Matthew White
AFA Journal staff writer
October 2020 – January 22, 2019. The bill was signed. The room erupted with applause, followed by joyful shouts and a standing ovation.
Butchering babies
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) had signed the Reproductive Health Act, legalizing abortion through the third trimester, while simultaneously repealing criminal charges for harming desired babies in the womb. That evening, Cuomo ordered the 408-foot spire atop One World Trade Center (WTC), along with other landmarks, to be lit in pink to commemorate the anti-life victory.
The next day, Planned Parenthood joined the celebration, posting a picture on Twitter of the pink spire in the night sky. Ironically, at the base of the WTC is Memorial Park, commemorating those slaughtered on 9/11 – 11 of whom were unborn babies.
Days later in Virginia, Delegate Kathy Tran (D) proposed the Repeal Act, a bill to weaken the state’s abortion restrictions. During questioning, Delegate Todd Gilbert (R) pressed Tran to reveal how late in the third trimester abortions could be performed.
“Where it’s obvious that a woman is about to give birth,” Gilbert asked, “would that still be a point at which she could request an abortion?”
“My bill would allow that, yes,” Tran responded.
Two days later in a radio interview, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) defended the bill, a hint that it is likely to be introduced again.
“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen,” Northam said. “The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
Denouncing death
Later last year, the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), one of the nation’s largest Black Protestant denominations, during its annual General Assembly, passed a powerful and historic resolution on the sanctity of life.
Bishop Vincent Mathews, COGIC world missions president, told AFA Journal, “It’s important that the church be out front addressing the issue, because from the womb to the tomb, life is important to God, and if we’re not for life, we’re not speaking the gospel.”
With COGIC’s international growth to 111 countries, Mathews said, “It’s important that there is a doctrinal statement that will clarify our stance for this generation and generations to follow, to know our stance on life, that it will never be ambiguous.”
The resolution states: “Therefore, be it finally resolved that the Church of God in Christ denounces the systemic destruction of human life by way of abortion. The Church of God in Christ believes in and supports the sanctity of human life.”
Furthermore, it states in no uncertain terms that “life begins at conception,” “abortion is the killing of the innocent,” and in fact, “abortion is genocide,” and it “must end.”
“The resolution speaks of what has happened over the last few years with our Family Life Campaign,” Mathews added, “with our preaching on the issue of life and discussing how the murder of children is not only legal but celebrated. (See AFA Journal, 7/18.)
“There are so many people who are deceived today regarding the issue of life, so we wanted to be sure to be clear on where we stand.” 
More life resources from afastore.net
▶ Sanctity of Life Prayer Cards/Bookmarks – Ten two-sided cards contain a prayer for protection of life based on Psalm 139.
▶ AFA Cultural Institute: Life is A Civil Right with Dr. Alveda King – Dr. King explores the issue of abortion and related topics from a biblical perspective.
Visit www.cogic.org to learn more and read the COGIC resolution.
