A 180 on Abortion?
Several friends have recommended my watching the video above which was created by Ray Comfort. Mr. Comfort makes the claim that his conversations with several young people, both on and off camera, caused them to re-evaluate their views when it comes to abortion and embrace a pro-life ethic. After watching the video, I’m not so certain that I completely buy his claim.
Let me begin by saying first that I am in complete agreement with those who created this video that it is imperative that we do all we can to end the widespread practice of abortion. I also agree that first and foremost this will require changing the hearts and minds of those who currently either believe that there is nothing morally wrong with the practice or those who take the stance that they “would never personally have an abortion, but at the same time feel that people have a right to choose”. Let me also say that I agree with the underlying premise of this video that too many people are not using sufficient logic when approaching this very important moral dilemma of our time.
Even though I believe the 180 video has some serious flaws, I would encourage you to watch it. For those of you who do not have the time or desire to spend 33 minutes watching the video, let me give you a quick summary. Mr. Comfort begins the video showing various responses to the question, “Do you know who Hitler is?” He encounters a surprising number of people who don’t even have a clue as to who Hitler was. As he begins to delve further both with those who do know the history of Hitler and with those to whom he had to describe the events of the Holocaust, the video becomes more disturbing. He poses the question, “If someone put a gun to your head and ordered you to bury a group of people alive or else you yourself would be killed, would you drive the bulldozer forward?” While many say they would refuse, several say that they would do it in order to save their lives. One of the most disturbing exchanges in the video is in response to this question. The young lady being questioned replies,
What can one person do if just that one person got out of the bulldozer? You know what I mean? Like, then their life is gone too. It’s that everyone needed to rise up against him, you know. And I think that’s what a lot of people…I mean where was the world? Where was everybody? You know?
Her interviewer responds wisely saying,
Maybe everybody is made up of individuals that would say I could never bury human beings alive, that I would rather die than do that.
Perhaps a better way to put it is that we are not meant primarily to be individuals, but rather a family that does rise up to protect the weakest among us. But, I would agree that unless we are willing to take a stand for what is right as individuals, we shouldn’t expect society to follow suit. Society reflects the values that we hold.
From this point Mr. Comfort turns the conversation quickly to whether or those he is speaking to give a high value to life. Almost to a one they say that they do value human life, but most are unable to see that to value life means that they should logically reject abortion. Many of them seem to feel that while they feel that abortion is wrong, that it is also wrong to get in the way of someone else making that choice. Once again Mr. Comfort presents strong arguments as to why every person should be doing all they can to defend the life of those who are weak.
While watching this video I found myself nodding my head in agreement to many of the arguments being presented. I have made many of the same arguments myself. That being said, I can’t help but think that many people’s opinion on the matter of abortion is deeply set and more difficult to change than this video would have us believe. My guess would be that those who are strongly pro-life will find themselves agreeing with the video, those who are strongly pro-choice will turn it off immediately when the conversation turns to abortion, and those who claim to be pro-life but not willing to take the choice for someone else away might continue watching, but will not likely be swayed. If a few people do change their mind as a result of the video, I will be happy. From my perspective, it is not simply enough to listen to what those being interviewed in the video are saying, it is equally and perhaps more important to pay attention to their body language and facial expressions. As I watched the video, many of those being interviewed seemed to be saying by the look on their face, “I can’t wait for you to get out of here with that microphone and camera.” I can also imagine more than a few may have simply agreed in order to speed the conversation on its way to conclusion. This is completely my own opinion, and my hope is that I am mistaken in this opinion, but I believe that many people when put on the spot will say or do things opposed to their own opinion or will simply agree for the sake of avoiding the unpleasant. One example of this presented in the video (albiet a much more serious example) is the fact that those who normally would not bury others alive, would do so when threatened with death.
My biggest problem with the video, however, is not my skepticism over whether those interviewed changed their minds in seconds and whether others would follow suit when presented with similar arguments. My biggest disagreement is with the portion of the video where Mr. Comfort begins to ask those interviewed about their faults and sins. What’s the point of this part of the conversation, other than to throw some extra guilt around? And it’s at this point where I feel that at least one of the interviewees seems to have a bit more wisdom than the man doing the interviewing. Here’s the exchange I’m talking about:
So Alicia, by your own admission you’re a lying, blasphemous, adulterer at heart and you’ve got to face God on judgment day and we’ve looked at four of the ten commandments.
Oh my goodness!
Does it concern you that if you died today and God gave you justice, you’d end up in hell?
I think God’s a loving God and he would see my heart.
You know he does, and he sees a liar, and a blasphemer and an adulterer at heart.
Really? Is that what God sees? Or is he mistaking God for someone else?
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)
So what do you think of the 180 video? Do you think it has the power to sway those who are currently pro-choice? How do you feel about calling out the sins of others using the method of these interviews? I can’t help but think that the warnings given in the Bible and our Tradition are meant primarily for ourselves rather than for others. Our job is to correct our own sins and to pray for our brothers and sisters who are tempted. Perhaps a good way of expressing my own thoughts is through this quote shared by my fellow blogger Macrina over at A Vow of Conversation .
It remains spiritually impossible to talk of Hell for others. The theme of Hell can only be broached in the language of I and Thou. The threats in the Gospel concern me; they form the serious tragic element in my spiritual destiny; they prompt me to humility and repentance, because I recognise them as the diagnosis of my state. But for you, the numberless you of my neighbour, I can only serve, bear witness, and pray that you will experience the Risen Christ, and that you and everyone will be saved…
-Olivier Clement quoted in Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church, 227.
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