No Family, No Stability, No Community, No Nation
by Martin Wickens
Thursday, 12 April 2007

Something that struck me as I researched abortion has been the effects it has on society as a whole. Teens giving birth and dumping the new born in the bin (Link) or individuals forcing mothers to have abortions (PDF Link) (Italy Case) point to the fact that abortion in the collective consciousness of a nation leads to a general disregard for the sanctity of life. (Some figures indicate over 60% women who have abortions are forced to do so by parents, partners, employers and social pressures.)

When the value of life itself becomes a worthless commodity to be destroyed, traded or sold then we can only expect other morals in a nation to collapse.

Many abortions take place because of the desire to avoid any type of commitment or responsibility. This avoidance of responsibility and avoidance spirals into every other area of life.

As well as a dramatic increase in abortions in recent history we have also seen a dramatic increase in the breakdown of families. Perhaps the two are linked? For if an individual does not care for the life of a child then why would they care for the quality of life the child enjoys or endures? I realise not every family breakdown is related to children, but there does seem to be a link between abortion and family breakdown.

Family breakdown is seen as a major problem in the United Kingdom. Here are a few statistics:

1. Family breakdown costs the UK over £20 billion a year
2. Over 45% of 14-15 year olds have consumed more than five alcoholic drinks on a single occasion in the last 30 days
3. Between 3000-4000 young people aged 11 and over were admitted to hospital for alcohol related illness in 2004
4. Nearly 50,000 crimes are committed in London each year by truanting children
5. Just 1 in 9 young people from a background in care will get five A*-c at GCSE
6. Around 70% of young offenders come from single parent backgrounds
7. Children from single parent households are twice as likely to be unhappy, have low self-esteem, or have mental health problems.
8. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is three times more common among the offspring of co-habiting mothers and seven times more common among single mothers as compared to married mothers.
9. Doctors report that family breakdowns affect people's health. Mental health consistently improves after marriage and deteriorates substantially after divorce or separation.

The problems look to continue.

1. 42% of births take place outside of marriage
2. Unmarried parents are 4-5 times more likely to break up than those who have married
3. By a child's 5th birthday 8% of married parents have split up, compared to 52% of those who co-habit
4. 70% of UK children can expect to spend their entire childhood with both natural parents compared to only 36% of children born to unmarried parents.
5. A single mother can be up to £5,000 a year better of than if she lived with the father of her children (or one of the fathers).
6. A married couple would have to put in 47 hours a week to earn what a single mother could earn in 16 hours under the current tax/benefits regime.
7. Britain has the highest proportion of single mothers in the EU, and, perhaps revealingly, one of the highest rates of benefits for lone parents.
8. Almost 2/3 of all marriages end in divorce
9. In 2002 291,800 marriages took place
10. In 2002 160,700 divorces took place

So, with abortion and family breakdown both increasing we see more social, medical and economic problems. And the figures all show that this trend is set to continue and more than likely increase in the coming years. Many now see that solving the problem of family breakdown is key to solving many other national problems.

However, in all this an unquantifiable consequence must be taken into account. What does God think about the 185,500+ of abortions that take place in the UK each year? (Or the 1.4 million in the USA each year?)

What spiritual effect does all this have on the individuals and on the nation as a whole? There can be no doubt we are in trouble in the eyes of God.

As I complete my studies of abortion I will post more and may even put together a leaflet for church members that I will also post here.

Like never before I can see the terrible situation in our country and covert your prayers and help as we seek to share the Gospel with the lost, dying and miserable.

This nation needs God or we will self-destruct.