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Constantly
Ask Questions:
A
very effective debating technique is to ask lots of questions. Why?
Because the one who asks the questions guides the course of the conversation.
A wise person will often let the other think of him as a fool who doesn't know
much. One technique is to engage them in conversation from the
perspective of someone who is confused and is asking for their assistance.
But
remember, you're not there to convert any one. Your job is to ask your opponent
unanswerable questions and encourage those listening to the conversation to
think for themselves. When someone thinks for himself, the
foundation of anti-choice argument becomes apparent as a fantasy with veracity
equal to that of fables about the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny.
Keep
it light. Make it humorous whenever you can, and remember, there are
no bad guys, only other people with different beliefs. As much as is
reasonable, avoid being
confrontational and avoid making others wrong. Just keep asking
questions.
Avoid
making claims that the anti-abortion leaders are bad people.
Instead, point out that they are telling only portions of the truth. Use
ridicule and point out their absurdities.
Here
are some examples of the types of questions to ask.
Belief in the Bible:
Do you believe the Bible? Then why don’t you believe Genesis 2:7?
Life begins at Conception
You just said you believe life begins at conception. Because you
believe something, does your belief make it true? How do you know
that’s true? If millions of people believed it would that make it true?
Can we pass laws based only on beliefs or do we need something more?
In addition to your personal beliefs, what more do we need?
I Know Because the Bible Tells Me So:
You just said ____ was true because the Bible says it is. What about
those who practice other religions and don’t believe as you do? Is _____ true
for them, also? How do you know this for sure? And one
other thing, what relevance does your personal religious belief have to secular
laws that everybody must obey? Are you saying I should be considered
a criminal if I don't practice your religion?
I Believe _______,
therefore _______:
Whenever
one of the anti-abortionists makes a statement which contains the words
"I Believe _____ therefore _____." stop them and say,
"Thank you for sharing your personal beliefs with us. Now,
please tell us what relevance does your personal religious belief have to do with passing
secular laws which would force everyone to practice your religion?
What
about those who don't believe as you do, do we simply trample on their rights
and on their beliefs?
What's the purpose of human life?
If
you opponent is expecting a traditional discussion about abortion, here's a way
to catch them off guard. At the very start of the conversation,
casually ask them "What's the purpose of human life?"
No
mater what they answer ask them how they know that for sure. If they
reply they don't know, ask, "Then how do you know for sure all the things
you've been telling us about the meaning of abortion are true?"
Continue
to press them with questions like: "Are you your physical body? If you
are your physical body, then how do you get to heaven when your body
dies? If you are not your body, what's all this fuss over eggs and
embryos?' Press the point that these two ideas are in conflict with one
another. Ask for an explanation.
Ask for Proof of God's Magic
Say,
"You and you fellow no-choice promoters have been telling the public that
very
time a human egg and sperm unite, God steps in and, by an act of instantaneous,
supernatural, transcendental magic, transforms that egg into an eternal,
everlasting life-spirit called a human being. "Is it correct to
say that you believe this brand new human being did
not exist before God did his magic act? "Is it correct to say
that you believe every fertilized egg is an independent human
being?
Is it correct to say that you believe you are your physical
body?"
They will feel strongly
pressured to say yes to the above questions, because that is be basis of their
belief. Continue
with, "Are you aware that there are approximately two billion people --
that's billion with a B -- two billion people hold strongly to very different
religious beliefs. They believe that they are divine beings who
always were and always will be. Two billion people believe that they
simply enter their human bodies at or shortly before birth and, at death,
discard those bodies with the same casualness that one might discard a suit of
clothes. You are aware of that, aren't you?"
Then
say, "Your a man of integrity, so I know you wouldn't just make up a story
that two billion don't believe and then attempt to force them to practice your
religion without some proof. You obviously have proof that God does this
magic act every time a human egg and sperm unite. Would you present
your proof to us now, please?"
Continue
with this type of question as long as you can. When you've played this one
out, ask: "Do you want to know the 'real' truth about abortion?
They'll feel pressured to say yes. If they do say yes, respond with,
"Good! We are obviously making progress here.
Thank
you."
To
a response such as "I don't want to know your truth," say,
"Apparently you're only interested in your own opinion. Are you
telling us you already know all there is to know?
If
they say no, respond with, "Well, even if you don't want to know,
some of our listeners might so here it is:
The
"real" truth about abortion is that we don't know the truth
and we have no way of finding out.
Because
there are so many unanswerable questions nobody can say they are right and
everyone else is wrong. That seems to make abortion a religious issue,
doesn't it." Push the Concept that abortion is a religious
issue.
Ask "Is
your faith in the words you speak
or in the actions you take?"
What
criminal behavior did Jesus teach? Did He tell you to lie and to
ignore parts of the Bible? Did he encourage harassment, intimidation, inciting
to riot, public prayers, vandalism, arson or murder?
To Suffer is Godly:
Have
you ever gone hungry for days at a time? Have you ever slept out under a
bridge on a cold and rainy night? If you believe that sex is sin and
suffering is Godly, I wonder why you don't do your own suffering? Why do you force others to suffer for
you?
The Easter Bunny:
I
believe the Easter bunny lays all those brightly colored eggs that the
children have such fun searching for. I also believe that the Easter
bunny is a the reincarnation of Jesus and is a messenger from God. Can we
use my belief as the basis for a secular law about rabbits or Easter eggs?
Can I use the police power of secular law to force you to practice my
bunny rabbit religion?
No?
Then why are you telling us about your personal religious beliefs? Do you
have some factual evidence to present or shall we talk more about the Easter
bunny?
Religious freedom:
Do you believe in freedom
of religion? Do you believe in freedom from
religion? What's the difference? Can their be one without the other?
If you believe in freedom of
religion, then why do you deny religious
freedom to others? Billions hold the religious belief that they are
eternal divine beings who always were and always will be - - divine beings that
live temporarily in a series oh human bodies which they take on and then take
off again with the same degree of concern that one has for a suit of
clothes. Do they not have the right to practice their
religion?
What
about Genesis 2:7? Do those of us who actually do follow the teachings of
Jesus not have the
right to practice our religion?
What
about Jews? The Talmud clearly says that life begins at birth.
Do you think Judaism is some kind of fake religion? Do they not have the
right to practice their religion?
And
what about those who would simply be left alone to live their own lives?
Is religious freedom only for the Anti-abortionists? Do the rest of us not have
those same rights you so vehemently claim for yourselves?
Faith, Truth, or Both:
Have
you ever thought strongly, and intensely about your religious faith, and answered
those nagging questions that, for the rest of us, just don't go
away? Have you tested your faith so
that you know with absolute certainty that you are right and that the
billions who practice other religions are wrong? Did you ever
wonder why billions of people hold very different religious beliefs?
Did
you ever wonder why you need to convince other people that you are
right? What do you gain by attempting to force others to practice
your religion? Did you ever wonder where the story came from that
only certain baptized Christians can go to heaven and everyone else is tossed
into God's cosmological trash barrel?
The Leap of
Faith:
Tell
me please what is a leap of faith? Is that where you simple accept
something that, in the earthly scientific sense, cannot possibly be
proven. Do you have some proof that life begins at conception or is that a leap of
faith? What if I don’t believe in reincarnation? How do
you know you’re right and I’m wrong?
Do
you know with absolute certainty that every time a human egg and sperm unite, God steps in and, by an act of instantaneous, supernatural, transcendental magic, transforms
that uniting human egg and sperm into an eternal, everlasting life-spirit
- - into a new, separate, sovereign, individual, human being -
- into a brand new human being who did not exist before but who will now exist
forever more? Do you have some proof of that or is your statement another
a leap of faith?
What
about those who don't have your faith and choose not to take that leap? Do
they have a right to practice their religion? You do believe in religious
freedom, don't you?
Saving Children's Lives:
You
do want to save the lives of innocent children, don’t you? Isn’t
that the basis of the anti-abortion campaign? Then why do you ignore the
40,000 already born children who die each and every day for lack of food, care,
and basic medical attention? Could you not save thousands perhaps
even millions more lives by focusing on real children instead of embryos? You
may be pro-embryo, but you certainly are not pro-life.
Responsibility:
Do you believe people should be responsible for the consequences of their
actions? Then how are you taking responsibility for the millions of
babies who live in abject poverty as a result of your forcing their mothers to
birth still more unloved, unhealthy, unwanted children?
Adoption:
Do you believe in the adoption option?
How many children have you
adopted? No matter what they answer say, “How many (or
how many more) will you adopt. Those of you who force unwanted
babies on the world need to adopt at least ten each. Otherwise the
adoption option is an unrealistic farce.
Forced Abortion:
Ask,
"Do you have the right to force a woman to have an abortion?"
They'll say no. Respond with, " Then
what gives you the right to force her not to have an abortion?"
If they say they're concern is for the pre-born baby.
Respond with, " Here we are back into personal beliefs again!
What about the billions of people who hold different
beliefs? Are they to be denied religious
freedom? What gives you the right to play
God in their lives?"
Would
you like to be forced into practicing my religion?
Then you obviously wouldn’t want to force me or anyone
else to practice your religion, now, would
you? Are you aware that by forcing unwilling women to bear unwanted
children you are forcing them to practice your religion?"
Getting to Heaven without a physical body:
Since you believe you are your body, how will you get to heaven when your body
dies? What is the spirit the Bible keeps referring to? Have
you read Ecclesiastes
11:5, RSV lately? Let me read it
to you:
"As
you do not know how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of the woman with
child, so you do not know
the work of God who makes everything.”
That
passage, like dozens of others in the Bible, clearly distinguishes between the body and the spirit and also says
that humans don’t know when the spirit enters the physical form.
What does that mean to you?
Ask,
"You
do read the Bible, don't you? Have you ever read this before?"
If they say no, ask, "Why do you ignore the very book you encourage others to read?"
If they say yes, ask, "Then why do you ignore the words of God you so
ardently preach that other should follow?"
Are you a real Christian or are you one of those the Bible warns us
about? Are you a wolf in sheep's clothing? Do you
know what the word hypocrite means?
Wolves:
The
Bible clearly warns us about wolves in sheep's clothing. Tell me please,
what is a wolf in sheep's clothing? Is it not someone who hides his true
intention for some ungodly purpose?
Since
thousands of already-born children die for every embryo you save, you are
obviously not really concerned about saving lives. What is your true
intention? Pause here.
They'll not have any answer, or if they do answer, you'll hear something close
to the standard party line; "Saving innocent lives."
Ask,
"How about money and political power? Do those words mean anything to
you?" With the time money and effort you now waste forcing unwilling
women to bear unwanted children, you could save hundreds of thousands more lives
- - the lives of real children. Because saving these lives in
obviously not important to you, what is your true intention?
Wolves, Whores, Hypocrites, and Tax Collectors:
The
Bible places wolves, whores, hypocrites and tax collectors all in the same
category, like they were siblings in a family. What is a hypocrite, any
way? Isn't it someone who preaches one thing and practices something
else?
Ask,
"Have you ever heard this truth: What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear
what you say?" Read some of the behaviors from the list below
(harassment, threats, intimidation, etc.) then ask, "What kind of role
model are you setting for our children?"
Do
you recall the Bible's Golden Rule: "Do onto others as you would have them
do onto you?" You do read the Bible, don't you?
Then which of these behaviors do you want done onto you? - - assault, vandalism,
arson, or murder?
If
they deny culpability, say, "Encouraging someone else to commit a crime is
to be an accessory to their act. In a court of law such behavior is
considered criminal. You do believe in law and order, don't you?
To
follow the law and order issue further, see the first example under Ask
Leading Questions.
Unconscionable Behavior:
Why do the
anti-choice leaders need to participate in, encourage and/or
condone:
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Intentional
Deception:
Lies
of omission (deceiving others by omitting the truth)
Peddling
half-truths as if they were the whole truth,
Peddling
half-lies as if they were the whole truth,
Distorting
the truth,
.
Ignoring
or distorting Biblical passages
Censorship
of opposing views
Using
inflammatory rhetoric,
.
Egocentric
Chauvinism,
Political and sexual repression,
Heterosexual and homosexual hypocrisy,
Religious and racial bigotry,
.
Oppression of women,
Political tyranny
and subjugation,
Disregard
for the rights and beliefs of others
.
Anti-social
and Criminal Behavior:
Inciting
to riot,
Intimidation,
Harassment,
.
Invasion
of privacy,
Threats,
Assault
against persons, reputations, and property,
.
Secret
criminal behavior
Violence,
Vandalism,
.
Arson,
and
Murder?
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What great cause uses these
tactics? What noble cause needs to use
these tactics? When you read this list of anti-abortion tactics does
it list sound like Jesus speaking? Or does it sound more like
Adolph Hitler?
Jesus as a Role Model:
Did Jesus lie by withholding portions of the truth with the intent to deceive?
Did Jesus say it was OK to force people to practice his teachings?
Did Jesus tell you to commit arson and murder?
Forgiveness:
What about forgiveness? Do you recall the words, “Forgive them,
Father, they know not what they do.”?
Forgiveness and Original Sin:
And
what about this story you tell of original sin and a two-faced hypocrite that
sends his son to preach forgiveness but continues to this day to punish
billions of humans simply because one of their long-dead ancestors ate an apple
from a special tree? Is God really that much of a hypocrite or am I missing
something here? Where did this original sin story come from,
anyway? Are you sure we're both reading the same Bible?
Judging Others:
What about being non-judgmental?
Matthew
7:12 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment
ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be
measured to you again.
Luke
6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not
be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
You're
walking a very fine line here between being judgmental and making an
observation. If you have an emotional attachment to your observation
of the evidence, you're probably being judgmental.
One
way to deal with this issue is to acknowledge that, at times, you
are judgmental. If questioned on this issue, you might say something like:
"Yes I do have strong feeling about certain issues, but I do not use my
emotions an excuse to engage in criminal behavior or to violate the rights or
sovereignty of those who hold beliefs different from mine.
In Your Own Heart:
Ask,
"When
you hear stories that defy common sense and that deny the Bible, how do you
feel? When you ignore Jesus' teachings, how do you feel?"
God and Punishment:
Ask,
"Is your God really so weak that He needs your help to punish the unfaithful?"
What's the difference?
(Use
this only if one of the opponents gets nasty.)
Ask,
"Have you heard the joke going around about the anti-abortionist and the
hypocrite? Let me share it with you."
"What's
the difference between an anti-abortionist and the hypocrite?"
If
they say no, respond with, "I didn't think so."
If
they no and ask for the answer, say, "You don't know! Pause, then
say, "That's OK. I don't know either."
If
they say yes, then ask, "OK, what's the difference?" (Because
you have no idea what they'll say, you're on your own from here.)
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