Abortion: To kill or not to kill
Commentary by Janaya Black
For the past twenty-five years or so the subject of abortion has served to cause division among millions who are of various opinions as to whether or not it should be legal to kill the unborn.
Some argue that abortion is a private matter; a decision to be made by the woman alone. While others maintain that human life is sacred no matter what stage it’s in, and to end it in the prenatal stages is still murder.
No matter which side of the issue one chooses to stand on, there are many things to consider when weighing the options of something of this magnitude. There are physical, emotional and psychological factors that come into play when dealing with this life changing decision.
The Pro-choice argument:
The primary reason that pro-choice advocates argue that abortion should be legal is that ultimately it’s the woman’s body, so therefore it should be her choice as to whether or not she wishes to have a baby and the government should have no say in the matter.
It is also argued that a fetus is not a human being, rather just simply a blob of tissue that has no meaningful life. They believe that life does not begin until birth, while others maintain that it’s not fair to bring unwanted children into the world so abortion presents a sensible alternative to wreaking more havoc on our already strained economy.
Abortion is the answer to preventing more welfare babies and that legalizing it will prevent thousands of deaths that could resort from women seeking back-alley abortions out of desperation if it is not legal.
The more conservative pro-choice arguments state that abortion should only be utilized in cases where the mother’s life is threatened, there are deformities or in cases of incest or rape and not as a method of birth control.
The Pro-life argument:
Pro-life supporters vehemently support the fact that mothers have a moral and natural obligation to protect their unborn babies. They maintain that life begins at the moment of conception and that murder by abortion, or any other means, should be illegal in a moral society.
According to the National Right to Life Organization’s (NRL) website, www.nrlc.org, scientific research has shown that the fetus the woman carries is a complete and fully new human being from the moment of fertilization, and that by the time an abortion is performed the baby has a heartbeat and identifiable brainwaves. These traits therefore identify the fetus as a unique human being who should, by rights, be deserving of protection under the law.
In direct argument to the pro-choice arguments that abortion prevents worsening the poverty levels by populating the world with unwanted children, pro-lifers maintain that poverty will never cease by killing babies. They credit the problem of poverty to lack of development as opposed to population.
Moreover, with respect to the argument of increasing number of deaths due to back alley abortions, the NRL maintains that these numbers are fabrications used by pro-abortionists to validate their claims when in fact the real numbers of deaths before 1973 are vastly different. Before Roe vs. Wade there have only been 39 documented cases of women who died from illegal abortions in 1972.
And their rebuttal in cases of deformities, rape and incest is that killing the patient does not cure the illness. They recognize that while these instances are both tragic and trying, their sentiment is that aborting a child because of illness or disability is a blatant display of prejudice and aborting because of rape is equivalent of condemning an innocent person for the crime of another.
What God says:
There are numerous examples in the Bible where God clearly validates the fact that he recognizes the unborn as His and has designated purpose for each life that is conceived.
These are just a few examples:
Luk 1:15- For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
Psa 22:10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother's belly.
Isa 49:1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
The Mental impact:
While most women go into the process of abortion with a definitive mindset about terminating their pregnancy, many experience deep psychological problems following the procedure.
Many women have reported having nightmares, while others have fallen into deep depression researchers refer to as Post-Abortion Syndrome.
In addition to the typical emotional trauma that post-aborted women grapple with after abortion procedures, it has been noted that chemical abortion methods have introduced another level of psychological threat due to the fact that women who use this method often see the complete bodies of their aborted fetus, as opposed to those who are shield from aspect when using the more traditional methods.
“Two weeks after the abortion, I went into labor. I staggered into the bathroom. And there, with my husband beside me, I delivered a part of my baby the doctor had missed. It was the head of my baby,” stated Lori Nerad, former national president of Women Exploited by Abortion on www.lovematters.com. “I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, thinking I hear a baby crying. And I still have nightmares in which I am forced to watch my baby being ripped apart in front of me. I simply miss my baby. I constantly wake up wanting to nurse my child, wanting to hold my child. And that’s something the doctor never told me I would experience.”
Options
Though the arguments for both sides of the issue are compelling, in the midst of it all there are other options.
Of course abstinence is always the sure-fire way of ensuring that unwanted pregnancies do not occur. It is unfortunate that now days people view that word as passé, but increased sexual promiscuity has contributed heavily to the staggering number of aborted babies.
Adoption is another viable option for those who are not ready to take on the responsibilities of motherhood. There are thousands of adoption waiting lists filled with women who have tried unsuccessfully to get pregnant and are overflowing with love and would cherish the opportunity to give a child a loving home.
Whether your stance on abortion if pro-life or pro-choice, it stands to reason that both sides will stand firm in their beliefs. The moral fabric of today’s society is clearly not what it was twenty-five, or even ten, years ago so ultimately the decision lies with the mother regardless if the issue is legalized or not. If she has the will to do it then she will find a way to have it done.
One can only hope that by providing information people will be equipped to make informed decisions. Because once you’re informed then there can be no excuses.
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