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A review by trywii
ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments by Randy Alcorn
1.0
Now, my expectations were already low having seen the publishing date (2000). Much of the events and citations made are defunct or lead to dead ends when I try and look them up. It should also be said that much of the citations that *are* found either link to a religious website or directly back to this book.
The author really tries to hammer in how ‘logical’ and ‘reasonable’ his arguments are, but his arguments are often circular or even create contradictions within his own line of reasoning. Using the bible as a repeated ‘source’ for arguing against abortions is null when not everyone obeys that particular scripture. Here’s one example:
“Some people are quick to justify this [referencing frozen embryos having the same success rate as non-implanted embryos] on the basis that there is also a high rate of miscarriage in the natural reproductive process. But the difference is profound. What God does is up to Him, but we are not God.”
Using God as an argument that’s based on the statistics of miscarriages vs frozen embryo implants isn’t based on logic, it’s based on religion.
There’s also this bothersome repetition of calling in holocaust and nazi imagery which- sorry, should I have to break down why conflating women who get abortions with nazis who tortured prisoners shouldn’t be a thing?? Quick aside: the word ‘holocaust’ is mentioned nearly 40 times.
Another note is the egregious time it takes to actually start talking about the women and girls of which pregnancy/abortions affects the most. Up until that point, they are objectified, such as comparing pregnancy to that of parking a car in a garage or a bread being placed in a bread box…as if these inanimate objects with a neutral relationship are even remotely the same as being pregnant. Later, the author states “Comparing preborns and adults to acorns and oaks is dehumanizing and misleading.” which is a little ironic.
The book totes a tagline of “"Fifty Ways to Help Unborn Babies and Their Mothers"-- is worth the price of this book alone!”. However, I would firmly argue that only the first four bullet points are genuinely helpful to mothers, meanwhile the remaining 46 points are ALL about promoting anti-abortion, picketing outside clinics, and pushing against schools. NOTHING is said about promoting affordable healthcare for the disabled, raising awareness on STDs and how pregnancies work, making childcare accessible/affordable, advocating for disability awareness and accessibility in public spaces, teaching safe sex…Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No, all remaining points are focused on the political agenda of banning abortions.
Yeah, really helpful Randy, I’m sure all those mothers feel very seen. Despite the fact that the author lists many reasons why someone may get an abortion, weirdly enough none of his bullet points directly target those reasons by making child rearing possible for those struggling.
Theres also a point which many people bring up when talking about abortion, which is rape and incest. The author kicks into gear by saying ‘actually, getting pregnant from those instances is super rare so actually getting an abortion isn’t for them, really. Also, women lie!!’.
Very interesting how his first instinct in this book was to dismiss the numbers of victims and then the victims themselves before even mentioning the children who are victimized in such circumstances.
The author later brings on I think one or two people who were conceived of such circumstances who say ‘I love being alive and I’m glad my 12-year-old mother gave me up to adoption’ which…I feel like I shouldn’t have to elaborate why forcing tween girls to go through pregnancy isn’t a good thing, right?
Does the author point out that girls being victimized is a symptom of a much larger society of violence from men and a rape culture left to dominate, and that it is these dynamics that harm children and women in the first place…? Not really!
Overall the book was very heavy-handed, especially with the religious interjections. It’s also painfully dated and could use a serious overhaul if it’s going to be taken seriously in the year of our Lord 2024.
Just skip it. I’ll be on the search for more recent titles, but until then- If this is the best the ‘pro-life’ argument has to offer, I have to say I’m pretty disappointed.
*Edited for spelling
The author really tries to hammer in how ‘logical’ and ‘reasonable’ his arguments are, but his arguments are often circular or even create contradictions within his own line of reasoning. Using the bible as a repeated ‘source’ for arguing against abortions is null when not everyone obeys that particular scripture. Here’s one example:
“Some people are quick to justify this [referencing frozen embryos having the same success rate as non-implanted embryos] on the basis that there is also a high rate of miscarriage in the natural reproductive process. But the difference is profound. What God does is up to Him, but we are not God.”
Using God as an argument that’s based on the statistics of miscarriages vs frozen embryo implants isn’t based on logic, it’s based on religion.
There’s also this bothersome repetition of calling in holocaust and nazi imagery which- sorry, should I have to break down why conflating women who get abortions with nazis who tortured prisoners shouldn’t be a thing?? Quick aside: the word ‘holocaust’ is mentioned nearly 40 times.
Another note is the egregious time it takes to actually start talking about the women and girls of which pregnancy/abortions affects the most. Up until that point, they are objectified, such as comparing pregnancy to that of parking a car in a garage or a bread being placed in a bread box…as if these inanimate objects with a neutral relationship are even remotely the same as being pregnant. Later, the author states “Comparing preborns and adults to acorns and oaks is dehumanizing and misleading.” which is a little ironic.
The book totes a tagline of “"Fifty Ways to Help Unborn Babies and Their Mothers"-- is worth the price of this book alone!”. However, I would firmly argue that only the first four bullet points are genuinely helpful to mothers, meanwhile the remaining 46 points are ALL about promoting anti-abortion, picketing outside clinics, and pushing against schools. NOTHING is said about promoting affordable healthcare for the disabled, raising awareness on STDs and how pregnancies work, making childcare accessible/affordable, advocating for disability awareness and accessibility in public spaces, teaching safe sex…Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No, all remaining points are focused on the political agenda of banning abortions.
Yeah, really helpful Randy, I’m sure all those mothers feel very seen. Despite the fact that the author lists many reasons why someone may get an abortion, weirdly enough none of his bullet points directly target those reasons by making child rearing possible for those struggling.
Theres also a point which many people bring up when talking about abortion, which is rape and incest. The author kicks into gear by saying ‘actually, getting pregnant from those instances is super rare so actually getting an abortion isn’t for them, really. Also, women lie!!’.
Very interesting how his first instinct in this book was to dismiss the numbers of victims and then the victims themselves before even mentioning the children who are victimized in such circumstances.
The author later brings on I think one or two people who were conceived of such circumstances who say ‘I love being alive and I’m glad my 12-year-old mother gave me up to adoption’ which…I feel like I shouldn’t have to elaborate why forcing tween girls to go through pregnancy isn’t a good thing, right?
Does the author point out that girls being victimized is a symptom of a much larger society of violence from men and a rape culture left to dominate, and that it is these dynamics that harm children and women in the first place…? Not really!
Overall the book was very heavy-handed, especially with the religious interjections. It’s also painfully dated and could use a serious overhaul if it’s going to be taken seriously in the year of our Lord 2024.
Just skip it. I’ll be on the search for more recent titles, but until then- If this is the best the ‘pro-life’ argument has to offer, I have to say I’m pretty disappointed.
*Edited for spelling