As we head into a new year, it’s always good for anti-abortion activists to assess the state of the debate regarding abortion, abortion victim images, Planned Parenthood, and all other aspects of the battle.
Well known author and respected pollster, George Barna, recently released some troubling findings on the abortion debate in America. Barna explains that Americans are confused about abortion — that’s according to new data out from the American Culture & Faith Institute. Additionally, contrary to popular belief in some pro-life circles, Barna found some concerning views about Planned Parenthood and abortion positions held by Millennials. Here is a summary of his findings:
On use of the term pro-life:
According to Barna, the term pro-life has lost its meaning:
“In spite of the fact that they call themselves ‘pro-life’ [and] they say that they wouldn’t have an abortion or advise somebody to have an abortion, they think that everybody should have the right to choose.”
On Displaying Abortion Victim Images:
The pollster stated that in a culture that no longer reaches decisions based on the truth, displaying abortion victim images are one of the few tactics that work:
“There’s been some testing done in the last couple of years [indicating that] showing women who said that they were pro-choice advocates some of the procedures, showing them interviews with some of the doctors – frankly, it’s one of the few things I’ve seen that has actually changed the opinions of pro-choice people to becoming pro-life.”
On Funding Planned Parenthood:
The survey revealed that half of adults want Planned Parenthood to continue receiving either the same amount of funding it currently receives (27%) or increased funds (23%).
On Millennials:
Millennials are much more likely to approve of abortions regardless of the age of the fetus; they view the decision as a woman’s choice more than a matter in which the fetus has any rights. The younger group is less likely to view the fetus as a human upon conception, is much less prone to halting funding for Planned Parenthood, and is less likely to describe themselves as strongly pro-life.
On Issue Fatigue:
Barna further suggested that many Americans have disengaged from the issue of abortion. “Let’s face it,” he commented, “this issue has been a major bone of contention for decades. Millions of Americans have a lukewarm position because they do not really understand what is involved and what is at stake. Our studies have typically found that people are confused about abortion, suffer from issue fatigue, want to avoid the conflict that goes with taking a position, and make their choices based on emotion rather than logic or faith. That’s a recipe for convoluted reasoning and indefensible positions.”
- Find the entire survey on abortion HERE.
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Here are the takeaways:
- Pro-life means different things to people, hence, the need to use the phrase “anti-abortion” when describing ourselves and our position.
- Use of graphic depictions of abortion and interviews with abortionists move the needle with pro-choice advocates.
- Decisions about abortion are not mostly based on logic but emotion. We won’t win on abortion by only presenting the most logical arguments. Appealing to the head isn’t enough.
Don’t despair over this survey! The good news, all is not lost. Despite some troubling indicators on public opinion, there are still reasons to be hopeful.
Abortion mills are rapidly closing, and the battle is far from over!
Join us in the epic battle for life!
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