Introduction to the Abortion Issue
ShareCHAPTER 30 — INTRODUCTION TO THE ABORTION ISSUE
American Life League
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.
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This is a chapter of the Pro-Life Activist's Encyclopedia, published by American Life League.
