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Christianity Today, February, 2008 |

Dismantling Roe

In Defending Life, philosopher Francis Beckwith argues with the sword tied behind his back.

Review by Douglas LeBlanc | posted 2/18/2008 08:56AM

Thirty-five years and 50 million abortions later, Roe v. Wade stands as a nearly sacred text for the sexual revolution. Just as Christianity has its apologists, so does Roe. Philosophers and ethicists ...

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John Funk

Posted: March 03, 2008 6:46 AM

Beckwith' Defending Life is a logical defense of pro life. But if logic could defeat satan he'd be long gone.!Co.8:1LeBlanc states, "the battle for hearts, may require tougher work."that's "FAITH working by LOVE - THE VICTORY'. "the battle for - hearts" is seldom won intelectually. "The challenge for" the church is faith to allow "(Jesus) to build (His) church, (instead of) making the word of God to no effect by (our) traditions. If a man loves (Jesus) he will keep (His) word", incl. (read all ch)Cor.14 .26, "How is it then brethern, when you come together everyone has a psalm has a doctrine etc. -" so Jesus can choose whoever, whenever to build his church. But tradition dictates that a little pope (daughter of "the mother of harlots" RC church Re 17) run the show while Jesus is told to sit and be quiet. The net result division, weakness, multitudes in hell, millions of babies aborted etc. We left "the simplicity that is in Christ". 2 Ch 7:14 says we are responsible. "If My people -"

Mozena

Posted: February 29, 2008 3:14 PM


How about a bumper sticker that says "Don't like abortion? Adopt a child!" Instead of harassing women who are going into abortion clinics for services, engage them kindly and offer to adopt their unborn children if they will carry to term. Then, follow through.

George T.

Posted: February 22, 2008 8:24 PM


It is heartening to read the latest statistics on the dramatic decrease(over 30%) in abortions in the past five years, in the USA. This article is a perfect complement to keep pushing the argument against Roe.

RJ Chavez

Posted: February 20, 2008 5:22 PM

Beckwith's reasoning is beyond sound, though a bit obtuse for some of us in the trenches. His thoughts, reasoned arguments, and format are all exceptional in this book in that he dismantles actual ARGUMENTS made by pro-abort followers rather than submitting a typed sermon for their review. The breathing room available for pro-abortion arguments is shrinking every day. Between the quirky, yet powerful dialogues and essays of Peter Kreeft and the thorough and comprehensive argumentation of Beckwith, the utter absurdity of abortion is plain to see. The key now lies in those on the front lines--may they take these arguments and integrate them powerfully yet compassionately to all they (we) encounter.

Renee W

Posted: February 20, 2008 7:00 AM

If nothing else we can now begin to see that science will finally lead us to quit using abortion. How sad that the Church of the last 35 plus years will someday be remmebered as we now think back on the Church in Germany before WWII and the Church in the US during hundreds of years of slavery. In the long run future generations will wonder about our commitment to the God we claim to serve. Does that bother anyone ?

John	Posted: February 19, 2008 7:51 PM

"Beckwith argues forcefully that pro-choice advocates who offer such suggestions are practicing a subtle and patronizing intolerance that expects pro-lifers to act as if their 'fundamental view of human life is false.'" What Beckwith and other pro-lifers need to come to terms with is the fact that many, if not most, Americans simply don't share their "fundamental view of human life." He may not like crass pro-choice bumper stickers (and I don't either), but many like me are tired of being told that a fetus is a full-blown human being. I simply don't agree, and I won't agree to any law that attempts to impose that viewpoint on me. Hence the critical question of CHOICE. Which brings me to my second point... Beckwith is guilty of patronizing pro-choice citizens by his own parody bumper sticker slogan: "Don't like murder? Don't have one." I don't see a big (or even minute) debate over whether a person with a birth certificate is a human being, so such a question is absurd.

Markus

Posted: February 19, 2008 6:49 PM

It pains me to see the results of Roe vs Wade, both for the murdered babies and for the parents. However, I believe it is unrealistic to expect it to be overturned. The pro-death activists will fight to the bitter end for it, and our culture in general accepts abortion as a given. The only chance to have Roe vs Wade overturned is to change the American culture. Personally, I don't think that's likely. The world will continue to behave like the world; we should not expect otherwise.

luther marvin walters

Posted: February 18, 2008 8:26 PM


roe will disapear upon the LORD'S coming i.e. 2nd coming.

Gene Maddox

Posted: February 18, 2008 8:16 PM

Regarding the thoughts of Sam D. I do not at all accept your premise that removing anti-abortions laws will not significantly reduce the number of abortions. However, even if you were correct, is not an important function of the law in a just society to declare that which the society values just or unjust? Even if a law is sometimes or often broken, that law still stands as a declaration and beacon of that which a society declares and believes to be right or wrong. Thus, those such as children and youth who look to societal laws both to protect and educate them are both protected and educated well. May I also suggest that a very strategic and major part of the "real battle ground," is to be found in any society whose laws value convenience as being more sacred than any and all human life.

Gene Maddox

Posted: February 18, 2008 8:16 PM

Sam D

Posted: February 18, 2008 4:27 PM

The troubling thing about anti-abortion laws is that they don't seem to prevent people from having abortions.* This implies that if we reversed Roe v Wade tomorrow we would not help save a single life. The solution must lie elsewhere. Children are enormously expensive, encouraging people to wait until they're 25-30 or so to have them. However our genes, our God given human nature, tells us that we're supposed to be having children when we're much younger. Many people are driven from God into misusing their sexuality during this gap. By the time they're older they have the habit of sinning and despise God's law. It seems to me that the real battleground is this culture that pushes so many into sin. Any anti-abortion law is at best a last line of defense. *http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/world/12abortion.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Matt	Posted: February 18, 2008 12:51 PM

The key to the pro-life cause is making these compelling arguments public. Profound arguments against both abortion and embryonic stem-cell research have been in ample supply, but the MONEY to launch an effective public awareness campaign has been lacking. That is, those with the means to do something about this have not. Missouri's recent embryonic stem cell Amendment battle is case in point. The Stowers Institute outspent pro-lifers by an overwhelming margin, and thereby effectively deceived Missourians into believing their false, deadly rhetoric. As superficial as this sounds, the solution to the abortion problem is MONEY, and a wholesale, strategic mass media blitz. Let's get Beckwith's arguments into the public eye. Otherwise, our efforts and so-called values are for naught.

Joe Grickis

Posted: February 18, 2008 12:47 PM

Unless the Church starts confronting sin and exposes the tragedy of abortion it will never be abolished. I was heavily involved in Operation Recue in California when it first started. OR did confront the tragedies of abortion but most churches did not. I remember convasing by phone the churches in the Orange/LA county areas for support against abortion. The majority would not support any action against abortion! About half of the country is Democrat, many Christians included, who have pro abortion as part of their platform. How could any REAL Christian support the slaughtering of inocent babies? Most would not let their dog be treated and tortured like a pre born baby is with an abortion. WAKE UP CHURCH "Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter......"

christine

Posted: February 18, 2008 10:15 AM


Oh Doug, Another book to read! Thanks.

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