Abortion, What about it?

[ChubbyCheeks]

Just the other day, i was having a convo with my friend after church and we managed to start a discussion about Abortion and came to a conclusion that it is frowned upon by most communities. So, I am just wondering what other people's opinions are of this subject.

Many Thanks, ChubbyCheeks

 

[dust1n]

Just the other day, i was having a convo with my friend after church and we managed to start a discussion about Abortion and came to a conclusion that it is frowned upon by most communities. So, I am just wondering what other people's opinions are of this subject.

Many Thanks, ChubbyCheeks

Abort the hell out of them. I couldn't care less about an issue.

 

[Rakhel]

I have always been of the position that it is the woman's choice. I could not do it myself.
There is, however, only one way I would be against abortion, and that is as a form of birth control.

I knew a woman, friend of my aunt, who would have an abortion every time she found out she was pregnant. She, for some odd reason, didn't believe in birth control, so would continue to have unprotected sex. She had only one child and he was rumored to be a botched abortion.

 

[tomato1236]

I was thinking about this (I guess it's only indirectly related) the other day on my way home from work. People in American society are generally opposed to polygamy, yes? I mean, it's used as a comparison to argue against gay marriage (what's next, polygamy?), people are disgusted with mormons because they think we practice it, etc. I suddenly found irony in that, because the same society increasingly accepts extra-marital sex, casual sex, and sex with multiple partners. Seems like the only difference between sleeping around (particularly with those dudes who hav like 7 kids with all different women) and polygamy is that polygamist dads marry the women before making babies, and take care of them afterward. Heh. This is not to say that people should practice polygamy--this is to say that people shouldn't sleep around.

Regarding abortion, and the reason it made me think of this, is that my thought about it all is (except in cases of rape), you knew sex makes babies and you still chose to have sex. The best way to not get pregnant is to not have sex. I think people should just not have sex until they're ready to risk pregnancy. I think sex for pleasure is terrific. I also think that if you make a baby, you should take responsibility for your actions by raising the kid, or giving it up for adoption if you're not prepared to give it a healthy upbringing.

 

[ChristineES]

I am pro-life. I was pro-life even before I started to follow Jesus.

 

[Meow Mix]

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with abortion if it's done early enough or if it's for the life/health of the mother... or cases of rape. (Rape should never be a "successful" reproduction strategy.)

People argue that sex has consequences and that if someone becomes pregnant it's their fault for having sex. I agree with them -- except under the circumstances where contraception was used and failed, or if financial situations have changed in the parents.

I base my position on abortion with the concept of intent. If people have sex and they use contraceptives but the contraceptives fail, then of course there was never an intent to carry a child to term. The morning after pill is a nice backup plan but sometimes contraceptives fail in such a way that a woman wouldn't know until it's too late for that. In such a case I don't see abortion as a problem at all, especially if it's done early.

This is why I also agree with say... someone murders a pregnant woman and the murderer is charged for two murders. If a woman is pregnant with intent to birth, then the murderer has ended a life and a potential life. So, I don't feel it's contradictory to support abortion but also tack on extra charges for murdering pregnant women.

As for financial circumstances, I'm a firm believer that it should be illegal to procreate without the means to sustain a healthy life for the children. If a couple engages willingly in the creation of a child but then their financial situation changes utterly without an indication of near future recovery to the detriment of a potential child, I don't see a problem with abortion there either. I would like for them to attempt to find an adoption agency or something but I understand if they abort.

Also, another exception I would make in my personal life philosophy is if genetic testing is done and the potential child would have something that greatly or completely diminishes the quality of life.

 

[Levite]

Just the other day, i was having a convo with my friend after church and we managed to start a discussion about Abortion and came to a conclusion that it is frowned upon by most communities. So, I am just wondering what other people's opinions are of this subject.

Many Thanks, ChubbyCheeks

There are various positions that rabbis have taken concerning whether and under what circumstances abortion might be allowed under Jewish law. Some have almost entirely prohibited it, others have unilaterally permitted it.

I have, myself, written a teshuvah (rabbinic responsum) on the subject, and my position is that it is unilaterally permissible within the first trimester; it is permissible upon the advice of a physician within the second trimester, but once the fetus has reached a state of development whereat it is viable outside the womb, with a relative minimum of technological intervention, then terminating it becomes prohibited, unless the pregnant woman's life, lasting physical health, or sanity is in danger.

I won't bother to rehearse all the arguments and precedents I used, but highlights include an opinion from the Gemara (the latter part of the Talmud) that the fetus within the womb is legally considered mere fluid until after the fortieth day following the first missed period of pregnancy; and an opinion from the Mishnah (the earlier part of the Talmud) that if there are health-threatening complications to a woman's pregnancy, we prioritze saving her life over that of the fetus, even to cutting the fetus and killing it for manual removal, up until the point at which the head emerges at birth, at which point the fetus is now legally a baby, and has equal legal standing with the mother.

 

[King Salmon]

Regarding abortion, and the reason it made me think of this, is that my thought about it all is (except in cases of rape), you knew sex makes babies and you still chose to have sex. ... I also think that if you make a baby, you should take responsibility for your actions by raising the kid, or giving it up for adoption if you're not prepared to give it a healthy upbringing.

While this is sort of beside the point there is a culture out there that does not understand the link between sex and pregnancy... (I can find you a link if you wish.) But more on track, there are so many babies up for adoption already it seems better to maximize their chances of life instead of trying to maximize something still in the womb. I also have to ask if you're for the death penalty. =P

I understand where anti-abortion people come from in that life begins at the union of the egg and the sperm (though the question is somewhat of a sorites paradox), and that killing individuals is wrong and we shouldn't kill the fetus. The problem is that it's not an individual and it's not independent. I fully believe it's the mother's choice if she wants to carry what some might consider a parasite. Imagine it was an alien creature at least as intelligent as humans, would you still demand her to carry it? Both situations would be rather surprising, I think, since the instances of people using abortion instead of birth control are rare. (And as wrong as that sounds, it's just an unfortunate consequence of a freer system. You might say the Fifth Amendment makes it possible for truly guilty people to get off the hook, but that's just an unfortunate side effect of the greater good the amendment gives to innocent people.)

I'm curious if anyone advocating a "Put it up for adoption (except rape victims)" is really operating under some idea of punishment. We don't like loose women, and going through the pain of child birth is suitable punishment for having sex!

 

[Nerthus]

I am not pro or against abortion. I feel that in some cases abortion should be allowed and accepted as a choice someone is making. I don't agree that it should be done as a means of birth control - I can't agree that people can go around repeatedly having unprotected sex and then just having an abortion whenever needed. However, I know that if I was to become pregnant right now, I would really need to think long and hard about whether it is the right think, and I would want every option to be open to me. So, believe there are circumstances in which it is okay. But, should be done as early as possible.

 

[ChubbyCheeks]

Thanks everyone for your opinions, I always thought that if abortion could be acceptable if it needs to be done for the health of the mother, the greatest good for the greatest number of people

 

[Tarheeler]

Personally, I'm pro-life. My wife and I had to decide to go against the doctors and have 2 of our children rather than abort to ensure her health. Just couldn't kill our children.

Politically, however, I'm pro-choice. Just because I feel it is wrong, I don't see where I or the government has the authority to tell others they can't. Same with polygamy, drugs use, and same-sex-marriage. Just because I don't do it doesn't mean it should be illegal.

 

[Nerthus]

Personally, I'm pro-life. My wife and I had to decide to go against the doctors and have 2 of our children rather than abort to ensure her health. Just couldn't kill our children.

Politically, however, I'm pro-choice. Just because I feel it is wrong, I don't see where I or the government has the authority to tell others they can't. Same with polygamy, drugs use, and same-sex-marriage. Just because I don't do it doesn't mean it should be illegal.

I think that is where I stand on religion and politics. I would particularly want the two to mix.

 

[lilmama1991]

Just the other day, i was having a convo with my friend after church and we managed to start a discussion about Abortion and came to a conclusion that it is frowned upon by most communities. So, I am just wondering what other people's opinions are of this subject.

Many Thanks, ChubbyCheeks

i hate abortions i think people that can have children should thank god that they can because its alot of people that cant and i believe god doesnt agree with taking anyones life its a blessing from him and if its a real good reason that you dont want the baby like a rape than i believe you should give him up which is still wrong but at least the child would still be alive

 

[no-body]

Of course it's "wrong" and life does begin at conception whatever anyone says but it is a necessary evil. It would be more monstrous to limit a womans right to her own body than to ban the "killing" of an unformed "person"

You don't like abortion don't have one yourself.

 

[Intrigued]

I am not pro or against abortion. I feel that in some cases abortion should be allowed and accepted as a choice someone is making. I don't agree that it should be done as a means of birth control - I can't agree that people can go around repeatedly having unprotected sex and then just having an abortion whenever needed. However, I know that if I was to become pregnant right now, I would really need to think long and hard about whether it is the right think, and I would want every option to be open to me. So, believe there are circumstances in which it is okay. But, should be done as early as possible.

There are plenty of people like that around.

 

[Intrigued]

It would be more monstrous to limit a womans right to her own body than to ban the "killing" of an unformed "person"

But isn't life about self control?

 

[no-body]

But isn't life about self control?

Sure but you can't force people to make good decisions. Frankly the point is this is not about judging peoples behaviors and more about the politics of what happens when you let the government into a womans uterus. All the stats reveal it isn't good and you end up with a lot of hurt or dead women and babies more so than if abortion was just legal.

 

[proffesb]

In my opinion there is not a simple good/bad label you can put on it. I've seen people say abortion is no big deal and there should be absolutely no limit's on it, and I've seen people say it should be forbidden in all forms. Both of these views are absolutist and absolutes are never a good thing......wait that statement was an absolute.

I think putting a potential viable lifeform in front of a womans right to choose is wrong, However at some point the embreyo becomes a viable lifeform and should be protected. When that is exactly I don't know, but it is after the first trimester. There should not be a limit on health related (ie mamas gonna die) abortions in my opinion.

I believe sombody said earlier that nobody likes loose women, I disagree.......some of my best friends have been promiscuous and I don't judge them on what they do in their lives if it doesn't affect me.

 

[Oneatatime]

I am generally pro-choice but admit some unease when it comes to late-abortions where there is no medical reason for it.

 

[Nerthus]

I am generally pro-choice but admit some unease when it comes to late-abortions where there is no medical reason for it.

I find some unease when the 'baby shape' is already there. I still would not say to someone that they needed to continue with it, but I find it very different terminated at a late stage compared to when it looks like a peanut.