Jul 7, 2009 / 02:29 am
The pro-life group Human Life International (HLI) has introduced a new series of online pamphlets titled Pro-Life Talking Points (PLTP) addressing claims about the necessity of abortion, the effect of welfare on the abortion rate, and the distorted claims surrounding abortion-related violence and the promotion of condom use.
PLTP titles also discuss the beginning of human life and the issue of men and abortion.
"From fertilization to natural death, there exists an unbroken and smooth continuum of human development during which the person needs only oxygen, water, and nutrients to live and develop physically," says HLI’s pamphlet on fetal development.
Another pamphlet, "Why Women Abort," examines the reasons women say they aborted their children. It cites one U.S. study that reports only about 0.36 percent of annual abortions in the U.S. are for the stated reason of saving the life of the mother; about 0.24 percent of abortions are performed because of "fetal birth defects;" and about 0.09 percent of abortions are performed on pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.
The rarity of these "hard cases" contrasts with the generally given reasons women cite to justify an abortion: to preserve a woman’s lifestyle or to please those who are close to her.
HLI pamphlets also discuss common proposals to reduce the abortion rate without passing laws discouraging the killing procedure.
On the issue of welfare, the HLI pamphlet "Does Welfare Reduce Abortion?" cites reports showing that welfare and out-of-wedlock pregnancy and childbirth are linked. Thus welfare may increase the abortion rate through encouraging irresponsible sexual behavior.
The promotion of condoms, a solution advanced by President Obama, other politicians and abortion groups, may also be counter-productive.
"Within a year, 15% of sexually active women whose partners use condoms for contraception become pregnant," says the pamphlet "Condoms: Little-Known Scientific Facts." It claims that condom promoters exaggerate the items’ efficacy by using statistics based on an "ideal use" scenario among well-trained, highly disciplined adults monitored by scientists.
"Unmarried teenagers, often the targets of condom promoters, almost certainly have a far worse record," the pamphlet states.
The pamphlet "Pro-Abortion Violence: Setting the Record Straight" charges that the news media have soft-pedaled violence committed by abortionists and pro-abortion extremists. It cites several examples, including the case of pro-life activist minister and radio talk show host Jerry Simon. He was shot and killed through his living room window by a pro-abortion radical.
Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of HLI, explained the purpose of the pamphlet series in a statement.
"I speak to pro-lifers around the world and people always ask me how they can persuasively argue for the pro-life cause on specific issues that they care about," he remarked. "The PLTP series has, in plain language, the answers that people are looking for, in a format that is easy to print, forward and share with others."
Fr. Euteneur encouraged pro-lifers to pray, to be convinced that the facts are on their side, and to know and use the facts.
"To that end, the Pro-Life Talking Points series will assist every pro-lifer in the mission of defending babies and souls," he said.
The pamphlet series is available at http://www.hli.org
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