What NPR Can't Handle
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 9:45AM 
Nancy Pearcey in Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, and Meaning
I was once invited to be a guest on a National Public Radio program in San Francisco. But before going on the air, the producer first wanted to know my stance on abortion. The accepted view, he commented, is that abortion is acceptable “until the fetus becomes a person.”
“That phrase carries enormous philosophical baggage,” I explained. “personhood theory assumes a fragmented view of human nature, which treats the body as expendable.” By contrast, “those who oppose abortion hold a holistic view of human nature as an integrated unity. They insist that the body has intrinsic, value and worth.”
The producer seemed surprised by this argument. I went on: “The pro-choice position is exclusive. It says that some people don’t measure up, don’t make the cut. They don’t qualify for the rights of personhood.” By contrast, “the pro-life position is inclusive. If you are a member of the human race, you’re ‘in.’ You have the dignity and status of a full member of the moral community.”
A few days later the producer contacted me to say the program had been canceled. It can be difficult for liberals to accept the dehumanizing implications of their views. I had used some of the most venerated liberal buzzwords (inclusive, holistic) to demonstrate that a biblical worldview actually fulfills the highest ideals of liberalism far better than any secular worldview.
Related recent posts found elsewhere:
- Jesus Loves the Little Children (Kevin DeYoung)
Christians have always opposed killing children, whether infants outside the womb or infants inside the womb. The two were one and the same crime. “You shall not abort a child or commit infanticide,” commanded The Didache, a late first century church constitution of sorts. Despite the muddled arguments of denominational study groups (whose obfuscation with language is positively Orwellian), opposition to abortion and infanticide is not simply one position for Christians, it is the Christian position.
- What About the Twins? The Deadly Logic of Abortion (Albert Mohler)
The Christian revulsion over abortion and the destruction of human life is based in the knowledge that God is the Author of all life and of every life, without exception. Abortion is the business of death, and it is the great wound that runs through the nation’s conscience. These shocking accounts [the Australian couple who aborted twin boys just because they wanted a baby girl, and the Pennsylvania doctor charged with murdering seven babies who were born alive] may sear their way into the nation’s collective conscience, but unless the basic logic of abortion rights is overturned, such accounts will erupt again and again.
- Update: Clarity Not Gadgetry: Pro-Life Apologetics for the Next Generation (Scott Klusendorf at The Gospel Coalition Blog)
Pro-life advocates contend that elective abortion unjustly takes the life of a defenseless human being. This simplifies the abortion controversy by focusing public attention on just one question: Is the unborn one of us? If so, killing him or her to benefit others is a serious moral wrong. Conversely, if the unborn are not human, elective abortion requires no more justification than having a tooth pulled.
- The $5 Friday specials from Ligonier Ministries include an eBook download of R. C. Sproul’s Abortion, and an audio and video download of his teaching series on abortion.
Reader Comments (4)
As Scott Klusendorf, Jojo Ruba and others have argued, "personhood" arguments are functionalist arguments: that is, what you can do (e.g. survive outside the womb, be self-aware) determines whether or not you are a person.
But as Lincoln once pointed out in his thoughts on slavery: if you subscribe to a functional view of personhood - how intelligent or strong you are, or what colour your skin is - then you're not going to have much of a leg to stand on when someone smarter, stronger or whiter comes along and wants to subjugate you.
But, as Pearcey correctly pointed out, human value is intrinsic, not extrinsic. It's based on what you are, not merely what you can do.
And of course, with functionalism, there's no agreed on (never mind objective) standard of what function it is that determines personhood. We could have it be ability to make money or artistic ability or whatever (in addition to your list), and it'd be just as logical as anything else...
Moreover, Jesus said in so many words that the measure of our love for Him would be measured by our love for children and love might certainly call me crazy when I dare say that God Our Heavenly Father LOVES every Good Cells that He created and His LOVE goes even further than that and He proved "IT" when He sent His Word "WHO" became "MAN" and when I go on to say that some of God's Angels missed hearing "IT" cause they blinked when He stopped "TIME" for a Moment and said that Enough was Enough and trust ME when I tell you "Snake" that Not "ONE" Bone you better brake of MY SON'S Flesh and I'll even put that in writing for you and your angels so none will ever forget "My Word"
Satan replies in so many words maybe in this way: Thank You Lord for taking time out to tell me that my children and their granchildren are wrong and I've been telling them this ever since YOUR SON tried to teach them to pray and some still consider His Prayer some kind of witchcraft. They listened with wide eyes and opened ears over two thousand years ago of YOUR TIME LORD while they had their fill but what I had done to their original parents was too great for me to undo and to be honest, back then, I thought that not even YOU Lord of Lord could help them and my alien gods of gods which I had created through Adam and Eve was too powerful so I thought after I made Kings and Queens out of them and gave them their own Staff which Your Angels called a "Spiritual sin Tax" and these human hate "IT" all UP so You see "LORD" that's why "IT" in Canada, Victor tells me that NOW, they plan to take out "The LORD's Prayer" out of parliament cause the alien gods are incharge as far as my children are concern and there's nothing I can do to stop them and they'll all make the same mistakes I made in the pass and I try to tell my children to stop "IT" NOW but what can I say when they tell me that I did "IT" my way and we want to be just like you. They say relax dad cause this "Jesus" was just a nice guy and He got lucky, lucky, lucky that's all and we won't make the same mistakes you made dad. My so called angels and followers could write countless books but the best I could get out of my children is a little smile cause they are not prepared to die an honest dead or as some of Your Prophets might call "IT" A Spiritual Diet" cause they won't and/or can't believe what Your Son told them in so many words that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, "IT" won't make "IT" to YOUR KINGDOM. True in a way and because of YOUR LOVE as of today but when YOUR SON comes back in a moment which could be before Victor finishes this or "IT" could be a "Zillion Year" from NOW and as some of my old good and bad colonel cells could tell them, survival of the fittest is not something any body should desire for Eternity without YOUR LOVE IN "IT:. I could convince Your Son Jesus, Victor, Lord and Redeemer to tell them this and because of YOUR LOVE, You might allow "IT" but I ask YOU Father what good would "IT" do except give some a good laugh. Most nowadays only have but "ONE" Blessed Cell in their heart that they've received when baptized so I'll just try to stop NOW and hope for the best but if YOU in YOUR Wisdom want my help with "IT" and I know You don't need "IT" and I pray that you don't ask for "IT" cause "AM" who I am and I can't help "IT" cause that's just the way "IT" is if you know what I mean? Cheap Talk! :)
God Bless Peace
Two thoughts - abortion stops a beating heart, although the way you've expressed it is far better than mine. My way is good for simple folks -smile-.
NPR can dish it out but they can't take it. One of my fondest things to do is listen to NPR knowing they will never, ever receive another dime out of me...not including, of course, the dimes the Federal Government squeezes.