9.20.2008

Why abort?

This question has been popping through my mind for last couple of weeks and it astounds me that this is still legal. Why is it okay to kill an Innocent life? Where are that child's rights and why do they start only at a set number of weeks?

My thoughts go like this. I believe that in some cases abortion is used as an out for irresponsibility and for poor planning. It, abortion, has become something of a convenience vs. a life long decision. The psychological toll on the woman is immense and the toll that is taken on the unborn child is death. So this brings me to a rather obvious proposal, give that child up for adoption. In other words, give that child a chance at life instead of making the child pay for your mistake.

Carry the child for nine months and give that life a chance at a potential 80 years of life. I can already see the question that's going to come out of this one; you can't legislate morality!! Yes you can and our culture has been doing it from the beginning. Go murder, rape, steal or embezzle millions and tell the judge that your "morality" says its okay to do these things, see what he says. The same principle applies here. Our society has deemed it permissible to kill off the affects of your decision to have sex. Why is this alright? I say that if you cannot deal with your consequences of your actions you should NOT have the right to murder....it doesn't make sense.

6 comments:

Rune said...

Ryan,

I am honestly torn on this one. I cannot condone abortion as a lifestyle choice. This seems to be more and more prevalent in the country where I live. However, I believe this to be a failing in sex education and conservative attitudes to sex in my country.

I am not against contraception and I have no problems with pre-marital sex. I think that these should be a matter of personal choice.

Young people, should be given as much information on the subject in order that they can make an informed choice. If you think about it, this may give the person the strength to resist peer pressure.

I also see this as a failing in parental responsibility.

I cannot agree with you on this if the woman is the victim of rape, I can think of nothing more abhorrent than carrying the child of a rapist.

I would have to qualify the above statements by saying that I am obviously not female and don't wish to insult any woman who has been through an abortion.

Lee said...

Hi Ryan,

These questions are being raised at the moment in the state I live in (Victoria, Australia)

At the moment, abortion is against the law... kind of.

It would seem the law will be changed to be in line with the rest of the western world and allow abortions up to 24 weeks (I think).

Now, if you asked me this question when I was a child of 18 years - if I was for or against abortion - I think I would have said "YES - before 'it' becomes a life etc etc you should be able to abort".

However I have aged - have two your children, and now... as a "life choice" I think I am against it.

The dividing line between life and non-life is not very clear to me.

The 'grey areas' come if we are talking about the health of the mother, or pregnancy as the result of rape. Here I am pro-choice - it is up to the woman. (This is the current state of affairs where I live - a pregnacy could be aborted for these reasons)

A real 'shady grey area' - which I am on the fence with - is the health of the unborn baby.

If for example you ‘knew’ this baby would be brain damaged or would die a slow painful death shortly after birth... what then?... Have we by not aborting increased the suffering?

As I said, a shady grey area.

Under ‘normal’ circumstances – it does seem that adoption is a very good option.

However it does assume at least two things.

One, that there are people out there willing to adopt the baby (which at the moments seems pretty likely)

and two, the mother, after giving birth, is mentally strong enough to go through the process of giving up the baby. This could really mess up the mothers head for the rest of her life.

Now you could claim that the mother could keep the child, but if she is a child of 14 or 15 years herself is it right to mess up both baby and mother’s life?

Never easy – but I am glad you have not thrown the bible/religion at the issue as some are doing over here in the abortion debate.

Thanks

Lee

ryan said...

I will never understand how killing an innocent unborn child is considered a "life choice". What about that childs choice? Does that not matter? Then the arguement rises that that child cannot speak for its own self and some say that that dictates the mothers choice to abort. What about the blind, deaf and mute? Should the society be able to murder them at will?

I can always understand the case of rape, this makes sense to me. However, why should that child be killed because of the rapist's decision?

I firmly believe that all people regaurdless of race, creed, or potential physical/mental restrictions still ought to be given a chance.

Lee said...

Hi Ryan,

I said it we had shady grey areas, and no easy choices.

What about the choice of the mother in these extreme cases I outlined? Do women not have rights in your view?

I will never understand how killing an innocent unborn child is considered a "life choice".

"innocent unborn child"? Strong words… very emotive.

Can you please tell me at what point in pregnancy we get to this stage of "innocent unborn child"? At conception? It is nothing more than a few cells… is that an innocent unborn child?

It is important to our discussion I think. Important to your emotive argument.

What about that childs choice? Does that not matter?

Can I change the subject for a moment, and ask you an unrelated question.

It has only a little to do with our discussion here - just would like to know your views.

It relates to education.

Does a child have the right NOT to be taught just one religion? i.e. a parent or school should have to expose every child to many different religions and world views? Does the child has a right for this exposure?

Or does the parent have a choice to teach their children what they want – a single religious view, teach them the evolution is wrong, the world is 6,000 years old?

Who has the right?

What about the blind, deaf and mute? Should the society be able to murder them at will?

No – and you have change the point. I am just asking about the rights of the woman, and the rights of the child.

Not killing people just ‘because’…

I can always understand the case of rape, this makes sense to me. However, why should that child be killed because of the rapist's decision?

You can see it is a grey area then, in one instance you can understand, the next you are questioning.

In the bible doesn’t it say the woman has to marry the rapist? What do you think about that?

No – I think the woman has a right. The rapist, and any result of that rape has none. It is the mother’s decision.

What do you think about the death penalty BTW? This is related on issues of crime.

Thanks

Lee

ryan said...

Lee,

You said in a post or two back that..."Never easy – but I am glad you have not thrown the bible/religion at the issue as some are doing over here in the abortion debate."

If we are going to bring my faith into this I am more then willing to. However I can, and have, argued this from a non-Christian perspective. And to be honest I do feel that my faith supports a Pro-life climate. I was, and still want to, respect your stance on religion and not bring it into this. But like I stated previously, I am more than willing to switch gears on the issue. So the next move is your's Sir.

Christianity or not?

Lee said...

Hi Ryan

If we are going to bring my faith into this I am more then willing to.

I rather leave faith at the door – until someone shows me any value in it.

Firstly, I was praising you that you didn’t argue from a religious/faith point of view.

This is not how you will “win my vote”.

It is clear though that I have made a mistake here. I apologise.

I mentioned the religious education of children to try and get an understand on your views on this - I think it has a bearing on 'who has the right'. Child or parent?

Which is after all what you are questioning. (I also said it was aside remark.)

But I need to apologise for mentioning the views of the bible really, it was merely an example of historical 'religious rights' for women.

I should not distract from the argument here which was not based on religion.

I will remove it from the discussion now.

Christianity or not?

If you are asking my views on gods.... I am a non-believer.

I do not believe in Zeus, Woden, Jupiter or Apollo... just like you.

Unless you can give me good reason and a lot of good evidence to think otherwise.

Lee