As an advocate of unborn babies, Ruth Rawlins was shocked by the treatment of Manchester University’s Pro-Life Society members. She looks into what happened, and what it means for us
The recent footage of pro-life students passing through an angry shouting mob screaming “shame on you”, brought me to tears.
Tears of gratitude towards these courageous students, who required police protection to enter and leave their first Pro-Life Society meeting at Manchester University. They walked out, into a sea of persecution, with their heads held high.
Why all the hate and opposition towards them? Because they had dared to gather around an aim to “create a Pro-Life culture on campus and support the dignity of every human life from conception”.
As an advocate for unborn babies, I had been watching developments at Manchester University closely, leading up to the protest.
As an advocate for unborn babies, I had been watching developments at Manchester University closely, leading up to the protest. Pro-abortion students had launched a petition against the Pro-Life Society’s existence which made mainstream news, yet rightly the Student Union upheld their legal right to exist.
The mainstream media has since been vastly silent on the intimidating and harassing behaviour of the abortion-defending protesters. They tend to prefer the narratives where the pro-lifers are the ones harassing.
The mainstream media has since been vastly silent on the intimidating and harassing behaviour of the abortion-defending protesters.
However, The Daily Mail did report on the protest, falsely claiming that pro-life students were involved in a fight that broke out in the crowd of protesters. When in fact the fight involved drunk men leaving a completely separate event.
In my ten years fighting for mothers and babies in this country, I have never seen such hateful opposition on that scale. I am encouraged that our enemy, Satan, is scared as he sees an army of God’s people around the world, arising to destroy his greatest deception - that killing your children is a noble or necessary act. The Bible calls it ‘child sacrifice’ - and it has been around for millennia - it just has a modern face.
Whilst my motherly heart goes out to those pro-life students and the abuse they are continually facing for making their brave stand, I know, both scripturally and from the history of social reform, that there is no victory against great darkness and injustice without persecution - just look at the cross - the greatest of both! So I commend and encourage these students for simply showing up! Their reward in heaven is surely great.
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What about where you are in your sphere of influence? Whether amongst your family and friends or professional networks. Will you be a voice of truth for the women deceived by Satan’s “My body my choice” narrative (a literal death cry for the voiceless babies)?
God said to Isaiah that he looked for a man to stand in the gap and could find no-one. May our response be “send me I’ll go”.
The Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform UK (CBR UK) has a growing movement around the UK - educating on the humanity of babies in the womb and the reality of abortion, whilst supporting people who have been affected by abortion and giving hope to women in challenging pregnancies. You can join the movement here.
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