This is the third book in a series over 25 years. In
1971, at the insistence of many people, particularly our college daughters, we wrote Handbook
On Abortion. In question and answer format, it attempted to present all of the
arguments for abortion and to answer them in a rational, medical, and scientific way. The
first edition, in June 1971, numbered 141 pages and contained 42 scientific references
arranged for the reader’s convenience immediately following the answer to a question.
Its 1975 revision increased its size to 208 pages with 180 references, and the 1979
revision totalled 210 pages with 210 newer references. In 24 printings, Handbook On
Abortion sold over one million copies and was translated into ten languages.
Internationally, it became known as the "bible of the movement." But time moved
on. A flood of new scientific information, particularly the explosion of detailed
information about the other patient (the tiny one) through recent technology and modern
research, reshaped our answers. Historical, legislative, and legal developments had to be
incorporated into our thinking. A few earlier "facts" had been disproved, but
many new facts have been confirmed by scientific studies.
In 1985 we saw the need for a totally new book. And so we started
with blank paper and wrote afresh. Abortion: Questions & Answers brought new
areas, new questions and answers, new developments.
Except for a few classic papers, we used new and updated scientific
articles to support our answers. It ended up larger, far richer and more useful.
It did fill the shoes of Handbook. With revisions and updates, it
even inherited its "bible" status and added ten more languages.
It is now 26 years since we entered this struggle. We view this
field of battle with mixed emotions — dismay that the slaughter continues, elation at
the great progress the pro-life movement has made . . . and a quiet optimism that our
children will see the day when this demon is slain.
Love Them Both proclaims the new theme that our research has
shown is the way to turn the tide as we move into the 21st century.
Broad areas in society, major church bodies and political parties
have joined the pro-life side, but, in opposition, we have not yet seen the full fury of
the pro-abortion ideologies and of the pro-abortion industry.
Accordingly, we offer this new educational tool, hoping it too will
fill the need its two predecessors did. The issue today is still intensely personal, while
being totally global. We echo Mother Teresa’s words at the 1994 National Prayer
Breakfast:
"The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it
is a war against the child . . . and if we accept that a mother can kill even her own
child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?"
And we offer this book.
Dr. & Mrs. (John & Barbara) Willke
