3 things everyone loves that are actually pro-life

1. Videos of Laughing Babies

I don’t know if anyone realizes this, and someone really should tell a psychologist, but there exists a foolproof cure for depression – the laughing baby. Sometimes the sanctity of life speaks for itself. Sometimes the joy of new life is simply apparent – tangible and giggling. I guarantee that these videos – some of the most popular videos on the internet – have done nothing but advance the pro-life cause. Why? Because babies are the most beautiful creatures in the world.

Do these videos some how prove the personhood of the unborn child? Of course not. Do these videos eradicate the fact that taking care of a child is hard, hard work? Absolutely not. But they do bear witness to the beauty of the newborn child, to the joy and fulfillment new life can bring. Seriously, no one watches these videos and has a merely on-the-surface reaction: “Hey, a baby laughing! Laughter is good. Next.” No, this singular video provoked a reaction strong enough to garner 205,841,553 views. I mean, really. That’s 2/3 the population of the United States. What was this reaction? I’d venture to guess it was Joy, a knife to the heart of the idea that the child is the enemy.

2. Birthdays

It’s a beautiful thing, that we see the fact of our birth as worthy of celebration. It is also a little odd, when you really think about it:

“Give me presents!”
“Why?”
“Because I exist!”
“Wait, what?”
“Yep! This day 10 years ago I was born. So there should be cake, and ice cream and balloons…”

The pro-choice movement shudders at the sound of ‘Happy Birthday’. No greater fear can be struck in the heart of the abortion industry than the sight of a 3-year old blowing out his candles. Why? Because a birthday party celebrates the simple and singular fact that you were born. Not that you were born into safe and wealthy circumstances. Not that you were born unto a mother who was fully willing and able to support you. Not that you were planned. Not that you were born without any mental complications, riskiness, danger or defects. No, birthday parties speak an earth-shaking truth; you were born, and it is good, and there’s nothing else to it. In New York City 41% of pregnancies end in abortion; these are the days when the birthday party is a joyful and radical act of rebellion.

3. Justin Bieber

Now I understand that the phrase ‘everyone loves’ is simultaneously an understatement and an overstatement when referring to Mr. Bieber. It is an overstatement in that there are those of us who, in our heart of hearts, believe his music is awful. We just can’t help it. But it is an understatement in that there is a large portion of the population who who’ve caught that inexplicable ‘fever’ and are absolutely devoted to him, to the point of giddiness.

Let this be said about him then: He is – for better or worst – one of the most talked about, most heard from, and most seen individuals in the world. His influence in our culture is immense. And he’s pro-life. This is not to say he’s a pro-life crusader or that he has some brilliant case for the cause of life. No, his case boils down to what most young people are thinking these days…killing babies? Uh, no. But he’s successfully infuriated abortion advocates, and thus earned a stripe or two in my books.

And – though I didn’t realize this until I sat down to write – he actually writes pro-life lyrics! “I pray for the life not started/I pray for all the ones not breathing.” Excellent stuff. There is no doubt in my mind that the he will impact his massive fan base of young girls, another force that is shaping my generation into the pro-life generation.

So there you have it! We live in a fantastic time, being able to watch the culture change, to see life and goodness win over death and evil. Sometimes the fight is brutal, sure, but sometimes it is won by a thing as simple as a laughing baby. Rejoice and be glad, everyone!