Moral Confusion on Abortion

By Michael Medved

For cultural conservatives, the good news is that nearly all Americans--87 percent--still believe in the concept of sin, but the bad news is that we're deeply confused on how to define it.

According to a 2007 study by Ellison Research, an overwhelming 81 percent think adultery is sinful, and almost as many say "racism" is a sin. But when it comes to abortion, only 56 percent think it's sinful. More Americans consider it sinful to "use hard drugs" or to "not say something if a cashier gives you too much change."

These responses indicate the big challenge for the pro-life movement: making the case that abortion isn't just moral sloppiness--like accepting the wrong change--but a cruel act that destroys a life, inflicts pain on a defenseless being, and stops a beating human heart.

Only after overwhelming majorities agree that abortion is profoundly wrong and destructive will we see a change its legal status.