By: Cassandra Laymon, CFP®, MBA
“Thou shalt not kill.” ~Exodus 10:13
“Who am I to tell another woman what they should do with their body?” If you had asked my opinion on abortion just a few short years ago, that’s how I would have answered you. Before I committed my life to Christ, my focus was on the secular world, and not the Kingdom of God.
I looked at this topic purely from a point of convenience. I understand how expensive and challenging it is to raise a child, especially as a single mom myself for many years. I was 31 when I had my son, and I have always been blessed to have gainful employment. Even so, it’s still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Using that logic, I reasoned that a very young woman in high school or college could not take on that kind of challenge or it would “ruin her life.” Those are the words I would have used.
There are a few people and organizations that have influenced my thinking and dramatically changed my mind on this issue:
· Through organizations like the Blue Ridge Women’s Center, a crisis pregnancy center in Roanoke, VA, I have seen many examples of women who have decided to go through with their pregnancy with successful outcomes, whether they decided to keep their child, or to selflessly bless another couple through adoption.
· I have learned about the after effects of suffering and guilt of the mother who chooses abortion from counselors like Dr. Laurel Shaler (click here to read my interview with her Abortion Aftermath: Beyond Statistics) who could also share personal struggles and challenges of wanting to adopt a baby.
· Through organizations like the Family Foundation of Virginia (the political action arm of Focus on Family), I have learned about the horrible misrepresentation of organizations like Planned Parenthood, and the much better choices for women’s healthcare that already exist.
I often hear the argument that defunding Planned Parenthood would mean taking prenatal care away from women who need it most. If you haven’t seen this video in your Facebook feed, I encourage you to take 3 minutes to watch and get clarity on the “prenatal care” that Planned Parenthood offers:
Finally, surgical abortion is a brutal procedure, which I will not describe here. I am embarrassed to say this is not something I spent any time at all contemplating. It’s disturbing to think about, and many times it’s easier to avoid or gloss over those subjects.
If you have read this far, you are probably in agreement with my view on this topic. You may even go so far as to financially support your local pregnancy center. But have you ever considered that you may be unknowingly profiting from this very industry you oppose with your investment portfolio? Here is a snapshot of a popular S&P 500 Index fund from Vanguard.1
If we look only at Abortion and Abortion Philanthropy categories, you can see that 25 cents of every dollar in that fund is invested in companies that are either involved in the abortion industry directly or companies that make significant contributions to Planned Parenthood. Add to that 4.2% exposure to so-called Emergency (Plan B) Contraceptives and that is a huge chunk of this particular fund’s holdings. Sadly, this is more common than not.
It’s important to understand where your investment dollars are going to work for you. If you’ve never thought about this issue and are concerned that you may be unknowingly supporting a cause that you are against, I urge you to have your portfolio screened so you can find out the truth about your investments. If your financial advisor is unable to provide this information, email us at info@beaconwealth.com and we’ll be glad to provide a report that you can discuss with your advisor.
Financial Planning & Investment Advisory services offered through Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc.
1 Fund screening provided by Ensogo Analytics.