Pro-Choice, Post-Choice, Pre-Choice and Re-Choice? Where Are You?

[HKHaugan]

Everybody makes choices. We like the idea of being able to choose and to choose freely. We are by nature pro-choice people.

But what is your initial reaction when the phrase ‘pro-choice’ is used? Does it make you go on the offensive or the defensive? The reaction proves one clear conclusion. The word ‘choice’ has been hi-jacked to argue against moral restraint. To quote Henley’s poem Invictus, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Ultimately it implies there is no outside authority for anyone. ‘I am my own moral authority. No one is going to tell me how I run my life.’ We all know where that leads, moral anarchy and social chaos.

Actually the ‘pro-choice’ term is a manipulative misuse of ideas. To be ‘pro’ is to be for something. As disciples of Jesus we find ourselves on the defensive because the phrase ‘pro-choice’ implies that since we are opposed to abortion we are opposed to free choice. See what I mean? If you are not ‘pro’ you are ‘anti.’ Whoa! It’s time we got this straight. Pro-choice involves a whole lot more than abortion. It’s about every choice we make. Follow me on a brief reasoning excursion.

Freedom in our society is being able to make choices without the hindrance of an imposed political dictatorship. However, we do choose to live under the law that defines good and bad behavior. The bottom line choice therefore, is to choose to obey or not obey the law. That makes choice a moral issue. Therefore I am first pro-moral then pro-choice. My choices are pro-moral. I choose to live under the law and not break it. But morality goes beyond the law. It is a heart morality that considers the effects of behavior that law does not cover. I am thankful I live in a society that has the freedom of moral choice. I cherish that freedom. Anyone can make the choice to be moral or immoral. I choose to be pro-moral.

The question then is, ‘Why am I pro-moral?’ It’s because I’ve made a ‘pre’-choice, yes, a ‘pre’-choice, a moral choice, a choice to be moral. I have chosen a source of moral authority, Jesus and His Word. Actually then I am ‘pre’-choice. Pre-choice considers the consequences of every choice. The problem with not making a pre-choice is that I might make a choice that will cause me to have to make a post-choice as the result of not having considered the consequences of an immoral choice. That is why having a moral foundation enables us all to live with one another’s choices.

Now here’s the nitty-gritty question. What do we do about the consequences of having to live with the results of our choices? Every choice, I mean every choice, in all human activity impacts the people around us and spreads into the larger society. There is no such thing as a choice that does not have an effect on others, good or bad, big or little. Choices do not stop at the end of a person’s decision. They do not stay inside. No one lives alone. Everyone is affected.

This is precisely where the so-called ’pro-choice’ movement is an illusion. It is not really pro-choice at all. It’s post-choice. That’s right, post, p-o-s-t choice. ‘Pro-choice’ is getting someone else to remove and pay for the consequences of a problem caused by a poor moral choice. “Pro-choice” is really a moral anarchy movement whose basic principle is to justify bad choices, remove their consequences and have someone else pay for it. Its strategy is simple. Make people think it is a personal freedom issue that has no consequence for the individual or for others. Get emotional, get political, organize and get ‘pro-choice’ as a platform, call ‘choice’ a health problem instead of a moral issue and demonize anyone opposed to immoral choices as ‘anti-woman.’ But come on, let’s call it what it really is, a ‘post-choice’ movement taking us far beyond abortion. It’s about morality vs. immorality. It’s about all our pre-choices and their social consequences.

That’s why I’m for getting us to think “Pre-choice” and share with ‘pro-choicers‘ and their allies that they are really justifying ‘post choice’ decisions using personal freedom as a smokescreen. Here is an opportunity to share our moral foundation in the Lord Jesus. He not only provides the foundation for making initial choices from moment to moment but also those that have been bad choices and how He provides a re-choice called repentance. His manual is the Bible which contains everything necessary to being a pre-choice follower. And if we do make choices with a bad outcome we are gracefully accepted when we choose to say we’ve blown it and return by making a re-choice to being re-stored and re-new our relationship with the Lord God or choose to begin a new one with Him.

Again the falsely named ‘pro-choice’ movement is really ‘post-choice.’ Its slogan “My body, my choice” means live only for the moment of pleasure. It excludes handling that moment’s consequences which always involves personal guilt, remorse, regret, as well as family, friends and everyone in the society where those kinds of choices are made. This is true, and a fact, especially when it means ending the life of an unborn child.

Pre-choice is based on building moral character, “But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1Cor.3:10-11).” So-called ‘pro-choice’ is really poor pre-choice that results in ‘post-choice death.’ But we have a re-choice possibility called forgiveness in a relationship with the Lord Jesus and a pre-choice program in Scripture to prepare us for our everyday choices. My personal pro-choice idea is choosing to accept Jesus as personal Savior and Lord in the arena of all choice. That’s the best pre-choice anyone can make so that no one has to find themselves in a post-choice dilemma which is the result of an immoral choice masquerading behind a ‘pro-choice’ mask.