Thursday, January 20, 2011

Looking Through The Fence


In her book unPlanned, Abby Johnson uses the fence surrounding the Bryan, TX Planned Parenthood abortion clinic as a metaphor for the abortion debate to GREAT success!

Johnson retells her experience in a captivating and highly believable manner. Her tone speaks to her readership magnificently, bringing to life the how and why of her shift into the pro-choice/pro-abortion industry. Johnson accepts her inconsistencies with the maturity and grace achievable only by growth into Truth. Although her perception has changed, and she accepts how dramatically, she also is able to relate to her readership how she was able to be convinced by the abortion industry's strongest talking points.

Perhaps the greatest moment in Johnson's book comes when she describes her realization of the weight of her pride on her decisions. Looking across the fence at the praying protesters, Abby realizes, "I am on the wrong side of the fence!" Surrendering her preconceived notions of the pro-life cause, letting go of her (tightly held) belief in the ultimate good of legal abortions, Abby Johnson writes with charming and humble simple humanity.

The beginning is a little bit heavy to get through for someone experienced in arguing either side of the abortion debate, as college-aged Abby Johnson shows a naivete we rarely desire to revisit. In this, though, I must also give her credit, as she is honest and forthcoming about her youth, from her bad relationship decisions to her abortion experiences (as a patient) to her simple acceptance of the friendly volunteer recruiter's pro-abortion arguments.

unPlanned is a fresh and honest look at the abortion industry from the inside, and most especially at the mentality of abortion providers. It is a humble and eloquent expression of God's influence on life's events. It is a story about turning from pride to submission, from temporal to eternal. In a society that emphasizes immediate gratification, short-term "solutions," and self-obsessed motivations, unPlanned elegantly introduces and elevates the ideals of self-sacrifice, trust and patience in an absorbing narrative.

4 Responses to “Looking Through The Fence”

emilyclare said...

Thank you for your insights, this is such an important issue that needs every bit of light and genuine discussion it can get! I will never forget one public lecture the catholic group at my university put on about abortion - a panel of three ladies, all who had had abortions, but in coming into deep faith and conviction were moved to the "other side of the fence" and more than that have established a program to help women, men and doctors seek therapy and healing.

M Hastings said...

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting insight on the other side's perspective! :)

I am in the middle of the book, and it is so compelling. And sad. And hopeful.

Your blog looks fantastic; you are my kind of girl. Thanks for the excellent post on my blog!

M Hastings said...

Leila,
I ran across your blog after it was linked in the comment section on Jill Stanek's. So glad that I did! XD

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