"When they deliver you up,
do not be anxious about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for
what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not
you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." ~
Matthew 10:19-20 ~
Never be afraid to speak the truth. . .
I’m currently taking a college level speech class at a community college in San Bernardino. Throughout the semester my teacher encouraged people to pick hot and controversial topics such as gay marriage and euthanasia for the upcoming persuasive speech. The teacher really wanted heart changing issues discussed. However, there was one topic she said we weren’t allowed to cover -- abortion. Why? Because she said “No way someone is going to get up here and call me a baby killer.” My blood was literally boiling as she said this, and for three reasons:
1. She was being biased, and discriminating against people who oppose abortion. (Did I mention she constantly encourages our class to go to Planned Parenthood for their ‘reproductive services’?)Furthermore, my teacher said that people could argue the pro-abortion position. What?!? Okay this just enraged me. I had no intention of doing a speech on abortion or anything even related to the topic, but her indoctrination and discrimination pushed me over the boiling point. I decided to dance around the topic of abortion and give a speech on something that would still have an impact on my class of 40 students, on the issue of abortion. For the last three weeks I have worked hours every single day researching and perfecting a speech on the abortion breast cancer (ABC) link.
2. It enrages me when pro-lifers get out there and start screaming “baby killers” and “murders” because this does NOT open a gateway for dialogue that could change a heart. I’m pro-life and don’t even want to hear or talk to people who hoot and holler about “baby killers”.
3. She scared -- actually terrified -- people out of speaking against abortion, when it can already be hard enough to talk about the issue in out present culture.
I went into today’s class knowing full well that I could be marked down significantly just because of my topic, even though I wasn’t talking directly about abortion ending the life of an unborn child, but about how abortion greatly increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer since it stops the breast from further developing while at a cancer vulnerable stage. (Learn more here.)
Here is how it went, and I’ll share with you what stuck out the most to me today:
My teacher was the only one that knew the topic before hand, and when I handed her my grading sheet she was already acting rather cold, especially in comparison to her normal demeanor. I ignored it and prayed for the Holy Spirit to speak through me, and began my speech. Throughout the speech the class was very attentive and responsive. My teacher made mean faces, had her arms crossed, and shook her head nearly the entire time. Did she make me nervous? Heck yes! But I kept going and I refused to let her silence the truth of the subject. When I sat down in my chair my heart was still racing uncontrollably and I was shaking.
I’m embarrassed to say it, but I was literally terrified because of how she acted. I have only ever felt that way two times in my life. Once when a friend of mine was arrested for standing on a public sidewalk praying and passing out roses to mother’s walking into the abortion clinic and the second time when I myself was detained for speaking about abortion in a public area. My friend was put into jail over night and later fought a court battle, and won. I was kept for about 20 minutes then released because the police couldn’t find a reason to book me.
In the end, my point is that the teacher scared me so badly I literally felt exactly as I had when the police treated my friend and I as though we had done something horrible, and my life was in danger. Just like that day I was detained on the streets for having a peaceful conversation, someone (my teacher) scared me and bullied me in an effort to silence my voice from speaking on behalf of children in the womb.
I beg you, please don’t allow our pro-abortion culture to silence you. You can save lives and change hearts with your voice. Speak the truth and do not be afraid for this is God’s work and He will always take care of you.
For the Dignity of the Born and Unborn,
P.S. I had 5 people approach me after class wanting to know more, saying they were glad I covered the topic because they never would have known, and to say I delivered the issue well.
