For a page summary:  Page Four --  The "Real" Truth About Abortion . 

To understand the context of this discussion:  Summary  &  Index . 

If you have not already done so, please see:  The Editors Note . 

Big D   Now, can you see how terminating a pregnancy is just one more physical experience.

T.L.C.   Not really.   You sound rather cold and uncaring.    We’re talking about terminating a life here.

Big D   That’s the assumption that abortion foes make.   But, how do you know with certainty that abortion is actually taking a human life?

T.L.C.   That easy, you can see the body parts.

Big D   Well then, I guess the case is closed.   Abortion is murder.

(Big D stands up and it appears that he is about to leave.)

T.L.C.   Wait a minute.   You’re not done, are you?

Big D   I’m not, but apparently you are.   You’ve already made up your mind, so there’s no sense confusing you with the facts.

T.L.C.   Facts!   What facts?

Big D   The facts or, more accurately, the lack of available facts to back up the assumptions and the claims made by those who oppose abortion rights.   Most of what the public hears about abortion is based on guesswork, speculation, conjecture, personal opinion and religious opinion.   The factual evidence and the lack thereof has, up to this time, played a very small part in the public forum about this controversy.

T.L.C.   OK.   Please sit back down and tell me the “real” truth about abortion.

Big D   Are you certain that you want to know?   Once you know the truth you can never go back to not knowing.   If you know the truth, you’ll be required to reflect that truth in your life or live in denial.   And in case you don’t know it, living in denial is the booby prize -- it's hell on Earth.

Billions of humans believe hell is a physical-like place somewhere away from themselves – a place where bad people go after death.   I assure you hell is not a place.   It’s a self-generated, internal state-of-being, but that, too, is another story for another time.

T.L.C.   I’m willing to risk hearing the truth.   Please tell me.

Big D   The “real” truth about abortion is that we don’t know the truth.   And we have no way to find out the truth.

(Big D stopped speaking.   I waited in anticipation for the rest
of his answer, but he just sat silently and looked at me.)

T.L.C.   And…

Big D   And that’s it!

T.L.C.   What!   There’s got to be more to it than that?

Big D   There is a lot more than that, but if you’re looking for facts, there are very few of them.   There’s an abundance of speculations, conjectures, guesswork, religious and personal opinions, but very few facts.   

T.L.C.   Why do you say that?

Big D   Because in order to know the truth about abortion, you would have to know the answers to dozens of unanswerable questions.

T.L.C.   Questions like what?                                                               Questions     ...

Big D   Like the ones I just mentioned.   Let me say them again in more precise language:

Big D   There are several dozen more equally unanswerable questions.   Without answers to these questions we have no way to know what abortion really is.

T.L.C.   So what do we know?

Big D   Here are three facts that we do know:

.

T.L.C.   OK, I hear you, but so what?   What do I do with that information?   What conclusions can I draw from this?

Big D   Regarding what conclusions to draw, your guess is as good as mine!   Draw your own conclusions.   Just remember that when you are talking about God, religion, or what a human being actually is, nobody can say with certainty that he is correct and everyone else is wrong.

T.L.C.   You’ve still got me confused.

Big D   I’m suggesting we distinguish between the provable factual evidence and all the statements we hear that are based only on religious doctrine and on personal belief.   Most of what is being peddled as the truth about abortion is purely speculation, conjecture, guesswork, religious opinion, and personal opinion.   To date, that conjecture and speculation has gone unchallenged.   As a result, the vast majority of the public accepts pro-life opinions as though they were facts.

T.L.C.   So then the public has a distorted view of abortion?

Big D   Yes.   I’m suggesting that we thoroughly examine the religious aspects of abortion.   The anti-abortion leaders are actually offering your country a great blessing, not in their attempt to outlaw abortion, but in their forcing you to examine your religious beliefs.   Americans are facing a forced-choice between examining their beliefs and living under religious tyranny.

T.L.C.   You’re getting pretty heavy here.   Can you back up that statement with any evidence?  

Big D   Of course!

Continued on Page Five:
Why Abortion is a Religious Freedom Issue