Primary Cause

The more I consider it, the more it makes sense to me that the real cause of abortion is simply rupture between generations. A kind of proto-abortion of the delicate-yet-vital connection between parent and progeny, writ large, providing the vacuum context for abortion to even be conceivable. But it came before the wide practice of abortion, and caused it.

One could point to the two world wars for starters. One could point to the industrial revolution as a huge primary cause of abortion and completely bypass the sexual revolution as merely symptomatic, and that person would be more in line with the truth than a great percentage of politicized pro-lifers who have their litany of quasi-sacramental purity test talking points at the ready.

An interesting concept to think about is a legitimate reversal of St. Theresa of Calcutta's famous statement that the fruit of abortion is nuclear war. The evidence is certainly in: the fruit of all war, of intergenerational rupture, is abortion. From there it works the other way like a closed circle. I have this notion that whenever someone connects abortion with sexual immorality the devil claps his hands with delight.

The incoherence of the pro-life movement was made very apparent by its pouncing without a second of consideration on Pope Francis's words when he was asked about what were the most important issues of our day, and he answered it was youth unemployment and the disconnect from the elderly. He has talked on numerous occasions about how the new generations must keep in touch with the wisdom of the oldest generations. There is an abyss that never used to be there: that is the cause of abortion. That is the primary cause, and unless you address the primary cause, it is not going away.

The removal of care for the elderly and the unemployment of youth are connected. I think Pope Francis sees deeply and simply.

These are the symptoms of an abyss that has opened more and more between the elderly and the young. And as long as that abyss remains unbridged, the longer that abortion will be with us.

You know this is true.

You think that "build bridges and not walls" is a feel-good, fuzzy, peacenik, felt banner slogan?

That's because you're a relativist who doesn't believe in the Gospel.