Day Nine - Pro-Life Apologetics (Part 2)

Today's Reflection

by Grace Chaffins

Yesterday, we discussed how to direct conversations on the right track. Today, let's turn our attention to actually proving the unborn are living. Although this sounds like a concept that would be difficult - if not impossible - to prove it simply is easy to demonstrate.

The pro-life organization Justice for All (JFA) uses what they call the "10-second pro-life apologist". Their response is as follows:

If the unborn is growing, it must be alive.
If it has human parents, it must be human.
And living humans, or human beings like you and me, are valuable, aren't they?

Let's break each of these sentences down so we can gain a better understanding of what this means!

Are the unborn alive?

We can know with certainty that the unborn are alive through scientific means. It is a fact that an unborn child meets all the criteria for living beings. For one thing, the child grows through cellular reproduction. If the organism is growing on its own, it must be alive.

An unborn child's body is far different from merely being cells. Even the male and female reproductive cells, sperm and egg, are incapable of cellular reproduction. No matter how long you leave them isolated, they will never grow. Our own skin cells will never grow, no matter how long you leave them. This must mean that an unborn child is far more than "a clump of cells." This is an organism that is growing itself, and must therefore be alive.

Are the unborn human?

This point is even simpler to prove. We can demonstrate its truthfulness by using examples. The offspring of two dogs will be another dog. It is impossible for it to be a cat, a bird, a human, or anything other than a dog.

Using this reasoning, mustn't the offspring of two humans also be human? We also know that unborn babies have unique human genetic material, making it a unique human being.

Now that we have proven that the unborn are both human and alive, what follows? Humans that are alive, like you and I, have intrinsic value and a right to life. Most agree that murdering another human being is wrong. Why then, would abortion - which ends the life of one of these humans - be acceptable?

The answer should be clear: abortion is not acceptable.

There are many other arguments that pro-choice people can bring to the table. For example, many will argue that a woman's bodily autonomy trumps the right of the unborn baby to be brought into the world. Others will argue for tough cases, like rape. Still others will discuss "human beings" in the philosophical sense rather than the biological sense outlined above, or will define humanity in a different way. All these arguments are ones that we should be equipped to respond to. This Lent, I encourage each of you to continue your exploration into the topic of pro-life apologetics so that we may truly be able to defend the unborn with both logic and love!

Prayer to End Abortion

Mother Mary, as you carried your Divine Child in your womb you rejoiced and glorified the Lord.

Touch with pity the hearts of those women pregnant in our world today who think of murder, not motherhood. Help them to see that the child they carry is made in God's image–as well as theirs–made for eternal life. Dispel their fear and selfishness and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies and give them birth and all the needed care that a mother alone can give.

Inspire all of us to support and nurture a Culture of Life–a culture in which no man or woman would even consider ending the life of a child yet unborn.

Mary, Mother of Christ, show us all, one day, the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Amen

Prayer from Catholic Exchange