July, 2001
I was surprised and gratified to see
Ellen Goodman point out the strength of the Catholic Church’s pro-life
reasoning! (JW- 7/8) “…consistent, if
nothing else”, the position that life begins at conception is the only solid
ground for development of ethical argument in the various reproduction
technology debates. Goodman, of course,
succumbs to the illogic of equating clarity with simplistic reasoning,
simplicity with stupidity, and historical consistency with stuck-in-the-mud
obstruction of progress. What is truly simplistic is assuming complex issues to
be irresolvable, and pro-life people to be idiots.
Goodman is sure the existence of debate itself
proves that the embryo is not a person.
In her zeal for swaying public opinion, she has presented her foregone
conclusion as an absolute fact. It is interesting to note that the one
championing debate is the one running away from it. Truth has nothing to fear from public
debate. Only cowards benefit by muddying
the definitions of key terms, attacking the character of the opponent and
refusing to acknowledge any truths to be self-evident. Goodman sees argument
within the pro-life ranks as proof against the validity of its opposition to
abortion. It is, in fact, a tremendously positive exercise - strengthening the
intellectual underpinnings of
Just as on-lookers saw the demise of the early
Church in every argument among the Fathers and were surprised to find doctrines
thus debated only clarified and strengthened, abortion advocates now glorying
in debate among pro-lifers will be shocked to see anti-abortion solidarity
strengthened by the process. Soon enough, people who just hate the idea of
babies’ brains being suctioned away in partial birth abortions will also oppose
the killing of newly-conceived, handicapped and elderly citizens. Sorry, Ellen, but what is emerging as
pro-lifers debate reproductive ethics is a stronger, clearer, more consistent
case for the protection of all human life.