Ask a Pro-Life Agnostic: Sam Lockley
Once a month or so, the Secular Pro-Life blog features a short interview with a pro-life atheist or agnostic. (See the full series of interviews here.) Although Secular Pro-Life is not exclusively for atheists and agnostics, historically they have played a key role in the organization. As they become more prominent in the pro-life movement generally, we’re excited for the opportunity to share their stories. This month, we welcome agnostic Sam Lockley.
How did you arrive at the anti-abortion position?
I grew up in a culture where being left-wing, feminist, pro-choice etc. were all the ‘correct’ opinions and I never really heard the opposing side’s arguments made in good faith. So I feel like I started out as pro-choice by default, although I was always concerned with figuring out where the right ‘line’ was. I was trying to get to a solution logically, and for a while I was in favour of banning abortion after 12 weeks, as I found out that this is when all the baby’s limbs are grown. But I slowly realized that neither this nor any line made any sense. They were all completely arbitrary, and at some point, I couldn’t ignore the obvious truth that since life begins at fertilization it must be protected from that point onwards.
[See more – Becoming Pro-Life]
How did you arrive at the atheist position?
I had been an atheist all my life, and in my youthful arrogance, I looked down on religious people as folks who are incapable of their own moral reasoning. However, recently I have felt uncomfortable being so certain about a lack of God, and so I find myself agnostic.
How do you contribute to the cause of saving lives in the womb?
I speak up when I have the courage to, and when the situation calls for it. I often think about the arguments for and against abortion, watch debates etc. so that I’m prepared for a discussion about it should this happen unexpectedly. I make anti-abortion a big priority when it comes to voting. I see myself always voting for whichever party would reduce the killing of the unborn more.
As regular citizens of the world without institutional power, I think often the best we can do is be as much as possible a shining example of a happy and healthy, well-adjusted, kind, and compassionate human being. The medium is the message, and if we can engage with people on this topic with grace, dignity, rationality, and compassion it’s difficult to ignore us.
[Read more – Quick tips for making online abortion debates worthwhile]
What words of wisdom do you have to share?
First, I want to acknowledge that if you are a non-religious pro-lifer and you are reading this, you may feel very alone. Outside of the Church, the Mosque, or the Synagogue, the ruling religious doctrine is that of progressivism, and there are real and painful consequences for speaking out against this doctrine. But there are more of you out there than you think, and it feels better to break your silence, even if you fumble your words or let emotion get the better of you. Forgive yourself, improve, and try again next time. I don’t know if I’ve ever converted anyone fully, but I have at least made a couple of people stop and consider their position, and that’s a step toward victory.
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