Question:
What's your stance on abortion?
?
2008-09-18 03:59:38 UTC
I would like to know your opinion and why you think that. Please don't just say: killing babies is wrong/ok.

It's for a speech I'm writing, thanks a lot guys.
29 answers:
2008-09-18 04:22:32 UTC
I am pro choice, you have the choice to use birth control, you make the choice to have sex. If you don't know that birth control can fail and you can still get pregnant you probably should get more educated before you have sex. The only time I think abortion is ever justified is in cases of rape, and there needs to be strong evidence a rape occurred. And for those who say it isn't a baby, what is it an eggplant that magically turns into a baby at the moment of birth?
Stephski
2008-09-18 11:09:39 UTC
Personally, I could never get an abortion. If I fell pregnant, I'd see that as my mistake and not something any child should have to pay for. Also, I'd just feel way too guilty afterwards, I'd always be wondering things like 'would it have been a boy or a girl? what colour eyes would it have?'. However, if I was raped, that would be a different matter. It would be kinder to abort the child simply because I think children should be the result of love, not the result of a criminal act of lust, and I think part of me would always resent the child and I wouldn't be able to love them in the way I wanted to.

I don't judge others that have abortions, because I know that whilst I'd be able to raise a baby fine, others would find it incredibly difficult, so that's their choice. However, I think the current law in the UK that allows women to abort babies up until 24 weeks is very very wrong. My boyfriend's sister had her baby at 25 weeks, and he is now a strong and healthy baby. 24 weeks isn't an abortion, it's murder in my opinion. At this age, whilst they are still tiny, they do have feelings. That's a baby, not an embryo or a foetus.

I believe life begins at conception, but I'm not 'for' OR 'against' abortion. It depends on the individual. I'm against abortion for myself, or after a certain time limit (perhaps 18 weeks?) but I'm 'for' the right to choose whether an abortion is right for you.
Daver
2008-09-21 01:08:46 UTC
Why shouldn't I say "killing babies is wrong" if, in fact, killing babies is wrong?



2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:



You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.



God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.



2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.



2322 From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.



2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.



Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence."
2008-09-18 12:01:43 UTC
If you believe that murder is wrong, for any reason, then abortion too has to be wrong. In some ways it is worse, because it is taking away any choice of an individual to ever experience life. In my opinion, it is a particularly shocking thing for a mother to kill her own child (often because she puts her own selfish choice/needs as a reason to do it. She gets rid of another human being, who is her own child, in order that her own life is not affected, or because it is an inconvenient time).



If someone cannot kill someone because they "might" hinder their social life, or just because they didn't want them in their life, then why is it right to kill an unborn baby for this reason? If a healthy child was already born and was involved in an accident and became dependent upon the mother, you could not kill them for the sake of the child, or because you felt you couldn't/wouldn't want to look after them any more, otherwise you would be charged with murder. So why do that to a child who hasn't yet been born. If someone is in pain, or is disfigured, or disabled, should we offer them euthanasia, because we deem their lives as awful (because we personally can't understand why they would want to live), where do you draw the line as to what is acceptable. Should there be a panel who decides who should live and who should die? This would be sick and equivelant to how Hiltler thought about people who were not perfect. It is also extremely offensive to people who do come into these catagories, that some people deem their lives an unworthy. If your child turned bad as an adult and did a terrible crime, you could not kill them, otherwise you would be sentenced for murder. So why is it ok to kill a child who was the result of a crime (ie rape). That child is also half of the mother and is still a human being. Just like the victim of the rape did not ask to be raped, neither did the child ask to be born. I personally would prefer to be born and have a chance to live, than to be killed because my father was a rapist. (You wouldn't kill the offspring of rapists, or presume that his children would be the same, so why kill and unborn child).



Some people also use the excuse that the child will be born into difficult circumstances, maybe to people who are very poor etc.... Does this mean that all children can be killed if they are already born to parents like this..... of course not, because again it would be murder. Just because you are poor, it does not mean you are incapable of love. There are good and bad parents in every section of society.



A child in the womb, has no choice, no voice and relies on his/her mother to protect them (even if that mother is very young, quite old, not ready, taken by surprise, worried etc...). It is a very sad reflection on our society, that the womans choice to abort (kill) her own child is so easily available and acceptable, yet murder for any other reason is not acceptable.



In this day and age, it is no longer seen as socially unacceptable to be a single parent, like it was 50 years ago. Neither is it dishonourable for a single woman to be pregnant. Yet the choice to abort is more prevelant than ever. Contraception and sex education has never been better, yet abortion to some people is seen as an extension to contraception.



It is sad that there are more women/girls that are pushed into abortion, than are encouraged to have their babies. The result is that there is now a generation of women/girls, who never get over the guilt of aborting their children. The psychological guilt and shame never leaves some women and the pain and loss they feel is heartbreaking. Once a child is born, a mother may decide that her positive feelings towards the child are natural and overwhelming. On the other hand, IF she genuinely felt she could not care for her child (for whatever reason), there ARE many people who would embrace this precious child and give love and a care they need and deserve, for the rest of their lives. It's just a tragedy that this option is rarely given to the mother.





My beliefs about abortion have never changed, since I was a teenager. 25 years later, even though my attitude towards my faith (belief in God) has changed during this time, my passion about this subject has not altered at all.



I hope your speech goes well and you get a good balance of opinions.



Edit: I have just read what Mystine G has written. She compares a child, to a wart. She sees both as just a clump of cells and can't see why getting rid of your baby is any worse than having a wart cut off. This mindset is a true reflection of the present generation. Life is just a clump of cells, meaningless and irrelevant, with no right to live at all.

Maybe that is the same mindset that Hitler had towards the jews (or other ethnic groups he despised), disabled, gypsies or anyone who opposed him (well, I suppose it was his choice and he was just doing what he thought was the right thing to do). Interestingly, he saw them all as sub-human and did not think it was wrong to do experiments on them (in the name of science). It seems somethings never change. Maybe this is also how dictators around the world have found it so easy to commit murder and genocide. Whatever reason or excuses people give, it's ALL murder.
Toast
2008-09-18 11:13:47 UTC
I’m ok with it, I wouldn't do it myself, but if someone else feels that's what they need to do that is ok with me here is why.

1: Because while they are still at the age where you’re aloud to abort they are just sells really.



2: because there are 2 many people in the world



3: there is allot of kids that are already born that need to be loved and cared for why add to the list of unwanted kids?



4: If the mother was raped or is still a child herself under 18



5: Put it this way, people always say what if your mom aborted you... well if that happened... I would not be here to be sad about myself not being here lol.

No one would have ever meet me to miss me,

Too me it’s the same as saying every time I have a period ‘oh man what could that half a child have become!’ and lots of babies die in the first 6 weeks anyway.



Edit:

6: People always say if they don’t want them someone else does, HALLO! There are kids dying in the world everyday in orphanages! So by letting this kid be born you are letting an already born kid die!







If high schools have a baby then they don’t finish highschool (normally) and don’t go to college and end up being pretty poor... and there kids grow up like this and there kids normaly end up having kids young and it goes on. If we don’t let them have abortions then they can’t get good jobs and the country might need them as doctor or what ever they were going to become. And then they can give there kids when they have them a better up bringing
sugarbabe
2008-09-18 11:17:56 UTC
I'm against abortion, and yes, because killing babies is wrong--don't tell me what to say or think. If you don't want a baby, then take the pill, or use a condom, or get your tubes tied, or abstain. I believe life starts at conception, and the fetus has a beating heart at 18 days of gestation, and anything with a beating heart is alive--so therefore, stopping that heart intentionally is killing. For centuries, everyone has understood that what a pregnant woman has inside her is a baby--now, all of a sudden, it isn't a baby-it's just a collection of cells--convenient--depersonalize it, then kill it. Isn't that what Nazis did to the Jews to justify their killing programs?
KimmyG
2008-09-18 11:13:53 UTC
Ones DNA is created at the moment of conception, therefore making the new developing fetus a unique individual that has never before existed and never will exist again. To snuff out the developing babies life before he or she has a chance to see the light of day is not right, and we should not take that choice upon ourselves and assume to know the answer to such a powerful question of 'when does life begin'.



Support the mother going through the unwanted pregnancy, support the mother and baby that is born...but there are better options then abortion.



"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." - Mother Teresa
2008-09-18 11:40:01 UTC
Abortion is a crime against humanity that has been decriminalized and promoted by governments all around the world, simply because it is politically expedient and cost effective.



As a matter of man's inhumanity to man, the scourge of abortion rivals the debauchery of the infamous biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose sins cried out to Heaven for vengeance.



Abortion is without equal in demonstrating massive and blatant disrespect for the sanctity of life, and concurrently, a profound lack of respect for God, who is the sole author of life.



Many years ago, the late Mother Teresa declared the advent of global terrorism to be a divine chastisement for the world wide practice of abortion.



Since then, things have only gotten worse.



God may be running out of patience.
Mia
2008-09-18 11:13:53 UTC
I think that personal reproductive choice is just that personal and that each person has the authority of their body to decide. I think it would be wrong for the government to step in and dictate such personal choices. Abortion has always been a part of society, whether legal or illegal. Making it illegal just creates black market demand and more women experiencing inadequate medical and sometimes life threatening situations. I don't think there can be equal rights for both an embryo/fetus and the woman who carries it. When one potential life form requires the use of another's body it should be the voluntary choice of the already sentient human who must carry, give birth, and perhaps take care of for 18 years or more. In a world full of starving children, older children languishing in foster care, and countries full of orphanages I feel every child should be a wanted child is more humane than every fetus must be brought to term even though we don't care for all those already born. Nature aborts tons of fetuses and while it may be sad for those who wanted the child its part of life. I don't think a non sentient, first trimester fetus meets the definition of person hood yet. Most abortions occur in the first trimester (over 98% I think) and I agree they should occur in the first trimester unless its an issue of health of the mother or fatal/extreme fetal malformation.



As for TTAGG's comment, the same thing that would have happened if my parent's had decided not to have sex that night, or use birth control. I wouldn't know the difference. Think of all the potential brothers and sisters I might have had if only my parents had made different choices.
2008-09-18 11:27:17 UTC
I believe it is really none of my business. I don't have the right to judge another for their actions, nor do I have the right to impose my will on their body. I may not personally agree with it, but it is their choice.



I do think the option has to be there, though. Without legalised abortions, terminations would be carried out by quacks in unsanitary and unsafe conditions- causing a large increase in women becoming sick and dying, or unable to conceive later.



I believe that abortion should not be used as a type of contraception. And I disagree with late-term abortions.
Djoser
2008-09-18 11:04:45 UTC
It's the couples choice. I mean couple because it takes two to make a baby. But I will say this the woman has more of a say in the matter because she is the one who has to carry the baby and endure the changes to her body for the next 9-10 months. Not to mention the changes her body will still feel after she gives birth.
grayure
2008-09-18 11:11:21 UTC
I believe that only women can have a valid opinion. I have noticed that where men and women tend to agree in general on a wide variety of issues, they often tend to disagree on reproductive ethics, which can go either way, and i think this means that there's something relevant about being female which informs women's judgements. This might be the prospect of actually becoming pregnant and having a child, which is not as real to men as it is to women. The problem with that is what one will allow as being relevant experience, because there's a danger of extending this to other issues until everyone's opinion is the only thing that counts because everyone can claim to have uniquely relevant experience. I don't know what to do about that but i stand by my claim.
Mystine G
2008-09-18 11:09:52 UTC
Answer this question.



Why is an abortion such a difficult decision to make, if it is only a "clump of cells"?



People certainly don't think removing a wart is a difficult decision.



That is my stance on abortion.



Roze, you completely misunderstood my post. I did not compare a unborn child to a "clump of cells". There is a reason for the quotes.
2008-09-18 11:30:40 UTC
God told Jeremiah in chapter 1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.



this means that God new us before conception, so this tells me that life begins at conception.



Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus



these two scriptures tell me that we were planned by God to be born before the earth was created



so when a woman have an abortion it is murder because she is killing a life that is planned by God
TJ
2008-09-18 11:07:46 UTC
I think its a good choice/option for someone to have, as if its an unexpected or unplanned preganancy, there mightnd be the best circumstances for a baby there, and it would be better to end the babies life rather than having the baby, stuffing its life up, and making your life to hard and making your life harder, when later in life you might be under better circumstances to have a child.
alaynapowers@ymail.com
2008-09-19 21:07:08 UTC
never kill any one its not going to help andyithin its just going to make it worse
2008-09-18 11:05:18 UTC
I'm pro choice for women, because women should have a right to control their bodies and also that the embryos aren't developed yet or aren't alive in the sense that we perceive born humans to be.
TTAGGG
2008-09-18 11:16:03 UTC
You can start by asking the people this question: What would happen now if you parents had decided to abort you?
K
2008-09-18 11:05:29 UTC
I don't say abortion is 100% right but I believe that its a womans right to make her own choice when it comes to her body and her life and no-one has the right to tell her otherwise.
merinsan
2008-09-18 11:26:42 UTC
I think that there is nothing wrong with it if the fetus is not viable outside the womb. Women should have the choice.
Shinigami Ceiling Cat
2008-09-18 11:05:49 UTC
Abortion is quite a big word so I guess my stance on it is quite balanced, seeing as I have a large area to spread my weight.



--Shinigami Ceiling Cat
2008-09-18 11:04:39 UTC
Republicans are against abortion until their daughters need one, Democrats are for abortion until their daughter wants one.







WE ALL KNOW THE REAL TRUTH DONT WE !!



No woman wants an abortion. Either she wants a child or she wishes to avoid pregnancy.
ArunS
2008-09-18 11:11:12 UTC
The decision should be up to woman and personally, I see no problem with it occurring anytime in the first trimester.
jackybwoy
2008-09-18 11:09:32 UTC
for



1. reduces crime

2. far fewer kiddies running around leaving sticky hand prints over everything.

3. more pie for everyone that is alive now



against

1 AWW look at the cute little baby!



overall... definitely a positive
ryan
2008-09-18 11:02:24 UTC
I am a guy, it is not up to me, it is every woman's choice, and thats about all i have to say...
2008-09-18 11:08:19 UTC
it depends on each cases circumstances ( eg. rape, deformity ) , and is the sole decision of the woman involved after considering all her available options.
david
2008-09-18 11:05:04 UTC
its not our place to so judge, but i don't go with this idea at all, it smacks of boozy sex too much, being too frivolous with life itself and acting out of ignorance as to who we all are! do your research into the nature of the soul!
Frankxc [ ]
2008-09-18 11:09:40 UTC
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwnMX8ht3U
2008-09-18 11:03:29 UTC
i do not appose of it because it is a way of murder


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