Persuasive Pro Life: How to Talk about Our Cultures Toughest Issue by Trent Horn

Persuasive Pro Life: How to Talk about Our Cultures Toughest Issue Reviews

• 
  Amora

  Abortion is perhaps the most paramount subject out there to debate about, and debating abortion without getting emotional can be difficult. This book lays out a blueprint for how people that are pro-life can have a dialogue with the pro-choice crowd that involves humility and facts. The most common arguments for abortion are addressed in this book very succinctly and I very much appreciate Horn’s charitable attitude. This book isn’t made just for Catholics but for everyone that wants to defend the unborn.
• 
  Andrew

  Rule 1: don't be weird. Immediately after reading those words I was hooked. Too often pro life advocates fail to approach people in the abortion debate in a loving, reasoned way. This book seeks to address those failings.
  
  The author brings something much needed to the abortion debate: reason and empathy. Using an array of analogies, the author focuses on the single important question: what or who are the unborn? Answering this question, that the unborn are tiny, developing humans that deserve our protection, is the central issue that is really what the abortion issue boils down to. Everything else, add the author shows, is just noise attempting to get in the way of this undeniable fact.
  
  Coupled with his reasoned analysis, the author reminds us that empathy is necessary. Most people either lack the information or are emotionally tied to the pro-choice stance. Loving your neighbor in this case requires patience and understanding, but never compromising on the truth.
• 
  Angela

  If you want, not only to learn how to defend pro-life position with respect and humility but also get to know pro-choice position better this is the right book for you. It goes through all the arguments that pro-choice people have, answers them, analyzing them and giving lot of analogies to understand everything much better. The read is easy, as usual in Trent Horn's books, which I really appreciate.
• 
  JoAnna Wahlund

  Logical and cohesive arguments
  
  Mr. Horn uses logic and reason to dismantle most, if not all, arguments for abortion. He supports his points with clear, thorough, and compelling evidence from a secular point-of-view (but he also gives tips for discussing the issue of abortion with people who try to use religious arguments to defend it). This book is a must-read.
• 
  Ann Warren

  Well written, logical, and at the same time compassionate. Recommend for any who are pro-life but have trouble articulating why and those who are unsure of how they feel about abortion. The arguments for the pro-life cause here are flawless.
• 
  Mary

  What an annoying book. Another advocate using vatican two propoganda nonsense to try and force down our throats tolerance to other peoples religion and views, etc etc. Blah blah blah.
  
  Steer clear from this book if you are looking for quality in educating catholics how to properly conduct and construct arguments AGAINST abortionists. Especially if you are in the mind set that the Catholic Church holds the fullness of truth - DO NOT come to this book.
  
  Because it advocates this: " that the state, cannot like the vatican two document dignitatis humanae states, impose upon people the profession of any religion, through fear or other means " blah blah blah. Page 97
  Which means this - that the state cannot hold or use the Catholic Faith as the basis for the reason WHY abortion is wrong - because by doing this then in actual fact this means that you are IMPOSING your faith on these people who do not want to accept objections against abortion - you are imposing your religion on people by saying something is morally wrong for the fact that religion says so. And mind you, this is not ANY religion. This is particularly the Catholic Faith. And here Trent Horn uses a quote from a vatican two document. Fantastic. To top this off this is all According To Trent Horn - Catholic Apologist. Which means to say- fluffy, puffy lukewarm Catholic Apologist who is not an CATHOLIC APOLOGIST at all.
  
  Wow. To top this off the actual title for THAT segment is called " i can not impose my faith " whereby Trent quotes some American senator named John Kerry and how he, this dimwit, says that we cannot impose our Catholic Faith on other religions, such as Protestant or Jew.
  
  Uhm. What darn relevance does ANY OF THIS have to do with conversation AGAINST abortion? Huh? What relevance? Only to open up the channel of saying if you donot agree, then that's fine. Your view is your view. And your choice your choice. Implying there is NO objective truth and morality.
  
  So folks. Here it is. Here is another book on the propaganda of religious indifferentism.
  
  Yes. This review, like any upcoming reviews on books that are propogating anything vatican two or modernism, is harsh and directly against modernist ideas or views which directly or indirectly counter the True Catholic Faith. Like it or leave it
  
  
  This Is my message folks. The time has come. The Catholic Faith will and is declining. The time has come when quite soon, sooner than we anticipate, the Church will return to the catacombs. And Catholics will be forced into hiding, risking their lives to attend the True holy mass. Let us understand that examples of books such as this by Trent Horn enables NOTHING (good) but religious indifferentism and open tolerance to falsehoods which are clearly untrue. Prepare, dear Christians, your souls for the world was once pagan and became Christian. And now that the world is entirely Christian will once again become pagan. And the end will come.
  
  
  Steer clear from such nonsense. For the sake of your souls, God and truth.
  
  God help us all.
• 
  Sara

  Awesome, powerful book that should be required reading for everyone in this country. Clearly shows that the unborn are people who should have human rights, including the right to live, by comprehensively presenting logical, rational, "non-religious" arguments directly addressing all those opposed. (While the specific audience is for pro-lifers wanting to engage in a reasonable, respectful dialogue with those who disagree, this book presents all the arguments made for abortion and why they're ultimately untenable.)
• 
  Jonathan Wilbur

  Very good book.
• 
  Gianni Francis

  I started taking red pills around 2015, and each one took some time to digest. Not so with abortion; I remember the moment that I learned what a 1st trimester 'abortion' involved: the dismemberment of a living human fetus, and a suctioning of its remains through a tube. Abortion was the kindest way to describe this brutal process.
  
  And yet, as sincere as my natural repulsion was, I could not call myself 'pro-life.' I did not want to associate myself with any political movement.
  
  But abortion is not a political question, it is a moral question. After reading Trent's book I discarded any preconceived notions about that label and welcomed anyone that disagreed with the moral premise that the unborn have the right to life, and nothing justifies their killing; they are innocent. Trent expertly and charitably demonstrates how every pro-choice argument--from philosophical to utilitarian to emotional--is morally wrong.
  
  Since reading this book, I am equipped for a conversation with every type of abortion apologist. In my own dialogues, the most disturbing to me are those that are "politically correct:" they acknowledge that a human fetus is living, but side with the mother's choice to abort because "her life is more valuable." Otherwise compassionate people who choose choice to be politically consistent when the politics are demonstrably amoral. Evil is the ends of political correctness as it blinds and deflects a person's inherent call to justice.
  
  Abortion was my wake up call. No longer could I be in the dispassionate/cowardly public, afraid to engage others about this absolute evil. Trent's book gave me the confidence and charity to be prepared for this conversation wherever I go, and I recommend it for anyone passionate for saving the lives of the unborn.
• 
  Matthew

  After sitting on my Kindle for several years I finally decided to read this after a conversation with a work colleague convinced me that I needed to brush up on how to approach these discussions with people who disagree with the pro-life stance.
  
  The book is well-researched, with plenty of citations, including from pro-choice writers. But it is a little unwieldy and perhaps should have been edited down to a fraction of the size.
  
  In his effort to be completely thorough, Horn includes all arguments he can conceive of, some good and some not very good. In the flurry of arguments it's a little exhausting for a casual critical reader to keep track of the merits or lack thereof of all of the points being made.
  
  For example, the arguments about personhood presuppose that your interlocutor accepts Boethius' definition of personhood as being a member of a rational kind. Most pro-choice arguments don't, however, so these arguments aren't likely to find much purchase.
  There is also a misquote of a pro-choice philosopher, where Horn misrepresents Jeff McMahan's position. Horn quotes him as saying that a utilitarian view of human value "rests on distressingly insecure foundations", whereas the linked footnote shows that the original quote implies the opposite - that egalitarian principles rest on insecure foundations because our moral statuses appear to be a matter of degree.
  
  There are also some passages where Horn counters a pro-choice argument by invoking a pro-choice philosopher or physician who disagrees with the pro-choice argument and agrees with the pro-life position on one matter, but this begs the question as to why these people are nevertheless pro-choice. What are the more convincing arguments that they rely on for their pro-choice position?
  
  In spite of the above flaws, I think the book is very worthwhile. It provides a number of rhetorical strategies, like replacing a foetus with a toddler, that serve to redirect the conversation back to the central question of what differentiates an unborn foetus from a born baby in terms of moral status.
  
  It also makes a reasonable defense of the use of graphic images, which I am a bit uneasy with, by giving anecdotes of when they have successfully changed people's minds.
  
  For anyone looking to brush up on their pro-life advocacy, there is definitely some benefit to skimming through the book.
• 
  Cameron M

  Brilliant book. I'm a big fan of Trent Horn. He's an excellent apologist and writer. This is the second of his books that I've read, behind 'Answering Atheism' (also exceptional).
  
  This book prepares to pro-life advocate to charitably and effectively dialogue and engage in conversation/debate with pro-choice individuals. Trent Horn brings to the table the many types of Pro-Choice individuals we meet and their own peculiar agendas an how to address each and every one of them to always re-route back to the fundamental question of, "what are the unborn?"
  
  Horn is able to help readers feel more comfortable with each type of pro-choice person (not that they all fit the bill for a certain 'type') and how to respond with grace and knowledge during debate. It's especially important in this day and age to be factual and relevant to our ever-swaying-with-the-wind culture/society, and Trent guides his readers along the paths to do so.
  
  The cardinal virtue Trent points out about this controversy is, "Don't Be Weird"; let's use this book as reference to fight the good fight for those who can't, and let's do so with grace and charity!
  
  I know for sure that I will be referring to this book multiple times in the future to recall how to address a particular rebuttal of a claim I might make, or how to answer something that seems difficult. Thank you, Trent, for an incredible guide to this especially important march.
• 
  Greenguh

  Straw mans the disqualifiers. Fine for an simple understanding, but not good if you actually want to debate the topic with people who know what they're talking about.
  
  Additionally doesn't provide a stance on irreversibly comatose (i.e. braindead) patients. It would appear from all of his arguments that he would be forced to say that they are persons, but this leads to a problem in that it can be very costly to maintain such patients and it can upset the family since they can't have a funeral, and they wouldn't be allowed to be declared dead. And if he were to respond that they are not persons, then certainly there are at least some other "humans" that would also not qualify as persons despite being human and alive.
• 
  Gena Ries

  This is such a tough subject. I've had different views about this topic throughout different stages of my life, as I think many have, and reading this book has changed me even more. It definitely gives one alot to think about. Being able to have productive, non-aggressive conversations is important when it comes to such sensitive content. I definitely recommend reading, regardless of where your stance is on this topic, there's always a need to find more common ground and understanding. Trent Horn does a great job of covering all of the bases and arguments on this topic, from both sides.
• 
  Photovy

  Thorough and accessible book that will help you dialogue about abortion.
• 
  Giovanni Del Piero

  One of the best defenses of the pro life position out there in my opinion.
• 
  Amber-Rose

  Amazing book! Highly suggest to everyone
• 
  JoniB

  This book gives several scenarios on pro-choice arguments along with effective ways to make pro-life points without alienating (thus shutting down) ones opponent.
  
  Very good (and might I say 'persuasive') counterpoints to the pro-choice talking points.
• 
  Alyse

  im pro choice but it was good tbh now im gonna have to read a few pro choice books to extend my knowledge and see where i stand bc idk what to think LOL
  rlly convincing book lol
  but sometimes he says stupid things
• 
  Michal Stawicki

  Terrific.
  
  I had a solid conviction deep in my sould that each unborn is a human being and deserves to live. Now I have also knowledge and many arguments.