What about Abortion Images and Children?

I  have already written a basic 3 part defense of the use of victim images here to engage on behalf of our preborn neighbors.

1. It follows God's pattern.

2. It is effectual.
  A. It challenges people to face the facts.
  B. It channels the message quickly.
  C. It has been used to change hearts.

3. It is just.

But now about another concern...

Some have voiced the opinion that "The [graphic] pictures should not be shown in public, as they may traumatize or hurt the innocence of any child that happens to see them."  

However, the following is what I have found to be true.

I. Most children are not truly "traumatized" by the sight.

A. Millions of children see things just as graphic (or more gory) on television programming regularly or during the season of "trick or treating" all in the name of entertainment and recreation.  I heard of one event in which thousands of parents dressed themselves and their children as zombies to attend "fun" zombie convention.  I saw photos taken of the event, and must say that the costumes and makeup on those parents and children (even babies) was so gory and graphic, that it made me sick.  I couldn't look at them all.  Those same parents reacted when pictures revealing the horror of the preborn holocaust were displayed, saying, "Children shouldn't see anything like that, it will harm their innocence!"  
  
B. Children who are truly innocent will not lose their innocence by seeing a picture of truth.  
I have personally seen many children view pictures of abortion victims, and have heard the testimony of others as well.  Most often, they are saddened (not scared) by the sight and want to do something to help the babies in danger.  

They ask questions like, "What happened to the baby?" "Who hurt the baby?"

[In the future, I will likely make another post on this subject, giving a number of testimonies from personal experiences of the children's encounters with the victim images.]

We also should consider that these are the only baby pictures that the murdered children ever had taken of them.  How many times have people looked at little babies, and commented on their cute little fingers and toes, their bright eyes and dimpled cheeks?  I have seen little children see images of aborted babies, and simply recognize them for what they are, calling out, "Baby!"  Abortion victims are REAL people.  They should be cooed over, not shredded in pieces.  

Their little murdered bodies should be respected, 
their deaths grieved over, 
and the lives of those still living protected, 

and the crime against them should be loathed, abolished, and prosecuted.  

The wicked murder should be hated, not the murdered babies themselves.

When children recognize that it is a baby that was hurt or killed, they quickly are turned to compassion with statements like, "So sad.  That is wrong."  They instincively know it is wrong to hurt babies.  

This can easily be an important teaching moment for the parents.  Parents should instill and solidify love for the preborn as well as their utmost protection, in their children whenever the topic is placed before them.  

And when a parent is at a loss for words as to what to say I have often answered with the truth that it does not need to be complicated.  

"Simply tell them that that there are people today who selfishly murder babies before they are born, and that it is wrong."  Remind a child of what they already know to be true--that babies should be defended not destroyed--and that people that are holding the signs are seeking to let people know the truth so that the babies will be protected.  "We need to be doing all we can to rescue children that are in danger, and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves."

  C. Usually it is the reaction of the parent that will actually cause the trauma, if any. 
Children often take their cues in any situation from how others, especially their mother and father.
Parents may become irate and irrational, screaming at the person holding the sign.  I have seen fathers and mothers stop their cars to argue, saying that their children should not have to look at the signs, inadvertently making their children sit and see the pictures for longer periods of time, combined with their parent screaming at people who want to save babies' lives.
The parents often yell insults, act immaturely, and use foul and filthy language to express their disgust.  This leads me to wonder whether they are really concerned about the innocence of their children if they talk so themselves and in the presence of their little ones. It is this, to wit, the parent's reaction, which engrave the memory deeper in the mind of the child.

But these three points which I have given, though valid and valuable to consider, are NOT my main defense.

Certainly, these points are matters of experience.  Experience can be a good witness, but we should have a biblical basis for our actions.  Therefore, let us turn to Scripture and consider what GOD'S WORD testifies concerning the question.  We should be ruled by the Lord, not by our own sensibilities and preferences, should we not?  

II. We must consider that God had children present when "graphic" events took place.

  A. The Lord commanded that when some was guilty of death, ALL the congregation was to attend the execution (Leviticus 24:14-16; Numbers 15:35).

  B. When Achan was executed in Joshua 7, ALL Israel went to watch.  Achan and all he had, including his family and livestock, were destroyed because of the sin he had committed.  The guilty was stoned to death, then burned, then buried in a great heaps of rocks in the valley of Achor.  It was the kind of thing that could make an impact on young minds, don't you think? I am sure that the children remembered that day.  Why did God have all Israel there, including the little ones?  It would cause them to take heed and take care, not wanting to do the same wicked thing.

  C. When the men of Korah's household were swallowed up by the earth, it was in front of the whole congregation including the children (Numbers 16).  Korah's own little children were spared his fate (Numbers 26:11), but had a front row seat.  They watched their parents, and other adults family members disappear alive and crying out into the depths of the earth. 
Think that was "traumatic"?  It impacted them, yes.  But did it mess them them up?  Did they become rebels like their father?  

No! 

They became singers in the tabernacle choir, praising and serving the true and living God. 
You can go to the Bible and read some of the songs that they personally sang.  Here are the psalm numbers and first lines of their songs: 
42 "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God..."
44 "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old..."
45 "My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer..."
46 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble..."
47 "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph..."
48 "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness..."
49 "Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world..."
84 "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!..."
85 "LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob..."
87 "His foundation is in the holy mountains..."

From among their ranks generations later came Samuel, one of the greatest prophets and leaders Israel has ever known (I Samuel), and Heman (I Chronicles 6:33), who led in the worship during David (I Chronicles 16:41) and Solomon's reigns (II Chronicles 5:12), and wrote Psalm 88.  The very graphic and traumatic experience caused them to not want to go anywhere to doing  what their father did.

Our desire is that children who see what abortion does to their neighbors and are horrified, 
will NOT want that to happen to any more people,
will NOT be apathetic like their parents,
will NOT have an abortion themselves, 
but will rather grow up to be champions for the preborn, 
seeking to ABOLISH THIS GRIEVOUS EVIL THAT PERSISTS UNDER "COLOR OF LAW".

I don't wish to harm the innocence of, or unnecessarily disturb any child.  But I must freely confess that I'd rather a few children be bothered by a picture, than one child be slaughtered because I didn't hold the picture and someone went on, actively slaying a child or continued in life, embracing the error that the child inside them was a thing. 

What if some children have nightmares?  

This baby never had the chance to dream at all.

What if a child is traumatized?  

Think of the trauma this child suffered.

I hope that my position is made clear on the matter.

Abortion must be abolished.