Ask a Pro-Life Agnostic: Anonymous
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 an agnostic.
How did you arrive at the anti-abortion position?
I was pro-choice in my teens, I grew up in a very pro-abortion state (Massachusetts), and this was simply the cultural view. I believed the slogans of “a women’s right to choose,” “it’s a clump of cells,” etc.
Later on, I learned that the “clump of cells” had their own DNA. This went strongly against my past view of the fetus just being a clump of cells akin to a tumor. This opened my mind to researching and discovering that the baby gets their own set of unique DNA at conception and that this was a scientific fact. The fetus is unique, and the fetus is of the human species, so they are a unique living human being. Realizing that this is a person and not a tissue or clump of cells changed my mind completely. And with simple logic, such as my pre-existing beliefs that 1. Murder is wrong and 2. All humans have human rights, my shift to being pro-life naturally flowed. Nowhere in here was any religious belief, it was all learning scientific facts and simple logic.
If fetuses really were just clumps of cells, and didn’t become living human beings until after birth, I would still be pro-choice. In many ways, I am STILL pro-choice for a woman doing anything to THEIR bodies, but the line is drawn when it harms SOMEONE ELSE’S body, especially an innocent one. This is why.
How did you arrive at the agnostic position?
A lot of research. I found that in philosophy of religion, there are very smart people advocating for very well thought out ideas on both sides, and I simply don’t know who is correct. I am not a professional philosopher, and the professionals all disagree with one another, hence my agnosticism. What sealed the deal to leave religion was my study of history. Historical evidence points strongly against the major religions, and even historical experts who are themselves believers admit this. Some don’t believe that history needs to line up in order to believe, but personally I couldn’t believe any more for those reasons. My beliefs right now are atheist towards the major religions and agnostic towards any sort of non-traditional God or spirit, but I just call myself Agnostic for short.
How do you contribute to the cause of saving lives in the womb?
Donating money to pro-life advocacy. I love using the Socratic method with people in my life. People are much less defensive with this approach, and it sows a seed in their mind to really ask themselves why they believe this. I also like employing this line of questions: Do you believe all humans should have human rights? What species is the fetus? Is it living? Do you think a fetus should have human rights? And any opposition to those points can easily be discredited by offering scientific fact proving the species is in fact human, that the fetus is in fact living, and that human rights include the right to life, and that no innocent person should be killed.
What words of wisdom do you have to share?
Don’t be afraid to follow the truth wherever it leads, even if it isolates you from your family or community. You can fight for human rights and truth no matter who you are.
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