Short Answer: Is it OK to Kill Baby Hitler?

Dear Apologist, Recently a major pro-life presidential candidate said he would have killed Hitler as a baby.  Would that be right?


Recently the Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush was asked if he'd have killed baby Hitler if he'd had a time machine.  His answer was an enthusiastic "yes".

The correct answer was "no".  In fact, the only thing you need to know about that question is the words:

"Would you a kill baby..." 

After that you can give a strong negative answer.  Why?  Because intentionally killing babies is intrinsically evil.  And as Saint Paul said, we can never do evil that good may come of it.


False Dichotomies:

This question tends to set up in people's minds what is called a "dichotomy" - or a choice between two opposed options with no middle ground.  Those options are:

1) Kill baby Hitler and stop the Holocaust.
2) Don't kill baby Hitler and watch millions die at his hands.

However, this is a "false dichotomy".  There are other non-violent options in this scenario.  If you wanted to avoid WWII and the Holocaust, you don't need to kill baby Hitler or baby anyone.  Your other options include:

• Stick around and help Baby Hitler grow up to become a different person.  
• After his parents die, give him to a loving Christian - or JEWISH - family. 
• Load baby Hitler back into your time machine and take him to 2015.  

In any event, the problem is solved in a non-violent way.


Conceding the Argument:

As soon as a person gives an answer to the hypothetical...

"It is OK to kill a baby when..." 

...other than...

"never"

 ...that person has betrayed the core conviction of being Pro-Life.  The entire idea is that every human has intrinsic dignity and there is never a justification for intentionally harming a baby. Murder is always murder - even when it is a very quick and practical solution to a problem.

There is always a non-violent option which we can and should take.