Human Rights

 

This is a photo of me on the streets of Toronto, changing hearts and minds on the issue of abortion with God's grace and through the amazing training I received. 

One of the most common places to start a conversation in this context is asking a simple question: "Do you believe in human rights?"

To most, the answer is yes, and so it was here I found myself on a chilly March Monday on a street corner outside the University of Toronto. 

Two college age guys had been walking past and were pulled into a conversation when I stuck out a pamphlet towards them and said "Hey, what do you think about abortion?" 

Both guys answered warily, saying "Well, I guess it's the woman's choice" and "I'm a guy, so I shouldn't have an opinion."

I answered with "Do you believe in human rights?" Both nodded and said yes. 

"Good, I do too!" (here I'm building our common ground - I'll be sure to explain that in a later post!) "Who should get human rights?" I continued. They thought for a moment. "Well, all humans, I guess" one guy answered. "Right! So pivoting a bit here, if two humans reproduce, what species is their offspring?" The other answered "Human." 

I looked them straight in the eyes. "If all humans should get human rights, and two humans reproducing creates a human, doesn't that make abortion a human rights violation?" 

Both guys thought again, looked down at the picture of the victim I was holding, and back up at me. "Yeah, I guess it does." I responded - "Yeah, I totally agree! Do you think that there is any circumstance where abortion is okay?" Again, they stared at my sign. "No, never" they said. 

This is why we use the human rights argument. Because. It. Works. 

Is every conversation this easy, this encouraging, this calm? Not by a long shot - in fact, that was by far the easiest conversation I've had. 

Yet, it resulted in two hearts and minds changed! Two people opposed to the murder of these unborn, precious souls! 

If you are reading this today and there is any doubt in your mind that this is wrong, any circumstance in which killing a baby is okay, please reach out. I'd be happy to answer your questions, or direct you to someone who can. 

But for anyone reading this today who is pro-life, join the fight! I encourage you to ask these hard questions, to change hearts and minds. 

I'm on your side, and most importantly, God is too.