In the fifteen years that I have been involved with social work (the last thirteen within Child Protective Services) I have discovered a number of interesting, and at times, disturbing things. Over the next several months I will be posting a weekly article in an attempt to bring some these topics to light and to possibly spur courteous and reasonable discussion.

Today I would like to start with a little social matter known as abortion. Okay, not so little, but it sure hasn’t been getting as much attention as it should during this economic slowdown. Child Protective Services (CPS) professionals often state that their first priority is to assure the safety of the children that they come into contact with. I think that most people would agree that this makes sense given the agency title of Child Protective Services. Co-workers and others I have come in contact with over the years talk a great deal about, “Doing this for the children,” or “I just love kids.” Don’t get me wrong; I do not doubt the sincerity of these overworked, underpaid, and undervalued men and women who deal with drug abusing, abusive, angry parents (and relatives) every day. However, when it comes to the important matter of abortion, their statements often contradict their kid-loving quotes.

As a conservative Christian working within CPS, I am in the minority. Yes, there are other Christians (some conservative, some not so conservative) working for CPS, but this is the exception rather than the rule. I am outspoken enough (without being ugly) that my colleagues not only understand my spiritual commitment, but they understand my political convictions as well. In the interests of full disclosure I will make it clear that my position on abortion is that it is never right, although when the life (not the health) of the mother, or the mother and child, are definitely at risk I might make allowances for the mother and family to choose their own path of action.

Over the course of my employment I have had the opportunity to get to know the political and social leanings of many of my colleagues, and I have found that for the most part social workers operate to the ideological left of center (some more left than others). With this in mind, it is not surprising that many of these kid-loving social workers are pro-abortion and support agencies such as Planned Parenthood who have made providing abortions a very lucrative procedure. In fact, I have often overheard CPS professionals referring their teenage clients to Planned Parenthood for contraception or “family planning” services if they are sexually active or possibly pregnant. I have never seen or heard of a CPS professional sending a child to a Crisis Pregnancy Center for such services even though there are locations throughout the area (for those of you who may not know, Crisis Pregnancy Centers are Christian-based and offer alternatives to abortion).

It seems to me a contradiction that individuals who consider themselves so “kid-friendly” and protectors of child safety would support a procedure that takes the life of the most vulnerable in our society…the unborn. I have heard several arguments for the support of abortion by CPS professionals, but none are persuasive, or even logical. “It is a woman’s right to choose, to have control over her own body.” We have all heard this argument, and it is ridiculous. The baby growing inside the mother, although dependent on her for nourishment and safety, is a separate and developing person with his or her own, unique DNA, arms, legs, heart, lungs, etc. The mother may have control over her own body, but why is she allowed to choose to destroy the separate and unprotected body of her baby? 

The following argument is quite popular among CPS professionals and social workers in general: “The baby would not be wanted if born and probably abused, so it is better for the mother to have an abortion.” Again, weak and nonsensical. Granted, it is possible that this child might be unwanted by the mother and maybe even abused (as if this is worse than being killed outright). However, the future is not certain and it is foolish to think that one immoral problem can be solved by advocating for another. The mother might decide to give her child up for adoption, in which case the child could be raised by a loving and caring family, grow up to embrace conservative politics and continue to fight against the killing of innocents (that was just my little fantasy kicking in).

Finally I will end with this argument made by, I am sorry to say, one of my not-so-conservative Christian co-workers. “Nothing is black and white.” For the secular humanist, atheist, or agnostic this may be true (actually it isn’t, they just think it is) but for a Christian to make such a statement is actually somewhat frightening. The Lord’s word (the Bible for those of you who may have been confused by who the Lord is) makes it abundantly clear that He considers the unborn not only to be persons, but also to be of great value and a part of his eternal plan (try Psalm 139:1-16 or Jeremiah 1:4,5). Given the high value that God places on those who have not yet been born, it is essential that Christians hold to the same conviction (in fact it is sin if you don’t). Other than saving the life of the mother or the mother and child abortion is a black and white issue for the Christian. You do not have any other option outside of going against the Lord (and from what I hear, that’s not a real good idea). 

For those of you who are not Christians you are able to choose for yourselves because that is currently the law of the land. But rest assured those of us who hold life to be precious, especially when it is innocent and vulnerable in the womb, we will continue to fight so that one day you will not have that choice. We have the freedom to choose in our lives, that is a God-given gift. But choosing to kill an unborn child is not freedom; it is choosing to live in slavery to our own immoral passions and desires.

That’s all the arguments I have time for. I know there are others and they may be more or less ridiculous than those I have addressed. My desire was not to have a lengthy debate about the issue of abortion so much as it was to point out that social workers, especially those working in child protection who hold to a position that results in the death of the most vulnerable is not only illogical, it is downright corrupt.

                                                                                                J.D.S.