I didn't grow up believing that abortion was a good choice for

"I didn't grow up believing that abortion was a good choice for women, but since it was legal, I thought it must be okay." Thus spoke Abby Johnson, once a defender of abortion and later one of its fiercest critics, revealing the subtle but dangerous power of law to shape conscience. Her words are not merely personal confession, but a testimony to the ancient tension between legality and morality—a reminder that what is permitted by human law is not always aligned with truth, justice, or the deeper good.

The origin of this wisdom lies in humanity’s long struggle to discern right from wrong amidst the decrees of rulers and courts. From the earliest civilizations, laws have guided behavior, creating order in place of chaos. Yet history teaches us that law is not infallible. Societies have legalized slavery, segregation, persecution, and war—all declared “legal,” yet all violating the eternal dignity of the human person. Johnson’s reflection lays bare how easily one may confuse what is legal with what is good, forgetting that legality is but the voice of the state, while morality speaks from a higher source.

Consider the story of the Nuremberg Trials after World War II. The architects of the Holocaust claimed they had acted under the laws of their nation, that their deeds were “legal.” Yet the tribunal rejected this defense, declaring that legality does not sanctify evil. They established the principle that there exists a higher law, written not by governments but upon the conscience of humanity itself. Johnson’s words echo this same truth: that legality cannot be the final measure of morality.

Her confession also reveals the subtle shaping of conscience in youth. For a child is taught not only by family and faith, but by the surrounding structures of society. When a practice is normalized by law, endorsed by authority, or spoken of casually in public discourse, it takes on an aura of legitimacy. The young absorb this, often without question. Johnson admits she once believed abortion must be acceptable—not because her heart told her so, but because her society had enshrined it in law. Thus do generations inherit beliefs not from conviction, but from assumption.

This is both a warning and a call to courage. For if we accept without question that legality equals morality, we risk sleepwalking into injustice. The wise must always ask: does the law serve truth, or does it cloak falsehood? Laws can be challenged, changed, and reformed, but a conscience dulled by blind trust in legality may remain captive. Johnson’s journey reminds us that awakening often begins when one dares to see beyond the authority of the state and asks instead what is right in the sight of eternity.

The lesson for us is clear: do not mistake legality for goodness. Question the laws of your land, weigh them against the measure of justice, and never allow convenience or conformity to replace conscience. Teach the young that legality is not a compass, but only a tool—sometimes bent, sometimes broken, sometimes aligned with truth, but never infallible. A people who trust law alone will drift into injustice; a people who anchor law in higher truth will stand firm.

What practical steps must we take? Examine every law, not with the eyes of habit but with the eyes of conscience. Support policies and leaders that defend the dignity of all, especially the vulnerable. Educate children not only to obey the law, but to discern when the law itself must be challenged. And live with integrity, choosing always what is just, even when it is not easy, even when the law whispers otherwise.

So let Abby Johnson’s words be remembered as both warning and guide: what is legal is not always what is right. Let each generation test its laws against the eternal standards of truth, justice, and compassion, lest we mistake the voice of the state for the voice of conscience. For only when law and morality walk hand in hand will a people find true freedom and lasting peace.