Supercilious Christians

My CT Politics Blog post on the "Imagine" video (also posted below) prompted the following response:

As a Christian and an opponent of abortion on demand, I object to the ad because it will do nothing to change a single mind on the important issue of abortion. The implicit message is obvious: "If you liberals like abortion so much, have you considered that you might not have this left-wing 'pro-abort' President if his single mother had aborted him?" Such a message is not persuasive advocacy; it is a petty effort to poke a finger in the eye of one's political opponents.

This kind of pettiness has become all too typical of pro-life advocacy. Such ads probably help with fundraising among those already committed to the cause. But their pettiness leads many moderates to conclude that pro-life folks are nothing more than "carnival barkers" who must resort to populist, sensationalistic appeals to reach an audience.

In the US, social conservatism has generally taken a populist stance, and set itself against so-called elites. But need this be so ingrained that we have no ability to speak persuasively in the culture without resorting to populist sensationalism? Apparently so.

Posted by: Bob at February 21, 2009

Here's my response:

Bob,

Your reading of the ad seems cramped and ungenerous. An alternative reading of the ad's implicit message might be: "Difficult circumstances surrounding a birth should not blind us to the potential inherent in every unborn human life. Think before you abort." Yes, it is an arresting ad, but not at all petty (at least to me). If this tasteful, powerful ad is petty, then you leave me wondering what would pass your impossibly high standards.

You also present a false choice: Either an ad must, all by itself, change a mind immediately, or it is worthless. This ad may or may not change some minds, but it will definitely get people to think, and it will perhaps move some people to consider the issue in a new way. With other types of persuasion, it might even help change some minds. Such changes often come cumulatively, little by little, over time.

And now some questions for you: If you agree that abortion is an important issue, what is your alternative if you don't like this ad? It's hard to say a lot in 40 seconds. Can you do better? Or do you think Christians and pro-lifers should just abandon this medium altogether, leaving its persuasive powers in the hands of the pro-choice movement?

Stan

Update:

I will concede this: Many pro-lifers do engage in gruesome tactics, such as the perennial "aborted baby" sign, so I share your concern that we don't make what is beautiful into something ugly. But this particular spot is far from ugly. Ironic, maybe-but then so is much of the Bible.