What is Abortion?

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Arron Pollock 12RT

Question 1

Abortion is one of the most controversial issues within today’s society. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy; the foetus is removed usually before twenty-four weeks of pregnancy.

Many Christians have different beliefs about the topic of abortion; therefore it is more difficult for individuals to know what is accepted and what’s not.

It was once illegal to have an abortion in the United Kingdom. Women who wanted an abortion had to find secret, illegal ways of terminating their pregnancies. Women who could not afford a private clinic could either go to ‘back street’ clinics, often staffed by unqualified or under-qualified people, or try to terminate their pregnancies at home, using things such as knitting needles and alcohol.

As a result many women died from infection or haemorrhaging. Whereas others became seriously ill and, in some cases, were unable to have more children in the future.

The 1967 Abortion Act allowed women to seek an abortion in all areas of the United Kingdom, except Northern Ireland. Two doctors must agree that if the pregnancy continues there is:

Risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman
Risk of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the pregnant women
Risk to the life of the pregnant women
A real risk that the child would suffer from such physical or mental disabilities as to be seriously handicapped

This is a preview of the whole essay

Risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman
Risk of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the pregnant women
Risk to the life of the pregnant women
A real risk that the child would suffer from such physical or mental disabilities as to be seriously handicapped

The Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990 amended the Abortion Act. Great medical advances had occurred since 1967. In some cases, premature babies are now able to survive outside the womb after twenty-four weeks. The 1990 Act stated that abortions should only take place up to the twenty-forth week of pregnancy. Abortions performed after that point are very rare, usually in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Many take place before the foetus is twelve weeks old.

All Christians believe that “Human life is sacred,” that human beings are a gift from God and that we were all created in God’s image.

“And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

(Genesis 1: 26-27)

This passage shows the unique place human beings have in God’s creation. We are created in his image, somehow to be like him. Human life is precious and special to God; it should be protected particularly at its most vulnerable stages, the beginning and end of life.

“Thou shalt not kill”

(Exodus 20: 13)

Taken from the Ten Commandments, which were given by God as a pattern for good and moral living. Many Christians believe that this commandment supports the view that abortion is wrong and against the will of God. It is seen as murder.

“What! Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are brought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

(1 Corinthians 6: 19-20)

In this letter to the people of Corinth, Paul states that God’s Spirit is present in our bodies. We must treat our bodies with the greatest respect and protect them from harm as God lives within us.

Many Christians from a range of denominations and followers of other religions believe that abortion is murder.

So when does human life begin? People’s opinions on the rights and wrongs are based to an extent when they believe human life begins.

Some people believe that human life begins at the moment of conception, when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the womb.
Others believe that human life begins at the point when the human embryo becomes a foetus in the womb, at about eight weeks.
Others believe that human life begins when a baby can live outside its mother’s womb. Until that point, they say that the baby is part of the mother’s body.

Many believe that abortion is always wrong as it kills a human being. Others say that a pregnant woman has the right to decide what happens to a part of her body.

Catholic and Presbyterian attitudes are examples of conservative Christian teaching. They believe that abortion is murder; often they quote “Do not kill” from the Ten Commandments. They believe that life begins at conception.

On the contrary more liberal Christian viewpoints, such as, Church of Ireland and Methodist, believe that there maybe certain circumstances where abortion is a “necessary evil.”

This is when compassion for an individual case is perceived as a more Christian approach than a fundamental religious principle, such as the fifth Commandment.

They believe that the foetus is a God-given life and is to be nurtured, supported and protected. The mother is to be shown compassion and her feelings and wishes are to be recognised. Abortions should be carried out in the early stages of the pregnancy and that the numbers of abortions should be cut and more support should be given to pregnant mums.

I would like to conclude be stating that due to the extremely different beliefs Christians hold about abortion, one cannot define the difference between right and wrong. However each individual argument has positive and negative aspect for both sides, this results in disagreements and long-term fallouts, which affect entire congregations.

Therefore how can a mother know if she is making the right decision when the churches cannot even agree, and controversial arguments relevant to abortion are exposed to the media on a daily bases, which also affect the decision mother’s make. The majority of the time mother’s are influenced by their churches when that specific church doesn’t even know if its teachings are correct.

By Arron Pollock 12RT