Former NFL Star Benjamin Watson on Pro-Life Advocacy: ‘Voice for the Voiceless’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Former NFL tight end Benjamin Watson wants to be a “voice for the voiceless” through pro-life work and advocacy.
“As believers, we are called to be voices for the voiceless. And that manifests itself in a lot of different ways,” Watson told CBN’s Faithwire.
“Right now, is a very contentious time in America,” he added. “Right now, in this post-Roe era, there’s just so many narratives to combat and so many people that are trying to figure out what’s the best way to serve. So, it has been an honor and I believe a duty to speak into this topic.”
“I believe that the human person, starting from fertilization or conception to natural death, bears the image of God,” Watson said, according to News Nation. “I believe that every person has inherent value, whether they are liberal or conservative. Whether they come from any sort of ethnic background or any socio-economic status.”
“As people of faith, it’s imperative that we speak about certain issues because there are others who may feel the same way,” he continued. “But, because of their circumstances, their job, their family pressures, they feel silenced.”
Watson shared where Scripture specifically talks about the ability to disagree but still be at peace.
“When you read through Scripture and it talks about making every effort to keep the bonds of peace and it talks about, especially amongst the saints…even if we disagree on certain things, but having that certain level of respect,” Watson expressed. “It’s all rooted in the Imago Dei. It’s all rooted in human dignity and people having inherent value, even if they are heathens going a total opposite direction than we want to go; they still have value in the sight of God.”
In addition to becoming a pro-life advocate, Watson wrote a new book titled, “The New Fight For Life: Roe, Race, and a Pro-Life Commitment.”
“For over half a century, pro-life advocates have fought to protect the sanctity of human life. Now that the decision the pro-life community has been waiting and praying for has finally become a reality, a question remains: Now what?” a summary of the book reads.
The synopsis continues, “How do we continue to stand for life for everyone who bears the image of God—from womb to tomb? And if abortion disproportionately impacts the poor and the marginalized, specifically Black Americans, why should we seize this new opportunity to make right what has gone terribly wrong?”
Watson is vocal about pro-life issues on his social media.
He recently shared, “According to @humancoalition, 76% of abortion determined women would prefer to parent if their circumstances were different. Relationships, healthcare, housing, wages, access to child care all play a role. In post Roe America, what more is required of pro-lifers to serve this 76%?”
Movieguide® recently reported on Watson’s pro-life interview with FOX News:
“There is a narrative out there that men shouldn’t talk about this issue, and I always push back on that. It is imperative that men be involved in this conversation,” Watson began. “The challenge for men in general is that you have a voice on this issue, and it is necessary that we stand up not only for pre-born children but for mothers who are making these decisions.”
In addition to writing, Watson executive-produced and partially self-funded a film he believes America and the world need to see.
DIVIDED HEARTS OF AMERICA is a “film that is structured around a series of more than 30 interviews with Americans holding opinions from all over the political and social spectrum. Most notably, the film includes interviews with Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the presidential candidate and neurosurgeon Ben Carson,” The Watson Seven reported.
Watson’s goal for the movie is “… to unveil the truth about abortion, the laws, the history and where our country is headed. I believe in the sanctity of life, be it in the womb or on your deathbed. That’s my conviction. But with the film, I’ll engage those who disagree and hear their reasoning. The No. 1 thing I’m looking for is empathy on both sides.”
