Abortion Induces Moral Relativism
by
Two elderly priests I know have offered complementary insights into our current cultural crisis: “Social engineering is preceded by verbal engineering,” and “Those who win the language wars win the culture wars.” Language carefully hones, shapes—or distorts—our culture. And, since language is our medium for comprehension, our use of language directly impacts our ability to know the truth.
Today abortion supporters are using language in unprecedented ways that sickens our culture with ever new doses of moral relativism.
Linguistic gymnastics have long been used to disguise the gruesome reality of abortion. In the early years after Roe v. Wade, abortion supporters embraced the term “pro-choice” as an enticing euphemism: “pro” is positive sounding, and everyone likes choice. Yet this term failed to move public opinion on the morality and on the legality of abortion.
Hence, as the decades passed and the culture wars evolved, abortion supporters sought new terminology to bolster their social engineering project. “Pro-choice” slipped out of usage and “abortion rights” took its place. Rights are fundamental to our being and to our nation, as we find in our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. Surely this linguistic cocktail would tip the scales.