Pro-Life Graphic Images

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I have been assisting at the local college campus with a pro-life organization called Justice for All. This organization has very large graphical panels that show the effects of abortion. They show what happens to a child aborted at various stages of development including many other related information. The purpose is primarily to enter into civil discussion about abortion with the various people assisting at the display. It is not done with a focus of condemnation but rather asking people their thoughts and working to convince people that abortion is inhumane through convincing people that a fetus is a human and has all the rights of a person.

My question is centered around the use of graphic images. I know that many groups including Priests for Life like the use of graphic images because it helps put a face on the crime of abortion. I want to know what people think about this method. Is it morally proper to use these graphical images?

If you want to see what I am talking about you can go to the site from where the images are taken. The warning is that the images are disturbing. They can be found at The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform.
 
I have no issue with grpahic pics being shown as long as no minor kids are present:)
 
Mosher,

I don’t think it’s wrong to use the kind of graphic images you
are talking about for that purpose. Like the old saying goes:
“a picture is worth a thousand words”, and when it comes to
defending the unborn and convincing people of the evil that it
truly is, using graphic imagery can sometimes be the most
effective way of getting the point across.

Dominus Vobiscum,
Rocco
 
Using pictures that show actual preborn babies before and after abortion is vitally important to getting people away from the foggy idea of “tissue” “termination” and “right.”

A pregnant woman seeing correct developmental pictures of a pre-born baby is more able to connect with her baby and decide against an abortion.

Someone undecided about abortion who sees what abortion truly is may be able to make up their mind.

All that being said, I hope that those who choose to use graphic pictures do so appropriately. For example, not showing graphic pictures if the place of protest is near an elementary school, playground or other social place.

A college campus is the perfect spot for graphic photos. We are talking about young adults who believe they are mature and can face the real world.

One time I drove past a small group of people waving graphic abortion pictures right in front of a playground! I think that is wrong.
 
There’s far worse on most college campuses – just look at some of the flyers promoting sex- and alcohol-filled parties.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with publically displaying graphic images of abortions on college campuses.
 
Although not wrong and maybe useful in some places, I find that such graphic pictures do not get your message across at college campuses because it only pushes people away from your group. I have never met anyone react positively to such images at a college campus let alone in front of clinics and better to show pictures of live babies growing in the womb because it hilights the positive. The only way we will change peoples’ hearts are through acts of mercy and graphic abortion pictures although not wrong will not be acts of mercy to change the hearts of people at a school. It will only make them more upset and block the road of discipleship in developing one on one relationships to talk to you and hear the beauty of why choosing life is always the best. Graphic signs only irritate people and we are out to help save their souls because that is the greatest tragedy, the loss of a soul to hell. If you want to be prudent and have people willing to come across and talk to you, then hilight the positive and then they will be willing to listen. Graphic signs at a campus only cut that dialogue off (unless shouting matches are a dialogue). I deeply care about the prolife issue and see abortion as a great crime, but we will not change people’s hearts by getting up on a soap box and saying you are all wrong and look at the evil you are doing… Emphasize the reasons why life is precious with the baby signs and talk about development and how this is a poor defenseless child who we can never abandon.
 
I agree in part with the previous poster. I think graphic images do turn some people off and prevent dialog. But as I think about this I am trying to come up with a good example of something I believe in, that others could try to change my mind about using revolting yet accurate images. I thought of gun control. I believe guns should be legal. But for the sake of argument lets say that I was walking through campus and saw a collection of signs with gruesome images of people who had shot themselves trying to commit suicide. This could have two effects. Either I would be offended that the anti-gun folks were using such graphic images, and would then ignore them. Or perhaps I would be horrified by the images and change my mind on legal guns. Lets see how these two reactions fit in with the abortion issue:

The first group of people shut down when they see the horrible images, because they feel that the destruction shown is worth the benefits. They don’t like to see it, but they believe that the benefits outweigh the horror and the protesters are trying to play up the negative. These people need to be approached in a different way. Perhaps emphasising the value of human life and explaining how the benefits are not really positive after all. But trying to force horrible images on these people will probably just make them shut down further. Humans can be very stubborn, even to the point of refusing to consider obvious truths.

The second group could be described as people who really never thought about how horrible abortion is. Perhaps they never met anyone who showed them the truth before. Once they see it, they may wake up and realize that they’ve been duped all along and must change their outlook.

In most locations you will find both kinds. The problem is you have effective means of communicating your point, but you must target one group or the other. You might want to use graphic depictions outside an abortion clinic because you probably won’t convince those that work there anyway, and you might convince a young teen arriving for the abortion. In more public settings it would probably be better to use other tactics.

In conclusion, this is complicated! While I do support the use of graphic materials, I think those who use them have to think strategically about when the proper time is to bring them out.
 
Karin said:
I have no issue with grpahic pics being shown as long as no minor kids are present:)
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Karin:

Minor kids are getting Abortions, many are being taken without their parents knowledge or consent. I wonder how many of these would still get the abortions if they saw that what they were killing were actually babies (and not “globs of tissue” as the adults taking them to the aboruaries and the Abortuary workers are telling them).

In the state of California, School officials can take our daughters to the abortuaries not only without informing us, but are supposed to lie to us if we ask a direct question. Parents have no right to know when the officials are taking their daughters to the abortuary or even if they’ve taken their daughters there.

In this case, the signs in front of the Abortuary may be the only chance we have to interrupt this procedure and remind all concerned (included the school official) that they’re going killing a human being.

Although these images would scare young children, I wouldn’t exclude any girls and boys during the ages where they are now ordinarily sexually active (14-15 and up).

Your Brother in Christ, Michael
 
Traditional_Ang said:
Karin:

Minor kids are getting Abortions, many are being taken without their parents knowledge or consent. I wonder how many of these would still get the abortions if they saw that what they were killing were actually babies (and not “globs of tissue” as the adults taking them to the aboruaries and the Abortuary workers are telling them).

In the state of California, School officials can take our daughters to the abortuaries not only without informing us, but are supposed to lie to us if we ask a direct question. Parents have no right to know when the officials are taking their daughters to the abortuary or even if they’ve taken their daughters there.

In this case, the signs in front of the Abortuary may be the only chance we have to interrupt this procedure and remind all concerned (included the school official) that they’re going killing a human being.

Although these images would scare young children, I wouldn’t exclude any girls and boys during the ages where they are now ordinarily sexually active (14-15 and up).

Your Brother in Christ, Michael
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When I speak of minor children I refer to kids under the age of 10.
I would not want my 3y/o seeing these pics…sorry…for that matter I would not want my 15y/o son seeing them either, but that is my personal preference…on a side note by son has religon class after lunch every day…yesterday they discussed abortion and how exactly it is preformed etc…needless to say many kids where excused from class as they where about to or did loose their lunches:(
 
I don’t think it is in any way morally wrong to use the graphic pictures - I DO think it is highly IMPRUDENT to use them. Whenever the graphic pictures are used the discussion always seems to get off topic. Far better to use pictures that show the baby at different stages without the gruesome abortion “cut up” pictures. I truly believe the answer is to get people to accept that from zygote on - a person is a person no matter how small (apologies tp Dr. Seuss). Shoving dismemberment in people’s faces is counterproductive, IMHO.

I always like asking the “pro choice” folks when I became me? I’m bigger and different from when I was 20. At 20 I was bigger and different from when I was 5. At 5 I was bigger and different from when I was 3 weeks. Keep going back to the uterus - and when did I become me? At birth? If so what changed? At 7 month gestation? Why then? At “viability”? Does that mean my personhood is dependent on technology since “viability” has crept back many weeks since I was born in the 50s? Development of a heart? Does that mean someone whose heart is removed at 50 for a transplant ceases for a few minutes to be a “person”?

It seems to me the clear continuity from fertilization to death in old age argues that I was me from the very start. I know folks don’t want to admit that, but what real argument can they give? Many specious arguments, sure - but nothing really objectively persuasive.
 
I am not saying I am against the use of graphic photos and stuff but my question is this: Instead of filming an abortion, why wasn’t the camera operator fighting to save a human life? OMGosh! That was graphic. Unfortunately, I just came back from lunch when I viewed it. I think next time I will wait.

If showing this to people could save lives great, but I really think the real issue is the “it’s my body” mentality. My answer is, “No, it isn’t! The moment you shared your body and had sex, your body ceased to be your own. At the moment of conception, your body became a life support system for a child that you knew you could conceive, so now your body is being shared by 2 human beings for the next 9 months, so you have no right to do anything that will jepordize the health and welfare of another human being.”

We live in a selfish society. They think of themselves first and not about innocent lives. We need to start at infancy to teach about the sanctity of life. Unfortunately, I think Eisenhower said, “You can’t legislate morality.” If only!!!

The part I can’t understand is how any people who profess Christianity could even consider abortion. How can we not acknowledge a persons autonomy when John the Baptist lept for joy in his mothers womb? Back in the days before science and technology, people understood that life starts at conception. Now they think it is enlightened to think that it starts at viability or at birth…shame on them!!! Ask any mom who looked forward to the birth of her child…that first movement she feels…unbelievable!!!
 
Back when I was an atheist, I became pro-life. I stumbled across some very graphic photos on a website. After realizing the truth of the photos, I came to realize what I was supporting. It took a while for me to articulate my thoughts, but Nat Henthoff is an atheist of note who is also pro-life and defends his positions very well.

I have friends who are Catholic who are pro-choice, sadly.
 
I cant remember where I got it from, but HERE is an actual ultra sound of an abortion
“Now for the first time, we have the technology to see abortion from the victims vantage point.
Ultrasound imaging has allowed us to see this.”
-Dr. Bernard Nathanson
Click to expand...
I cant bring myself to watch it.
 
Myangel said:
I cant remember where I got it from, but HERE is an actual ultra sound of an abortion

I cant bring myself to watch it.
Click to expand...
I am familiar with various groups that have purchased mobile ultrasound units to provide to mothers who are seeking abortions. They bring them to the abortion mills and provide it as a free service and they seem to have a high “turn-around” rate.

I think that it is a multi-front war. Each group serves a different purpose just as in a military operation. Each has its strength and weakness but when put together in charity much progress is made.
 
mosher said:
I have been assisting at the local college campus with a pro-life organization called Justice for All. This organization has very large graphical panels that show the effects of abortion. They show what happens to a child aborted at various stages of development including many other related information. The purpose is primarily to enter into civil discussion about abortion with the various people assisting at the display. It is not done with a focus of condemnation but rather asking people their thoughts and working to convince people that abortion is inhumane through convincing people that a fetus is a human and has all the rights of a person.

My question is centered around the use of graphic images. I know that many groups including Priests for Life like the use of graphic images because it helps put a face on the crime of abortion. I want to know what people think about this method. Is it morally proper to use these graphical images?

If you want to see what I am talking about you can go to the site from where the images are taken. The warning is that the images are disturbing. They can be found at The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform.
Click to expand...
Where do these photos and video come from? I saw picture after picture of aborted babies lying next to coins to show their size, aborted babies being held up for the camera, and body parts being held up to be photographed. Are there pro-lifers digging through aborted babies, taking pics of them and with them? And if so, doesn’t anyone else think that that’s pretty sick?
 
I think that picture of the baby with his hand grabbing the doctor’s hand through an incision in the womb is worth showing someone old enough. I myself would not utilize dismemberment photos.
 
Faith1960 said:
Where do these photos and video come from? I saw picture after picture of aborted babies lying next to coins to show their size, aborted babies being held up for the camera, and body parts being held up to be photographed. Are there pro-lifers digging through aborted babies, taking pics of them and with them? And if so, doesn’t anyone else think that that’s pretty sick?
Click to expand...
I don’t know where all of them are from. However, I do know that some of the film and photo that we have these days comes from pathology reports of “converted” practitioners. However, I can’t speak to the corpus of the photos.
 
mosher said:
I want to know what people think about this method. Is it morally proper to use these graphical images?
Click to expand...
There’s a time and place for everything. I respect causes more when the people promoting it are calm and try to convince me rationally, rather than emotionally. I don’t want to see those images. Seeing them is enough to ruin my day (and night- because I will not sleep)- and they will not make me more pro-life (I don’t think I could be any more pro-life than I am).

It is ok to use graphic images if you can be reasonably sure that the people who would be seeing them are mature enough and strong enough to handle them.
 
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