“The world will be won by beauty”

The Catholic Youth Choir sings at “An Evening of Glory”

This life is so beautiful. 

Yes, we know all about war, disease, abortion and man’s inhumanity and apathy regarding his fellow man.

We also know of courageous heroes who risked life and limb saving others during great conflagrations.

We know of brilliant thinkers who cured disease, and loving families who opened their homes to unwanted babies.

And we know of saints, dead and alive, who lived (or are living) lives of sacrificial love because that’s what Jesus did.

Why focus on the ugly alone when life is so beautiful? The great Russian writer, Fyodor Dostoevsky, coined the provocative phrase above in his novel, “The Idiot.” Beauty transforms the world and leads people to God.

An atheist sees the light

You may have heard of writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Born in Somali. Now Dutch-American. Former Muslim. Former Atheist. Guess what drew her to Christianity? Beauty.

A British philosopher, Roger Scruton, offered her some simple advice:

“If you don’t believe in God, at least believe in beauty. The greatest works of art have been inspired by some connection to God.”

Ali was in a bad place. She coped with longterm depression. She turned to alcohol, shrinks, and medication. Nothing worked. Atheism sure didn’t. She said she “ultimately found life without any spiritual solace unendurable.” 

Taking Scruton’s advice, she turned to Mozart, opera and church hymns. In other words, she turned to the wonder and awe of beauty, which eventually led her to Christianity. 

“I once was lost, and now I’m found.”

This life is so beautiful.

Give babies a re-brand?

Those of us in the pro-life movement have to be careful. We’re exposed to the horror of abortion day in and day out. Big Abortion and their media allies portray US as the whacky evil ones! It’s a real burden. We have to take a deep breath and really focus on the beauty of our movement, and especially the beauty of our unborn brothers and sisters.

Writer Peachy Keenan offers some delightful advice for us. She said, let’s give babies a rebrand:

”After all, babies are designed cleverly by their creator to be as cute as can be. Their entire physical appearance is engineered on purpose to trigger an overwhelming dopamine response in their mothers and, in fact, in most normal people. If babies were not adorable, they’d have a much lower chance of surviving this cruel world. Their toothless grins, their chubby cheeks, those huge eyes in proportion to their heads, those tiny hands. The sweet new baby smell! It’s all a clever magic trick very intentionally perpetrated to help the baby survive.”

This life is so beautiful.

Pulse spreads the beauty

Pulse Life Advocates does what it can to spread beauty, knowing that beauty is a reflection of God, and that God IS Love, which means beauty spreads love! That’s why we hosted “An Evening of Glory” last Friday night at St. Boniface Catholic Church. To spread the beauty. We immersed the audience in a program that included classical, jazz, praise, and choral music. Something for everyone.

Pulse has played key roles in advancing pro-life legislation at the Statehouse, including the recently passed Prenatal Human Development Education Bill.

We’re in a culture war

But, here’s the thing: We’re really engaged in a cultural war more than a political war. If no one wants to get an abortion, then it doesn’t matter what the laws are.

Pulse fights for just, humane laws that protect our posterity, just as we use our platform to promote a compassionate culture that embraces beauty.

That’s why we’re involved in the culture war as much as the political war.

A few years ago, we produced and presented a thought-provoking play called A Clash of Creeds performed throughout Central Iowa.

We’ve put on Christmas Galas featuring beautiful music as well as ‘Women of Worth’ events that celebrate historic women of stature and virtue.

Love is the antidote to abortion

We’re in the midst of a yearlong countdown of the 52 Greatest Love Songs Ever, because love is the antidote to abortion. Be sure to subscribe to our blog to get each week’s song delivered to your in box.

Perhaps the larger reason is to make our coarse culture a little less coarse.

Exquisite music, as performed last Friday night, draws us deeper into the mystery of our faith. 

It can melt a heart made of stone and open up our souls to the beauty of God’s creation, which begins with the unborn at the instant of fertilization.

Indeed, the world will be won by beauty.

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