The definition of abortion is the death of a baby in the womb and its expulsion from the mother’s body. This can happen in two ways:
1) Miscarriage- is a natural abortion.
2) Procured abortion- is when the foetus or the growing child is deliberately killed and removed from the womb.
The law in the U.K. says that an abortion can be performed up to the end of the 24th week of pregnancy if two doctors agree that:
a) To continue the pregnancy would involve a risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than the risks involved in having an abortion.
Or
b) To continue the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the pregnant woman greater that the risks involved in her having an abortion.
However the law allows an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy if the doctors agree:
1) That continuing the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the mother.
2) That an abortion is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
3) That there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from “such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.
The father of the, foetus to be aborted, has no right to be consulted or to object to the abortion, even if he is married to the mother. It is solely the pregnant woman’s decision.
Traditional Christian teaching places the highest value on human life, and therefore condemns abortion. One of the earliest Christian writings to say this was the Didache:
“You shall not kill by abortion the fruit of the womb, and you shall not murder the infant already born.”
This document shows that even from a very long time ago Christians believed that abortion was wrong and were against it. Christians consider that even the unborn child in the womb was considered an “infant already born”.
There are many people who believe that it is at conception that life truly begins well before the actual birth. Even though the foetus does not resemble a baby it is a living being with its own rights as a potential person. One of the strongest quotes in the bible that suggests this is Psalm 139: 13 and 15,
“You created every part of me;
You put me in my mother’s womb…
When I was growing there in secret,
You knew that I was there
You saw me before I was born”
This passage effectively shows that life begins even before the baby is born. It begins inside the mother, because God knows that the foetus is inside the mother’s womb. This Psalm is one of the clearest arguments for the Christians who believe that abortion is morally wrong. They would see this as murder because you are killing what God has created.
“Since human life begins at conception, i.e. fertilization, and since all human life should be equally protected by the law from conception to natural death, whether or not the human being concerned is wanted or handicapped, it follows that the destruction of unborn life is always wrong.”
(Save the Unborn Child, LIFE)
This group of anti- abortionists (LIFE) speak of the rights of unborn children and their right to live; they see abortion as pre-natal infanticide and stress justice and the absolute need to stand for the rights of the unborn child who is helpless and unable to defend himself or herself.
Every single person is valued and appreciated by God. They are seen as potential people and should be given the right to be an addition to the human race.
The sixth, of the Ten Commandments, states, “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13). Some Christians see abortion as murder.
However this can only seen as murder if the fetus in question was alive. Many people see a fetus as not alive (“unborn child”). So therefore the crucial question to determine this argument is when does life begin? , At conception or at birth?
None of the Christian Churches believe that abortion should be encouraged and all agree that it should only be used in the most serious circumstances. The exception is the Roman Catholic Church, which sees abortion as a sin in all cases.
The law allows an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy, if the child were to be born it would suffer from “such physical or mental abnormalities” that it would be seriously handicapped. Many Christians who think that the “quality of life” is more important than life itself would use this argument in favour of abortion. We are able to find out if the foetus is deformed in any way, before it is born, by using today’s advanced technology. If any abnormalities are detected then the mother is given a choice of an abortion. Some parents believe that it is a greater sin to give birth to a baby with a serious deformity and allow it to cope with it than to have aborted it when it was a foetus. They believe that the quality of life that the child receives is very low.
Another aspect of looking at this reason is that one could argue that every single individual matters and does make a difference in this world.
“Mentally handicapped people have much to give, they share our common humanity and, like us all, are children of God.”
(From The Local Church and Mentally Handicapped People, a report by the Church of England Board of Social Responsibility.)
I also think that if the parents were unable to provide for the child, or that if the child were born into a bad environment, it would be kinder to everyone if the foetus were allowed to be aborted before birth.
“Women must have control over their own lives. For this we must have control over our own bodies…Abortion must become freely available to all women who want it. We must be able to have children when we want them, and children have the right to be wanted.”
(Women’s Abortion and Contraception Campaign Manifesto)
This quotation above also brings up the subject of quality of life. But it also brings up another strong point across. Many women would still get abortions if it were made illegal in “back street” or “do-it-yourself” abortion clinics and a large percentage of these women would die due to lack of a sterilized environment, proper care, poor consultations etc. The choice of abortion is a very important one, probably one of the most important decisions that the pregnant woman would make in her life. It is an act of responsibility.
Another argument the quotation raises is that every child brought into this world deserves to be a wanted child. Abortion saves thousands of children from being unwanted, and saves society from many problems. This point brings forward the importance that some people show toward to quality of life rather that life itself.
Different Christian Denominations and their Views on Abortion
1) The Roman Catholic Point of View
The Catholic Church says that abortion is a sin in all cases.
The Catholic Church teaches that deliberate procured abortion is a serious sin in all circumstances. They believe that human life begins at the moment of conception and from that moment onwards it is sacred and every attempt should be made to protect it. The heads of the Roman Catholic Church, the people who are respected and looked up to say;
"A nation which kills it's own young has no future."
~ Pope John Paul II
“Human life is sacred, all men must recognise that fact”
~ Pope Paul VI
The quotes from Popes John Paul II and Paul VI show that the Roman Catholic Church is very much against abortion of any kind. The Catholics oppose all kinds of abortion apart from when it is the sure result of a necessary treatment given to the mother. This would then result in the abortion of the fetus from the mother’s body. However, because it is not procured abortion, the Roman Catholics find it acceptable. From the moment of conception, they believe, that the fetus’ rights are equal to the rights of the mother.
The Roman Catholic Church is the only major world religion to rule that abortion is absolutely unacceptable in all circumstances even if the mother’s life is in danger.
2) The Church of England Point of View
The Church of England describes the foetus as "potential human life" and it is to be “protected and respected” but also says that there are times when the interest of the mother and her family take priority over the rights of the foetus. Among the conditions said to justify an abortion are that if it endangers the life of the mother and affects the family of the mother or if there is the "risk of a defective or deformed child"
The Church of England will allow abortions to take place both for social and for eugenic reasons even though it thinks abortion is wrong.
3) The Free Churches: Methodists and the Baptists
The Methodist church regards abortion as basically wrong but there are certain circumstances where an abortion should be considered these are:
(1) Where the life or health of the mother are threatened
(ii) If the baby is to be severely abnormal
(iii) The environment where the baby is to be raised is very poor - to take in consideration the effect of the baby on the financial and social conditions of the mother and any other existing children.
"There is not a moment from pregnancy onwards when the foetus lacks human significance"
"It would be best to restrict all abortions to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy except where there is a direct threat to the life of the mother. Or where new information about serious abnormality in the foetus becomes known after the 20th week. There is indeed also a strong argument on physical, psychological
And practical grounds to carry out abortions in the first 3 months where possible".
(The Methodist Church)
The Methodists think that “life is a gift from God” but they also realise that there may be times when the situation arises that the “quality of life” will take priority over life itself. The Methodists think that abortion is wrong but they think abortion must be used only when the pregnant woman has no other choice. The social and personal factors are also taken into consideration.
Humanists and Atheists are people who believe that human destiny is for only humans to decide. They believe in the philosophy of life that human beings have the capacity, intellectual capabilities and moral, to work toward improving conditions of life on our planet. They usually reject supernaturalism and stress an individual's dignity, worth and capacity for self-realization through reason. They also think that since humans are their own masters they think that they should make decisions for themselves without any outside influence, in this case religion.
“How much better it would be to serve mankind, which can be benefited, than to "serve" a God who cannot be benefited in any way.”
(Northeast Atheist Association)
“Humanists regard abortion as better than bringing unwanted babies into the world. It is a mistake to say that Humanists are in favour of abortion; no one can be in favour of abortion, which, except in unforeseen circumstances, is the result of failed contraception. We think there will probably always be a certain number of unplanned pregnancies and that the mothers concerned should have the complete choice of either early abortion, or keeping the baby.”
(Humanist Dipper)
The Humanist point of view completely contradicts the Christian point of view so this makes it is easier to see where each point of view is coming from. It also shows that people who do have a faith should, not influence those who do not follow a religion or have beliefs.
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