In today’s example, pro-choice proponent Pam Keith tries to correct pro-life Christians by appealing to something Jesus (supposedly) did not say. Here’s her logic: If Jesus didn’t mention the unborn, then they didn’t matter to Him. And if they didn’t matter to Him, they shouldn’t matter to us.

There are actually three fatal flaws in this approach. First, even if it is true that Jesus didn’t say anything about the unborn (and we don’t actually know that), nothing logically follows from it. We certainly cannot conclude—as Pam Keith implies—that the unborn didn’t matter to Jesus. That’s a textbook example of a fallacious argument from silence.

Second, Jesus clearly did say a lot about the authority of the Old Testament. And the Old Testament affirms the value and dignity of human beings before they are born. Therefore it's reasonable to think Jesus would affirm their dignity and value, too.

Third, in the New Testament, even Jesus and John are treated as themselves—genuine, complete, valuable human beings—while they are still in utero.

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