Ave Maria!
I am off to England today and will not be back until March 2. Our Marian apostolate A Day With Mary will be the subject of a workshop for friars, sisters and MIM members in London.
Before I go, I wanted to provide some more links to essays and blog posts concerning the ethical question of lying and deception “in the service” of the good, that has been occasioned by the work of Lila Rose and Action Films and which has recently been questioned by Dawn Eden and William Doino. Be sure to check out there comments section there as well.
The philosopher Christopher Tollefsen has posted an essay, “Truth, Love and Live Action,” over at the Public Discourse website, which finds the organization’s tactics morally troubling, if not worse. Jody Bottum has replied firmly to Tollefsen—whom he otherwise finds much agreement with– with his own column, “The Unloving Lies of Lila Rose?” defending Lila, and Pia di Solenni offers more support for Rose with her post, “Lying for a Good Cause?”
Meanwhile, over at Mercatornet, Carolyn Moynihan, another pro-lifer, has written a sharp piece, “Stung! The Ethics of Entrapment,” in which she warns that, as much as we may like, or be inclined to support these operations, they could-and already have—been used against moral and religious traditionalists, and thus may come back to haunt us.
I have already linked to the New Theological Movement Website, where there are not one but two long posts critiquing Live Action, entitled, “It is a Sin to Lie, Even to Planned Parenthood,” and a follow-up, answering critics, “Lying to Planned Parenthood, or is it Mental Reservation?”
More recently, back at Public Discourse, Professor Christopher Kaczor has written, as a critique of Tollefsen, “In Defense of Live Action.” Pro-life activist Dr. Monica Migliorino Miller has firmly defended the group’s actions, whereas Dr. Germain Grisez and Dr. William May have just as strongly criticized them.
Finally, an interesting discussion has developed between Steve Kellmeyer and Dawn Eden under Steve’s post, “A Rose By Any Other Name.”
Filed under: Chivalry, Media, News, Pro-Life, Religion Tagged: Dawn Eden, Lila Rose, Live Action Films, Planned Parenthood, Steve Kellmeyer, William Doino 
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It is a confusing issue to be sure! There are top minds and theologians on both sides of the morality of the methods of Live Action.
“Mental reservation” is not something I have been able to wrap my mind around or use myself. Yes means yes and no means no, right? BUT there could be circumstances (war, persecution, etc.) where I could envision needed such a reservation.
Is there a war against the unborn?
We all agree of the demonic instrinsic evil of abortion but are the methods used to expose the deep crimes and evils, mental reservation, lies or entrapment?