I get frequent (seems like daily) emails from pro-life
activist Randall Terry. The latest
shared a link to a video where he shows many of the pro-life ads that
have run during various political campaigns over the years, including some that
aired during Super Bowls in several cities.
Most of the ads displayed graphic photos of aborted babies. They are shocking and meant to be so. Several targeted Barrack Obama during his
presidential run, calling him a baby murderer and accusing all those who voted
for him of having blood on their hands. He doesn’t mince words. The language is direct and the images graphic.
Most recently, Terry was in the news for protesting at a
rally for a current presidential candidate who happens to be homosexual. Terry himself had a strained relationship
with an adopted homosexual son who was killed in a car accident several years
ago. While I respect him for his
convictions, I question effectiveness of his methods.
Of the political pro-life ads I watched, I don’t believe any
of the candidates were victorious. I
know Obama still won the presidential election, and the other candidates were
not familiar to me. While the horrors of
abortion cannot be downplayed, I wonder if these in your face approaches may only
serve to anger and embolden those on the other side. The same goes for disruptive protests at
campaign rallies. The best time to
reason with people is not when they are emotionally charged.
So, what is the answer?
We can’t remain silent, of course.
We Catholics could stop legal abortion if we all voted in accordance
with our faith. There is nothing wrong
with Randall Terry’s message per se, just the manner in which it is perceived. The reproductive rights crowd will write him
off as an anti-woman adversary. While a
few may be shocked to their senses, most will not be swayed by bloody photos
and harsh rhetoric.
Women themselves hold the key to ending abortion. The pro-life message can be a tough sell
coming from a man, especially when the man is loud and confrontational. Instead, we must try to understand the
predicament a woman or young girl finds herself in with an unplanned
pregnancy. At the same time, she needs
to understand that a new life has been created and deserves protection.
Catholic Answers Live radio often does shows where the
listeners are asked, “Why are you pro-choice?”
Trent Horn is usually the guest who very charitably and calmly presents
the Catholic pro-life point of view. He
has written several books on the topic including “Persuasive Pro-Life.” Rather than attacking the pro-choice callers,
he challenges them by asking questions that cause them to rethink their
position.
Often the calls revolve around when human life actually
begins or at what stage of development does the embryo become a human
being. Trent always presents a good
philosophical argument for the callers, but there is one scientific argument
that has always been convincing to me. I
read it in a 1999 article titled “When do human beings (normally) begin” by
Dianne N. Irving.
I won’t go into detail here, but rather
link to the article so you can read it yourself. Basically, Dr. Irving explains what takes
place in the characteristic number of chromosomes at fertilization that defines
a human being. If you don’t think that little embryo is a human being, please
give the article a read!
