Science fiction author Patrick S. Tomlinson this week explained how opponents of abortion rights can be shut down with one simple question about whether 1,000 embryos are more important than the life of a single child.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Tomlinson revealed the scenario that he says has repeatedly stumped so-called pro-life activists.

Tomlinson said that he asks abortion opponents whether it makes more sense to save one child from a burning building or a vial of 1,000 embryos.

“They will never answer honestly, because we all instinctively understand the right answer is “A.” A human child is worth more than a thousand embryos. Or ten thousand. Or a million. Because they are not the same, not morally, not ethically, not biologically,” he wrote. “This question absolutely evicerates their arguments, and their refusal to answer confirms that they know it to be true.”

“No one, anywhere, actually believes an embryo is equivalent to a child. That person does not exist. They are lying to you,” he added.

On Tuesday, Tomlinson said that he woke up to a “thousand” of new followers.

“Holy crap,” he wrote. “I literally wake up and there’s another thousand of you. Welcome new followers. I write books and yell at the alt-right on social media.”

It's a simple scenario with two outcomes. No one ever wants to pick one, because the correct answer destroys their argument. And there IS a correct answer, which is why the pro-life crowd hates the question. 2/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

Here it is. You're in a fertility clinic. Why isn't important. The fire alarm goes off. You run for the exit. As you run down this hallway, you hear a child screaming from behind a door. You throw open the door and find a five-year-old child crying for help. 3/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

They're in one corner of the room. In the other corner, you spot a frozen container labeled "1000 Viable Human Embryos." The smoke is rising. You start to choke. You know you can grab one or the other, but not both before you succumb to smoke inhalation and die, saving no one. 4/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

Do you A) save the child, or B) save the thousand embryos? There is no "C." "C" means you all die.

In a decade of arguing with anti-abortion people about the definition of human life, I have never gotten a single straight A or B answer to this question. And I never will. 5/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

They will never answer honestly, because we all instinctively understand the right answer is "A." A human child is worth more than a thousand embryos. Or ten thousand. Or a million. Because they are not the same, not morally, not ethically, not biologically. 6/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

This question absolutely evicerates their arguments, and their refusal to answer confirms that they know it to be true.

No one, anywhere, actually believes an embryo is equivalent to a child. That person does not exist. They are lying to you. 7/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

They are lying to you to try and evoke an emotional response, a paternal response, using false-equivalency.

No one believes life begins at conception. No one believes embryos are babies, or children. Those who cliam to are trying to manipulate you so they can control women. 8/

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

Don't let them. Use this question to call them out. Reveal them for what they are. Demand they answer your question, and when they don't, slap that big ol' Scarlet P of the Patriarchy on them. The end. 9/9

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

Holy crap. I literally wake up and there's another thousand of you. Welcome new followers. I write books and yell at the alt-right on social media.

If you like watching me do the latter, maybe buy one of the former? #amwriting #amreading pic.twitter.com/dtmVVQ67iI

— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) October 17, 2017

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… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We’ve launched a weekly podcast, “We’ve Got Issues,” focused on issues, not tweets. Unlike other news sites, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. We’re not part of a conglomerate, or a project of venture capital bros. From unflinching coverage of racism, to revealing efforts to erode our rights, Raw Story will continue to expose hypocrisy and harm. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

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