On the contrary, there are also organisations such as Save The Unborn Child, which fight for the life of the unborn child. They believe that from the moment of conception the child has a right to life, as this is where life begins. In some cases it may be argued that abortion is a convenient form of contraception and encourages people to take a casual approach to sexual relationships. Another answer could perhaps be adoption, however as thousands of unborn children are aborted each year the chance for couples that are unable to conceive to have children through the process of adoption is reduced. Resorting to an abortion can result in certain consequences for the woman both physical and mental. Pursuing an abortion can in the long term emotionally scar a woman as afterthoughts of guilt come over them and this can lead to suicide in extreme cases. It is not only mental side affects but also physical as having such a termination can result in infertility for the woman. As already mentioned there are a number of anti abortion organisations and groups of people who completely condemn the act. The Catholic Church is a prime example and views abortion as a sin under all circumstances.
In regards to Christianity there is no direct reference given from the bible about abortion. It depends on the time in which one perceives life begins and also question whether or not abortion breaks the commandment of “Thou shall not kill.” In the eyes of a Christian,life is a gift given from God it is sacrosanct and the fact that it was God who created and one and place one on earth should it not be he who decides when life should come to an end. Without question the Roman Catholic Church has strict beliefs that life does indeed begin at conception and every being has a right to live, it could also be said that Evangelical Protestants share this same outlook. These denominations carry very strong moral beliefs and the act of abortion they believe is no less than murder whatever the situation, be it a disabled unborn child or a healthy unborn child. The foetus does indeed deserve the same right to life as its mother. Yet there are denominations that do not hold such strong principles and may justify abortion if the mother’s life is at risk or in the case of rape. Conversely a strict Christian would condemn it in most circumstances as regardless how undeveloped the foetus is, it is still living, and a life created by God himself, a gift, so to destroy this is not only wrong but also immoral. Protestants would take the attitude of deciding which would create more suffering whether it be the abortion or bringing the unwanted child into the world subjecting it to such rejection. In most cases they would not resort to abortion, although not such strong beliefs are held as Catholics as they believe life does not begin at conception. Other Christians namely Methodists and Anglicans view abortion as wrong but in such Christian’s eyes life begins when the child is able to survive independently of its mother.
It is not only the commandment, which instructs abortion is wrong, but there are a number of verses taken from the bible, which could be interpreted as anti abortion. The prophet Jeremiah was spoken to by God, he was told “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Jeremiah 1:5 indicating that he was already known by God before he was actually born, does this not show that life does indeed start in the mothers womb before birth as God knows him before this, he knows him as a person.
Psalm 139:13-16 reads “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb, when I was growing there in secret you knew I was there, you saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began” again indicating that everything is planned before one is born and again that god knows one already before birth. God, from when we are born down to our death, has planned all the days of our lives.
Psalm 127:3 states “Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a real blessing.” Hence reinforcing the belief that life or more specifically children are a gift from God, something sacred and are a true blessing therefore if a blessing from God, should the act of abortion be carried out as it is destroying this given blessing, the child.
“Life must be respected, Do not commit murder.” Reads (Exodus 20:13) this reference totally goes against abortion as by terminating the foetus there is no shown respect for the life growing in the womb and in the opinion of most Christians, an act of murder going against the principle of do not commit murder.
From such references as given above it is more than obvious that from the perspective of most Christians abortion is wrong and a sin, completely disregarding such Christian principles as the sixth commandment of “thou shall not kill”. Although there is no direct reference to abortion given in the bible there are many quotes that can be taken, with underlying messages, which could be referred to in the case of abortion. Although not all Christians express disapproval of the act completely, such as certain Protestants, a vast number do condemn the act regardless of the circumstances.
As a Muslim I strongly agree with the majority of Christians, I believe life has been given by Allah (God) and who are we to take this life away with such a horrific act, life is such a precious gift, a blessing and no one on earth has the right to end another human life even in the case of an unborn foetus, in my opinion this right is only that of God’s.
