Hideeho good neighbors. Election season is upon us which means Bouncy Tale time. I’d like to share a non-Bouncy (or anti-Bouncy?) that happened to me recently. It is a conversation between me and a family member who I love greatly concerning an issue that we have always disagreed upon. It sprung up out of the blue and was initiated by her. I have no idea why she brought it up. I’ll be bringing it to you in old-fashioned bouncy fashion. Though I did NOT transcribe it as it happened this is as close as you can get without a transcript.
Her: I know you’re against abortion but even you have to admit that since people are going to have them anyway that it is best that it is legal so people can have them safely in a hospital instead of doing them unsafely with a coat hanger.
Me: <confused that this is coming out of the blue> Um. Nah. Let them use a coat hanger.
Her: <surprised look> How can you say that?
Me: I’ve met your neighbor. He’s a nice guy. He’d do anything for anyone.
Her: Yes.
Me: Now let’s say someone is going to murder him. They are going to murder him regardless of anything. Would you go over there and clean his house so when they go to murder him they wouldn’t accidentally trip on something and hurt themselves? I mean, they are going to murder him anyway so shouldn’t you make it safe for them?
Her: <looking aghast> That’s completely different.
Me: How so? We’re talking about making it safe to end a life aren’t we?
Her: You’ve just got your mind set that…
Me: <interrupting her> Let me go ahead and stop you right there. I have NOT got my mind set on anything. Out of all the people in the entire world I’m the lone person most open to changing my mind on the subject. You can change it right now by answering one simple question.
Her: Really?
Me: Yep. You’ve got a timeline. On the left side of the timeline is the beginning. The time that a sperm fertilizes an egg. On the right side of timeline is the end. For the purpose of this discussion let’s say it is 95 years after conception when the person is laying in a bed in a nursing home. You’ve got the time line idea?
Her: Yes.
Me: Okay. Now tell me where on that timeline it becomes wrong to murder that person and tell me why.
Her: Well I feel…
Me: <interrupting her> No. Your answer can not involve “I feel†or “I thinkâ€. If I'm going to be changing my mind I need something more substantial than that. I want you to give me a point on the timeline and a solid reason why at that point it becomes wrong to kill the person.
Her: I can’t do that but imagine a 14 year old girl. She just wants a boy to like her. She’ll do anything to get a boy to like her. She has sex with him and gets pregnant. Now she’s 14 and pregnant and realizes that she’s not prepared to be a mother. Shouldn’t she have a right to end the pregnancy?
Me: Imagine the same 14 year old girl. She got pregnant. She decided to carry the baby to term. A week after having the baby she decides she’s not cut out being a mother. Should she be able to murder the baby?
Her: No but that’s different.
Me: Why? Because the baby is a little bit bigger? Is size what determines life. Out in the world there are a lot of tall people and short people. Are the tall people more human than short people?
Her: Now you’re just being ridiculous.
Me: Am I? What is the distance from the womb to the exterior opening of the birth canal? 6 inches? 8 inches? How ever far it is you are the one saying that traveling that distance makes you either safe or subject to murder. So who is being ridiculous.
Her: Okay. Take the middle east where women are treated like objects. They are supposed to have sex with their husband whenever the husband wants to. They are apt to have 8, 10, or more children without any say so of their own. That has to wreak havoc on their bodies. Shouldn’t they have the right to an abortion?
Me: They should kill the husband.
Her: What?
Me: You said he's essentially assaulting her. It would be justifiable homicide or self-defense. Murdering the baby, the only innocent one in the equation, would be silly.
Her: Well, say she’s already got 8 children that are going hungry and he impregnates her again. She can’t even feed the children that she’s got. Wouldn’t it make sense for her to have an abortion?
Me: Hmm. Her children are really starving?
Her: Yes. They are starving.
Me: Okay. She should have the baby and murder the oldest child.
Her: <eyes wide> What are you talking about?
Me: You said she can’t feed the children that she’s already got. Logic would say that the oldest child is the biggest. Logic would say that the biggest child eats the most. Since the baby is the smallest and would eat the least logically she should have the baby and murder the oldest.
Her: But it’s murder and you’re against murder.
Me: Yeah I am, but you’re the one trying to paint me into a corner that you think I can’t get out of so you’ve got to deal with the answers that I’m giving. Speaking of answers you still haven’t answered my question about the timeline.
Her: I believe that…
Me: Nope. Remember no “believe†or “feelâ€, but since we are talking about ridiculous did you know that the biggest majority of people that are supporters of abortion would have a hissy fit if you went out and destroyed a bunch of turtle eggs?
Her: I’m like that but it’s not like you make it sound. There’s a difference.
Me: How is there a difference? Both involve the taking of lives.
Her: Well it….
Me: Let me interrupt you and tell you how it is different. When you destroy a bunch of turtle eggs all you have done is destroyed a bunch of turtles. All the turtles will ever be are turtles or maybe a good stew. When you murder a baby you murder someone who could potentially cure cancer or cure heart disease.
Her: You’re just looking at things from a male point-of-view.
Me: Nope. I’m just looking at things from a normal point-of-view. There is actually a woman who survived being aborted. She goes around speaking against abortion. Is she looking at things from a male point-of-view? If not, why is she speaking out?
Her: Because she’s angry.
Me: Well doesn’t that stand to reason? Wouldn’t you be angry if someone tried to murder you?
Her: We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Me: Actually we don’t. I’ve told you that you can change my mind. I’m the only one in this conversation willing to have a change of mind. All you have to do is tell me when and why on the timeline it becomes wrong to murder someone.
Her: You’ve already got your mind set.
Me: Nope. Over the years I’ve tried repeatedly to massage my thoughts on the subject. I give a pass to women who have an abortion due to danger to their own life. Millions of babies still get murdered. Then I gave a pass to girls under the age of 16. Millions of babies were still murdered. Then I gave a pass to women who were raped. Millions of babies were still murdered. Then I gave a pass to everyone who had just had one abortion. Still millions of babies were murdered. Do you get what I’m saying? If you look at the statistics and subtract out all of the abortions performed because of those things tons of babies would still be murdered. We are murdering the most innocent among us.
Her: I’m not talking about it any more.
Me: Okay. If you ever come up with answer to the timeline deal give me a call.
