“I wasn’t originally a pro-life advocate. I used to be an economic pro-choicer, deciding that if the world has less babies, hence less people, it would relieve the cost on healthcare systems and institutions in general. I wasn’t staunch about it, l was silent instead of voicing my views, but whenever the topic of abortion came up I would nod along with the pro-choice crowd even though I could care less about the whole “it’s a woman’s body” rhetoric. I thought myself to be highly rational and logical, that compassion was unnecessary pertaining to this life or death debate.
I became born again – a born again Christian. This changed how I saw everything, I began to change my beliefs surrounding abortion and weigh them up with my faith. I knew that God is the God of life, that if He knew me before I was even born, then we have no right to cut one’s life short. This change in my life prompted me to meditate, grapple and think deeply on how being pro-life is bigger than just politics.
So, it wasn’t strange for me to want to watch the movie Unplanned. I was hesitant to watch it, I heard how it was graphic and authentically raw. I watched it anyway. Honestly, it was a blessing of a movie, I was in love with it. It scared me – and I liked that. I knew definitely that abortion was wrong and should never be advocated for. I knew that there was a life in the mother that should be protected. I knew that abortion is potentially traumatic and tragic procedure for any woman that should be avoided at all cost.
I really became pro-life because I realised how life is invaluable and precious. A gift from our glorious God that we have no right to strip away.”
– Verity Patrick, DCU