There are many different methods of abortion such as D and X abortions and suction abortion and D and E abortions. The D and X abortions can be performed up to 32 weeks. A suction abortion can be performed up to twelve weeks and the D and E abortions until 20 weeks.
Question 1 b)
Christians are all against abortion. They consider it as murder and this goes against the commandment ‘You shall not kill’. Christians also believe that life is sacred and that life is a gift from God. They believe that all human beings were created in ‘The image of god’. Therefore they think that life should be treated with respect and dignity and to take a life (either your own or others) is a wrong. They believe that end some ones life is against gods plan. Biblical teaching is one of the major sources of authority for Christians when they make moral decisions including abortion. In a discussion about abortion a Christian might refer to these to these text. (Exodus 20 : 13) You shall not kill and (Psalm 139 : 13-15) ‘thou it was who didst knit me together in my mother’s womb …….. thou knowest me through and through’. The Methodist church believes that is morally justified in cases of handicap, poverty and large families. They believe that it is better that one unborn foetus dies instead of those living suffer. However Roman Catholics Christians believe that abortion can never be justified as it is taking an innocent human life. They say that it would be better for those living to have a poorer quality of life than deny the right of an unborn child of life. You have to choose either the sanctity of life of life or the quality. These topics may come up in a discussion about abortion.
Section B
There are lots of Christian churches and they all have a different point of view on abortion.
The Roman Catholic Church and orthodox churches forbid abortion under any circumstances. ‘From the egg is fertilized; a new life is begun which doesn’t belong to the father or the mother. It is a new a new life and a new human being and has its own growth. Roman Catholics base their teaching on the commandment ‘thou shall not kill’ and thou shall not kill the foetus in its mothers womb’. Father Dudko a Russian orthodox priest said ‘Abortions are never allowed, just as murder is not allowed’. Pope, John Paul says …….so I say to all have the absolute and holy respect of the sacredness of human life from the first moments of conception, and abortion is one of the abominable crimes. To attack an unborn life at from its conception is to undermine the moral order which is the true guardian of the well being man. The defense of absolute inviolability of an unborn life is part of the defense of human rights.
The Church of England believes that every case is different and that abortion may be acceptable in certain circumstances such as, if there is a risk to the mother, if conception took place as a result of rape and if there is a big risk that the born child will be born with some kind of disability. They approve of abortion if it would cause extreme distress.
The Methodist Church is against abortion but is also believes, like The Church of England, that banning abortion would cause server pain and suffering and believe that Christians should try to relieve suffering therefore accept the U.K laws of abortion. Methodists believe every fetus has significance and allows abortion as morally justified in case of handicap, large families, poverty and bad housing.
To avoid abortion Churches may help out a family or a girl whom has become pregnant by accident to support and care the child and therefore encourage the mother to keep the child. An example of this is when a 14-year-old girl became pregnant of a result of rape and the Catholic Church funded for her to by a pram and other items so she would be able to support the unborn child.
Section C
I do not agree with this statement. Like the Church of England, I believe that every case is different. I believe that the decision should be up to the mother, I believe that if she became pregnant as a result of rape then I think she should have a choose whether she would to keep the unborn child. If there is a chance that the child would be born with a disability or handicapped then again the mother should have a choice. However I do not believe that it is morally right to abort and unborn child if it just wasn’t planed and think that in that circumstance they should consider other options such as, adoption and fostering. I can relater to what the Roman Catholic and Methodist Churches say and believe that abortions should only be practiced in extreme circumstances and when it in the best interest of the unborn child.
