Abortion
Part Two
However there
are some things that are
more difficult to
agree on and
these are
When exactly does
life begin?
The Catholic feels this happens
at the moment of fertilization
when the sperm meets the egg.
The soul is there. God has a
purpose for the baby.
No life is there just by chance.
There are others who maintain
that life begins when a baby is
actually born. But birth can come
at any time.
Can they really maintain that there
is a difference between life outside
the womb and life in the womb?
Is the mother’s life more
sacred than that of the unborn
child?
This becomes a choice
between saving the mother’s
or babies life in a threatening
situation.
Is life always worth living?
If someone was going to be
born with abnormalities and be
disabled, then might it be
worth performing an abortion.
Here a judgement is being made about
the quality of life of the baby.
Some may feel the suffering involved
might be too great.
Is a foetus a human life?
Or is it just a collection of
cells.
Many feel the developing baby
is not a life
until it is born.
“The legal time for an
abortion is 24 weeks.”
Abortion is a
difficult issue
because very few
can agree on the
problems that arise.
There are those who
feel that The rights of
the child are just as
important compared to
those of the mother
Is it between
me or My
Mum?
Those Christians who
support the idea of
abortion say Jesus taught
compassion and love.
God gave free will & this
allows a person choice
The Christians who
oppose Abortion feel it is a
irresponsible act it takes away a
God given life. It is destroying a
soul.
Christians feel it is not up to us
to decide who lives and who
should die!
Many Christians
feel abortion is not
right because it is
often used as a form
of contraception.
Finally the
debate lies with
two sides who
have different
views they are:
Those who support abortion for the
following reasons:
Only the woman has the right to choose.
There is no such thing as 100% safe
contraception so abortion is necessary.
No one can agree on when life begins.
So no one has the right to impose their
views on others.
The foetus is just a potential human life.
Yet everyone will agree on the humanity of the
mother.
No one is any more qualified than anyone else to
make a better decision.
Every society has used abortion.
Abortion should be safe, legal, and dignified.
Abortion saves thousands from being unwanted.
If a woman is raped, and becomes pregnant she
will want an abortion.
It is more trauma for a woman to
give up her baby for adoption
than to have an abortion.
If abortion was made a crime
many women would still risk
their lives in back street abortion
clinics.
The case against abortion is as follows:
The developing baby is not part of the
mother but a separate life.
The unborn child has the right not to be
killed.
Even handicapped people can live full lives.
Abortion is discrimination against the weak.
Abortion is denial of a human right to life.
Abortion can cause mental stress for the
mother.
Killing is killing where ever it is done.
People should also know the situations
in which a legal abortion is allowed.
If there is a risk to the life of the mother.
If there are social reasons why she could
not cope.
“Abortion is a difficult issue. It is about choice.
The discussion lies between the choice a woman
has about whether to have an abortion or not.It also
involves the rights the unborn foetus may or may
not have.”
Catholic Christians feel that to have an abortion is morally
wrong. They take this strong view. Yet if the mother’s life is in
danger they will allow an abortion.Other Churches are not as
strict. They will allow the abortion if they feel that it may cause
too much stress to the mother. Today many do not know how
Jesus would have felt about abortion. The answer they feel would
lie in his love for all . So in each case Christians would consider
the compassion that is needed. Then they will be able to make a
decision based on love.
A painting about abortion.
A very
quick
summary of the
issue of
ABORTION
A moral dilemma
whose choice?
human rights?
an unborn baby’s
right to live.
The mothers
absolute choice
“24 weeks should
be 20”
Two Doctors
must decide.
If the mother
can’t cope
All life is sacred
There is the sanctity
of life
The Roman
Catholic Church
says that all
abortion is morally
wrong. It is murder.
Other Church
groups feel that
each case should be
considered on its
own. Love and
If the mother can’t afford compassion should
it.
be exercised in all
If the mother’s life is in cases.
danger.
“ An unwanted
If the baby would be
disabled.
baby is just as bad
as an abortion.”
To pass the exam you will need to answer the
question.
It is a small essay.
It must be clear and make a point.
Here are some examples you should discuss
with each other why the essay is good. How
does the person talk about abortion.
You should then look at some exam questions
with your teacher.
Discussion
Why are the two extracts
which follow A*
answers? ( where they
score a mark it is marked
with a red *
This is an extract form an A* answer to Why is abortion a moral
issue. This is only the start of the essay.
Abortion is when a baby or foetus is terminated inside the
mother's womb under her permission or consent.* The
Abortion Act says that a woman can have an abortion if:
two doctors agree that it's needed or necessary or if the baby
is not capable of surviving. It will then be carried out in
registered premises. *
Also the doctor must consider the life, health and mental
health of the mother, *whether an existing family would
suffer if the pregnancy continues and if there's a reasonable
chance that the child will be born handicapped or disabled.
* There would be four marks here!!
In 1965 the latest termination date was set at 28
weeks* but then in 1990 the termination date was
reduced to 24 weeks. *Since then the number of
abortions has steadily risen and some would say
that abortion is treated as a form of
contraception.* Many Christians are opposed to
abortion. Two reasons that they give for this is
are that Catholics would feel it is murder.* The
second is that all life is sacred.* There would be
5 marks here!
An A* essay
Abortion is the intentional killing of an unborn child in the womb.
This issue generates a lot of deep emotions.* It is an issue about
human rights, the most fundamental right of all - the right to life. *
There are lots of angles from which we can look at this subject for
example from the perspective of the church or a pro-choice point of
view.*
The church teaches that from the moment of conception a potential
human being exists. It may be very tiny, only the size of a dot (.) but it
is still a human being and deserves protection.* Pope Paul VI once
stated, "Human life is sacred, all men must recognise that fact."
Abortion, like murder, has been practised from earliest times and has
been regarded as gravely wrong.**
Up to the twentieth century, those who caused
abortions were always regarded as criminals. It is
not strange that abortion has been looked on with
horror in the past as the taking of innocent life.*
Today people are more helpful. There are abortion
clinics that women can go to.
However the problem is that no one can agree on abortion. This is
because people cannot agree on when the life actually exists. *
They debate when the foetus is a life. Is it the moment of the
fertilisation. Is it when the heart starts beating. Is it when it is
born. *We do not know. It is a question of opinion. The Churches
say it is the moment of fertilisation.
But deciding if the unborn child is a person is not the issue on its
own. It is about whether it is right to perform an abortion. For
example a lady wants an abortion but people feel it is wrong. *
This is because she may not be able to afford it. Why does she
not give it up for adoption. Why do women wait till the foetus is
quite advanced and the termination can look like murder. All of
these discussions go on. Then there is the issue of the rights of
the child. *Does an unborn infant have any rights over or equal to
the mother’s rights?*
DISCUSSION “Those who say they think they know what this
topic is all about should study a baby.They should hold that
baby in their arms. They should look at the fingers. They should
see the detail. They should marvel at the wonder of its birth. If
we treat this miracle as an inconvenience then they have
misunderstood creation. What is your opinion?”