Abolition and Justice – A Call from the Connecticut Supreme Court Building
Date: October 28, 2024
On October 28, 2024, I stood in front of the Connecticut Supreme Court Building, compelled by the Spirit of God to once again advocate for the lives of the unborn. I didn’t come here by chance. I prayed for guidance, and though I didn’t know exactly where the Lord wanted me to stand that day, I trusted Him to lead me. Being here is a reminder of the great injustices sanctioned within these walls, where the innocent are condemned, and where our laws—once rooted in God's Word—have become arbitrary and humanistic.
As a reformed Christian, I believe deeply in the power of the Holy Spirit. Despite misconceptions, true reformed theology doesn’t dismiss the Spirit’s active work today. Read the writings of John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, or John Calvin, and you’ll see that they understood the Spirit as vital to the Christian life. This confidence in God’s power assures me that the abolition of abortion is not only possible but inevitable, because the victory has already been won at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15).
Abortion is not merely a social issue; it is a gross violation of God’s law and human dignity. Just as past generations looked the other way during slavery and the Holocaust, our society ignores the plight of the unborn. The blood of these children cries out, just as Abel’s blood cried out to God after Cain murdered him (Genesis 4:10). The laws that allow this atrocity are arbitrary, built on humanistic philosophies, not on the unchanging standard of God’s Word. Without the foundation of God’s law, as revealed in Scripture, morality becomes subjective, and history shows the devastating consequences.
We see this in regimes like Stalin’s Soviet Union, Mao’s China, and Hitler’s Germany. When governments reject God’s authority, they create laws that serve their own agendas, often at the expense of the weak and vulnerable. Romans 13:3-4 teaches that rulers are to be "a terror to bad conduct" and "an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer." Yet today, our rulers protect those who slaughter children while punishing those who speak out against it.
Standing in front of this building, I reflected on the barbaric reality of abortion. Babies are torn limb from limb, poisoned in their mothers’ wombs, or expelled prematurely to die. People may claim these children don’t feel pain, but how can they know? Science affirms that babies develop pain receptors early in gestation, but even beyond that, they are human beings made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). To deny their personhood is to follow the same flawed reasoning as the Dred Scott decision, which denied the humanity of slaves.
This isn’t just about bad laws—it’s about hardened hearts. When a mother chooses to end her child’s life, she denies the God-given maternal instinct to protect her offspring. Instead of repentance, many harden their hearts, justifying their actions or blaming others. But Scripture is clear: the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). There is hope, though, because forgiveness can be found in Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9).
Proverbs 24:11-12 commands us to "rescue those who are being taken away to death." That’s why I’m here. I can’t stay silent while innocent blood is shed. As abolitionists, we differ from the pro-life movement in one critical way: we call for the total and immediate abolition of abortion. We do not compromise with evil or settle for regulating murder. The Bible calls us to abhor evil and hold fast to what is good (Romans 12:9). Incrementalism, which seeks to restrict abortion bit by bit, only perpetuates the injustice.
History will judge us, just as we judge the silence of the Church during slavery and the Holocaust. But more importantly, God will judge us. Matthew 25:40 reminds us that whatever we do—or fail to do—for the least of these, we do to Christ. The Church in Connecticut must wake up. Pastors must speak boldly, leading their congregations to act. Silence is complicity, and complacency is sin (James 4:17).
As I stood there, holding my sign and speaking truth, I prayed for Revival—for God to stir hearts and bring repentance to our state and nation. We need the Gospel to pierce through the darkness and bring the light of Christ’s justice and mercy. Only then will abortion be abolished, and only then will we see God’s blessing on this land.
I invite you to join the Connecticut Foundation to Abolish Abortion. Learn more at www.AbolishAbortionCT.org. Let us stand together for truth, for justice, and for the lives of the unborn.
Norman Harold Patterson Jr
The Connecticut Foundation to Abolish Abortion
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