Do you ever get tired of hearing Christian conservatives whine about how bad things are going? I do, too. (Do you ever get tired of people asking questions just so they can answer them for you? I do, too). We really are fighting an uphill battle in the culture wars. But in one area we are clearly winning, not whining. That is in the area of reducing abortion and fostering a respect for the unborn. I am convinced that we are winning for two reasons: First, we are starting to ask tough questions of those who would take innocent life in the name of “choice.” Second, we are weaving those questions together within the framework of a comprehensive Christian worldview.
Here are some good questions you might want to use in your next encounter with an abortion choice advocate. Even if your opponent does not give any answers you will probably make him rethink his position:
1. Some people have bumper stickers saying “Don’t like Abortion? Don’t Have One?" Does that sound like a well-reasoned argument?
2. Some people have proposed bumper stickers saying “Don’t like Slavery? Don’t Own One.” Does that sound like a well-reasoned argument?
3. By claiming that nothing is certain moral relativists often elevate their own desires and ego above absolute truth. Should civil libertarians be bothered by the fact that relativist arguments are frequently invoked in defense of abortion rights?
4. Absolute morality is best understood when something absolutely wrong is done to you. Does the fact that you could never experience abortion help explain your support of abortion rights?
5. If there are no absolute truths, are abortion rights absolute?
6. Even if cultures vary in terms of their beliefs about when life begins, does it follow that none is correct?
7. In defense of their unwillingness to debate abortion, many people, such as radio talk show host Neal Boortz, have stated that opinions on abortion are fixed. If such opinions are fixed, then why do polls show that pro-lifers now constitute a majority in America?
8. Is ultrasound technology helping people converge upon certain undeniable truths about the complexity and origins of life?
9. Do people, such as radio talk show host Neal Boortz, sometimes claim that things like sexual orientation (and abortion attitudes) are fixed merely to avoid having to debate these issues?
10. Is there such thing as a pro-choice gene?
11. My opposition to those who bomb abortion clinics is rooted in my religious views. Should I impose those views on others by supporting laws against bombing abortion clinics?
12. If the universe’s expansion had been too slow or too fast the result would have been elements either too light or too heavy to sustain life. Do you think there is a God who intended for life to be sustained on this planet?
13. Do you consider the fetus to be a life? If not, would you concede that it is at least intended to be a life?
14. Should we criminally prosecute women who drink and smoke during pregnancy?
15. Should the intention to abort a baby be allowed as a defense to the crime of smoking or drinking during pregnancy?
16. Imagine that a woman is headed to the hospital to have an abortion. Her car is hit by a man who ran a stop light in his car. Her offspring is killed. In most states, he can be charged with homicide. Does that make sense to you?
17. In the previous example, I forgot to add that the man who hit the woman headed to the hospital just happened to be her doctor – the one scheduled to perform the abortion. In most states, he can still be charged with homicide. Does that still make sense?
18. In 1961, there were 210,000 abortions performed in America. Within seven years of Roe v. Wade, there were 1.2 million abortions in America. Have we succeeded in making abortions safe, legal and, rare?
19. Do human beings have a right to commit murder in a safe way?
20. Should we legalize bank robbery to make it safer for bank robbers?
21. Radio talk show host Neal Boortz says that men should remain silent on abortion because they can never become pregnant. Should post-menopausal women be silent on the abortion issue simply because they cannot become pregnant?
22. People sometimes say that those unwilling to adopt must remain silent on the issue of abortion. Would it be fair for me to threaten to murder my toddler unless my neighbor agrees to adopt him?
23. When women say “My body, my choice” are they aware of the fact that the unborn baby already has its own DNA?
24. When a suspect’s DNA is found at a murder scene is it permissible to arrest his mother? Or has she been ruled out as the murderer because she has different DNA?
I want to close this column by thanking Scott Klusendorf for writing the book The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture. Scott has taught thousands of young people how to stand up for their beliefs. He has also taught them why they should stand up for their beliefs. This column would not have been possible without his guidance.