I just returned from seeing the movie “Unplanned” with my husband.
I don’t think I took a breath or moved a muscle for the first 30 minutes. I was literally glued to my seat. It was drop-dead silent in the theater for most of the show. None of the normal rustling of candy wrappers or popcorn bags. No whispering or shuffling to get out to use the restroom. Silence.
I had read quite a bit about the movie and talked to several friends who had already seen it before going. I thought I was steeled for what I was about to see. I am thankful that I went in with some emotional preparation, as what I saw rocked me. I understand that this was a movie – but it was a movie based closely on actual events. Just want to share my thoughts…
First: there has been some controversy about the rating. The movie is rated “R”. I believe that is an accurate rating. Like slavery or the Holocaust, abortion is an ugly thing. Seeing inside the procedure room and P.O.C. room (where fetal remains are reassembled to ensure that nothing was left behind) is horrifying. And, while the movie is a dramatization, what happens inside abortion facilities is real. I would advise parents to see the movie before they decide whether or not their children should see it. I also think that those who have been involved in abortion in any way should read the attached review and determine whether or not they should see it.
Next: this is an important movie. I remember seeing “The Passion of the Christ” when it came out. It, too, was hard to watch. However, it made a huge impact on those who saw it. Who can forget the scene when Christ is nailed to the cross? I believe I read somewhere that it was Mel Gibson himself who held the hammer that drove the nails into Christ’s flesh. Every strike of the hammer felt like it was pounding into my own heart with the reality that it was my sin which led to Christ’s arrest, torture and crucifixion. I pray we, as a nation, feel the same conviction as we watch “Unplanned”. That what we see and hear will change our hearts and minds and we will no longer be willing to stand by and let this continue. That we will come to agree that what we see here does not equate to good healthcare for women. That we Christians would reach out with the irresistible love of Christ to those who disagree with us. It is a hard movie to watch. I think it was also hard for those who visited the slave ships with William Wilberforce. A friend reminded me today that Wilberforce told those individuals – you can choose to look away, but you can no longer say you don’t know. “Unplanned” does this – it makes us see the truth and we can no longer say we don’t know.
Finally: more than ever, I am convinced that the words we use and the actions we take make a difference. In the movie, we see troubling portrayals of protestors outside the abortion facility. One wore a grim reaper costume complete with scythe. Another waved his Bible through the fence at a young woman while yelling that she was a baby killer. One held a sign with the graphic image of an aborted baby. While it is true that abortion ends innocent life in a horrific manner, contrast that to the group on the other sidewalk. They prayed and held some signs – they were respectful and even loving to those they disagreed with and to those headed into the facility to have abortions. When we see Abby Johnson flee from her job, she goes straight to those people. She does not embrace the grim reaper, but the unassuming people who got to know her name and demonstrated care about her. We can follow Christ’s example as we speak the truth in love – to everyone we encounter, regardless of who they are or what they have done.
There are millions of men and women who have been personally impacted by abortion. They are the mothers and fathers of those babies who never drew their first breath outside the womb. They are the grandparents and siblings who were never able to know these unique, never to be duplicated human beings. They are the doctors, nurses, technicians and support personnel who work in abortion facilities. Many are struggling with unresolved grief or guilt or regret. They are conflicted about what they have done or what they do every day. Their experience becomes an obstacle to the Gospel as they are unsure God can ever forgive them. This movie gives us a glimpse of just a few of them.
Christians hold the key that opens the door to healing and wholeness for those who suffer. We know that Jesus is the One who can heal all wounds and mend all brokenness. Jesus – the One who loves all those lost to abortion – also loves all those who have been involved.
When we left the movie today, we were pretty quiet. I think my husband was worried I was not okay. He was right. I am not okay with the fact that this has been going on in our country for all these years. I pray to God that the truth about abortion as shared in “Unplanned” will cause widespread heart change. Because tonight, my heart is broken once again over abortion.
Until next time –
Kay
Here’s the link to the movie review I promised you: https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/unplanned-2019
