It’s hard to say which was more shocking.
Was it the release of the video (and watching it) or its quick removal from distribution over the internet? See http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/ youtube-removes-video-exposing-planned-parenthood-s-gruesome-abortion-practices.html for the story.
Certainly, there is a bona fide argument for removing inflammatory, accusatory, libellous, discredited, and for sure dangerous, material from public distribution. Free speech does not equate with a free-for-all to spread lies and defamation of character. This is why we have libel laws. And it is also – prima facie – possible that a particular video could be cut and edited for causing maximum damage and discrediting the victims. With such tools, small-minded bigots can attack large public personalities, and if anyone in our society is to have the freedom and motivation to take a stand and be a public leader or presence, then such leaders and public figures do need to be protected against scurrilous rumours and lies.
Planned Parenthood
All that said, the judge-ordered removal from YouTube of the recent anti-abortion/ pro-life video of the practices of Planned Parenthood does not look good – for anyone concerned. I am told that the key figure behind such videos – this is the second of two – is already under judicial procedure for the invasion of privacy in a previous anti-Planned Parenthood video.
But when you watch that video – as I did before it was removed – and see what appears to be professionals within the ‘trade’ of the abortion / Planned Parenthood world discussing calmly (even jocularly) the dismemberment of vulnerable children within the wombs of their mothers – well, it’s hard to finish that sentence without retching.
A pastoral tone
Such videos can lead to vicious, even violent, attacks against the practitioners of abortion. No loving Christian should be involved in such things, condone them or support them; are we not told to love our neighbours (even, as Christ told us, our enemies)?
The social issue itself is complicated. There are patterns of social decay that mean that vulnerable women can be put in situations where, under misguided counsel, it appears that the only way out is a violation of their deep inbuilt conscience and maternal instincts. There does need to be – certainly from the church – a pastoral tone, and not merely an angry young man, prophet-on-a-rant approach. With friends like those, who needs enemies? Our goal is to win people to the truth, not beat them over the head with the truth. We are people of truth and love, not one or the other; in fact, true truth (to use Schaeffer’s old phrase) necessitates real love, and love to real truth: this is how you demonstrate your love for Christ, by obeying his commands (John 14.21, 23).
Yet, despite such necessary compassion to the victims, as well as even love for the perpetrators, when such gruesome, horrific, disgusting and inhumane butchery is so prevalent in our society, can we be silent? These days, when I observe the challenges of the Western culture in which we live, I am reminded frequently of a verse that was quoted to me by a Baptist deacon at a church where I served many years ago. We were talking about the impact of morality even being about countries: ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people’ (Proverbs 14.34).
