3 deceptive tactics employed by abortion advocates
In the early start of 2022, Gov. Phil Murphy from New Jersey signed a bill affirming abortion rights into law.
The new law (a scaled-back version of The Freedom Reproductive Choice Act) gives women access to more contraception, abortion services, and assistance to caring a pregnancy to term.
I watched the press conference held by Gov. Murphy and Planned Parenthood. And while watching, I detected three tactics strategically employed by abortion advocates that I want you to be aware of so you don’t get tripped up by them.
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First deceptive tactic: “All lives matter”
Gov. Murphy starts his press conference by acknowledging people who died of COVID. Good for Murphy to take a moment to extend his heartfelt sympathy to the many families who lost a loved one due to COVID.
However, while Murphy recognizes the tragic death of humans to COVID, why doesn’t he show that same regard for the unborn? The irony is that Murphy is about to sign into law the rights of women in New Jersey to have abortions — even to full term!
That’s the thing about abortion advocates. They have no problem acknowledging life outside of the womb — but will never admit the precious life inside the womb.
To avoid admitting the unborn are human, abortion advocates accuse pro-lifers of being the ones who don’t care about life. They argue that pro-lifers care only about ending safe and legal abortions and have little regard for refugees, the poor, and the incarcerated.
While caring for refugees, feeding the poor, and fighting for equal justice in our legal system are important issues, that’s not the topic in question. The immediate concern is protecting the life of an unborn baby who is about to be aborted.
It doesn’t follow that because pro-lifers defend the fundamental rights of the unborn means they don’t care about other segments of the population. There are many organizations that specialize in a particular group of people. Take, for example, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA). Would it be proper to assume that the people at the AFA who “provide support, services, and education to individuals, families, and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease” aren’t truly in the business of caring for people?
Of course not. The AFA was created to meet specific needs relating to a particular disease.
The same truth applies to pro-lifers.
Pro-lifers believe that it is morally wrong to take the life of an innocent human being. And that’s what abortion does. It is the unjust taking of innocent human life.
Now, abortion advocates can dodge and deny that abortion is the killing of a precious human life. Yet, according to the science of embryology, life begins at conception. Dr. Jerome Lejeune, nicknamed “The Father of Modern Genetics,” confirmed, “To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place, a new human has come into being is no longer a matter of taste or opinion… it is plain experimental evidence. Each individual has a very neat beginning, at conception.”
Therefore, it is pro-lifers who consistently uphold the intrinsic value of every human being and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. Not abortion advocates.
Second deceptive tactic: “Bodily autonomy is a fundamental right”
It’s important to point out that nowhere in The Freedom Reproductive Choice Act does it mention “abortion.”
The language abortion advocates use in place of “abortion” is “reproductive justice,” “reproductive healthcare,” and “reproductive freedom.” They also refer to abortion or “reproductive rights” as “life-saving healthcare.”
The International Encyclopedia of Public Health defines reproductive rights as “human rights intended to protect the inherent dignity of the individual.”
Several deceptive ploys are evident in the ‘bodily autonomy’ argument.
First, the renaming efforts commissioned by abortion advocates are misleading and a blatant attempt to conceal their real agenda. Changing the term “abortion” to sly-medical phraseology (for instance, “life-saving healthcare”) doesn’t make it any more safe or acceptable.
Second, how is it morally right for the bodily rights of the expected mother to override the rights of a human embryo that is a genetically distinct living human being? The fact of the matter is the ‘bodily autonomy’ argument gives the woman an unprecedented right to determine what life is and if it is worth living. Not only is that presumptuous. It is outright contemptuous and mocking of the life inside the womb. No human being (neither the expected mother, a doctor, or a politician) has the power to determine the nature of human life and its worth.
Third, just because an unborn baby doesn’t share the same traits as the expected mother — doesn’t mean she is more valuable than the unborn baby. If abortion advocates want to apply that reasoning to the unborn, it must be applied to every other human person. In other words, people of higher intelligence, skill, and abilities would be of greater value than those with less intelligence, skill, and abilities. But we know that is not the case. Our value as human beings isn’t tied to our physical development or performance.
Fourth, substituting “abortion” for “reproductive rights” doesn’t automatically certify it as a constitutional right, and therefore, a fundamental right. Nowhere in the Constitution does it mention “abortion” or “reproductive” anything as a human or natural right.
Many abortion-rights activists and legal scholars go so far as to admit that Roe was an overreach of the 14th amendment. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had this to say, “Roe, I believe, would have been more acceptable as a judicial decision if it had not gone beyond a ruling on the extreme statute before the court…Heavy-handed judicial intervention was difficult to justify and appears to have provoked, not resolved, conflict.”
Fifth, how is an abortion procedure considered “life-saving healthcare” if it places the mother’s life in jeopardy while deliberately taking the life of the unborn child?
Third deceptive tactic: “Abortion is a personal choice”
The last deceptive ploy I want to point out that Gov. Murphy leaned on to justify his pro-abortion stance (and this happens to be the most used argument made by abortion advocates) is that abortion is a personal choice — and as such, no person, creed, or religion has the power to overrule a woman’s right to an abortion.
Gov. Murphy, a professed-practicing Catholic, said in his press conference that it’s not been easy trying to reconcile his faith with abortion and being a governor. He expressed that he didn’t want to force his religious views on anyone and certainly doesn’t want to prevent a woman from having an abortion.
But then Murphy goes on to add that his faith has played an integral role in shaping his beliefs and values. And it was those same values that have helped him resolve that advancing a woman’s right to have an abortion is the greater good.
Forgive me for saying this, but Gov. Murphy is speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
But that’s what abortion advocates do. They contradict themselves all the time because their entire line of reasoning is built on moral relativism.
Gov. Murphy makes a moral judgment that he admits isn’t based on science, religion, or objective truth. He supports abortion because he personally believes a woman has a right to abort her unborn child.
That, my friends, is moral relativism.
Abortion isn’t right or wrong because someone says so.
As someone who is pro-life, I don’t oppose a woman’s right to have an abortion because I find it revolting. That’s simply a matter of personal preference. I oppose abortion because it violates moral principles. It is morally wrong to kill an innocent human being.
Therefore, when Gov. Murphy and abortion advocates like him say abortion is a “personal choice,” that’s not based on morality. That’s according to subjectivity.
So, don’t allow yourself to be subjected to this kind of nonsense pushed by abortion advocates.
I pray you will stand up and be a voice of reason to abortion advocates, and hopefully, lead the way to save more unborn babies. As it says in Psalm 127:3-5:
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Jason Jimenez is president of STAND STRONG Ministries, a faculty member at Summit Ministries, and the author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the Church. For more info, check out www.standstrongministries.org.
