Pro-Life 101: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Case Persuasively

1. How do I simplify the abortion issue for those who think it's complex?

2. How do I defend the pro-life view scientifically and philosophically?

3. How do I refute five common objections to the pro-life view?

If you believe that a human who deserves full rights begins at conception, then this is will come in handy. However, you might want to pass this book up if you DON'T believe a zygote is a human being, because your whole case will come crumbling down since Klusendorf bases most of his arguments on this.

Also, his suggested rebuttal to the pro-choicer who says, "Don't force your morality on me" is unfair. Klusendorf says that this line is self-refuting, and advises pro-lifers to say, "You're saying I'm wrong, so why are you forcing your morality on ME?" But morality is subjective and not a fact, not to mention you would be committing the same mistake he calls upon the pro-choicer.

Furthermore, one of his suggested rebuttals for rape cases is flawed. When a pro-choicer asks us, "What about when the woman is raped?" Klusendorf says we should say, "Can you think of any other case where, having been victimized yourself, you can justly turn around and victimize another completely innocent person?" This argument is flawed, because it assumes that the mother is the one victimizing the fetus, which is an entirely debatable issue in itself (Is it the mother who victimizes the fetus in abortion? The rapist? The doctor performing the abortion?). The issue is not blame, so he shouldn't use this in his argument.


Prepares pro-lifers for intellectual combat   June 17, 2002
Alo H. Konsen (North Ridgeville, OH USA)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

Klusendorf deserves high praise for his laser-sharp focus, clear thinking, and brevity. He hammers home the key question about the unborn ("What is it?"), which clarifies every other issue in the abortion controversy. In 69 footnoted pages Klusendorf simplifies the abortion issue for those who think it's complex, scientifically and philosophically builds the case for the rights of the unborn, refutes five common objections to the pro-life view, and suggests ways to help a friend through a crisis pregnancy. As a wrap-up he collects the best resources for further reading in just two pages.

Before you send your sons and daughters off to school, give them this book to prepare them for the "intellectual" attacks of the pro-choicers.