Not alive. Not human. Not biology?

Stephanie Gray refers to a picture of an embryo at seven weeks during her presentation at Google headquarters.

Stephanie Gray refers to a picture of an embryo at seven weeks during her presentation at Google headquarters.

It's nearly impossible to avoid the question of "when life begins" when talking to people about abortion.  In a presentation at Google headquarters, Stephanie Gray shares questions she uses in her conversations on the subject (11:04 - 13:30).  See the clip below.  After watching, we suggest answering the following questions, preferably in dialogue with someone else:

  • "Biologically speaking, when do you think a living human organism begins to exist?"

  • "Do you believe it is possible for pro-choice and pro-life advocates to agree on a clear answer to this question?"

  • "How do you integrate the biology of when humans begin with your view on abortion, if at all?"

(You can also respond using the comments section below or using the version of this post at our @7conversations Twitter feed.)

More on this Topic: 

VIDEO: Why a JFA Internship?

JFA intern Grace Fontenot shares what sparked her interest in a JFA internship and discusses what the experience has been like, so far. Join the Conversation: www.twitter.com/7conversations Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/trainthousands Discover Resources for Students and Clubs: www.jfaweb.org/students Invest in JFA's Mission: www.jfaweb.org/invest

Above, JFA intern Grace Fontenot shares what sparked her interest in a JFA internship and discusses what the experience has been like so far.  Take a look!

Grace Fontenot (see video) interacts with a student at Fort Hays State University in September 2016. Support Grace's JFA internship by clicking here.

Grace Fontenot (see video) interacts with a student at Fort Hays State University in September 2016. Support Grace's JFA internship by clicking here.

Note:  Special thanks to Genesis Media Solutions for the excellent production on this video.

Quick Links:  

Pray for Conversations - July

Catherine, right, prays for a woman at a Justice For All outreach event.  We have learned a great deal from Catherine’s focus on God and on prayer.  Please join us now in praying for her!

We thank God for Catherine Wurts and for God's work through Catherine's years of service with JFA.

Please pray with us for Catherine Wurts as she leaves JFA this month to pursue graduate studies.  As a JFA volunteer (2006-2008) and a JFA staff member (2009-2017), Catherine has directly impacted thousands of people through conversations during outreach events, through her public presentations, and through personal mentoring of participants in JFA’s Abortion: From Debate to Dialogue Training Program.  In addition to her roles as dialogue artist and trainer, Catherine served as JFA’s Intern Recruiter and Trainer Certification Specialist.  More importantly, Catherine encouraged our staff towards a deeper devotion to God and to prayer.  We thank God for the sacrifice and devotion Catherine has given to JFA’s staff, volunteers, and mission over these many years, and she will be sorely missed.  Please pray for God’s guidance for Catherine throughout her graduate program and beyond, and pray for the conversations Catherine will create in the coming years.  See Catherine's staff alumni page for some of the highlights from her work with JFA through the years.  In the comments section below, you can leave a note about what her work has meant to you personally.

(Note, see also our Event Calendar for a list of events about which you can pray, including upcoming major events in IN, MN, TX, and OK.)

Featured Resource: Stephanie Gray Featured on Talks at Google

Can you imagine a skilled pro-life dialogue artist speaking at Google headquarters?  What if that presentation then was posted by Talks at Google on its YouTube channel?  This is exactly what’s just happened.  We’re ecstatic that our friend Stephanie Gray has recently been featured by Google.  By watching, you can both learn from her moving presentation and help it surpass 100,000 views (as of this post, it has over 98,200 views).  In her talk, “Abortion: From Controversy to Civility,” Stephanie modeled powerfully how sharing stories, questions, and thought experiments can transform your conversations about abortion.  The whole talk is just over an hour long and is certainly worth watching.  If you’d like to start with a short segment, however, we’ve highlighted two minutes from the Q&A portion (53:26 - 55:26).  Listen for Stephanie's great advice on starting conversations in a pro-choice environment.  (Steve Wagner notes that he and Stephanie both look back to a support-raising retreat they attended in 2001, led by Scott Klusendorf, as formative in the pro-life work they went on to do and continue to this day.) 

Featured Conversation Starter: "Equal Rights for Whom?"

Use the post, “Equal Rights for Whom? — Stephanie Gray at Google” to start a conversation in a natural way with a friend who has any perspective on abortion.  The post is written with the pro-choice person in mind and features a two-minute clip from Stephanie Gray’s talk at Google in which she discusses the UN Declaration of Human Rights.  Then the post asks two questions that get the conversation started.  To view the post and share it on social media, use the links below.  If you use this tool to start a conversation, please let us know how it goes!

"Equal Rights for Whom?" - Stephanie Gray at Google (video clip)

The question of women's rights and abortion many times is framed in terms of human rights.  In a talk at Google headquarters, Stephanie Gray discussed the concept of human rights and what this concept means for abortion rights.  During her talk, she began with a point of common ground on which many people agree: the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (21:07 - 24:41).  After watching, we suggest answering the following questions, preferably in dialogue with someone else:

"Do you agree with the UN Declaration's approach to human rights and personhood?  If you believe in human rights, on what do you think they are based - human nature or something else?"

(You can also respond using the comments section below or using the version of this post at our @7conversations Twitter feed.)

More on Stephanie Gray:

An Example to Follow - Stephanie Gray's Talk at Google

[Video Starts During Q&A Portion] Stephanie Gray responds to a question from the audience during her presentation at Google headquarters.

[Full Presentation] Google's description reads: "Stephanie Gray, internationally renowned speaker and author, applies the Socratic method and storytelling to the debate surrounding abortion. She invites the audience to be 'pro-conversation' on a topic that can be one of the most divisive, and demonstrates that it is possible to be gracious and respectful when encountering different ideas."

We’re ecstatic that our friend, international pro-life speaker Stephanie Gray, has recently been featured by Talks at Google at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California.  In her talk, "Abortion: From Controversy to Civility," Stephanie modeled powerfully how sharing stories, questions, and thought experiments can transform your conversations about abortion.

This whole talk is just over an hour long and is certainly worth watching.  If you'd like to start with a short segment, however, we've highlighted two minutes from the Q&A portion (53:26 - 55:26).  Listen for Stephanie's great advice on starting conversations in a pro-choice environment.* 

In the coming days, we will highlight a few more short segments on our blog and our @7conversations Twitter feed.  However, these upcoming posts will be designed to share so that you can use them to start a conversation of your own.  If you use one of the upcoming posts to create dialogue, let us know how it goes!

Visit www.stephaniegray.info to learn more about Stephanie and her book, Love Unleashes Life: Abortion & the Art of Communicating Truth.

*Note:  Also included in this video clip is a response to the question of abortion in the case of rape.  Stephanie does a great job of compassionately and clearly addressing this topic in the short time format.  In personal conversations about abortion and the question of rape, you'll usually have a bit more time.  For additional suggestions on ways to approach this, see JFA's Abortion: From Debate to Dialogue - The Interactive Guide (pages 20-22).

Recent and Upcoming Events - Please Pray

Please pray with us that God will cause hearts and minds to change as a result of conversations created by our staff, volunteers, and audience members:

CA — 5/21-23 — Los Angeles — Seminar and Kiosk Outreach at UCLA

KS — 6/21, 27, 28 — Poll Table Outreach at Wichita State University

Listen Online — 6/22 — Tammy Cook Interview — Culture of Life Radio — www.thehub.nm

VA — 7/7 — Fredericksburg — Workshop at SFLA Wilberforce Program Kickoff — Steve Wagner

MD — 7/20 — Baltimore — Workshop for SFLA Regional Coordinators — Steve Wagner

MN — 9/30 — Chanhassen — Workshop — Steve Wagner

IN, MN, TX, OK — Fall 2017 — Large Exhibit or Ten-Foot Kiosk Outreach Events (Details TBA)

List of All Recent and Upcoming Events 

Photos from Recent Events

 

Featured Resource to Equip Yourself - June

Last month we shared Rebecca Haschke’s letter, “A Lesson in Love — Part 1,” in which a young man named “Sam” was so rude at the start of the conversation that Rebecca nearly gave up talking to Sam altogether.  Despite her inner frustration, Rebecca repeatedly made a choice to love him and was surprised by the conversation that followed.  This month, we are sharing the rest of the story, “A Lesson in Love — Part 2.”  Because of Rebecca’s humility and her willingness to find common ground, Sam opened up about his past.  As you read, notice how choosing to love, even when it was difficult, provided an unexpected opportunity for healing to begin.

Read the Full Story or Download a Printable Version.

Resources for Friends with Abortion in Their Past.

 

Featured Conversation Starter - June

You can start a conversation with a friend in a natural way by sharing Joanna Bai’s recent post, “I’ll never know you.  I never got a chance.”  The post features a letter a father wrote to his child and left on a JFA poll table in 2004.  This letter, featured on JFA’s Stop and Think Exhibit, can help both pro-choice and pro-life advocates think more deeply about abortion’s effects and develop greater empathy for women and men dealing with past abortion.  The post, including reflection questions, is intended to be a tool you can use to create a conversation naturally with people of any perspective.  To view the post and share it on social media, use the links below.  If you use this conversation starter, please let us know how it goes!

Share the Post: Twitter ; JFA Blog Post


About the Making Abortion Unthinkable with JFA Resource Bulletin

For friends of JFA who ask, “What can I do to make abortion unthinkable?” this resource bulletin offers some answers.  Beyond supporting JFA financially, which enables JFA’s trainers and volunteers to create conversations that make abortion unthinkable at JFA’s events, you can PRAY for the conversations the JFA community is creating (including your own), PREPARE for conversations, and START conversations. 

 

Recent and Upcoming Events: April - September

Please pray with us that God will cause hearts and minds to change as a result of conversations created by our staff, volunteers, and audience members (partial list):

CO — 4/21-26 — Fort Collins – Seminars and Large Exhibit Outreach (3 Days) at CSU            

CA — 4/22 — Irvine – Presentation at SFLA California Leadership Summit — Steve Wagner

KS — 5/1 — Wichita — Presentations at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School

CA — 5/21-23 — Los Angeles — Seminar and Kiosk Outreach at UCLA

VA — 7/7 — Fredericksburg — Workshop at SFLA Wilberforce Program Kickoff — Steve Wagner

MD — 7/20 — Baltimore — Workshop for SFLA Regional Coordinators — Steve Wagner

MN — 9/30 — Chanhassan — Workshop — Steve Wagner

All Recent and Upcoming Events: JFA Event Calendar ; JFA Event Photos

Staff Updates: JFA Blog ; JFA's Facebook Page

JFA Prayer Team Updates: Sign up for prayer team updates.

Featured Resource to Equip Yourself - May

“Sam” was so rude at the start of his conversation with JFA trainer Rebecca Haschke that she nearly gave up talking to him altogether.  Despite her inner frustration, she repeatedly made a choice to love him and was surprised by the conversation that followed.  Rebecca shared the story in her letter, “A Lesson in Love — Part 1.”  As you read, notice how Rebecca sought to understand Sam, find common ground with him, and humbly share aspects of her own experience.  As pro-life advocates seeking to create good conversations, we should work to master these skills.  (Want to read the rest of the story?  We’ll feature Part 2 of the letter as next month’s free resource.)

Read Part 1 or Download a Printable Version here.

See More Dialogue Examples. 

Featured Conversation Starter - May

You can start a conversation with a friend in a natural way by sharing Steve Wagner’s recent post, “Identifying with Her Uncertain Future.”  The post features a beautiful painting by Mexican artist Saturnino Herrán (from JFA’s Art of Life Exhibit).  The post and painting can help us start a conversation with important points of common ground: Many women who find themselves pregnant are in very difficult situations, they feel that their future is very uncertain, and we need to take this into account by discussing abortion with sympathy and compassion for the women experiencing these things.  To view the painting and share it on social media, use the links below.  If you use this conversation starter, please let us know how it goes!

Share the Post: Twitter (@7conversations) ; JFA Blog ("Start the Conversation")


About the Making Abortion Unthinkable with JFA Resource Bulletin

For friends of JFA who ask, “What can I do to make abortion unthinkable?” this resource bulletin offers some answers.  Beyond supporting JFA financially, which enables JFA’s trainers and volunteers to create conversations that make abortion unthinkable at JFA’s events, you can PRAY for the conversations the JFA community is creating (including your own), PREPARE for conversations, and START conversations. 

Identifying with her uncertain future

"Uncertain future" from JFA's Art of Life Exhibit.

This panel from JFA's Art of Life Exhibit features "La ofrenda" ("The offering") by Mexican painter Saturnino Herrán (1913).  It may not be possible to know exactly what is pictured here, but since the marigold is a flower frequently associated with death in some Latin American and Hispanic cultures, this may be a funeral procession.  We can imagine that the woman and children pictured may be grappling with an uncertain future after the death of a husband and father.

Let's consider the woman who finds herself pregnant unexpectedly.  Many times she is facing a very uncertain future.  Will I be able to care for this baby?  What will happen to my prospects for a career or even my prospects to be able to eat and provide for myself if I give birth to a baby?  Will I be able to handle the pains of labor?  Will I be able to find a loving adoptive couple to care for this baby if I am not able?  Will I lose my scholarship and then be forced to work in menial jobs for the rest of my life because I had to abandon my education?  Will I be dependent on others instead of being able to care for myself?  Will my friends abandon me?  Will the father of this baby stick around or will he just move on because I'm no longer desirable to him?

Unless we've been in a situation of unplanned pregnancy, it may be difficult for us to identify with these sorts of feelings that a woman faces when she finds herself pregnant unexpectedly.  But we must try to identify with her and understand how difficult it is from her perspective to think about carrying the child to term and giving birth.  Do you agree that it is helpful to give attention to these fears a woman has when she faces the uncertain future a pregnancy presents to her?  How should this change the way in which we discuss abortion?  Do you agree with the panel above that makes the claim that facing an uncertain future is better than killing a child by abortion? 

(For more information about the painting, including a link to a high resolution image of the painting, see JFA's Art of Life Exhibit page.)

Recent and Upcoming Events - March, April, May

Please pray with us that God will cause hearts and minds to change as a result of conversations created by our staff members, volunteers, and audience members at recent and upcoming events (partial list):

OH — 3/24-25 — Mason/Wilmington — Interactive Workshops — Catherine Wurts

TX — 3/29 — Austin — Interactive Workshop at Austin Oaks Church — Jeremy Gorr, Jon Wagner

OK — 4/2-3 — Stillwater – Interactive Workshop and Kiosk Outreach at OSU

KS — 4/11 — Wichita – Survey Outreach at WSU

CO — 4/21-23 — Denver/Fort Collins – Seminars to Prepare Volunteers for CSU Outreach

CA — 4/22 — Irvine – Presentation at SFLA California Leadership Summit — Steve Wagner

CO — 4/24-26 — Fort Collins – Large Exhibit Outreach at CSU (Three Days)

CA — 5/21-23 — Los Angeles — Seminar and Kiosk Outreach (Two Days) at UCLA

All Recent and Upcoming Events: JFA Event Calendar ; JFA Event Photos

Staff Updates: JFA Blog ; JFA's Facebook Page

JFA Prayer Team Updates: Sign up for prayer team updates.