Catholic Apologetics: Abortion Summary

1st Question: Is the unborn a human being?

• Most important question, because if so, “choice” is irrelevant b/c it would be like killing a toddler.
• Conversely, if the unborn are not human, elective abortion requires no more justification than having a tooth pulled.

Response: No. 

• Trot out the Toddler
• Scientific Case that unborn is human

Response: Yes.

2nd Question: Are all human beings valuable? 

Response 1: No. 

• S.L.E.D. Test

Response 2: Yes.

• Take the roof off
• Respond to violinist / bodily rights argument

Other discussions:

RAPE

1st approach:

1. I agree with you it would be horrible to be pregnant from rape.
2. Imagine though someone was raped a day after conceiving from consentual. What if at birth they discovered at birth it was the rapists baby.
3.  May she kill the born child now knowing that it was the rapists baby? Why can she kill the pre born child then?

2nd approach:

1. I think rape is a horrible thing. And the rapist who does it needs to do hard labour and go to prison. And I have to ask myself, is it fair to give the death penalty to the innocent child? —> use language to the advantage of truth (innocent child, death penalty)