Vischer replied, “I hear you and largely agree. Once you’ve got unique DNA, you have – at the very least – the potential for a new person. Can a single cell be called a ‘person?’ Thanks for engaging in this interesting discussion. I appreciate it. (And I need to go to go [sic] to bed.)”
The Twitter account When We Understand the Text posted a screenshot of an exchange between Wolfe and Vischer where Wolfe asked, “Phil – Do you support legal abortion in instances of pregnancy resulting from rape?” Vischer replied, “I don’t have a specific position, but probably if it’s early in the pregnancy.”
Regarding this response, which he later deleted, Vischer explained to another Twitter user, “Too many people were taking that specific tweet and using it to try to represent a position I’m not actually taking, which tells me I could have worded it better. Since there’s no edit button, deleting is the best option when you wish you could rephrase something.”
A number of people have blasted Vischer, accusing him of supporting the killing of innocent life, and several have created VeggieTales memes to convey what they believe he is saying. One depicts Larry the Cucumber saying, “God made you special,” and Bob the Tomato (a character that Vischer voiced) responding, “Unless you’re the product of rape!”
Remastered VeggieTales episode just released! pic.twitter.com/zZUoxJ0T4s
— Smash Idols (@smashbaals) October 4, 2022
The Babylon Bee’s article ridicules the idea of applying “nuance” to this debate and pretends to quote Vischer as saying, “Since killing innocent babies is a very nuanced issue, I wanted to write a story that illustrates the complexities of intentionally murdering innocent life in a way that children can understand.”
Vischer responded to The Bee’s post by tweeting it, saying, “Ever wonder what happens when you say your position on abortion matches the position the National Association of Evangelicals has held since 1971? (That exceptions should be considered for life of mother and rape). Our friends at ‘the Bee’ must SHAME you.”
Live Action president and founder Lila Rose responded to Vischer’s tweet, asking to talk further: “Phil, I am a fan of your work (I grew up in an Evangelical home watching Veggie Tales – am Catholic now but still appreciate VT!). I run a national pro-life org I started as a teen. I would love to talk with you about your position further if you are interested.”
YouTuber Ruslan KD retweeted Visher, commenting, “I love @philvischer but respectfully we didn’t have the same access to ultrasounds and 4d sonograms in 1971. As tech advances the position of Christian’s [sic] SHOULD have changed. rape accounts for less than a 2% of abortions. Baby shouldn’t be punished for the sins of the rapist.” He continued, “I found the Babylon bee article funny. Sometimes we can side on things like ‘nuance’ and ‘empathy’ and those ideas which are generally good can be weaponized to justify evil.”
Yet others have voiced their support for Vischer. One said, “Watching the Veggie Tale [sic] creator take on the bad theology of various conservative evangelicals is strangely comforting, like, ‘yes I spent hours watching entertainment you made for me and singing your songs and you still care.’”
