Have you ever changed the mind of a pro-lifer?

[rationaldeath]

In the past I brought up the subject of my own suicide to a family member and they weren't able to disagree with the logic behind my decision, but afterwards they still remained hostile to the idea and pleaded with me to pursue other options. Have you ever been able to convince someone to change their mind completely, and if so how?

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

They have minds now?

 

[noname223]

When I was in school we had a debate about assisted suicide in religion class. It was the first time I thought intensely about it. I destroyed some pretty smart people in my class who were pro-life (The most people in my class who were pro-choice did not give a fuck about the exercise and the well nurtured were pro-life. They came from very religious families and their parents supported them a lot to get good education.) Though I have destroyed them fully. My fundamentalist religious teacher was stunned. He praised me for my line of argumentation and wrote something in my notebook. Despite the fact I am pretty pretty sure he was absolutely pro-life.
Maybe I have convinced some people with this debate. (I am very proud about this event. I was pro-choice before becoming suicidal. I go more in details in another thread of mine.)

 

[Callie Arcale]

I was anti-choice. I changed my own mind. Does that count?

 

[rationaldeath]

I was anti-choice. I changed my own mind. Does that count?

What caused you to change your mind?

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

What caused you to change your mind?

 

[Insomniac]

Surprisingly enough, most people don't overreact to the idea of suicide. Most of the irl people I have had that conversation with had very rational thought regarding it.

People get irrational only when suicide is no longer a philosophical debate but a very real possibility that could affect them personally throught the loss of a loved one or an admired figure.

 

[TooConscious]

Most People are incredibly fickle and will just express certain beliefs around certain company. Not many people stand by what they say.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Not relevant but people can't even have their minds changed about the obvious grifting going on behind those expensive yet poorly drawn monkey images on the internet. What hope does anyone have for ever changing their mind on anything these days?

As for the topic of pro life vs pro choice especially when it comes to suicide, I also don't think anyone's mind will ever be changed one way or the other when it comes to a topic as serious as this unless they were already on the fence or subconsciously already on whatever side they could be changed to.

 

[WrongPlaceWrongTime]

Easier said than done. Most of the time they are too consumed by their self-righteousness to consider debating what is taboo in their eyes. To them, suicide is always irrational, and anyone who dares consider discussing it as a choice is also irrational.

 

[waitingforrest]

When I talk about suicide to a pro-lifer, I don't go in with the intent to change their mind. In my cases, they sometimes can't stop imposing their moral values on to me. Most pro-lifers I met are psychologists.

They view themselves as helping me are fixing me to be less negative, a reason why I dislike Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the first place. I don't agree with the stance they take as my thoughts being irrational, after all, they are my beliefs and the reality as I perceive it.

That's the hardest part about debating with a pro-lifer, they see that suicide is something that they will never do. And so they think that you should not CTB too. The problem is that their statements can not possibly apply to every case, the "it gets better" and "life is worth living" are examples of this.

I tend to tell them my pain and how it is chronic and I see no other escape than death. That the pain never goes away, instead I just learn to cope with it. That what makes me want to ctb is not just my thoughts of self hated, but the world itself. The day when all the problems on Earth are solved is the day I see life as bearable. Obviously they don't take that information very well, but I at least hope it will get them reflecting a bit. I tell them it's fine to disagree, but not okay to try to force something onto others.

(By their logic, they will eventually stop feeling grief from suicides because the pain is temporary and it will all get better. Obviously it doesn't Work like that.)

 

[Sherri]

Yes but only if the person has cancer or is on physical pain behind a cure. When it comes to mind it's harder to convince.

 

[Callie Arcale]

What caused you to change your mind?

Chronic illness and understanding that life is not a gift for some people, but pure torture.