Abby Johnson: I Am No Better Than Kermit Gosnell, Pray for Him

Life News ^ | Abby Johnson

[Morgana]

I am vehemently against the death penalty. Now stay with me…this is not a post about my opinion regarding that. You can disagree or agree with me on that some other time. I did want to share a little bit about why I take the words of prolifers so seriously. I have heard so much vitriol spewed from the mouths of “Christian prolifers” since the Gosnell trial has concluded. I feel like I must address it.

When I was confirmed as a Catholic, I chose Mary Magdalene as my confirmation saint. I felt an immediate connection to her. She had sinned so much…and was forgiven in even greater amounts. She knew she didn’t deserve forgiveness…but she received it anyway. And because of this, she clung to Christ. She knew she was nothing without Him.

I have also done my fair share of sinning. And I have also been forgiven much more than I deserve. I abused and betrayed women in the worst possible way. I convinced them to kill their children. Did I slit the necks of children after they were born? No. But, I was an accomplice to murder. Thousands of times…women I knew, women I didn’t, my friends, even my family. I lied to people. I lied to women when they came to me for accurate information. I was among the worst sinners…those that help to take and destroy life. I am no better than Kermit Gosnell.

I took my own children’s lives…twice. Not because I was coerced. Not because I didn’t know better. But because I thought children would be an inconvenience to my lifestyle. I am responsible for their deaths…no one else.

So when someone talks about Gosnell and says things like, “murderers and people like him don’t deserve to breathe the same air as I do,” or “I hope he burns in hell,” it hurts a little. Because that was me. But I am still here…breathing that same air…and trying to spend my life righting my wrongs. And it’s not just me. I know they hurt others like me, as well. People who have left the abortion industry and will work every day to recover from their sins. People who are still in the industry and think they will be shunned by the pro-life movement…maybe they would reach out to us if they knew we would accept them. I am always terrified that clinic workers will see some of the words from prolifers. I have been told by several former workers that they will NEVER come forward with their stories because they are so scared of how they will be treated by us…by US…the supposed “Christian” movement. Their fears are real AND legitimate.

I know some will say, “but you repented, that is the difference.” But what if I hadn’t…not yet. What if I was still inside the abortion industry? What if I was still an accomplice to murder? What if it took me longer to realize the truth? Do I deserve to die? Are we saying repentance is about our timing? Certainly, it is not about us. It about God and His perfect timing.

Right now, I shouldn’t be in this movement. I should be the COO of the 4th largest revenue generating Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country. I should be overseeing the largest abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere. I should be making 6 times the amount of money that I make in the pro-life movement. But I’m not. Why? Because of forgiveness. Because of mercy. Because of grace. Because of God. And because of REAL pro-lifers. The people I turned to accepted me for me…baggage and all. They knew that I was a broken person, and they loved me anyway. They knew I needed significant healing, and they helped to provide it.

I remember one story in particular which always makes me tear up when I think about it. One of the ladies, Karen, that immediately befriended me after I left Planned Parenthood was asked a question by a reporter. He asked her, “So, what was Abby like before she became pro-life? I mean, how nasty was she?” Karen’s answer was so genuine, and so Christ-like. She simply said, “I don’t remember that person. She is a new creation in Christ. I won’t talk about her past, I only want to talk about her future.” Wow. What grace. What forgiveness. She could have really spilled the beans on me, but she chose not to. Why? Because she truly loved me…and she always had, even while I was working at Planned Parenthood. She always believed the best in me, always believed that my conversion would happen.

It was Christ who changed me. It was the merciful and compassionate words of His people. It was no condemnation. It was not prayers that I would burn in hell. It was not those who yelled and called me names. It was the words of people like Karen. Those who prayed that I would, one day, walk out of that clinic. Those who had constant faith…even when that faith was a struggle to have. I am here because of THEM and because of their Christ-like witness.

Don’t we want that for every abortion clinic worker and abortion provider? Don’t we want that for Kermit Gosnell? I smile every time I imagine his conversion. What a heavenly victory that will be! Can it happen? If you say no, then you do not know the God that I do. My God is in the business of miracles. And my God does not want anyone to suffer in hell. He wants ALL of his children to come to him…yes, even those of us “monsters” that are in or have been in the abortion industry.

Hate comes from hell. Mercy comes from Christ. When we have hate in our hearts, our spirits are damaged. Be careful with your words. Not only are you a living witness of Christ and His truth, but you could put your own soul at risk. “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” 1 John 3:15 When we hate, we are no better than those who kill.

I am not the sweetest person. I’m not the one who catches all the flies with honey…sometimes I am all vinegar. What do you expect? You expect the most tender hearted to work in the abortion industry? Maybe we aren’t like all of you. Maybe we aren’t the most kind-hearted. Maybe you don’t understand how we could do what we have done. But those of us that leave…we are fighters. We are willing to take hits for our former sins. We are willing to stand up in places that are uncomfortable. We are willing to be bruised by others because we know that we have to…we know that will be the price we pay…it just hurts more when the bruises come from those who should be rejoicing in our repentance. We are passionate. We don’t waste time beating around the bush…not when it comes to life…especially the lives that we helped take.

Those of us that have worked in the industry all live our lives with a constant burden. One that will not be free from us until we reach heaven. We can’t let our burden slide off of our shoulders…it is what keeps us on fire. It reminds us of why we fight so hard. We have seen death and evil in a way that most haven’t…and we participated. We are forgiven.

So, should I be able to “breathe the same air as you?” That’s not really up to me to decide. But if you say things like that, know that a small piece of our heart is broken, and I have to believe that it grieves Christ. But even if you break our hearts, we forgive you. Even if you bruise us, we forgive you. He who has been forgiven much, loves much. And we love a lot. I am eagerly awaiting the day when I can call Kermit Gosnell a former and REPENTANT abortion provider.

[ArrogantBustard]

Luke 5:
29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 15:
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Romans 2:
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

If you want to set yourself up as a judge of other men, that's your business. I don't recommend it. Yes, he has committed horrible crimes, and horrible sins. But I am a sinner, too. Yes, he must pay for his crimes in this life. But I pray for his repentance ... however unlikely I may think it.

[Telepathic Intruder]

You’re arguing the merits (or rather the reverse) of the death penalty which is a non-issue to me. I think that God knows the heart like he does the hairs on your head, and time is not what is needed for redemption. I tend to think it’s more cruel to keep a person locked up for the rest of his life, which we do to murderers but not innocent babies, to further point out that the death penalty and abortion are not equal arguments. But as I said, it’s a non-issue to me. I see no justice or injustice in it.

[annalex]

time is not what is needed for redemption

Time is needed for repentance, and repentance is needed for redemption. Yes, this is an argument against the death penalty in general, provided that the guilty party can be incarcerated securely.

Forgiveness is individual; some might find it in their hearts to forgive without repentance, others won't. We should strive for it, but that has nothing to do with the operation of civil justice.

[yarddog]

I do not think Gosnell can be saved. I certainly can’t say that with total confidence but I am pretty sure of it.

If a person continues to sin, in this case sin horribly, eventually their conscience becomes seared. They basically no longer have a conscience.

While Christ is always faithful to forgive if we repent, determine to do better and ask Christ to save us, some will never do that because they have just become too evil.

[Secret Agent Man]

in america, as she said, women decide if a child lives or dies. not men. she doesn’t shove the blame off on “men”. if the woman wants the child, or doesn’t - a man can’t stop her either way. he has no legal ability to either way. it all rests on her choice. “choice” is non-existent for the man.

this whole mess is just sickening. hopefully as this is shown - the whole gosnell mess - to be the norm of the abortion industry, not rare exceptions, we will be able to dismantle much of the abortion industry in america.

it is the norm. it is not rare. the people doing abortions are scum, their conditions are filthy, they murder babies, and it’s time anyone working for them that still has a working conscience, gets some courage and takes them down, if for no other reason but for the safety of other women. for the truth, so they can look at themselves in the mirror, again, without self-disgust.

[montag813]

Did I slit the necks of children after they were born? No. But, I was an accomplice to murder. Thousands of times

Ridiculous snd unnecessary article. There is absolutely no comparison to what Ms. Johnson did as an abortion clinic worker, and what Dr. Kermit Mengele did - the cold-blooded murders of living children outside the womb with his own hands.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Well, there is a little bit of time between the final sentence and the cold needle (way too much time by some opinions). If a person can’t repent in that time, they might never. I see what you mean, however.

[annalex]

God can wait. The father of the Prodigal Son waited.

[Telepathic Intruder]

The nature of time is an interesting concept to me. I could go way off topic with that but I’ll spare you and everyone else. Suffice it to repeat the contextual point is a non-issue. Admittedly, because I’m unable to decide.

[Guenevere]

Well said!

[annalex]

The nature of time is an interesting concept to me

And to me.

I am curious to know your thoughts, but I am done freeping for today. I can be back tomorrow.

[Flightdeck]

“Just curious,,,,so are you saying that there is NO CHANCE she goes to heaven?”

I believe the afterlife is an infinite spectrum of experience ranging from (perhaps) your concept of hell to heaven. I have no idea where the author might land, but I think she’ll be able to experience the considerable pain she caused to her innocent and completely dependent children while there.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I am curious to know your thoughts

You chose your own doom then. Just kidding, there are two sides of this. Religious dogma, not to use the term disparagingly, says there is no time in heaven. So does it all happen at once, or does the same moment go on forever? Or both at the same time?

And this blends into relativity theory. Time and space are inseparable, so there is no space in heaven either. But going even deeper into special relativity, Einstein said everything goes the speed of light. That is, either the speed of light through space or the speed of light through time. Most people tend to scoff when I say "speed of light through time", but those are Einsteins words, and it's always a bad idea to doubt what he says.

Here's his point, which took me a little time to grasp. As you may know, the speed of light is always the same, regardless of the speed of the observer. The speed of light through time or space can be represented by a right triangle. One axis is the speed of light through time, the other is through space. The hypotenuse, however, represents the speed of light itself, never changing. So the x and y axis change accordingly, but the hypotenuse is always the same. When stationary, an object goes the full speed of light through time, which is 1 second per second. At near the speed of light through space, however, time almost stops. The length of its axis nears zero.

I'm being way too esoteric and just went completely off topic, but as I said it's interesting to me.

[yarddog]

It is interesting to me too. I used to think that the prophets were just predicting things which were already set to happen. Reading some of the New Testament I get the idea that God had them predict what would happen then he made it happen.

I have never really understood Einstein except generally. I do got the impression that he was seeking the one explanation which would explain everything. I guess it is another was of saying God but he must have been looking for a physical explanation.

I sometimes wonder if time may be like a movie. Instead of 32 frames per second, the Universe is composed of trillions of frames per second or even more. Someone who could control any or many frames could do about anything.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Einstein was an expert in his particular field. Predicting the future itself represents a sort of time travel which no scientist will seriously say is possible. What is impossible for a man, however, is what? Possible for God. That is how a rich man is able to go through the eye of a needle to reach heaven. Time travel is another interesting subject, which although I believe to be impossible (at least for us) I possess way too much information.

[HoosierDammit]

Beautiful. Pax tecum.

[Wingy]

Well, I'm confused. She open with the assertion that she is "vehemently against the death penalty", but she goes on to say that she has not only killed two of her own children (to preserve her lifestyle) but was an accomplice in thousands of other deaths. Am I the only one that sees the disconnect?

I think this is one of those confused people that I simply won't pay any attention to. One day she will meet God and I'll let them hash it out.

[Tolkien]

I pray that mass murdering psychopath burns in hell for all eternity and I have no doubt he will.

[Iscool]

Best post. Forgiveness does not mean that the person is absolved of all the penalties. They still pay the price.

Jesus already paid the price...In full...

[Iscool]

Cite source on that. (I do not believe there is one)

I believe this was written to provide us with an example:

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.