jtee

Abortion is one the most emotionally and controversial topics for many decades, and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Should it be completely illegal, limited, or strictly a private family matter?

jtee

I have conflicted feelings about it, and I believe that is how the mainstream feels as well. There are circumstances where it is the best choice after very thoughtful consideration, but it makes me feel extremely uneasy that abortion can be misused as form a birth control.

I try to look at the problem by excluding\ignoring the extreme arguments. Here are a couple that I hear way too often.

1) At the very moment of inception, there is nothing left to discuss; moral Big Brother has total authority over the decision. Every abortion == Murder and those who commit murder need to be legally prosecuted. This pure moral argument ignores so many real world problems and leaves no room considering for the circumstances of the pregnancy.

2) The rape\incest argument, is taking the very rare exception, and arguing that abortion should be open ended. It also unfairly links a very serious problem of rape\incest with abortion. They are linked only in the rarest cases.

The way I perceive the problem is that people at the extreme ends (those who are the most vocal and passionate) of the spectrum will not acknowledge that there might a solution that is a combination of both, or maybe a solution neither has yet to consider. The extreme perspective seek a winner-take-all stance\solutions; the opposing side is "the enemy" who's ideas need to be suppressed, if not made completely illegal.

Kaytee

I agree very tough one. I would have to agree with you.. I think lol
I am a fence sitter on it. Part of me feels it is so utterly wrong and imoral and just plain murder. But then I also know that sometimes it is the best alternative.
For example, my sisters neighbor was pregnant 16 weeks along and they found out that the child had some abnormalities (can't remember the exacts) but the child was no way shape or form EVER going to survive outside the mothers body. The problem was, was that the state they lived in would not let her abort the child because she was over 12 weeks (after that you cannot have a legal abortion) so even though this child would not survive, teh state was going to make her carry this baby inside her for however long it would stay (assuming 40 weeks) then delivier said child knowing that it was going to die. I couldn't iamgine the pain that would come from this. She did end up going to a differnt state and getting the abortion. Was it right? I don't know. Would I have done the same thing? I don't know that either. Its just a tough situation to be in.
I agree that some use it as a form of birth control.
It's just such a HARD issue

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evilbrent

It's when you take this argument even further when it's ridiculousness becomes even more apparent.

The form of the argument is that the future existence of a human being is determined by actions taken today, therefore actions taken today which change the course of that future are murderous.

So, starting at the start:

1) When a woman is about 35 weeks pregnant, her child can survive on its own. To 'abort' it now is murder. (We all agree on this one)
2) When a woman is 8 weeks pregnant her foetus can't survive on its own, but it is alive in a real sense and deserves to continue living. (I personally agree with this one).
3) When a woman is 1 week pregnant there is a group of cells in her body which, left alone, will turn into a human. Stopping this process is murder (I disagree, but that's besides the point right now).
4) When a woman is 1 hr pregnant the process has already begun. It is too late to make family planning decisions like the morning after pill (I disagree).
4) After a man has ejaculated, the sperm are on their way. Whether or not they reach and fertilise an egg is up to God, not us. Wearing a condom is taking this decision out of God's hands, and is murder (I think that MOST of us disagree with this one... but for some reason the Catholic Church has only just changed its mind.)

here's where it gets tricky...

5) If a man 'spills his seed on the ground' he's lost an opportunity to fertilise a woman. He shouldn't have pulled out. He's a murderer. (From here on in, only nutjobs agree.)
6) A man wants to have sex with his wife, but she doesn't want to. Because she's ovulating, she's missed a chance to concieve. She's a murderer.
7) A man is walking down the street with time on his hands and strikes up a conversation with a woman who also has an empty schedule. They decide to go have coffee instead of having sex right there and then. They have missed a chance to fertilise her eggs. They are both murderers.
8) A serial rapist believes it is his duty to inseminate woman as per point 7), but the police have discovered him and put him in prison. By making it impossible for him to fertilise women they are baby murderers.

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That's as ridiculous as my imagination allows right now, but you get the idea.

Anyone who believes, without qualiification, the original argument that the future existence of a human being is determined by actions taken today, therefore actions taken today which change the course of that future are murderous must also believe all the rest.

It's an argument that doesn't bear examination, let alone close examination.

jtee

EvilBrent, WOW you have me almost speachless at the moment. I throughly enjoyed reading what you wrote. I do agree there are "nutjobs" out there. Sometimes they come here to this forum

Teresa

My personal belief is that abortion is wrong in any circumstance, as I believe that life begins at the moment of conception. That only applies to ME, however, as I do not believe I have the right to tell anyone else how they should believe. Abortion breaks my heart, but it is a personal decision.

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Kaytee

Evil- not that I agree with or disagree with what you said, but please watch calling others opinions nut jobs. This can be very insulting to that group of people. You can state your opinion about them but no name calling please.

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evilbrent

I'm sorry... there are people on the planet who believe that coitus interuptus = baby murder... and these people aren't nutjobs?

Tom

I'd say the important question going this far with this is ... do you believe they have a right to their opinion?

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evilbrent

That's one of those loaded questions - like "Have you stopped hitting your wife yet."

Yes, they've got a right to hold ridiculous opinions. The sincerity with which people hold opinions does not influence the reasonableness of those opinions.