I believe that abortion is wrong. The unborn baby in a womb has a mind and a beating heart at just four-six weeks (if I remember correctly). If you have not seen live videos of a baby in the womb... then I would recommend doing so. It is strange to see a transparent baby; it's skin isn't even fully formed, and yet its heart and mind are there, and in the video I watched it was shielding its eyes from the light the camera gave off. Tell me that that baby is a blob of tissue, and I will tell you that you are crazy, or at the very least greatly misinformed.
Getting rid of the baby is not the answer. If you are faithful to God and decide to keep it - or at least put it up for adoption if you can't take care of it - then he will see you through it, because you have done the right thing. Of course it is very hard at the time, but if you do as God wills, then he will help you through it. If you choose to take it into your own hands, however, then why should the Lord bring you through your conscious, selfish decision?
That is NOT to say that God will not forgive you if you have had an abortion once and repent of it. But please - if you are considering having an abortion, think harder. Trust in God, don't depend on simply your own strength (I personally know that when I only depend on my own strength it is hard to succeed; but when I trust in God it is easier to succeed).
I will put this bluntly: birth defects are not an excuse for abortion. Nor is rape or incest or anything of the kind.
Exodus 4:10-11 clearly shows this. God was the one who gave Moses his slow speech, so that he might use Moses' seeming weakness to "shame the strong" and show his power; a recurring theme in the Bible (choosing the younger brother Jacob over the elder brother Esau , hiding spiritual things from the "wise" and showing them to the "weak").
John 9:2-3 reveals the same theme found in Exodus 4:10-11. The man was blind so that "the work of God might be displayed in his life".
Leviticus 19:14 tells us not to curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. Why should we allow a child to be aborted because of a supposed birth defect? In case you're thinking, "why does this matter?; it's not a common issue these days" I recommend reading
this article. It's still something that we have to deal with.
1 Samuel 16:7 shows that while man looks at the outward, seemingly good appearance of man, the Lord looks at the heart: with this fact in light, who are we to judge what babies should be aborted based on birth "defects"?
Here are a few well-known opinions regarding abortion (note that they disagree with ANY type of abortion no matter the reason):
"You shall not slay a child by abortion" - the Didache
"All who use abortifacients are homicides and will account to God for their abortions as for their killing of men" - Atenagoras of Athens
"The fetus carried in the mother's womb is already a man; it is quite unnatural that a life be destroyed of one who has not yet seen its enjoyment" - John Calvin
Information on the Catholic Church's stance on abortion throughout the years can be found
here.
Finally, I offer one last thought to anyone who supports abortion... and it is on a personal note: I myself am an illegitimate child because I was born out of wedlock (no, not rape or anything, just out of wedlock). My mother could have aborted me, and I would not be here today if she did; but she was a Christian and she decided not to. That meant facing her family and friends despite all the shame and fear she must have suffered. But she showed her love for God and for me by choosing not to abort me; my literal life was in her hands. I am forever indebited to her for her unselfish decision... I hope that any pregnant women out there who have been questioning whether or not to get an abortion might be just as unselfish as she was.
