Fmr. Pro-Life Leader on Abortion Ruling: Our Movement Has Lost its Soul | Amanpour and Company

I was once a pro lifer. I have met and become friends with some women who have had an abortion. Each of their circumstances were different. I have learned that it is not my position to judge them, nor choose which road to take. Whatever choice is made, she will live with it for a lifetime. I respect the right to choose.

When you don't see the mother as human, you're no longer pro-life. That was profoundly true.

I’ve never heard anyone express so succinctly everything that felt wrong to me about the pro-life movement. I’m going to stop saying I’m pro-choice and start saying I’m pro-dignity. Dignity is what’s been missing from the debate.

Contraception reduces abortion rates, but they also want to block that. This has nothing to do with abortion, it's about power over people.

“Morality cannot be legislated.” I am a 65-year old Black woman with a third generation college-educated daughter in the 24- percent federal income tax bracket who is childless because she cannot afford $2k per month for childcare, plus an additional $500 per month for health insurance, plus formula, diapers, clothing, etc. As a result, she is an exceptional parent to a dog that goes to daycare. This Supreme Court decision will have minimal, if any, effect on women of means. However, it will result in more 25-year olds with 5-7 kids that they do not have the skill set to properly raise and nurture. Many of these children will die at the hands of a stressed, unstable parent. This is tragic!

I detest these SOB politicians who say EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS, SAVE EVERY LIFE. Then as soon as the child is born wash their hands & say, GOOD LUCK WITH HOUSING, FEEDING, AND SCHOOLING THAT CHILD. The hypocrisy is through the (glass) roof!!

omg I broke down crying listening to him. He spoke to the core of the problem: that fantasy thinking is so far from the REALITY that women face.

Her interview style is incredible. Fierce. No smiling over polite stuff, but not being agressive or cold either. Just straight to the point with excellently prepared questions, to get the other person talking on the most important things. It makes me realize how little this approach to interviews you actually see.

A lot of us have been saying for decades that if they were really pro-life, they would be doing the rational things that could make abortion less needed. Sex education, resources for young mothers to be able to financially afford to raise a child like free childcare and pre-school at least. But they never had any interest in such things. Ergo, they never were pro-life, just using the issue as a political wedge. The reality of women and girls lives has never entered their minds because it was never of interest to them. Votes from the unthinking gullible was what they were after.

What a powerful story. Many don’t have the moral strength to reevaluate and realize they’ve been wrong, and admit it so openly. Thank you Reverend Schenck.

This man has been on quite the spiritual journey. I appreciate his point of view. Having been forced to give birth in Texas in 1968, then being shamed and receiving no support, I can see that he has true empathy for my plight and the plight of so many.

I left the pro-life movement when I realized that their actual goal was to make abortion illegal not to end it. They are not the same thing.

While he may have felt empathy for the "unborn," he finally came to have empathy for women with unwanted pregnancies. Congratulations.

If only more people would listen to him! It’s not just “one size fits all”! There are medical procedures that will be denied until a woman is on her death bed! So much for pro-life!

I wish my mom would Hear this man. Deeply convicted by his faith and yet deeply introspective with the ability to hold himself accountable to himself and the people who his work has affected. I hope he continues he newfound path, bringing the truth of this SC decision and how it will affect our society. We need more people like him. Keep talking Pastor!! Don’t stop! 🙏🏻

I'm a man, and I'm also old enough to recall a time in America before the abortion debate became toxic and violent. I remember Schenck: his egregious publicity stunts, his holier-than-thou pontificating, the obvious thrill he got from his fame, and how his concern for women always struck me as phoney. I also remember how it always seemed that men made up the vast majority of those at anti-choice protests, and they were always the loudest. I was apolitical in my youth and I knew nothing about the challenges faced by women who have to deal with an unplanned pregnancy, but even then I thought there was something very peculiar going on with all those men standing around ringleaders like Schenck and bellowing about baby-killers with hatred on their faces. Schenck had an epiphany and realised that the anti-choice portion of his worldview was blinkered, unrealistic and uncaring. So fricking what? He's still an evangelical minister, so he's still stuck in his religious delusions and he still has influence to screw up people's lives in various ways, even if he scrupulously avoids ever telling any woman what she should do about what's going on in her uterus. Schenck may wish to believe that his god will forgive him for his choice to be blind to the realities of the world, his need to manipulate others into believing the things he does, his hunger for fame and all the misery he helped to create. But as far as I'm concerned, no matter what Schenck does, he's never going to balance all that wickedness with good works of greater value to society.

“Preborn, you’re fine. Preschool, you’re fucked.” George Carlin

I worked at a Buffalo hospital next to one of the clinics where "Operation Rescue" zealots, including the Schenk Brothers wreaked havoc regularly during the late 1980s/early 90s. I worked as an ob/gyn Social Worker & heard many grim accounts from patients...incest, rape, abuse, mental illness, addictions,etc. As Rev. Schenk said, these are unique situations...as unique as the girls & women. I am glad he experienced his epiphany & redemption. I would ask him to speak up, speak out all over, to all outlets as we are faced with this devastating travesty of so-called "justice". We are so tired of marching, yelling, for the same fight again & again. When was the last time any (white) men had to march in the streets for THEIR rights over their bodies!

One of the most illuminating, heartfelt and important, brave discussions I've ever heard on this controversy. This man, one of great conviction and conscience needs a much wider audience than this platform alone provides.

Thank you, sincerely, for being a genuinely pro life person who is concerned for others. The movement that calls itself "pro life" is really just anti choice.