternoon Session of the October 2012 Conference.

I liked so many of the talks in this session. Elder L. Tom Perry's about being goodly parents had lots of good advice. I liked Elder Ballard's talk about the honeybees and being anxiously engaged in good ( I never liked the fact that each bee only contributes 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey to the hive in its lifetime…seems discouraging…but I think I suddenly understood what he meant by sharing it this time). Elder Andersen's talk, Trial of Your Faith, was almost painful to read in parts, but also so so good. I perhaps should have written about that one.

But the one I can't stop thinking about was by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, our current prophet, called "Protect the Children." I usually don't like to write about things other people should do better, because that's not really the point of listening to Conference talks, is it? There is so much I need to do better that I have plenty to do just focusing on that. Nor do I like to wade into controversy in any form. Our current political scene has caused me to withdraw almost completely from consuming either news or opinion, so I am now peacefully oblivious to most of it. I have enough to keep me busy in my own little family, my own little ward, and feel no need, and even a firm imperative not to, venture into militance or "activism." (Others may feel other imperatives. That's fine.)

But with one topic I just can't feel peaceful about other perspectives. It is this:

From the perspective of the plan of salvation, one of the most serious abuses of children is to deny them birth. This is a worldwide trend. The national birthrate in the United States is the lowest in 25 years, and the birthrates in most European and Asian countries have been below replacement levels for many years. This is not just a religious issue. As rising generations diminish in numbers, cultures and even nations are hollowed out and eventually disappear.

One cause of the diminishing birthrate is the practice of abortion. Worldwide, there are estimated to be more than 40 million abortions per year. Many laws permit or even promote abortion, but to us this is a great evil.

It hurts my heart and my spirit to see so many women I like and otherwise admire excusing or even celebrating this "great evil." I can't comprehend how any mother can celebrate it. Yes, I understand there are rare situations where the choice of abortion is complicated, but to bring those up, triumphantly—as if they have any significance at all against the vast tide of very straighforward and obviously wrong choices—seems ignorant at best, downright evil at worst. I know too many articulate, smart, accomplished women, mothers, members of the church of Jesus Christ, who reflexively defend abortion. They choose pro-abortion books for book group. They vilify policies that seek to make it rarer. They speak of it to their children, their daughters, in a way that can't help but sow confusion about the purpose of families and the holiness of motherhood. They bring up false dichotomies and seem to delight in moral dilemmas rather than teaching clear doctrine and trusting God's prophets. It seems to be a blind spot for entire swaths of women—good women!—and I don't understand why, other than I guess that Satan is very good at what he does.

I read that there were an estimated 72-80 million abortions worldwide in 2025. Even at the lower figure, it is the leading cause of death in the world, and also in the USA specifically. The top ten other causes of death (cardiovascular disease, stroke, etc) cause about 39 million deaths per year worldwide. It is unfathomable. If I let myself think about it, about those unique unborn souls, those lost opportunities, I almost can't bear the weight of sorrow.

Maybe there's something I'm missing. Maybe there are more important things to think about. Maybe there is nothing to be done about it until the Savior comes again. I don't know the meaning of all things. But Elder Oaks surely knows God's will on this matter. And he says,

We can all remember our feelings when a little child cried out and reached up to us for help. A loving Heavenly Father gives us those feelings to impel us to help His children. Please recall those feelings as I speak about our responsibility to protect and act for the well-being of children.

I do feel those feelings so strongly. I can't ignore them. I feel toward those unborn babies as I feel toward my own babies—inexpressible love and yearning to help. I wish this issue weren't so tied up with politics, with ideology, with "progressive" thought, because it seems to have confused so many who are otherwise kind and compassionate people. And I hate to see young women, the next generation, served so poorly by their mothers who should guide them better. There is so much sorrow for them in adopting the thoughts of the world on birth control and abortion. So much joy and learning through motherhood, sacrifice, and families—joy Satan does not want them to have! Elder Oaks concludes his talk:

We are speaking of the children of God, and with His powerful help, we can do more to help them…I pray that we will humble ourselves as little children and reach out to protect our little children, for they are the future for us, for our Church, and for our nations.

I don't know what I can do, besides loving and teaching my own children, and trying to value life in every way I can. But Elder Oaks' prayer is my prayer too.