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Many people claim to be pro-life; but when pressed, they admit to doing very little to advance the cause of LIFE.

As I travel across the country and speak to thousands of pro-life Americans, I encounter a recurring theme: many people claim to be pro-life; but when pressed, they admit to doing very little to advance the cause of LIFE. In many cases, they have been silenced into passivity by a culture of death that paints pro-life advocates as extreme, anti-women, and anti-freedom. As advocates for the sacredness of life, it is incumbent upon us to learn how to persuasively raise our voices for LIFE in a manner that is both compelling and peaceful. We must accept our responsibility to actively engage in the rescue and protection of the approximately 3,500 unborn babies that are aborted in America every day. So how do pro-life individuals move beyond passivity and actively — yet peacefully — engage the culture for LIFE? First, we must remember there is no “non-position” when it comes to abortion. I’ve met men and women who say they are “personally pro-life” but “don’t want to impose” their views on someone else. Perhaps you’ve heard similar arguments: “I’d never choose to get an abortion, but I’d also never tell a woman what to do with her body.” Many individuals believe that taking this position is being “pro-life” and adequate for advancing the pro-life movement. But this is actually a pro-abortion position. To have no public position on abortion is, in fact, to have a position. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great theologian turned anti-Nazi activist, said, “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself…not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Therefore, by remaining silent — whether it’s because you don’t want to offend anyone, or you just want to keep the peace — you’re not advancing the cause of LIFE. We must speak out for the unborn, but we must do it in a loving and compassionate way. Our ultimate goal is to persuade hearts and minds to acknowledge and support the fundamental right to LIFE inherent in us all, including the unborn, not merely win the argument. Second, violence is never an option. In the fight to help rescue unborn lives, we should be passionate and assertive. However, engaging in violent tactics makes us guilty of committing the very actions we condemn, and it will not advance the cause of LIFE. Remember, being pro-life is not just speaking up for the protection of the unborn. It means valuing and protecting life at all stages — including the lives of those with whom we vehemently disagree. At Online for Life, we believe passing out brochures, holding signs, and marching in support of the unborn are all legitimate and necessary forms of peaceful protest that will help restore the culture of LIFE in America. Finally, I exhort every pro-life individual to use his or her talents, resources, and time to advance the cause of LIFE. Everyone has a gift or talent or personal experience to bring to the pro-life movement. Perhaps you’re a retiree with a little extra time on your hands. A life-affirming pregnancy center would welcome your experience and wisdom in ministering to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Maybe you’re a millennial who can employ technology in imaginative and innovative ways to reach your generation with the uplifting message of LIFE. Blog, join a pro-life organization, and challenge your pro-abortion friends to think deeply about the social injustice of abortion. If you’re a post-abortive man or woman, please know that your story has great value. Thousands are now walking the path you’ve walked and making a life-or-death decision regarding their unborn child. They need to hear from you. Your story — as painful as it may be to share — could help save a life. Consider visiting abortionmemorial.com and sharing your story so that it may help others. Only you can decide how to get involved, but in order to make a difference, you must do something. I believe that if every pro-life individual were to become actively engaged in the fight to help rescue unborn babies, we would end abortion in American in short order.  Let me conclude with this quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. I have tried to make clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends.” As someone who’s defined what a peaceful movement toward social change can look like, Dr. King’s exhortation is the clarion call for our generation on how to peacefully restore a culture of LIFE to America. To find out more about how you can get involved in our mission to help rescue the unborn and their families from abortion, please visit www.onlineforlife.org. So Every Child Makes Their Mark! Online for Life, Inc. (OFL) is recognized as a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization by the IRS. Contributions to OFL are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Please consult your tax advisor regarding specific questions and permissible deduction amounts.