There are different beliefs on abortion and are all centred on one question and that is when does life begin? Many people believe that life begins at the exact moment when the sperm fuses the egg (conception). Others believe that life begins at the moment when the fertilised egg is safely lodged in the womb. On the other hand, some believe that life begins when the baby is born or if born prematurely and survives outside the womb. These views should be looked at greatly while making the decision for or against abortion.
All Christians believe in the sanctity of life. The belief in the sanctity of life is a very important element of the Christian faith. However that does not necessarily mean that all Christians oppose abortion. Different churches have different views on abortion. For example Roman Catholics are totally against abortion. Rather than interfere with the process of life Christians must trust that God knows what is best for us and it is not our choice to decide. They believe that life begins at conception. ‘’You knit me together in my mother’s womb…my frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place… your eyes saw my confirmed body’’ (Psalm 139) This Psalm refers to ‘you’ meaning God. This quote suggest that God created humans the way he wanted them to be and therefore destroying a foetus is the same as taking a life of a fully-grown adult which is breaking one of the ten commandments which is do not to murder.
Nevertheless looking at another different view. The Church of England (Anglicans) teaches that abortion is always to be viewed as a serious matter. It takes a compassionate line and accepts that it may be necessary to avoid a greater evil. They accept abortion if the child or mother’s life is in real danger because of her physical or mental state or if the pregnancy is the result of a rape or if the foetus is severely abnormal. “The son of man will die as the scriptures say he will; but how terrible for that man who betrays the son of man. It would have been better for that man if he had never been born” Anglicans use this reading to support their view and say that the bible agrees with abortion.
A number of organisations offer advice and support for different situations. Some help with abortions, others are against it.
LIFE is a national charity that is a pro-life organisation and is committed to upholding the respect for human life from conception. They believe that every single person is valued and appreciated by God and also believe that they need to stand for the rights of the unborn child who is helpless and unable to defend him/herself. Their aim has always been to provide help and support to women, especially young women who are continually faced with a problem pregnancy. They provide pregnancy testing as well as councilling, which is strictly confidential and offer emotional and practical support to help women continue their pregnancy. They also provide counselling after abortion for women who have been badly damaged by the experience. LIFE can also provide practical help and support after birth.
Another organisation that provides advice and support for women considering an abortion is the Care Centres Network (CCN). CCN was formed to support and encourage Christians to express in a compassionate way, by means in God’s heart concerning abortion. They would follow His way for example his care for life however conceived, his love and concern for the mother and father facing an unexpected pregnancy and his forgiveness for those who have chosen abortion. Their response to women facing an unexpected pregnancy or women who have had an abortion is Christian care. Christian care is expressed through practical church action, which is holding out a hand of love to women and their unborn child. They believe that this is the true Christian way to treat people in there situation as Jesus taught them that love is so important as quoted in 1 Corinthians 13.
In conclusion, my principal is based around my belief, Christianity, that nobody has the right to destroy what God has created. In effect, people who do so are not only murderers, but they consider themselves to be ‘God-like’ themselves by taking on the role of creator and destroyer of life. Several times in the Bible it is implied that God values human life greatly. For example, we are told in Genesis that God created us in His own image; in Luke’s Gospel that God has even counted the number of hairs on our head, and in Corinthians that our bodies are the temple of God. There is also the commandment; “Thou shalt not kill”. I believe that life begins at conception; therefore every abortion is murder. The foetus is not just a disposable clump of cells, but a unique and individual human life. Yes, it is true that the foetus is dependant on the mother for food and protection, but then so is the young child, and if this argument is put forward by people who are pro-choice, does it mean then that they are also in favour of child murder? On the other hand if I were in a situation where I was considering abortion, I wouldn’t be too certain if my view now would change during a time like that. I think that abortion could be right in certain cases like rape but I still think that there are lots of other options available to the mother like adoption or fostering. I believe that the law should be changed to prevent women from aborting just because they don’t feel like they want a baby or that it will be too inconvenient for them. I think that there should be far more information on other options when it comes to having a baby rather than abortion.