Abortion? Not at dinner, please.

Today's Independent carries and article Abortion crisis as doctors refuse to perform surgery. Apparently there is a crisis in providing abortions because more doctors are conscientiously objecting to killing babies.

We are told that

A key factor is what specialists call "the dinner party test". Gynaecologists who specialise in fertility treatment creating babies for childless couples are almost universally revered - but no one boasts of being an abortionist.

I'd like to know how you qualify as a "specialist" in anecdotal evidence like this. Be that as it may, there is obviously some way to go in raising consciousness about the destruction of embryos. Nevertheless it is a cause for seeing a tinge of grey in an otherwise black moral cloud over our country if at least abortionists can't actually boast about their work over the rocket and shaved parmesan.

One result is that since 1997, the proportion of abortions carried out in the private or charitable sector has gone up from 20% to 40%. That would be under the new Charities Act which questions whether religious charities offer a public benefit. (See Charities Act and Secularist Agenda.)

A follow-up feature contrasts Britain and the USA. The article Issue that goes to the heart of our differences with America talks about the fault line in American society between freedom and authority but rightly points out the importance of religion:

Many British people probably have no concept of just how religious American society is, and how distinct that makes Americans from us. We speak the same language, eat the same food, take part in the same wars; but on Sundays, we do things differently. According to Gallup, 98 per cent of Americans believe in God, and 73 per cent believe in life after death (compared to 38 per cent in Britain); even more strikingly, 40 per cent are regular churchgoers. Every Sunday, 120 million Americans make the effort to worship in Christian churches, the wealthy, the middle-class, the poor.

Expect further efforts to erode the right of conscientious objection for doctors and further efforts to discredit, vilify and undermine the Christian Churches in Britain.

One important lesson from the Independent article is that we are more likely to change the terrible situation of abortion provision in Britain by changing hearts and minds than by changing the law. Also, of course, by providing positive alternatives for women in crisis pregnancies - I make no apology for once again drawing your attention to the Sisters of the Gospel of Life and the Good Counsel Network. They need funds for their work. It's Eastertide: spread they joy of the risen Lord!