I've had numerous debates about abortion online.
There is a good way and a not-so-good way to discuss abortion if you want an actual conversation.
The wrong way would be something like this: ABORTION IS MURDER!!! STOP THE BABY-KILLING BUTCHERS!!!! THE BLOOD OF MILLIONS OF BABIES IS ON OUR HANDS!!!
You get the picture. Lots of screaming, lots of emotionalism, all caps and exclamation marks.
Hysterical moralism is the number one way to turn off your audience.
How do you discuss abortion?
As calmly and as respectfully as possible.
Stick to facts.
Stick to logic.
Do not engage in ad hominems.
I know that last one is really hard because the opposition tends to call us every name in the book.
You`re not obliged to put up with degrading talk. You can block people if you don't want to engage.
But resist the urge to call them nasty names.
When you debate abortion online, your purpose is not to convince the person you`re talking to. So DON'T EXPECT ANY MOVEMENT ON THEIR PART and that will lessen your frustration. Abortion supporters will cling to their opinion even in the face of facts and logic because they have a strong emotional reason for doing so. It's not your job to be their personal psychologist. Don't play arm chair psychologist and try to get them to spill the beans about their reasons. That doesn't convince anyone.
Your purpose is to persuade anyone who might be reading. Because online debates often have silent readers, either at the time of posting or later on when people find your discussion through search engines.
If you present facts and logic respectfully, without hitting back when they hit you with their insults, that garners a lot of respect and makes people open to thinking about the pro-life point of view.
Resist the temptation to think that when pro-aborts put you down "in front of everyone" that your degradation somehow undermines the pro-life cause.
It's the opposite.
Thoughtful and intelligent people can see the difference between someone arguing rationally and calmly, and someone who uses insult to persuade his audience to reject your point of view.
So don't even sweat it. The more you resist their outrage, the calmer you appear, the more credible your argument is. Your confidence in facts and logic gives credibility to your own case, whereas their recourse to insults and put downs betrays a lack of knowledge for the basis of their own beliefs.
If you argue this way on abortion, I promise you will sway people, even if you don't think you're doing any good. I've had a few people come and tell me that I've moved them to a more pro-life position and I've seen it myself. So I think it's safe to say that I've helped sway people who haven't told me.
You can too. Just stick to making your case.
