The topic of abortion seems always to be at the forefront of American political and religious discourse. Each year, millions of dollars and man-hours are spent lobbying both for and against the so called “right” for a woman to choose to terminate her pregnancy along with the life within her womb. At the forefront of the abortion debate is pro-life activist Abby Johnson and the recently released (and very controversial) movie about her life, Unplanned. Here are three things you need to know about Abby Johnson and Unplanned.
- Abby Johnson is a former employee of Planned Parenthood. She worked for that organization in the capacity of a clinic director until she resigned in 2009. Her resignation was precipitated by the witnessing of an abortion procedure. Seeing the brutality of an abortion first-hand not only caused Johnson to cease working for an abortion provider but led her to become a pro-life activist.
- Abby Johnson is not a Christian. She is a Roman Catholic. She joined the Roman Catholic church after beginning her career as an activist. Though she vigorously opposes the practice of abortion, Johnson opposes criminal punishments for women seeking abortions and has stated that abortion rights are constitutionally protected. The pro-life industry has been lucrative for Johnson, not only has her memoir been made into a film, she commands a speaking fee of over $10,000.
- Abby Johnson claims that the movie Unplanned is mostly about the “amazing, ready mercy of Jesus Christ that is available to everyone—whether you’ve been touched by abortion or not—that Christ is so ready to redeem us.” However, nowhere within the film is the gospel of Jesus Christ presented. Furthermore, real-life heretic Kris Vallottan of Bethel Church Redding portrays Johnson’s pastor in the film. Additionally, the film’s soundtrack features several songs from Bethel Music.
There is no doubt that Christians are the intended demographic for not only Unplanned but Abby Johnson’s activist work. Unfortunately, Abby Johnson herself is a member of an apostate church and has joined with other apostates (Bethel Church) to create a media product. Christians should therefore be wary of promoting Abby Johnson and her movie.
*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.
