What does the law state about abortion? Explain religious teaching on abortion
Abortion
(a). What does the law state about abortion? Explain religious teaching on abortion.
Before 1967 Abortion was illegal; if women wanted an abortion it was done illegally. About 30 women on average died each year due to back-street abortions. Between 40,000 and 200,000 back-street abortions took place each year.
(a) In 1967 an abortion act was introduced it stated:
- That 2 doctors had to agree on one of the two conditions stated below,
. (known as the social clause), If keeping the baby would cause physical or mental damage to the mother or if her life was in danger through continuing with the pregnancy or if keeping the baby would cause any mental or physical damage to the already existing children (if any).For example, if the mother had no money or nowhere to live this would allow her to abort her baby.
2. If there was a high risk that the baby was going to be physically or mentally handicapped following tests.
- It aimed to stop illegal back-street abortions by providing a legal and safe way for abortion to take place.
- It also had to happen by the 28th week of pregnancy.
(b) In 1990, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology act, stated:
- That it was no longer 28 weeks of pregnancy but it was reduced to 24 weeks of pregnancy. This was because with modern medical facilities babies born as young as 24 weeks or even younger can grow into healthy adults whereas in the past they probably wouldn't have.
- Abortion was still legal right up to the time of birth if the baby was going to be physically or mentally handicapped when it was born.
- It was also legal for an abortion to take place right up to the time of birth if the mother's life was considered to be in danger.
Roman Catholics believe that life begins at conception. This comes from Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you." Psalm 139:15 shows us that God loves us even since we were conceived. It shows us that God considered us special from the moment of conception. It says, " You know me through and through from having watched my bones take shape when I was being formed in secret, knitted together in the limbo of the womb."
St.Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. It also says in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Your body, you know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from God." This shows that we must respect our bodies and must not destroy them or the baby's. The ten commandments say "Thou shall not kill." So it seems that the Bible would not agree with abortion.
In Psalm 22:9-10 it says, "Yet you drew me out of the womb, you entrusted me to my mother's breasts; placed on your lap from my birth, from my mother's womb you have been my God." This shows us that humans are a unique life and God has known each and everyone of us since we were in the womb and we are special even from conception.
In Psalm 139:13 it shows us that God believes that a baby in the womb is a human life and each one is unique and he loves all of them. ...
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In Psalm 22:9-10 it says, "Yet you drew me out of the womb, you entrusted me to my mother's breasts; placed on your lap from my birth, from my mother's womb you have been my God." This shows us that humans are a unique life and God has known each and everyone of us since we were in the womb and we are special even from conception.
In Psalm 139:13 it shows us that God believes that a baby in the womb is a human life and each one is unique and he loves all of them. " It was you who created my inmost self, and put me together in my mother's womb."
In Job 10:8-12 it talks of how God shaped and modelled us in our mother's womb and how he knew us before we were born and how he cared and loved us when we were in the womb.
In Genesis 1:28 God tells us that he wants us to "be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and conquer it." This is relevant because from the time of creation this has been God's will for us. It shows us he doesn't want us to disrupt the flow of life by any means.
In Matthew 10:29 it tells us that our life is of value to God, each individual and unique life is of value. It says, "Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your father knowing. Why every hair on your head has been counted.... you are worth thousands of sparrows.
(b) How might these teachings affect the attitudes of Christians towards abortion today?
There are three different views amongst Christians today about abortion:
-1- Roman Catholics say it should never be allowed under any circumstances.
-2- Feminists say it should be available on demand.
-3- Most other Christians believe it is acceptable in some circumstances.
-1- The Roman Catholic view:
The Catholic teachings all revolve around the belief that abortion is a mortal sin in all cases. They believe that "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence a human being must be recognised as having the rights of a person- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent person to life." This is a quote from the 'Catechism of the Catholic Church'. It also says, "Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in it's integrity, cared for and healed as far as possible, like any other human being." Catholics see conception as a gift of life. Mother Teresa said, "If you do make a mistake don't destroy a life.... Because also to that child God says 'I have called you by your name; I have carved you in the palm of my hand; you are mine'." In a second century document called 'The Didache' it said, "You shall not kill by abortion the fruit of thy womb."
-2- The feminist view is:
That they believe abortion is fine for any woman to have and because it is their own body they can do as they wish. The Women's Abortion and Contraception Campaign Manifesto say, " 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." The Humanist Dipper said "Humanists regard abortion as better than bringing unwanted babies into the world. It is a mistake to say 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."
-3- Most other Christians views are:
The Protestants teach that it is all right to have an abortion in some cases such as rape, incest, if the mother's life is in danger or that if the baby will be born mentally or physically handicapped. The Church of England report of 1984 stated: "The Anglican view on abortion is that although the foetus is to specially respected and protected, nonetheless the life of the foetus is not absolutely sacrosanct if it endangers the life of it's mother." The 'Church of England Board of social responsibility 1990 said, "We affirm that every human life created in the divine image, is unique...born or yet to be born. We therefore believe that abortion is an evil...and that abortion on demand would be a great evil. But... to withhold compassion is evil, and in... extreme distress or need, a very great evil.... Christians need to face frankly the fact that the 'right' choice is sometimes the acceptance of the lesser of two evils."
(c)"Abortion should be totally banned" How far would you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your opinions and show that you have thought about different points of view.
I don't believe that abortion should be totally banned because I personally believe there is one reason where an abortion could be acceptable. This is if the mother's life is in danger if she was to keep the baby. I think that a mentally or physically handicapped baby has as much right to live as any other. If a woman was raped and she fell pregnant I would say she should keep the baby because it is not the baby's fault and it doesn't deserve to die she could always have it adopted as soon as it is born. I say this when I am young but if I was faced with the situation happening to me my opinion might change. I can definitely say though that I don't think under any circumstances an abortion should take place if it is part of the 'social clause'. I think that the 'social clause' makes having an abortion too easy and that 'social' reasons are not a good enough reason to stop an otherwise healthy human-being to be born. The 'social clause' enables women to use abortion as a means of contraceptive. They know abortion is always there as a last resort. This attitude is dangerous because abortion is a risky operation and many women suffer physical and psychological effects afterwards. I think many women who are faced with the decision wouldn't choose it if the doctor was to explain everything. One doctor said "It takes half an hour to try and talk a woman out of it but only 30 seconds to sign the consent form. I have busy surgeries so I take the easy way out."
I understand what the people who are pro-choice mean when they say "It's a woman's right to choose", but shouldn't rights go with responsibilities? It should be balanced with the child's right to life. We have to decide whether a right to life is more important than a so called 'right' to be saved from an inconvenience. The woman would only have to carry it for 9 months then give it up for adoption where so many parents who are incapable of having children are desperate for a baby. I think it's pure selfishness. The woman has consented to sex probably without using contraception. So therefore allowing herself to get pregnant in the first place that should have been her responsibility.
Back-street abortions were truly tragic but the solution to that would be proper enforcement of the law. Nobody legalises theft, rape or murder (which it effectively is!) just because so many people break the law.
What is absolutely astounding is that under the 1967 Abortion Act up to September 1995, over 4 million abortions took place but only 0.005% of these were actually carried out because the life of the mother was in danger. In 1994 only 1.03% of the abortions that took place were because the baby was severely handicapped. This just proves that abortion has been made too easy for those who have no good reason to murder the foetus. The 'social clause' is allowing women to have an abortion as a means of contraception or as an act of convenience.
What is absolutely devastating is the thought that in a hospital a blood transfusion could take place to save the life of a 23 week foetus whilst in another ward a termination of a perfectly healthy baby of the same age.
A baby in the womb can feel pain as early as 5 weeks, has a beating heart by as early as 24 days, has it's own blood supply, all it's organs, fingerprints, brainwaves and can make a fist as early as 8 weeks gestation. This to me sounds as much like a human being than can be, so why are people killing innocent lives! Ignoring the rights and the respect of those who cannot survive independently could soon mean they will legalise euthanasia. They are both the merciless slaughter of those who are unable to survive independently.
As a conclusion I therefore say I think that abortion shouldn't be totally banned but that the 'social clause' should definitely be stopped.
Bibliography
Books:
Contemporary Moral Issues by Joe Jenkins,
Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Bibles:
The Jerusalem Bible,
Revised English Bible,
Internet addresses:
www.dwctg.kent.sch.uk/abortion.htm,
www.dwtcg.kent.sch.uk./pro_life.htm,
www.dwtcg.kent.sch.uk/pro_choice.htm,
www.ukonline.co.uk/gc.yeun/abortion.html,
www.freezone.co.uk/bcl/abortion.html,
Others:
Encarta '94,
Pro Life Times (Jan 2001)
I declare that this coursework is all my own work :
Sophia Elizabeth Walter
Sophia Elizabeth Walter L5L
R.S coursework
03/08/2003
