What Can You Hope to Accomplish?

So every Wednesday, the only women's clinic in North Dakota capable of performing abortions opens for those in need of medical care, testing, immunization, surgery, and counselling. Downtown Fargo's streets are moderately busy and the sidewalks are filled with pedestrians, unlike most places in the city.

Along with those pedestrians, protesters line the sidewalk in front of the clinic, speaking against women's rights in favor of the sanctity of life. Dramatically misinformed by the pulpit, these religious voices use all kinds of dishonesty designed to make women feel uncomfortable. With doctored images on placards, messages of fear-based religiosity claiming demons, hell, and suffering, as well as shouting at, assaulting, and browbeating the clients at the women's clinic. This is their method to influence people who have already committed to professional help.

I guess I am not surprised, religions have used these tactics since the beginning to scare people into belief. But that is the end of it: belief. Their actions are dictated by their religion and the law does not reflect that; so they protest.

Many stand silently while praying. Others sprinkle holy water in front of the clinic. When put all together, all I have to ask is: What can you hope to accomplish??

Praying has not helped one iota, while harassing people has only created more animosity to Christians. Everyone driving by can see their motivations are religious and understand more and more every day that religion leads you to say and do horrible things.

Yet they continue. I asked many of them if they think their prayers are effective, and they seem to believe so. Every day I experience this delusion first hand, my passions have been rekindled to raise the alarm about religion. I hope you can see it too.