Jim Daly Christian Blog and Commentary

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Returning to a Culture of Life

  • Jim Daly Jim Daly is president and chief executive officer of Focus on the Family, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families thrive.
  • Updated Jan 21, 2014

It’s hard to think back to a time when the majority of the culture was as acutely aware of life inside the womb as it is now.

Think about it this way: thanks to ultrasound technology, it’s commonplace to see pictures of preborn babies. They’re found on Facebook. They’re displayed in picture frames that say “coming soon.” Expectant parents even share videos of their 4D ultrasounds so family members can see their preborn son or daughter move around in the womb. The evidence of life is all around us.

But it wasn’t always that way. It was 1973 when the Supreme Court rendered its decision in the Roe v Wade case, making abortion legal throughout the country. Back then, there wasn’t the technology we enjoy today. Consequently, there was a great debate regarding the personhood of the baby in the womb. The general public was largely unaware of fetal development milestones – for example, that a baby is pretty much fully formed by 12 weeks’ gestation, and just needs time to grow and develop.

Nowadays, most people would acknowledge the life within the womb. More and more identify with the pro-life position and young people question abortion more than their parents’ generation did. As it relates to abortion, we seem to be returning to a culture of life.

But while I’m grateful for the boost technology has given the pro-life movement, I hope it doesn’t make us complacent. On the contrary: Now is the time for all of us to do more. More of what we’ve done for years: caring for women facing unplanned pregnancies. Teaching our children to value life within the womb. Speaking up in the public square on behalf of the preborn.

We must live in a way that reveals God’s truth about life, because our actions reinforce the evidence technology has so powerfully laid out for all to see.

Tomorrow I’ll be marching with hundreds of thousands of other men, women and children in the 41st annual March for Life in Washington, DC. We’ll be posting my pictures and observations from the march in real-time on this blog. I hope that as you check the blog, my twitter account (@DalyFocus) and follow the event hashtag #WhyWeMarch, you will be encouraged by the millions of other people who are speaking for life. I also hope you take part in tomorrow’s events by showing your support via your own social media accounts – retweeting updates, posting Facebook statuses and sharing pictures on Instagram.

Tomorrow will also be a great day to tune into the Focus Daily Broadcast featuring Focus’ very own Kelly Rosati as we talk about “Returning to a Culture of Life.” Kelly oversees our Option Ultrasound Program, which is celebrating 10 years and an estimated 230,000 babies saved from abortion. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss, featuring a fascinating audio clip from the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade case. As always, you can listen to the broadcast through your local radio station, online, or via our free app.


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