Much has been said about Planned Parenthood over the last few weeks due to the release of numerous behind-the-scenes videos. These videos have revealed what Christians have known (and said) for years, namely that abortion is one of the most barbaric, callous, and tragic practices of the modern world.
Hidden behind sanitized words like “fetus” and “tissue donation” and “scientific research” is the unthinkable reality that Planned Parenthood “doctors” are chopping up living babies in order to sell their body parts on the open market.
So, what could possibly be said in defense of PP’s activities? Incredibly, some people have tried to make a defense. And what is fascinating is to observe how inadequate (or even irrelevant) such defenses turn out to be. Let’s just examine a few of them:
1. Planned Parenthood does other good things. This is an example of a “change the subject” defense. In order to deflect attention away from the killing of babies, PP advocates point out how they also provide general healthcare like mammograms and STD testing.
However, there are numerous problems with this response. First, PP does not manage a single licensed mammogram facility in the United States. Not even one. Their main industry is, and always has been, abortion. Second, this defense is not actually a defense at all because it never addresses the main issue. The question is still on the table: does PP, in fact, kill babies and harvest their parts? If so, then it doesn’t matter what other good things it might do. Such things cannot overturn, nor should they cause us to ignore, the unthinkable practices they are engaged in.
2. The videos have been heavily edited. This response is legion among PP supporters, with the help of a complicit media. Of course, technically they are right. Of course the videos are edited. They are too long to show all at once. But, that is true of any lengthy video clip that needs to be shown on TV or the internet. The key issue is whether the video has been edited in such a way that it distorts the message. Given that the full videos are available for anyone to watch, why doesn’t PP just show alternative clips that prove their side of the story? Notice that they have not done this. And there is a reason for that. It cannot be done. Regardless of how many minutes you watch, the message is the same.
3. Planned Parenthood is not making any money. This, again, is a “change the subject” defense, and it simply doesn’t work. First, it is doubtful whether this claim is true. In the most recent video, there is even haggling over prices (see here). But, even it the claim is true, it is entirely irrelevant. Is murdering babies only a problem if someone makes money doing it? If they murder babies and make no money, is it then alright? The absolute absurdity of such an argument is its own refutation.
4. Fetal tissue is being used for important scientific research. The PP website even tries to pull on the heartstrings when they say, “The opportunity to donate fetal tissue has been a source of comfort for many women who have chosen to donate.” But, what they don’t mention is that these so-called organ donors–the babies–are alive when the organs are harvested! Its not the mothers who “donate” these body parts, its the babies themselves–at the cost of their own lives. What if we went around killing 8-year-olds for body parts? Would that be acceptable simply under the guise of scientific research? This defense is so bad, that it is tragic that so many people are falling for it.
These are just four examples, of the many flawed arguments used to defend PP. But, I want to point out something very important. Notice what is not being offered as a defense.
Planned Parenthood never says anywhere that they are not actually cutting up babies and selling their parts.
Rather they are saying such actions are justified because we don’t make money doing it, or because it used for science, or because we do other things that are good.
Most people who are accused of murder say, “I didn’t do it.” Planned Parenthood, on the other hand, simply says “We are doing it, but its not murder.” Thus, they have never denied killing babies. And that is a stunning silence that should not be missed.
This raises the question of how a country could get to the place where not only this is allowed, but is funded by federal tax dollars.
I am reminded of the way the world looked at the German people after the Holocaust had ended. The issue was not just how the Nazis could commit such unthinkable atrocities. The issue was how the entire German nation could stand by and watch it happen and do nothing.
Of course, there were some in Germany who fought against the Nazis. And there are some (thankfully) in America that fight against abortion. But, America, as a whole, is turning a blind eye.
Someday, I believe the abortion practice will eventually end. And when it does, it is sad to think they will look back into these generations of our country and ask, How could the entire nation stand by and watch it happen and do nothing?
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.
Dan Layman says
August 10, 2015 at 9:25 amThanks for writing this Dr. Kruger. May the Lord help us as we stand to defend the truth.
Paula Onxley says
August 10, 2015 at 11:05 amRomans 1:28-32
Melissa says
August 10, 2015 at 9:42 pmIn a world where the human race is overpopulating the planet, resources are growing scarce, and crime rates go up. Sure, continue to populate, but there are situations in which the mother is not prepared to have a child, and I feel it is acceptable to abort or prevent a pregnancy.
To name only a few:
1) Teen pregnancy rates are going up again and the mothers are not prepared physically or mentally. In fact, mothers under the age of 20 have a much higher risk of still born babies, children with major disabilities, or even miscarriages. The same is true for women over the age of 40. If you had a 15 year old daughter, and got pregnant, would you be angry and disappointed or happy and excited? Most likely angry, right? You are angry that she is pregnant subconsciously because you know that at 15 years of age, her body has not matured enough to give birth to a fully healthy baby, that it will take a heavy toll on her body as a young mother, and that it will ruin her social and academic life, as well as limit her future if she becomes a responsible parent.
2) Many women that are raped by men they do not know or are in an abusive relationship with will often birth the baby, but psychologically they will not love their child. Many of these mothers that give birth to ‘rape babies’ even try to kill their own children within the first three years of it’s life due to the constant reminder of a traumatic experience to the mother. While some mothers do not attempt to kill their children conceived by means of rape, some of them will take their anger out on their children, instead of the rapist. The children will more likely than not develop some sort of mental or personality disorder and have traumatic experiences of their own. Needless to say, it is a vicious cycle.
3) Some women have health problems that prevent them from conceiving properly and the child will not develop correctly, more often than not producing a miscarriage or a child that dies within it’s first 8 years of life due to extreme health problems such as brain damage, small hearts, or vital organs that may not have developed while in the womb. How would you feel if you were pregnant for so many months, hoping for a healthy child, but suddenly an extreme feeling of panic overcome you as you realize you are bleeding profusely from where your unborn child should be? You find out your baby has died in the womb and you have had a miscarriage… What if that happened every time you got pregnant? It is a very real health condition some women have. For some women, abortion through Planned Pregnancy is more so to prevent a very traumatic experience.
Yes, Planned Pregnancy includes abortions, which is in fact the process of removing an unborn child from a mother, however not all of those unborn children are even alive. Many abortions are actually only allowed to take place during a particular time frame of the pregnancy or else the mother will be at risk and the child inside is developed too much to take out without complications. Some of those children would not make it very long even if they were born. However, Planned Parenthood does not stop at abortions. It provides birth control pills, condoms, and other preventive pregnancy treatments. These resources are important for women with situations as described above, and even to a wider range of women with other problems and reasons. Even though killing is taught as an extremely negative action, it is a part of life and has been a survival instinct across all life forms.
Perhaps sometimes it would be better to think of preparing for parenthood and thinking of the mother’s life over an unborn child that would likely die very early in life or develop extreme mental and physical disabilities, or even be stillborn.
Michael Kruger says
August 11, 2015 at 8:47 amThank you for this response, Melissa. I appreciate it because it exemplifies exactly the point I am making in my article. You are prime example of how people justify the killing of living babies on inadequate grounds such as the mother is not ready, or the baby will not be wanted, etc. On your logic, any human being who is unwanted or who has parents unprepared to care for them can be justifiably murdered. So, if there is a 6-year old who is unwanted, can the parents just decide to murder that child? On your reasoning, you would have to say yes.
One more observation. I noticed in your entire post you never denied that Planned Parenthood kills living babies and chops them up to sell their body parts. Instead, you just tried to say it was Ok. That is stunning. I am not sure how your conscience has been seared enough to turn a blind eye to such horrific practices, but I beg you to reconsider.
Lisa says
August 11, 2015 at 9:01 amWow, I was just shaking my head in utter disbelief at every single point Melissa tried to construe as justification. Thank you for your gracious and thoughtful response. Don’t know if I could have been as gracious.
steve hays says
August 11, 2015 at 3:38 pmMelissa:
“In a world where the human race is overpopulating the planet.”
Europe, for one, is well below replacement rate.
“resources are growing scarce…”
What resources, exactly? Fossil fuel? Even if we ran out, humanity managed to get along without fossil fuel for millennia. And there are alternatives, like nuclear power.
“and crime rates go up.”
Crime rates are up worldwide?
BTW, how are you connecting crime with population? If the human race went extinct, there’d be no crime. But presumably you don’t think that’s the solution to crime.
“The same is true for women over the age of 40.”
My mother was pushing 41 when I was born. And in her old age I was her full-time caregiver. Things balanced out.
“If you had a 15 year old daughter, and got pregnant, would you be angry and disappointed or happy and excited? Most likely angry, right?”
i) I have a cousin who got married at 15. She’s now about 80, with three adult daughters. Things turned out just fine.
ii) The problem isn’t with teen pregnancies, but out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
“and that it will ruin her social and academic life, as well as limit her future if she becomes a responsible parent.”
Melissa, what’s the difference between your attitude and an ambitious military dictator who murders political rivals to advance his career?
“Many of these mothers that give birth to ‘rape babies’ even try to kill their own children within the first three years of it’s life…”
i) You don’t give any source for your stats.
ii) Since you clearly don’t think abortion should be illegal except in case of rape, it’s a diversionary tactic for you to bring up “rape babies.”
iii) You act as though prolifers think the mother should be forced to raise a baby conceived in rape. Are you unaware of prolife adoption agencies?
“You find out your baby has died in the womb and you have had a miscarriage…”
What’s your point, Melissa? Do you think prolifers are opposed to removal of a dead baby in the womb that died of natural causes?
“Some women have health problems that prevent them from conceiving properly and the child will not develop correctly, more often than not producing a miscarriage or a child that dies within it’s first 8 years of life…”
Unless you think that can be known in advance, you seem to be making an argument for universal abortion. After all, every pregnancy has potential medical complications. Are you an antinatalist?
“However, Planned Parenthood does not stop at abortions. It provides birth control pills, condoms, and other preventive pregnancy treatments.”
Most evangelical prolifers are not opposed to contraception. So you erect a false dichotomy.
Finally, you yourself began as a baby in the womb. Why are you so uncharitable towards others in the exact same situation?
Moreover, why do you think people should value the lives of women if they don’t value the lives of babies?
steve hays says
August 11, 2015 at 11:22 pmSophia Loren was also prone to miscarriage. She lost her first two babies to miscarriage. As a result, for her next to pregnancies, she took time out of her career to basically stay in bed until her babies come to term.
As an international film star, she made her career in large part on being one of the world’s most beautiful women. But that’s a very perishable commodity. Aging beauties get fewer and lesser roles. Yet she interrupted her career to become a mother. That was more important to her than making movies.
Currently, she’s pushing 81. Her mother died in 1991. Her husband died in 2007. All she has left are her two sons.
She was once asked in an interview where she lived. She said she moves around, depending on where her sons live.
steve hays says
August 11, 2015 at 11:27 pmMelissa,
Social life is messy. But unless you plan to live on a deserted island, relationships are demanding.
You didn’t come into this world as a self-sufficient adult. For many years, you were a helpless needy child who made incessant demands on your parents.
That’s a part of what it is to be human. And if you live long enough, it will happen a second time.
We are physically and emotionally dependent and interdependent creatures. There’s no getting around that.
If you want to be loved, you need to be a loving, giving person.
Pamela Graham says
August 15, 2015 at 11:32 pmGreat article, well-said. Thank you for pointing out these “arguments” succinctly. It helps to read it clarified in a concise article.!
Ken Wynne says
August 20, 2015 at 8:19 amOn the point of whether PPF is “making money,” I would point out that no technically “not-for-profit” entity “makes money.” But that is not to say they are not oriented to generating revenues. They often are. PPF obviously is. Check what it pays its executives.
According to http://www.lifenews.com/2014/06/04/planned-parenthood-ceo-cecile-richards-now-makes-over-500000/ — PPF’s top twelve executives in 2012 were paid a total of $3.87 million.
It’s easy to find ways to expense out whatever the revenues may be in order to avoid “making money.”
According to http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4338#.VdXCarnbJdg — recent growth in PPF’s “primary revenue” was 18%. Growth in expenses was 18.9%.
It’s easy to match revenues to expenses to avoid the appearance of “making money,” and PPF does it.
The revenue generating urge is clearly present in PPF. Its executives have a powerful incentive to make it so.
Michael Kruger says
August 20, 2015 at 8:21 amThanks so much, Ken. Great points! Thanks for passing this data along.