Hi NUF,
I'm not sure that the issue is as black and white as some people thinking that they have a constitutional right to abortions. I believe that the real argument made before the Supreme Court in the matter, and other lower courts, is that an individual should have the right to handle most all medical conditions as they see fit for themselves. If I don't want to have cancer treatment after my doctor has told me that I have evidence of cancer growth in my body, then I have the right to look my doctor in the eye and say, "Thanks for the information. How long do you think I have? I'll see you around." Similarly with a woman who has conceived a child within her body, some people hold that she does hold some personal and constitutionally guaranteed right to tell a doctor that she'd like the fetus removed. That it is not within the power and scope of any state or national government to tell us how we have to handle such matters. Especially when it's a matter of such magnitude.
Having a baby is not something to be taken lightly for a young person who is single. It's a biiiiiiig financial and career drain for most. Yes, they absolutely shouldn't have gotten themselves into the situation to start with, but now there is this reality and it must be dealt with. We can certainly outlaw abortions, but history has proven that such an act doesn't actually get rid of abortions, it just forces them under ground to less safe environments where more lives are put at stake. It means that a doctor who once got $500 for an abortion, can now charge $5,000 for an abortion. People will pay that because even $5,000 is less than the cost of raising a child. Especially a child that no one wants and may not be cared for or about.
A woman who is married and having an affair and winds up pregnant will find a way, either from her own financial resources or to coerce such resources out of her partner of infidelity to pay for the procedure. So, you still have abortions. Now they are more dangerous and more expensive, but they aren't going to go away just because you've made them illegal any more than murder is going to stop because that's illegal.
Just as happened with the abolition of alcohol, it didn't go away. It just went under ground and made it more expensive and more dangerous. People would cook up batches of alcohol in their homes, much like we do meth today, and it could be deadly. There were quite a few cases of poisonings from bad alcohol during the years of prohibition. Abortion will be handled exactly the same way.
So, my personal encouragement is that we leave legalized abortion on the books and spend more time teaching others the gospel of salvation to build up the kingdom of God. The truth for all the law enforcing bible thumpers out there is that you could get rid of every abortion procedure in the world and you wouldn't add a single soul to the kingdom of God unless you convinced them of the truth of who Jesus is. If you convince them of the truth of who Jesus is, and then follow the rest of Jesus example to teach them all that he has taught us, then the abortion issue will go away pretty much on it's own. However, don't any of us be naive. We're not ever getting rid of abortions. We can holler and stomp about on the courthouse steps and march around with placards until the cows come home and we won't rid the country of abortions.
God bless,
In Christ, ted
