Bell Ringing Signifies the End of Abortion in Tennessee

The bell rang 16 times on Thursday, August 25, 2022, at First Baptist Church Bolivar as Christians from around Hardeman County came together to celebrate the Tennessee Human Life Protection Act becoming a law in Tennessee.

“I never thought in my lifetime I would see that happen,” said Mary Yates, First Baptist Church Children’s Coordinator. “My parents in heaven, I know, I feel like they are rejoicing over that.”

First Baptist Church Bolivar is one of more than eight churches across West Tennessee that rang its bells at 9 a.m. at the request of Birth Choice of Jackson. The collective ringing signified the law now “considers the baby in the womb to be a valuable human being“.

“It made a total of 16 states that are choosing life and we are so proud of those states,” said Yates who volunteers at Birth Choice and was excited to be a part of the bell ringing event. “It was the idea of Birth Choice to ring the bells. They asked if we had church bells and I said ‘yes we have a church bell’!’

Due to a technical difficulty, Yates had to pull out a cowbell to complete the bell ringing, but she was ready. As Yates rang the bell 16 times to recognize 16 states that either have a full or partial ban on abortion, she was joined by members from several churches across the county that included First Baptist Church Bolivar, Dixie Hill Baptist Church, Parran’s Chapel Baptist Church, and St. Mary Catholic Church.

“It’s a huge gift from God that we have elected officials who have courage,” said Pat Pope, a parishioner of St. Mary Catholic Church and Birth Choice volunteer. “In Tennessee, we have legislators and our governor who is a strong prolife advocate.”

“It’s an answer to prayer,” said Pastor Jimmy Garrett of Dixie Hills Baptist Church, a church well known in the county for placing crosses on its lawn to bring attention to the number of abortions that occur in Tennessee each year. “The crosses were designed to remind the Christians (us) there are thousands of abortions occurring in Tennessee. I think at the time, the average Christian wasn’t aware of how pervasive abortion had become. We started putting out about 3500 crosses to represent the 3,500 abortions in the State of Tennessee. It was a reminder to us of the reality and tragedy of abortion because you can’t feel that and see that. When you see the crosses, it makes you realize it.”

Tennessee is the eleventh state to make changes to its law and fully ban abortion. It joins Arkansas (full ban), Florida (at 15-weeks, but being challenged), Georgia (at six-weeks, but being challenged), Idaho (full ban, but parts being blocked by court), Indiana (full ban effective September 15), Kentucky (full ban, but being challenged), Louisiana (full ban, but being challenged), Mississippi (full ban), Missouri (full ban), North Carolina (at 20-weeks), Ohio (around six-weeks), Oklahoma (full ban), South Dakota (full ban), Texas (full ban), and Wisconsin (being challenged), which have also seen changes or will this month.

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