Still thinking about it...

I am still thinking about Greg Cunningham’s video, about which I blogged yesterday.

Images from it disturbed my sleep and made me aware I should be doing so much more for the unborn.

I am also aware, of course, that Cunningham’s approach is strongly contested by, for example, Life, whose caring and educational work I hold in high regard.  Niall Gooch is their Education and Research Officer for the London region.  

[UPDATE: Niall has pointed out that he tweets in a personal capacity, not as a representative of Life.)

On Twitter, (@niall_gooch) he said: 'Cunningham is one of the worst things to happen to the pro-life movement in Britain in years. He's taking us backwards.’

I asked him for his thoughts behind this comment, and he kindly sent a series of points to explain his reservations about Cunningham’s approach:

In short, my objections to public display of graphic images: (they're a mixture of pragmatic/principled)...

1 Violates the dignity of the dead child 

2 Many of those images are fake/manipulated 

3 We have no idea how the images will be perceived by ppl who've experienced *any* kind of pregnancy loss. 

4 Children will see them

5 It's horrible PR for prolife & I know of no evidence that it helps win minds permanently. 

6 It is unChristlike 

7 It not only appears self-righteous, confrontational & judgmental, but can actually engender those sins in ppl.

8 It poisons other prolife work, eg schools - we at LIFE have lost numerous schools for this reason.

I am still mulling this over.

It seems to me that there are two principal questions.

One is: is the approach taken by Greg intrinsically wrong?  If so, there is nothing more to discuss, for we may not use the ends to justify the means.

If there is nothing intrinsically wrong with Greg’s approach, is it prudent?  That is, will the benefits (if any) outweigh the risks (if any)?

Of the objections raised by Niall, 1, 4, 6 and 7 strike me as ones that suggest the means may be intrinsically wrong, 3, 5 and 8 are more about the tactical aspect.  2 is a separate case: it strikes me as a serious allegation, and I have asked Niall to clarify and await his response.

So I propose to think out loud firstly about 1, 4, 6 and 7, and then (perhaps, in a later post)  3, 5 and 8.  Then, if I have time and anything further to say, I may try to reach some conclusions.

1 Using such images violates the dignity of the dead child.

This is an argument with which I have an immediate and instinctive sympathy.  However, under examination I think it breaks down. Cunningham’s point is that we violate the dignity of the aborted child more by covering up his murder than by using photographs to prove it.  If one considers the case of a born child murdered, where there was photographic evidence that would convict his murderer (or even simply prove that he was a murder victim, not dead by natural causes) I do not think that publicising such a photograph (if it was necessary to do so in the pursuit of justice) would violate the child’s dignity.

4 Children will see them.

Again, this is an argument that resonates strongly with me.  However, does that mean that using such images is inherently wrong? I am not sure.

6 It is unChrist-like

I am not convinced. I am always wary of the ‘what would Christ do?’ line of argument, as He so frequently astonished even those who knew Him best.  He certainly had no qualms about telling unacceptable truths, and confronting evil directly and unapologetically - even ‘offensively.’

7 It not only appears self-righteous, confrontational & judgmental, but can actually engender those sins in people.

Again, I am not convinced. It could engender those sins, but so could many things that are not intrinsically evil.

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As I say, I am thinking out loud here: I would welcome others’ views. To my surprise, I am inclining towards Greg Cunningham’s point of view,  (or at least, I am not wholly convinced by the arguments against it made so far)  but I am not yet decided or sure and am very much open to discussion and persuasion.

Any source