When you take a stand for life, expect to be challenged. Questions will be raised that test your faith and pro-life beliefs. Part of our job at Life Issues Institute, is to provide resources that help you be equipped for these conversations. Recently, we received a question on our Facebook page from a woman named Renee. She wanted advice on how to respond to a confrontational question from an atheist friend who supports abortion. His comments were, “If you believe hell is real, how could abortion not be the most loving thing you could do for an unborn child? They get to go straight into heaven and into the arms of Jesus!”
This is meant to be a “gotcha” question. Pro-abortion activists don’t have facts to support their position, so they attempt to redirect the debate and back you into a corner. They want you to be caught off guard with no response. On the surface, it seems to be a clever ploy. However, it cannot stand because it’s rooted in false and immoral reasoning.
To counter such an argument, we must rely on life-affirming facts. Here are some basic principles to keep in mind.
Life Has Intrinsic Purpose and Value.
We believe that all life has meaning and significance. Most people recognize there’s potential in each person that should extend to both the born and unborn. Life shouldn’t be devalued by age, position or ability. To suggest aborting a baby at any stage of pregnancy undermines our purpose here on earth. We don’t exist for merely selfish motivation, but instead to be relational, in community with one another. We learn, grow, love and have relationships with each other. We weren’t created to exist only in heaven. God has a purpose and reason for our lives. The question of existence also extends to those who don’t believe in God. Why are human beings here if not to sustain life? Writer, Calvin Freiburger, poses an interesting statement to pro-abortion atheists, “If heaven isn’t real; if there’s nothing to our existence beyond this planet, then abortion robs from a child everything he or she is, has ever had, will have and will be.”
God is the Author and Creator of All Life
If you’re in a discussion regarding heaven, it means there’s usually an acknowledgement of God. The Bible addresses the sanctity of life in numerous passages. Often quoted is Jeremiah 1:5, which states, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” That means God had a plan for us, not just before we were born, but before we were even conceived. Man was created in the image of God and Satan would like nothing more than to undermine God’s authority as Creator. Abortion is an atrocity that attacks the most vulnerable of humanity. It’s not our responsibility to decide when a life should end. Freiburger writes, “It puts Christians in the role of placing their judgment about these matters above God’s.” God has commanded, “Thou shalt not kill” and even secular society sees murder as unacceptable. Likewise, there’s no justification for the killing of an unborn child. Viciously dismembering them in the womb can never be considered a noble act.
Committing an Evil Never Results in Good
Pro-abortion activists try to rationalize their position by acting as if abortion saves these innocent children from a terrible fate. If that’s true, does the same policy extend to others who are already born? Author, Randy Alcorn, gives us this example, “Suppose I saw a three-year-old little girl about to fall off a cliff. If I save the child’s life, she will likely grow older and may not come to faith in Christ. But, if I let her die, [many believe] she goes to heaven. What should I do?” If we follow the pro-abortion logic, it would be better to let her die. But as anyone knows, we’ll fight to protect the child’s life, even if it means risking our own. There’s an internal morality that guides us to safeguard life. Why would we see it any differently before birth? Death is never a way to solve a problem. Those who believe abortion can bring about good are deceived. This is certainly a case where the end doesn’t justify the means.
At times it’s daunting to try to dialogue with those who support abortion. Yet, we must remember those are the very hearts and minds that need to hear the truth the most. If there’s a question you’ve been asked and you’re not sure how to answer, I encourage you to email me and I’ll try to help you address it. Remember that we’re in this life-and-death battle together, so we must support and encourage one another.
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