Over the next several days, we watched as it moved around, gorged on the nutrients, climbed up to the underside of the cap, dangled from one end, shed its skin to reveal a chrysalis and eventually emerge as a butterfly.

We took it to a grassy area with a nearby tree, opened the container close to the ground and watched it flutter out and onto a branch on the tree. It remained on the tree for a minute or two, pumping its wings as it adjusted to sunlight and completely open space for the first time, before flying away.

A comparison of development

One day, as the caterpillar hung – completely still – inside its chrysalis, I thought about how perfectly still it was going to be for over a week, consuming no nutrients at all. I thought about the transformation it was in the process of, that it was in some sort of liquefied state as its body was broken down to make way for entirely new features to be created.

This all led to pondering life. Despite how the caterpillar looked while it was going through its metamorphosis, and despite all that was being broken down to be rebuilt, it was, in fact, alive.

Ryan Comer, Standard-Examiner

Then a question came into my mind. What is the difference between a caterpillar in this stage of metamorphosis and a human being at any stage inside the womb?

In each case, development is occurring. In each case, there’s extreme vulnerability. In each case, what ultimately results is much more than what is apparent at the outset.

I think we all instinctively know each is worth protecting. If someone chose to squash the caterpillar while inside the stage of metamorphosis, we would rightfully feel outraged. We would know what it was on the path to becoming, how much joy it could have brought to the world and we would feel terminating that development was extremely unfortunate.

In a similar way, if someone chose to violently take the life of a mother’s unborn child, we also would rightfully feel outraged. We would know what that unborn child was on the path to becoming, how much joy it could have brought to the world and we would feel terminating that development was extremely unfortunate.

A human life is obviously more valuable than a butterfly’s, and yet, too many so often speak so callously of unborn children. They’re referred to as “clumps of cells.” Their value seems to be completely determined by what the mother thinks of it. If a mother wants it and values it, then it’s precious and worth protecting. If a mother doesn’t want it and doesn’t value it, then it’s an inconvenience, a drain on her biological resources and a threat to her bodily autonomy. It’s talked about like one would talk about a parasite.

It seems the further back you go in the gestation process, the less valuable a child becomes. There’s less moral outrage to an abortion at six weeks than there is at six months. Artificial lines are drawn, like when the heart develops, when the brain develops, when pain can be felt, when ultimately, stopping development is stopping development regardless of at what stage it occurs.

A child in the womb, like a butterfly in a chrysalis, isn’t valuable because of how much it has developed. It’s valuable because it is developing.

When you see the butterfly pumping its beautiful orange wings on a tree branch, you can’t help but feel grateful that the whole developmental process was allowed to play out. Similarly, when you hold a newborn child for the first time, you can’t help but feel grateful that its development wasn’t prematurely terminated.

Development of life takes time, and a lot must go correctly for life to develop into what it was meant to become, but that development isn’t proof that a creature isn’t alive; it’s proof that life exists. If there was no life, there would be no development.

Choosing to cherish and preserve life

All of this served as a reminder for me of the address given by Elder Neil A. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the general conference of the church two weeks ago.

During his talk, titled “Cherishing Life,” Elder Andersen told some powerful stories about women who chose to preserve life.

He spoke of a young woman who chose to have a baby despite her boyfriend’s objection, he spoke of a young woman who didn’t have much support from her boyfriend and ultimately chose adoption, he spoke of a couple who chose to continue through a pregnancy despite a diagnosis of Down syndrome and a potentially fatal congenital heart defect and, most remarkably, he spoke of a woman who had been cheated on by her husband and then chose to raise the child that resulted from that unfaithfulness in order to prevent an abortion.

“How could this noble woman of God take a child as her own who could be a daily reminder of the unfaithfulness of her husband? How? Because she found strength through Jesus Christ and she believed in the sacredness of life, the holiness of life,” Elder Andersen said. “She knew the unborn child was a child of God, innocent and pure.”

The possible abortion exceptions

In sharing all that Elder Andersen did, he acknowledged “possible [abortion] exceptions … when:

• Pregnancy results from rape or incest, or

• A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or

• A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.”

But even those circumstances don’t automatically justify an abortion, Elder Andersen noted.

He said: “The First Presidency continues: ‘Abortion is a most serious matter. [Even in these rare situations] it should be considered only after the persons responsible have received confirmation through prayer’ and counseled with others.”

Why it’s necessary to preserve life?

In speaking about the need to preserve life, Elder Andersen said:

“Life is a most precious part of our Father’s perfect plan, and by His decree we cherish and preserve life; and we choose the continuation of life once conceived. …

“President Dallin H. Oaks said: ‘Our attitude toward abortion is not based on revealed knowledge of when mortal life begins. … It is fixed by our knowledge that … all of the spirit children of God must come to this earth for a glorious purpose, and that individual identity began long before conception and will continue for all the eternities to come.’

“The word of the Lord concerning the unborn, given voice through the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has never varied and echoes the words of prophets through the ages, giving divine clarity to what the Lord has asked of us.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, the Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for or arrange for such abortions.”

Later on, he said:

“Thirty years ago, the Lord’s prophets issued a proclamation to the world. It includes these words:

“‘We … declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

“‘We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.’

“Nurturing and protecting life that is yet unborn is not a political position. It is a moral law confirmed by the Lord through His prophets.”

From all that, we learn that defending life isn’t about running to a political corner — it’s about running to God’s corner. Life is worth defending because it’s “a most precious part of our Father’s perfect plan,” and he has decreed that we “cherish and preserve” it. Doing so is, in fact, a moral law. It is not something that can be viewed as optional.

The need to be more outspoken in defending life

Some may say that they are pro-life but don’t want to be very outspoken about it because they don’t want to offend anyone, but Elder Andersen advocated for boldness, saying:

“A statement by President J. Reuben Clark Jr., who served in the First Presidency, beautifully describes our youth today: ‘The youth of the Church are hungry for things of the Spirit; they are eager to learn the gospel, and they want it straight, undiluted. They want to know about … our beliefs; they want to gain testimonies of [the] truth. They are … inquirers, seekers after truth.’ Let us speak more often with faith and compassion to our youth in our homes, and with each other in our Relief Society and elders quorum meetings, about the Lord’s law of chastity, the sanctity of life and the care of the unborn and their mothers.”

Elder Andersen isn’t just advocating for being in support of life; he is calling to be more outspoken in that support. It’s time to get off the bench and onto the field of play. Instead of worrying about what this person might think, or how that person might react, think of the necessity of the youth hearing the truth and what that will mean for them. Don’t just sit back and hope they will learn it while the world teaches its contrary lessons. Be proactive and make sure that, at the very least, they know what the Lord’s stance is. Take ownership of what the youth learn.

Conclusion

Closing his talk, Elder Andersen said:

“My dear brothers and sisters, the diminishing love for unborn children worldwide is a grave concern. God cherishes life. It is His work and His glory to bring immortality and eternal life to His children. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we cherish life. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’ May we share our love even more abundantly with those who need us so desperately.”

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rbcomer8388.