Outside of church, most people I know are “Pro-Choice” and, because I’m pretty left on most issues, they simply assume that I am too. My church teaches that life begins at conception and, as I am very earnest about my faith and my duty to God, I accept this teaching. Now, as I am a good citizen I am interested in politics and, as I am intellectually honest, I will listen to all sides of an issue with an open mind. In the spirit of being helpful, and in furthering better political debate, I’m going to offer Pro-Aborts a little advice on how to try to change people’s minds on this issue.
1] Until You Prove Otherwise, The Issue Is Murder.
Just saying, “I don’t think a blob of tissue is a person” doesn’t really do much to change my mind. Go on, make a case here. Draw the line in the sand and defend it. When does life begin? Give me some reasons. You just might be able to defend the notion that life begins at quickening, why don’t you try? But just pretending that the things pregnant women carry around in their bellies aren’t babies isn’t really an argument.
2] The Issue Isn’t Choice As Long As It Is Murder.
Frequently, I hear pro-aborts say things like: “If you’re against abortion, then don’t have one,” or “I trust women to make their own choices about abortion.” Let’s just go back to the idea (still not dis-proven) that abortion is murder and look at those statements again:
— “If you’re against murder, then don’t kill anyone.”
— “I trust women to make their own choices about murder.”
Plainly, these statements are beyond nonsensical and well into being idiotic. I think murder should be illegal, not because I don’t wish to commit it (I do, send for my proposed “hit list”), but because I do not wish to see myself nor my family murdered. Similarly, I don’t trust anyone to “make their own choices” about murder.
3] The Responsibility For All Of Those “Unwanted” Babies Belongs To Their Parents, Not To Society, Nor To Pro-lifers Personally.
Many is the time that I have heard pro-aborts say “Well, if those anti-choice people are so concerned about all of those babies, then why don’t they adopt them,” and the answer is, they do. I personally know a family of seventeen, most of them adopted, three of them adoptees with Down’s Syndrome. Go to my parish and it’s not hard to spot a few of these families, because they are the ones with black and white children sitting together in the pews. Furthermore, these are couples adopting American babies (with all of their problems of crack addiction, low birth weight, and pre-natal neglect), unlike the Yuppies who go overseas to get a “healthy baby.”
Secondly, linking “support for single moms” to abortion is a red herring. The idea that people should take care of themselves and the “problems” they have made for themselves without expecting government assistance is a perfectly defensible moral position. Everyone knows where babies come from, everyone knows how to avoid having them, and there’s no hypocrisy in saying that murder is not a legitimate way of avoiding parental responsibility.
4] There Is No Equating Abortion With The Death Penalty.
“If these anti-choice people are so ‘pro-life,’ then why do they favor the death penalty; isn’t that killing too?” Well — maybe because murderers are guilty and babies are innocent? Is it really that tough to see the difference? I don’t favor the death penalty, but I have no trouble seeing this distinction. Furthermore, I challenge anyone to come up with a plausible moral justification for a system that protects the guilty and slaughters the innocent.
5] Abortion Is A Woman’s Issue And Men Shouldn’t Have Any Say In It.
Kind of like saying spousal abuse is a man’s issue, isn’t it? I mean — shouldn’t we trust men to make their own choices about beating their wives? If you’re against spousal abuse, then don’t do it.
Or is injustice a human issue?
6] You Can Be A Good Catholic And Be “Pro-Choice.”
Saying “I know plenty of good Catholics who are pro-choice” is about on par with saying “I know plenty of good vegetarians who eat steak.” Church teaching is very clear on this and, once you deviate you have ceased to be Catholic. (Sorry.)
7] Religion Should Be Kept Out Of Politics.
Agreed! The purpose of government is to maintain public order by regulation of conduct, not thought or belief.
The nature of the Trinity, the matter of the Real Presence, or the validity of Apostolic Succession are religious questions that are rightly left to the individual conscience.
Murder, however, is a matter of conduct and thus well within the purview of government.
So — there you have it! Just change my mind on abortion being murder and then we can talk about all that other stuff.
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4 comments:
I have no arguments, but an added weird question that has come up.
Another cancer patient I know spent 8 weeks before starting chemotherapy to "harvest eggs" with her husband and cryo-whatever with them. Because I work with her husband and it was widely known, several people asked me if I did the same thing.
I said, "no - I don't believe in purposely making babies that might never be born." Out of respect for the other patient, I did not voice my opinion of how selfish and wrong I think this practice is, no matter what the extenuating circumstances surrounding it, or how I think of it as leasing abortions. - Maggie Lee
One of the potential risks of my treatment is early menopause. While that terrifies me, my husband and I made our first decision about my treatment by agreeing that whatever happens, happens, and we would leave our fertility in God's hands. It was an incredibly easy decision for us.
Good points, all.
Along these lines, I'd also recommend an article called "The 5 Minute Pro-Lifer" by Scott Klusendorf, who is probably the most cogent pro-life speaker I've heard. (Incidentally, Scott used to help run Van Halen's fan club!)
I like the advice, but as a pro-choice person, I think it is a blind alley.
It could be something I would explore to a greater extent if there were any urgency, but I believe attrition and demographic change are going to end the debate sooner than later, and once the GOP sees no profit in using the freedom as a wedge issue, it will stop having any political power, just as they have basically already surrendered on gay marriage. Some Christians are still mad about it, and they will likely die mad about it, but that is just wasted energy going forward. All we have to do is wait for pro-lifers to exit the stage without being replaced by younger people.
A lot has changed since I left that last comment, but I think my view is being proven to be correct for the most part. That point where the will to oppose abortion loses critical mass is upon us, and the GOP is on the cusp of chewing their arms off to be free of pro-lifers.
The string of pro-choice election wins are numerous, and more are added every time the people get a say. I did consider some of what I said to be settled, and clearly it is not, but it seems more like a death rattle than a turning of the tide. Phyrric judicial victories have proven there was no will to provide actual help to people in need, and I believe that is what will codify the rights spelled out in Roe as Federal law possibly by 2025
As I said "All we have to do is wait for pro-lifers to exit the stage without being replaced by younger people". A lot of those people have left the stage in the last year and a half, and millions of pro-choicers have turned 18 in the same timeframe. This is almost over.
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