Is It Morally Right to Impose My Pro-life Convictions on Others?
A Double Standard
A lot of people say things like they personally oppose abortion, but they wouldn’t want to impose their morals on others. Now, imagine how silly it would sound if I said to you, “I personally oppose slavery, but if you want to own a slave, we shouldn’t legislate against slavery,” or “I personally oppose spousal abuse, but if you want to do it, I don’t think the law should stop you from doing it.”
Right away you would think there’s something wrong with your moral compass. Slavery and spousal abuse are not matters of personal preference, like choosing chocolate ice cream over vanilla. And people right away recognize objective moral truths when we’re talking about slavery or talking about, for example, torturing toddlers for fun, or spousal abuse.
But when it comes to abortion, they automatically think, Oh, that’s just a personal issue.
The Case for Life
Scott Klusendorf
The pro-life message can compete in the marketplace of ideas, provided Christians properly understand and articulate that message. Featuring additional content, this second edition helps pro-life Christians make a persuasive case for the lives of the unborn.
You see this kind of thinking in bumper stickers that say things like, “Don’t like abortion? Don’t have one.” But it misses the point entirely. When the pro-lifer says abortion is wrong, he’s not talking about what he likes or prefers; he’s talking about what’s right or wrong regardless of preferences.
So what I will often do when people say to me, “I personally oppose abortion, but I want it to remain legal,” I’ll say, “Why do you personally oppose it?” And they’ll inevitably say, “Well, it kills a baby.” Again, if it doesn’t, why be opposed at all? And then very gently I’ll say, “So if I’m hearing you right, what you’re telling me is you personally oppose abortion because it kills a baby, but you want it to be legal to kill babies?”
Scott Klusendorf is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.
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