“For thou hast possessed my reins; thou hast covered me in my mothers womb”.
The above is found when Christians seek for advice about Abortion by looking at areas teaching about god creating life (‘Sanctity of life’).
The creation story in the ‘Genesis’ talks about God creating all things. For example, the sixth commandment states that ‘thou shall not kill’ therefore by performing abortion one would be disobeying this commandment. Psalm 139 talks about the unborn baby being known to God, and Psalm 127 states that children area gift from God. All these references confirm the religious condemnation towards abortion.
A Christian might also turn to the teaching of his or her particular denomination. There is an unusual link between very different denominations. The Roman Catholic Church, the fundamentalist right wing Christians (particularly in America) and the Pro-life movement (e.g.-Southern Baptist Churches) have joined forces to put pressure on politicians to vote against abortion and close down abortion clinics.
The Roman Catholic preposition is that a human life with a soul is there from the moment of conception and condemns abortion in all circumstances. Roman Catholic Churches justify this because of their belief that God knows of life from the moment of conception, and that abortion rejects his sovereignty, as he is in charge of life. “But God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him.” This quote is of a baby being expelled, who is saying that he was chosen by God as so many others are to serve him, and God will notice this absence and could take this as a betrayal to him.
Infact, no denomination supports abortion as a means of contraception.
In this country other mainstream Churches (e.g. - The Church of England and The Methodist Church) allow certain conditions in which an abortion may take place.
A quote from the Church of England states;
‘The Church of England combines strong opposition to abortion with the recognition that there can be strictly limited conditions under which it may be morally preferable to any available alternative.’
A further quote from the Church of England states that;
‘Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.’
A quote from Mother Teresa says;
‘If you do make a mistake, don’t destroy the life.’
The areas in which the Church of England and Methodist Church accept abortion as a use of termination of the foetus are as follows:
- If the mothers life is in danger through the continuing of the pregnancy.
- If the baby is severely handicapped and would not have any quality of life.
- If the pregnancy has come about by rape or by incest.
However the Church of England and Methodist Church do not agree with the civil law conditions which allow abortion for more social reasons; such as not having the finance required for the raising of a child.
