How many times can a man turn his head, and pretend that he just
doesn't see? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer
is blowing in the wind ...
Bob Dylan, "Blowing in the Wind."
ABORTION!
The single act whereby a woman decisively turns her back upon that
quality that makes her totally unique in all of the world her ability to
become a mother.
The very word "abortion" conjures in one's mind,
unbidden, vivid and bloody pictures of cowardly and secretive murder. So
it is understandable that abortophiles refer to themselves as
"pro-choice" and attempt to label pro-life activists
"anti-choice."
The pro-abortionists want nothing to do with the word
"abortion." They want the public to forget the term entirely,
because they want to sanitize their image. They know that if our nation
forgets the word "abortion," it will also forget about
the killing that the word represents.
The Prevalent Anti-Life Mentality.
How do we account for the thousands here and the millions
nationwide who have gone to their little deaths, as if they never
were? And will they ever stop haunting us?
Editorial entitled "Abortion: Will It Haunt Us?"[1]
"Progress" Towards Mass Death.
American pro-abortionists are well on the way towards achieving their
ultimate goal of institutionalized and ingrained abortion on demand for
any reason whatever through all nine months of pregnancy.
They are 'progressing' towards this objective with the willing
complicity of a populace that has a pressing need to forget that a New
American Holocaust is happening in its very midst. The people of this
nation have been brainwashed to the point where they are offended and
even outraged by a photograph of an aborted baby but not by
the act of abortion itself!
And make no mistake our pagan nation most definitely has
bought into the anti-life mentality. It has purchased the entire gory
package for a very dear price.
Before Abortion ...
As evil an act as abortion is, it cannot stand alone. It must be
preceded by a widespread negative "societal attitude" towards
human fertility.
No nation has ever legalized abortion without first denigrating the
importance of motherhood and flooding its citizens with methods of
artificial contraception.
The 'birth control debate' raged white-hot thirty years ago, just as
the abortion issue does now, but it is currently a completely dead
issue, except in those rare instances when a new and possibly dangerous
method of birth control hits the market. Most Americans see nothing at
all wrong with using various birth control methods to sabotage their own
reproductive systems. There is only one branch of medicine devoted to
destroying the function of an organ system instead of healing it and
this practice is flourishing. Most American women have rendered
themselves temporarily or permanently sterile by artificial means, and
many will never know the joys and the trials of motherhood.
When these various contraceptive methods fail, the resulting gift
from God is looked upon not as a child, but as a "contraceptive
failure." So pro-abortionists acknowledge that the primary reason
they want abortion on demand is to act as a "backup for
contraceptive failures."
And After Abortion ...
A negative attitude towards motherhood precedes widespread
contraceptive use, and contraceptive use precedes abortion. The final
link in this deadly chain is the practice of infanticide and euthanasia,
which cannot be introduced without first institutionalizing abortion.
An estimated two to five thousand newborn babies are starved to death
in nurseries every year.
After all, what is the difference between killing a baby a few days
before birth and killing it a few days after birth? While these
little newborns suffer unspeakable agony, the euthanasiasts in our midst
are campaigning for nationalized health care and cost containment. And
we are lately casting a jaundiced eye at those elderly and sick people
who are a "burden to society."
Since abortion must precede euthanasia, the fight against the
slaughter of the preborn is also a fight against the killing of the born.
Pro-life (anti-abortion) activists know instinctively that they are also
helping to forestall the wave of euthanasia that even now threatens to
wash over us.
Smooth Progress to
Destruction.
The Beginning.
There can no longer be any doubt that, after 1,900 years of constant
and consistent teaching against it, the Anglican Church began our long
slide down the 'slippery slope' when it accepted artificial
contraception for "just the hard cases" in 1930, as described
in Chapter 42, "Church Positions on Abortion."
In just 60 short years, we have progressed steadily and inexorably
from birth control for "just the hard cases" to birth control
for any reason; from abortion for "just the hard cases" to
abortion for any reason; and from to euthanasia for "just the hard
cases" to euthanasia for a large number of exceptions.
The Solution.
Theologians and secular thinkers may agree on very little, but they do
concur that nothing is accomplished without action. It is up to
Christians to turn this country around; nobody else is going to
do it!
The only valid question remaining for any individual who values human
life is not "Should I get involved?," but "Where
should I get involved?"
There are many avenues of approach in the battle against abortion.
Some people work by striking at the very roots of abortion: The anti
life and contraceptive mentality, which strives to eliminate both
fertility and those children deemed inconvenient or "birth control
failures."
These pro-lifers work on the basics. They teach their children love
of life and of God's marvelous gift of fertility. They learn and teach
natural family planning (NFP) to other couples. They distribute pro-life
literature in high schools and oppose school-based clinics, secular sex
education programs, and condom distribution plans.
This battle against the prevalent destructive sexual attitudes in
this country is critical because it attacks the problem at its roots.
This is a fight that rarely sees the glare of media publicity.
Many pro-lifers address the other end of the spectrum: Euthanasia.
This field is still wide-open. Although the pro-euthanasia people are
well-organized, pro-life groups are still re-orienting themselves to
deal with this threat. Pro-lifers who oppose euthanasia expose
infanticide, work against the starvation of the helpless, and strive to
educate the public about the grave danger that 'death with dignity'
poses.
The euthanasiasts are progressing steadily through the same courts
that gave us abortion on demand. The euthanasia 'rights' movement is now
precisely where the abortion 'rights' movement was about 20 years ago.
It is currying favor with the media and testing the limits of the law,
all the time spewing rhetoric that is a haunting echo of the
pro-abortion doublespeak we know so well.
The euthanasia fight is still largely the domain of the experts, and
has not yet caught the full attention of the public.
The Current Focus.
As far as pro-life activism is concerned, abortion is 'where it's
at.' Abortion represents the significant and conscious point at which
the actual killing begins, that point at which activists clash, and
where the publicity, friction and heat are generated. Abortion
represents that unique junction on the personal, national, and
international slippery slopes where the grade turns from a shallow coast
forward to an almost uncontrollable plunge into the abyss. The practice
of widespread and permissive abortion means that both the individual
person and society have thrown off all pretense of humanity and belief
in God, and live for the simplest, easiest solution, whatever it may be
even if that solution involves actual killing.
Pro-lifers have been waiting for almost two decades for the abortion
battle to be returned to the states. Now that this is beginning to
happen, we have reason to celebrate. But the battle will be long and
savage, especially under a Clinton regime, and the only way to gain a
decisive victory is to convert the hearts and minds of the people of
America one by one.
Anyone can fight abortion.
Everyone has skills that are critically needed by the pro-life
Movement. The battle over abortion already is fully joined. There is
certainly no shortage of tasks that need to be accomplished.
All we need are people to accomplish them!
Resources. Chapter 20 of Volume I lists the names and addresses of
more than one hundred nationally-based pro-life activist organizations.
Between them, all of these groups cover every possible field of pro-life
action.
Chapters 22 and 23 of Volume I describe many excellent pro-life books
and periodicals that can inform the rookie or veteran activist on
virtually any aspect of pro-life activism.
Anyone considering joining the pro/anti-life battle is urged to
contact a national or local pro-life group and begin working in their
area of expertise and skill towards the goal of converting this country
back to its original Godly values.
Reference: Introduction to the Abortion Issue.
[1] "Abortion: Will It Haunt Us?" Peoria Journal Star
editorial. Also quoted in an article by the same name in the May 16,
1985 issue of National Right to Life News, page 2.
Further Reading:
Introduction to the Abortion Issue.
The best way to get a good view of the "big picture"
regarding the abortion issue is to read several primers. The following
books provide basic and generalized information that will be of use to
both beginning and veteran pro-life activists. Anyone who wants to
research a specific topic in greater depth should refer to the books
listed at the end of the appropriate chapter in this book.
Chapter 22 of Volume I includes a more comprehensive list of good
introductory-level pro-life books.
Randy Alcorn. Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments.
Multnomah Press, 10209 SE Division Street, Portland, Oregon 97226. 1992,
300 pages. A truly excellent book that covers all of the salient points
of rebuttal to 39 standard pro-abort slogans. There are five parts to
the book, by clusters of slogans: Arguments concerning life, humanity,
and personhood; arguments concerning rights and fairness; arguments
concerning social issues; arguments concerning health and safety;
arguments concerning the "hard cases;" and arguments against
the character of prolifers.
ALL About Issues.
This is a glossy, 60-page monthly pro-life magazine published by
Judie Brown's American Life League. It is an excellent compendium of
news briefs on pro-life activities (mainly pickets and rescues) all over
the country, and includes brief commentaries on various subjects,
including ALL's favorite target, Planned Parenthood. Subscriptions are
annual. For information, write to American Life League, Post Office Box
1350, Stafford, Virginia, 22555. Telephone: (703) 659-4171.
John Ankerberg and John Weldon. When Does Life Begin?: And 39
Other Tough Questions About Abortion.
Brentwood, Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt Publishers, 1989, 252
pages. This book is one of the best primers the pro life movement has,
because it contains everything that a new activist needs to know. It has
four logically laid-out sections: (1) the basic question on when human
life begins; (2) answering pro-abort slogans; (3) a Biblical and
theological analysis of abortion, and (4) what Christians and churches
can do to stop the American Holocaust.
Baruch Brody. Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life: A
Philosophical View.
Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. 1975, 162 pages. Mr. Brody was a pro-abortion activist who
began this book with the twin objectives of examining both pro-life and
"pro-choice" slogans for logic and valid assumptions. By the
time Mr. Brody had finished his book, he was pro-life. This should tell
you something. An excellent book for anyone who wants to be able to
refute pro-abortion slogans and catchwords effectively. The book is old
but still perfectly applicable, and demonstrates that mindless anti-life
trivia never changes.
Father James Tunstead Burtchaell (Editor). Abortion Parlay.
Andrews and McNeel, Inc, 1981. 352 pages. Reviewed by Effie A. Quay
on page 8 of the February 8, 1982 issue of National Right to Life
News. Proceedings of the abortion conference at Notre Dame
University in October 1979. This conference did not address the core
issues of abortion, but rather attempted to 'reconcile' opposing
viewpoints regarding ancillary topics.
Father James Tunstead Burtchaell. Rachel Weeping and Other
Essays on Abortion.
Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1981. 383 pages. Reviewed by
Dick Conklin on page 7 of the June 24, 1982 issue of National Right
to Life News. This comprehensive book covers numerous topics related
to abortion in compact, "bite-size" chunks that are ideal for
a reading program spread out, an hour at a time, over two or three
weeks.
Sidney and Daniel Callahan (editors). Abortion: Understanding
Differences.
Plenum Press, 233 Sprill Street, New York, New York 10013. 1984, 338
pages. This book consists of a series of essays on various aspects of
the abortion issue and a short rebuttal to each chapter written by a
person on the opposite side of the issue. Authors include Kristin Luker,
Mary Meehan, and Daniel and Sidney Callahan. Most of the chapters deal
with issues that are seldom addressed in the abortion debate: Abortion
and culture, abortion and its impacts on family and community, the role
of children, and the importance of values.
Martin Chervin. Born Unborn.
Order from Theater Without Walls, Post Office Box 661236, Los
Angeles, California 90066. A dramatic description of the horrors of
abortion from the points of view of the baby, the mother, and society.
Daughters of St. Paul. Pro-Life Catechism.
Order from Daughters of St. Paul, 50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston,
Massachusetts, 02130. 98 pages, 1986. Generally intended for Catholics,
but contains pertinent information for any Christian pro-life activist.
Arranged in a question and answer format on various life-related
subjects.
John Jefferson Davis. Abortion and the Christian: What Every
Believer Should Know.
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Box 817, Phillipsburg,
New Jersey 08865. 1984, 125 pages. This book answers the basic questions
of abortion for the Christian: When does life begin, what does Scripture
say about prenatal killing, if abortion is ever justified, the dangers
of abortion, and what the Christian can do about the current situation.
Donald DeMarco, Ph.D. Abortion in Perspective.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia
24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. An analysis of the empty philosophy
behind all of the pro abortion rhetoric. This book allows the activist
to understand where the pro-aborts are "coming from," and thus
allows a more effective and reasoned response.
Richard Exley. Abortion: Pro-Life By Conviction, Pro-Choice By
Default.
Honor Books, Post Office 55388, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74155. 1989, 114
pages. A good primer, very eloquently written on the foundations of the
abortion debate: Rights, the beginnings of life, child abuse, rape and
incest, post-abortion syndrome, the "coathanger myth," and
profiles of several pro life heroes.
Bernard J. Ficarra, M.D. Abortion Analyzed.
Old Town, Maine: Health Educators Publications. 1989, 226 pages.
Reviewed by William F. Colliton, Jr., M.D, on page 46 of the April 1990
issue of ALL About Issues. A very good primer on the basic
medical, legal, scientific, social, theological, political, and
bioethical aspects of abortion, with one serious flaw; the author opens
up the door to the use of abortifacients by equating the time of
ensoulment with implantation, not fertilization.
Stephen Freind. God's Children.
New York: Morrow, 1987. 538 pages. Reviewed by Diane Parente on page
9 of the July 2, 1987 National Right to Life News>. A
fascinating fiction novel written by a Pennsylvania legislator that
includes a detailed look at the theory and practice of the abortion
issue from the pro-life activist's view and from the standpoint of a
pro-life legislator who must labor under many restraints.
Richard L. Ganz (editor). Thou Shalt Not Kill: The Christian
Case Against Abortion.
New York: Arlington House Publishers. 1978, 200 pages. Seven
distinguished pro-life authors, including Surgeon General C. Everett
Koop, Susan Foh, and Harold O.J. Brown, examine the various fundamental
aspects of abortion: Medical, psychological, Biblical, historical,
legal, moral, and with regards to women's liberation. A good primer in
the fundamental issues.
Ian Gentles (editor). A Time to Choose Life: Women, Abortion
and Human Rights.
Stoddart Publishing Company Limited, 34 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Canada
M3B 2T6. 1990, 255 pages. This book consists of a series of articles by
various authors grouped into three general divisions, which address the
abortion situation in Canada, where the preborn enjoy even less
protection than they do in the United States. These sections are:
"Philosophy, Feminism, and Politics;" "The Medical and
Social Consequences of Abortion;" and "Parliament, the Courts,
and the Unborn Child." Authors include Ian Gentles, Denyse O'Leary,
George Grant, and Heather Morris.
John L. Grady, M.D. Abortion: Yes or No?
Paperback. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton,
Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. This short book, which has
sold almost two million copies, gives a short and straightforward
summary of the case against abortion. Ideal for discussion with an
open-minded pro-abort (if such exists).
Greenhaven Press. Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints.
Greenhaven Press Opposing Viewpoints Series, Post Office Box 289009, San
Diego, California 92128-9009. 1986, 214 pages. Reviewed by John P.
Murray on page 11 of the November 6, 1986 National Right to Life News.
Very readable collection of essays on the fundamental issues surrounding
abortion. Excellent for preparation by pro-life debaters. The questions
asked are: "When Does Life Begin?;" Should Abortion Remain a
Personal Choice?;" "Is Abortion Immoral?;" "Can
Abortion Be Justified?;" "Should Abortion Remain Legal?:"
and "Are Extremist Tactics Justified in the Abortion Debate?"
Authors include Joe Scheidler, Kristin Luker, Cardinal John O'Connor,
and Melinda Delahoyde. A catalog is available from the above address and
can be obtained by calling 1-(800) 231-5163.
Jeff Lane Hansley (editor). The Zero People: Essays on Life.
Servant Books, 1983. 310 pages. Reviewed by Douglas Johnson on page
9 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News.
An anthology of 26 essays on the life issues, most of which are
extracted from the Human Life Review. This book is useful to all
pro-life activists, no matter what their experience level, because the
accomplished writers bring together all of the life issues, explain
them, and show how they are inextricably intertwined.
Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D., and Dennis J. Horan, editors. Abortion
and Social Justice.
1973. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia
24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. This book covers the general medical,
legal and social aspects of the abortion holocaust, and is also a good
'primer' for the beginning pro-life activist or a memory refresher for
the veteran.
Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D., Dennis J. Horan, and David Mall
(editors). New Perspectives on Human Abortion.
Frederick, Maryland: Aletheia Books, University Publications of
America, 1981. A superb compilation of essays by the most experienced
pro-lifers in the land, dealing with virtually all of the basic issues
involved in taking human life. An excellent primer for any pro-life
activist. Articles include "Abortion Related Maternal Mortality: An
In-Depth Analysis," on pages 69 to 91, and "An Objective Model
for Estimating Criminal Abortions and its Implications for Public
Policy," on pages 164 to 181.
Human Life International Reports.
These monthly reports give details on the progress of the
international pro-life movement in many countries and the status of
pro-homosexual and pro-abortion infiltration of domestic and foreign
Catholic churches. Less detailed coverage of a broader range of topics
is given in HLI's monthly Special Reports. To subscribe, write to Human
Life International, 7845-E Airpark Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879,
or call (301) 670-7884. HLI's FAX number is (301) 869-7363.
Human Life Issues.
The Human Life Center, directed by Mike and Rita Marker, is an
educational resource center with an extensive and up-to-date library of
research materials and "Life Issue Files" drawn from various
publications all over the world. HLC publishes a quarterly newsletter
entitled Human Life Issues. The address of HLC is; Human Life
Center, University of Steubenville, Steubenville, Ohio 43952. Telephone:
(614) 282-9953.
The Human Life Review.
This is a superbly presented scholarly journal modeled after the
most distinguished psychobiology periodicals, and is published by the
Human Life Foundation. It is mailed quarterly, and contains about 150
pages of essays by the best-known pro-life authors in the world,
primarily on the legal and sociological aspects of abortion and its
loathsome offspring, infanticide and euthanasia. One of the favorite
topics of the authors is the continued lack of decisive action by the
Catholic Church and other institutions. This excellent chronicle of the
American Holocaust and its many effects is must reading for the serious
pro-life activist. The nation's top conservative writers examine the
anti life philosophy in clinical and brilliant detail with their
scholarly and insightful articles. Most back issues are available.
Subscriptions are annual, and back issues, both bound and unbound, are
available from: Editorial Office, 150 East 35th Street, Room 840, New
York, New York 10016. Telephone: (212) 685-5210, FAX: (212) 696-0309.
Robert E. and Mary Rosera Joyce. Let Us Be Born.
Franciscan Herald Books, 1434 West 51st Street, Chicago, Illinois
60609. 1970, 98 pages. Although this book is twenty years old, it proves
once again that the basics of the abortion issue never really change.
The book could have been published yesterday. It is an easy-reading
primer on the general arguments on both sides of the issue during the
pre-Roe era. These arguments must inevitably remain the same in
the post-Roe era.
Eike-Henner W. Kluge. The Practice of Death.
London: Yale University Press. 1975, 250 pages. The author ties
together in a general manner the philosophy and tactics of all of the
pro-death movements: Abortion, infanticide, suicide, euthanasia, and 'senicide.'
Although the book is nearly twenty years old, it is still relevant
today.
James W. Knight and Joan C. Callahan. Preventing Birth:
Contemporary Methods and Related Moral Controversies.
University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1989. 350 pages.
This book pretty thoroughly covers the history, politics, and types of
birth control, some information on human reproductive anatomy and how
the birth control methods work, techniques of abortion and types and
modes of action of various abortifacients, and a short section on the
various issues related to abortion. This is a book that takes the widest
possible view of the abortion debate, sweeping in almost every
tangential issue, and is recommended for those who would like to pursue
the connections between abortion and artificial contraception further.
C. Everett Koop, M.D., and Timothy Johnson, M.D. Let's Talk: An
Honest Conversation on Critical Issues.
Zondervan Press, 1992, 144 pages. Reviewed by William Griffin on page 8
of the November 8, 1992 issue of Catholic Twin Circle. A former
Surgeon General of the United States and ABC-TV's medical editor discuss
the critical issues of abortion, euthanasia, AIDS, and health care. Both
writers are Christians who disagree on some of the issues, and this
book, which is a published version of their informal debates, helps
Christians examine some of the more arcane and complicated aspects of
the above issues.
Peter Kreeft. The Unaborted Socrates: A Dramatic Debate on the
Issues Surrounding Abortion.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia
24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. Reviewed by Richard Doerflinger on
page 5 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right to Life News.
This book shows that all arguments for and against abortion are reduced
to one primary position: That the unborn are or are not persons. It is
also a valuable debating tool in that it shows pro lifers how to master
the Socratic method of clarifying issues and their underlying themes
through logic and directed questioning.
Living World.
This quarterly magazine addresses most of the pro-life issues,
including school-based clinics, teen sexuality, medicine, brain death,
euthanasia, and other topics that affect the family. Order from
International Life Services, Inc., 2606 1/2 West 8th Street, Los
Angeles, California, 90057, telephone: (213) 382 2156. This organization
also publishes an annual Pro-Life Resource Manual that lists more
than 4,000 local and national pro-life groups.
David Mall. In Good Conscience: Abortion and Moral Theory.
Kairos Books, 1982. 166 pages, hardbound, paperback. Reviewed by Wanda
Franz, Ph.D., on page 20 of the January 6, 1983 issue of National
Right to Life News, and by Steven Baer on page 10 of the November
24, 1983 issue of the same publication. This excellent book demonstrates
the absolute correctness of the pro-life position and demonstrates the
destruction that must inevitable occur in a society preoccupied with
death.
David Mall and Walter F. Watts, M.D. (editors). The
Psychological Aspects of Abortion.
Sponsored by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stritch
School of Medicine, Loyola University. 1979: University Publications of
America, Inc, Washington, DC. 156 pages. Order from: Life Issues
Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898.
This collection of studies covers post-abortion psychosis, abortion and
the consequent abuse of siblings, the psychic causes of the abortion
mentality, and how abortion depersonalizes both the individual and
society in general. Written in layman's language, easily readable, and
filled with good and indisputable information.
James J. Mulligan. Choose Life.
The Pope John XXIII Medical-Moral Research & Education Center,
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184. 1991, 370 pages. This unusual book
consists of a series of short stories that describe in layman's terms
the philosophical debates surrounding bioethical issues of our time. The
stories do not focus as much on specific issues as they do on the
general concepts surrounding biomedical ethics. A good primer for those
researching and pondering general concepts regarding abortion and
euthanasia.
John T. Noonan, Jr. A Private Choice: Abortion in America.
New York: The Free Press, 1979. Reviewed by Joseph M. Boyle in the
Summer 1980 issue of the International Review of Natural Family
Planning, pages 173 to 175. This is perhaps the finest 'primer' book
on abortion that has ever been issued. It thoroughly and clearly covers
all of the basic arguments and aspects of the abortion debate in a
general manner, and could serve as a 'framework' for further study by
pro-life activists of any experience level.
Catherine and William Odell. The First Human Right: A Pro-Life
Primer.
1983, 92 pages. Order from Our Sunday Visitor, 200 Noll Plaza,
Huntington, Indiana 46750, telephone: 1-800-348-2440. Reviewed by Mary
Kay Culp on page 8 of the November 24, 1983 issue of National Right
to Life News.
President Ronald Reagan. Abortion and the Conscience of the
Nation.
Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 1984. Reviewed by
Chilton Williamson, Jr. on page 58 of the August 24, 1984 issue of National
Review. This is the first book written by a sitting President in
decades, but it was pointedly ignored by the media and by the major
publishing houses. It ranges over the generalities of abortion and
concludes with incisive afterwords by C. Everett Koop and Malcolm
Muggeridge.
Professor Charles E. Rice. 50 Questions on Abortion,
Euthanasia, and Related Issues.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia
24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898. This book examines the tactics and
approaches used by the pro-life movement to fight abortion and
euthanasia, and the various sources and causes of conflict between
individuals and organizations within the Movement. Every activist and
pro life group should use this book as an aid to examining their
attitudes toward the issues and toward their fellow activists.
Professor Charles E. Rice. No Exceptions: A Pro-Life Imperative.
Tyholland Press, Box 212, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556. 1990, 131 pages. A
truly outstanding examination of the basic pro-life moral arguments
against abortion. Pro-life direct and support activities are also
described in some detail. Recommended for all new pro-life activists,
and those veterans who want to redefine and sharpen their debating
skills.
Jan R. Schmidt (editor). To the Unborn With Love: Essays in
Honour of Daniel Ch Overduin.
Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, Australia. 1990, 166 pages.
Order from Lutherans for Life Treasurer, Mrs. I. Hinton, 4 Fisher Place,
West Lakes, South Australia 5021. A series of essays on the life issues
by some of the leading theologians and philosophers of the international
pro-life movement, including John Strelan, Anthony Fisher, Jean Garton,
William E. May, and Australian Senator Brian Harradine. Each of four
main sections includes from two to five essays. Sections include
Theological/ ethical; bioethical/biomedical/biolegal/biosocial;
philosophical/historical/political/educational and an international
Lutheran and Catholic perspective. Topics include euthanasia under the
Nazis and in the world today; pro-life Egyptian midwives; in-vitro
fertilization from a Christian perspective; and the early Church and
abortion.
Stephen Schwarz. The Moral Question of Abortion.
Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1990. Reviewed by Dr. William A.
Marra on page 53 of the Winter 1991 ALL About Issues. A searching
examination of the slogans posed by the pro-abortion movement. Highly
recommended.
R.C. Sproul. Abortion: A Rational Look At An Emotional Issue.
A tutorial class on the basic issues surrounding abortion. Order the
video series, the audio series, the paperback book and additional study
guides from Ligonier Ministries, Post Office Box 7500, Orlando, Florida
32854. Order by telephone at 1-800-435 4343.
Father Rosario Thomas. The Philosophy of Life: The Pope and the
Right to Life.
Pro Fratribus Press, Post Office Box 223, Warren, New Hampshire
03279. 1989, 278 pages. Despite the title, this neat little book will be
of great interest to all Christians. There are topics covered in this
primer that are found in few other similar works: The media and
abortion, the basic philosophy and theology of life, women and
motherhood, natural family planning (NFP), euthanasia, and abortion and
peace. All of these are logically covered and well-presented, but the
reading can get a little 'thick' sometimes. Definitely a book that even
an experienced activist will find challenging.
Michael Tooley. Abortion and Infanticide.
Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford, England OX2 6DP.
1983, 440 pages. A very detailed and deep examination of the more obtuse
and exotic moral aspects of infanticide, abortion, and the many
connections between the two. Recommended for those people who have been
in the pro-life movement for some time and who want a really good look
at the foundation of ethics and morals of the pro-life and anti-life
philosophies.
Lori Van Winden. The Case Against Abortion.
144 pages. Order from Liguori Publications, One Liguori Drive,
Liguori, Missouri 63057-9999, telephone: (314) 464-2500. Reviewed in the
National Right to Life News, January 22, 1989, page 19. Outlines
in detail pro-life rebuttals to the twelve most popular pro-abortion
slogans and shows how they are flawed in logic, scientific fact, and
morality. Includes a pro-life primer on the basics of abortion: fetal
development, abortion techniques, and their subsequent harmful physical
and emotional effects.
Robert M. Veatch. A Theory of Medical Ethics.
New York: Basic Books, 1981. 387 pages. Reviewed by Joseph M. Boyle,
Jr., on page 19 of the January 6, 1983 issue of National Right to
Life News. The author attempts to construct a parallel pro-life
framework of medical ethics.
Lynn D. Wardle and Mary Anne Wood. A Lawyer Looks At Abortion.
Brigham Young University Press, 1981. 209 pages Reviewed by Gorver
Rees III on pages 9 and 11 of the June 10, 1982 issue of National
Right to Life News. All aspects of the abortion controversy
thoroughly and lucidly explained.
Fredric Wertham, M.D. A Sign for Cain: An Exploration of Human
Violence.
Macmillan Company, 866 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022. 1973,
375 pages. Although it does not directly address abortion, this
excellent book explores the roots, motivations, and expressions of human
violence against other humans. Additionally, Dr. Wertham looks at the
mechanics of violence in all of its forms. Abortion and euthanasia fit
nicely into this picture.
K.D. Whitehead. Respectable Killing: The New Abortion
Imperative.
1972, 294 pages. Order from Catholics United for the Faith, 222
North Avenue, New Rochelle, New York 10801. Such is the abortion issue
that the central arguments never change. This book examines the central
themes of both sides in a readable manner.
Dr. and Mrs. John C. Willke. Abortion: Questions and Answers.
1990, 315 pages. This book costs about three dollars and can be
obtained from most Right to Life chapters or from the Right to Life
Educational Foundation or from the Hayes Publishing Company, 6304
Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224. Telephone: (513) 681-7559. It
is a complete generally-circulated, well-documented compendium of
abortion statistics and history ever written, and is an invaluable tool
for debaters. It is also available in Spanish (MANUAL Sobre el ABORTO).
Ellen Wilson. An Even Dozen.
New York: Human Life Press, 1982. 181 pages. Reviewed by Nancy
Koster on page 8 of the December 9, 1982 National Right to Life News.
A series of lucid and informative essays on the primary issues of our
time, including homosexuality, abortion, and the separation of Church
and state. These essays by Wilson help to tie all of the anti-life
movements together, a critical aspect of the struggle that all pro-life
activists must understand.
Curt Young. The Least of These: What Everyone Should Know About
Abortion.
Chicago: Moody Press, 1984. 225 pages. A good basic primer on the
history and origins of the pro-abortion movement, the philosophy of the
pro-life movement, and methods of abortion, among other important
topics.
© American Life League BBS —
1-703-659-7111
This is a chapter of the Pro-Life
Activist's Encyclopedia, published by American Life League.
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