Father Shenan J. Boquet
President Human Life International
Over the last few decades, one of the greatest achievements, sadly, of the architects of the sexual revolution was convincing much of the world that this revolution was “inevitable.”
Indeed, ironically speaking, certain “backward” nations may resist the forces of “progress” for a while. But in the end, they would join the “enlightened”, “progressive”, rich and developed nations in their vast social experiment. In the end, they too would embrace sexual hedonism, pornography, contraception, abortion, the dissolution of the family, the promotion of “alternative lifestyles”, etc.
“History,” the sexual revolutionaries smugly said, “is on our side.”
As a street saying would express in the face of such nonsense: “Please, don’t make me laugh, I have a split lip.”
But sometimes, one wondered if they weren’t right. Since the 1960s, the tide of the sexual revolution has spread to much of the world. Numerous countries have opened the doors to what was previously unthinkable. In recent years, we have even witnessed the unspeakable tragedy of once staunchly pro-life nations, such as Ireland and Argentina, recently allowing the legal slaughter of unborn children within their borders.
In fact, the day of the fall of Ireland in 2018 was one of the darkest in the history of the pro-life movement. For decades, the Irish people stood their ground, repeatedly voting in national referendums for the protection of life. Ireland stood out as a beacon of light, showing the whole world that it was possible for a first world developed nation to protect the lives of the unborn while boasting some of the best maternal health rates in the world, as well as a booming economy. Abortion, the people of Ireland claimed, was not necessary for so-called “progress.”
With Ireland gone, and with staunchly Catholic nations in South America beginning to buckle under pressure from a network of wealthy, global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a lot of political and social influence, one sometimes wondered if it was only a matter of time before the abortion giant moved on.
Dobbs, however, has given a forceful response. “Nope!” It is not just a matter of time. Nothing is inevitable. Human beings possess the freedom to resist the forces of death and evil. Serious injustices can be rectified. What has once been chosen can be deselected. All that is needed is unlimited faith in God’s providence and a great deal of courage and determination.
We have two examples with Poland and Hungary, both countries have established dramatic moves to restrict abortion violence and support marriage and family: Poland with a 1993 law that virtually eliminated abortion on demand; and Hungary with its 2011 “Easter Constitution” supported declared that the unborn child deserves protection from the moment of conception.
The Hungarian document even made a special mention of Christianity as a central part of the country’s identity. These decisions did not come without ridicule and rejection from the European Union and the West. But despite these pressures to align with the anti-life and anti-family ideology of the West and abandon Christian identity and morality, both Poland and Hungary today continue their efforts to reclaim and promote their Christian identity and return to a
Culture of Life.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was right when he said after Dobbs that the decision “clearly has a massive impact on people’s thinking around the world.” That’s why pro-life activists around the world are celebrating Dobbs. If the world’s largest and most powerful democracy can turn its back on legalized abortion, then perhaps the defenders of life in nations around the world can achieve the same result.
That is the sentiment of Finnish pro-life MP Päivi Räsänen. “The US Supreme Court decision is good news for children’s rights advocates! This decision will have global implications for the abortion debate. The decision gives hope to the rest of the world that laws can also be changed to protect a child’s life.”
