Editor’s Note: This commentary first appeared on AFA’s blog, The Stand (afa.net/thestand) in October 2020.

May 2021 – “Why don’t Christians put even half of their pro-life efforts into taking care of needy children already living in America?”

How many times have you heard this or similar questions in conversations or social media posts?  

I’ve heard related arguments used over and over, maybe even hundreds of times, as a primary reason given by people who support Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups.

I agree that it is a reasonable question, so let me ask it again: “Why don’t Christians put even half of their pro-life efforts into taking care of needy children already living in America?”

Well, the answer might be alarming to some.

Opening homes
American Christians don’t do half as much for living children as they do for the pre-born because they are doing twice as much as other Americans. 

You heard me right. Twice as much! For years, annual Barna research statistics overwhelmingly prove that those same “crazy,” pro-life Christians are also the ones who are fostering and adopting American children at a rate of more than twice that of other citizens.

On average, only 2% of Americans pursue adoptions, yet, as a separate demographic, over 5% of Christian families adopt. Barely 3% of Americans open their homes for foster care. And again, twice as many Christian homes become foster families.

In other words, for pro-life Christians, their actions back their beliefs: Life, both in and out of the womb, is a precious gift from God.

OK, we can acknowledge this one point: Christians are doing more than twice their share regarding adopting and fostering children in need. But these stats are just from the realm of fostering and adoption.

Opening pocketbooks
What about charitable giving that extends support to children in need? 

Why aren’t crazy, conservative, pro-life Christians doing half as much to help American kids who need shelter, food, clothing, school supplies, or even basic health care? Why do they spend all their time and effort on babies who are not even born yet? Come on, pro-lifers, why not help kids with real everyday needs?

Americans donated right at $450 billion in 2019. According to several different studies, including annual reports done by Charity Navigator, individual givers consistently made up almost 70% of those charitable donations nationally. A closer look into those individual givers reveals that American Christians across the board gave 10-20% more than their non-Christian counterparts.

And according to the National Philanthropic Trust, around 37% of all national donations go to fund education, human services, and health needs in our nation. So, again, Christians, those fanatical pro-life loonies, are not doing half their fair share. They’re just not! They are doing 10–20% more than their counterparts.

Offering time and talents
What about volunteering, you ask. 

Do those pesky conservative Christians donate their time to help children in need half as much as they protest, march, and volunteer to help pre-born children?

Good question.  

In 2018, AmeriCorps reported that over 77 million Americans volunteered their time and talents in some form or fashion. Those volunteer hours amount to a monetary value of $167 billion.

But these 77 million volunteers are reported to have donated more than sweat equity to their charitable causes. They also donated monetarily to charitable organizations at a rate of twice that donated by non-volunteers. That’s 77 million volunteers who not only work hard; they give twice as hard.

And guess what? According to the Hoover Institution, Christians volunteer 23% more than non-Christians do.

Twenty-three percent ... hmmm … that number lines up perfectly with our earlier look into Barna’s statistics: Christians give at a rate that is approximately 20% higher than non-Christians. It is no wonder that Christians make up a significant and similar part of America’s volunteer force as well.

The truth is, doers are givers and givers are doers and Christians are both doers and givers.

Overlooking some numbers
On top of that truth, remember that as Christians, much of our doing and giving is often carried out anonymously since Jesus instructed us in Matthew Chapter 6 to avoid giving our alms before men. Instead of giving to be seen by men, we must strive even to keep our left hand from knowing what our right hand is doing. 

Consequently, who knows how much Christians give and do that is never even recorded in statistical records?

But even if we do not take into account any quiet, undocumented doing and giving, it’s still evident that Christians place a high value on each child’s life, regardless of that child’s stage of life. And again, Christians are not doing only half their share; they are doing more than half.

And here’s another interesting part of the giving/doing equation: America is historically a land of givers. Ironically, the poorest states in our nation (including my home state of Mississippi) consistently rank highest in charitable giving. In fact, for the fifth time, the Catalogue for Philanthropy rated Mississippi “the most giving state in the nation.” That ranking is calculated by dividing the money made by citizens in each state by the money they donate.

Follow that line of thought.

Consistently conservative and Christian-oriented in its voting stances, poverty-ridden Mississippi is also one of the most pro-life states in the union, with only one abortion clinic left operating statewide. (Have no doubt; Mississippians are still working to close it!) Plus, Mississippi has championed some of America’s most stringent pro-life bills including its Heartbeat Law, which was signed into effect in 2019 and is now in the midst of a court battle.

Owning the facts
Look at all the other pro-life states. Take them one by one, and thoroughly examine their statistics. Many of these pro-life havens are also staunchly Christian, consistently conservative, and relatively low-to-middle income. 

But evidently, none of these factors, including poverty, stop people from being charitable or passionate about life in and out of the womb.  

So, let me say it one more time for those in the back of the room: Conservative, pro-life Christians, regardless of their financial status, are not doing half of what is done for American children in need.

We are doing much more than our share. So why not join us?

Do your research. Be real; be tenacious; look far and wide. Compare numbers from study to study to study, and discover the cold, hard facts. Please do not take my word for it – or anyone else’s for that matter. Compile your own list of statistics.

While you’re at it, make sure to look at the cultural demographics of the 62 million living babies who have been aborted in America in my lifetime alone. Do not be deceived; there is an all-out, purpose-filled genocide going on!

And by all means, follow the science. Those 62 million aborted American babies were just that – babies. Real babies with real lives who deserved real protection and care.

Then, after you examine the scientific and statistical facts for yourself, come and join the crazy, conservative Christians in the fight to protect and provide for all American children – both born and pre-born.   

Do the research
▶ The Barna Group (biologos.org or cafo.org)
▶ Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org)
▶ National Philanthropic Trust (nptrust.org)
▶ AmeriCorps (nationalservice.gov)
▶ Hoover Institution (hoover.org)
▶ Catalogue for Philanthropy (cfp-dc.org)