Abortion

[katherine2001]

Please don't be afraid to talk to your priest about this. I know that when I am most anxious about telling my priest something, that is when he is the most compassionate. I am sure he will do whatever he can to help you handle this situation.

 

[Sphinx777]

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo, resulting in or caused by its death. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species. In the context of human pregnancies, an abortion induced to preserve the health of the gravida (pregnant female) is termed a therapeutic abortion, while an abortion induced for any other reason is termed an elective abortion. The term abortion most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy, while spontaneous abortions are usually termed miscarriages.

Abortion has a long history and has been induced by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma and other traditional methods. Contemporary medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, and cultural views on abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Abortion and abortion-related issues feature prominently in the national politics in many nations often involving the opposing pro-life and pro-choice worldwide social movements. Incidence of abortion has declined worldwide, as access to family planning education and contraceptive services has increased. Abortion incidence in the United States declined 8% from 1996 to 2003.

 

[Anhelyna]

Yasmina

Since the day that little child was conceived in you it has been living and depending on you for your care and nurture .

Remember that our beloved Mother , Mary ever virgin also went through this and she gave birth to Him who saves us .

Is murder of anyone wrong ? Go and seek help and support and then bring this tender little child into the world and raise him [ or her] to love God as you do

 

[Greg the byzantine]

After a little prayer, I think the very fact that you came to this forum to ask this question shows that you truly do care and love the child in your womb. A love and tenderness that God himself blessed by descending from heaven and becoming man:

I pray that this Christmas season you contemplate the beauty of the incarnation and birth of our Lord, and give the ultimate gift which God has granted you, life for the beautiful child you have within you. Please talk to a priest and know that we are praying for you, and there are groups and organizations out there who will help you. You are not alone. God bless you, and I will continue to pray for you, your boyfriend, and your child.

 

[MariaRegina]

After a little prayer, I think the very fact that you came to this forum to ask this question shows that you truly do care and love the child in your womb. A love and tenderness that God himself blessed by descending from heaven and becoming man:

I pray that this Christmas season you contemplate the beauty of the incarnation and birth of our Lord, and give the ultimate gift which God has granted you, life for the beautiful child you have within you. Please talk to a priest and know that we are praying for you, and there are people out there who will help you. You are not alone. God bless you, and I will continue to pray for you, your boyfriend, and your child.

Beautiful post, Greg.

I agree.

 

[Nichole]

Congratulations to you! Babies are blessings from God. One day you will realize why this blessing in disguise happened. Your baby was meant to be BEFORE conception ever happened!

When people talk about abortions it saddens me. My husband and I have been declared infertile (in the process of getting a 2nd opinion), so this really hits me hard.

Have you given thought to adoption? There are MANY couples that would love to give your baby a happy home!

 

[MariaRegina]

A young lady in my Orthodox parish got pregnant out-of-wedlock to a man who had lied to her and had told her that he was not married when in fact he was. She was hoping to marry him. Imagine her heartbreak when the man told her that he would pay for an abortion. She told him that she was carrying his child to term and was going to find a new home for that child.

Her priest told her about a lovely recently married couple in the parish who were declared infertile and who had wanted a large family.

When she approached this couple about adopting her baby, they were ecstatic.
The woman started taking shots to produce milk, and when they were given the baby at two weeks of age, the new adoptive mom was able to breastfeed her newly adopted daughter very successfully. In fact, most people did not even know of the adoption as the little girl looks very much like her adoptive parents with the same coloring. They had a big baptismal party for her too. It is incredible how much happiness she has given to this couple.

 

[127.0.0.1]

Deleted.

 

[katherine2001]

My first priest and his wife (Matushka) haven't been able to have children of their own, but have adopted two. Their second child was conceived out of wedlock and the mother is Orthodox. She had a beautiful little girl. Their first child was 18 months old when he came into the family, so she was their first experience with a newborn. She is just a precious little girl and is the life of the party anywhere she is. Yasmina, if you can't keep your baby, you could make another couple who can't have children of their own have their dream come true to be able to have a child. Each one of us is unique and God has a unique role for each of us in this world that nobody else can ever fill.

Please keep us up to date. You, your boyfriend, and your child are in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[Andrew21091]

It is God's will that the child was concieved. Who are we as humans to destroy one of God's creation made in His own image. Abortion cannot be justified. The baby could be a great blessing but if its not something you want then please consider adoption and never abortion.

 

[Dorothea]

Also, remember this, Yasmina....remember dear people like Nichole and her husband who have been trying for years to be blessed with a baby, and here you have been given this miraculous gift from God. Remember all those who have anguished over not being able to have their own children, and then, remember they are waiting for babies through adoption, perhaps your child if you decide that you cannot care for it yourself. God bless you.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah, you have been given a great gift. if the baby wasn't a human soul, loved by God, this would not be a tough decision. take some time, pray, talk to your priest.

prayers for you, your baby, and your family

 

[Michael G]

Your child was given an immortal soul the moment it was conceived. Abortion of a baby is murder, no matter what time in the pregnancy.

 

[buzuxi02]

Thank you very much for your quick replies! To Etsi: No, I haven't talked to it about my priest yet, I am going to it's just that I really don't know how to drop the bomb. My boyfriend also told me that in Russia (where alot of people are orthodox) alot of women have abortions and it is generally accepted by the church. Is this wrong too then?

All (former & current) communist countries have high rates of abortion. This has nothing to do with Church teaching or praxis, but everything to do with years of brainwashing from the secular atheist society.

Your options (as you already know) are adoption or marriage. Many couples are seeking to adopt, go to your priest and see if he can help, and if he cant go to another one who has more sense, theres also many organizations that help with these situations. If your relationship and commitment to each other is strong you can always get married and be a family and teach him a thing or two about the Lord.
We are praying for you and your child.

 

[Mytheodos]

An Orthodox Christian Method of Ending Abortion

Half of Pregnant Women in a Town Near Perm Refuse to Make Abortion After Priest's Sermon

Perm, Russia
August 28, 2009
Interfax

In Chaykovsky, the Perm Region, 40 percent of women visiting the women's health clinic refused to terminate their pregnancy after talking to an Orthodox priest.

Women in Chaykovsky are issued an abortion appointment only after a mandatory sermon of Father Igor, a priest in Holy Trinity Church, a Perm issue of Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reports Friday.

During such meetings, women are asked to fill in questionnaires which include such questions as "If you have a child already, and you learn that he/she has drowned a kitten, will you punish your child for that?", "Are you ready to meet the soul of your child after death?", "If a criminal states in court that he murdered someone because his apartment was too small, will he be acquitted?", "Could you ever have a look after abortion on what has been taken out of you?"

Father Igor talks to Muslim women, too.

Please watch this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDPnGq_AvUY

 

[Thekla]

Prayers for you, Yasmina, your child and your boyfriend !

 

[rusmeister]

Hi, Yasmina,
Don't know if you're still reading replies or not.
I'm an American living in Russia and part of the Russian Orthodox Church. I can tell you from direct experience that the source your boyfriend got his info from is wrong and untrustworthy. The Russian Orthodox Church, like all other Orthodox Churches, universally condemns abortion as murder (so Sphinx's posted definition, which uses the euphemism "terminate" instead of the factual "murder", is not Orthodox and therefore a lie - and if you go on long enough, you'll discover that "abortion" is also a euphemism, to avoid saying the truth that it is murder.

God bless you and keep you, and may your baby grow healthy and bring you joy!!!

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Hello everyone,

I recently discovered I'm pregnant (for about 12 weeks). Because I am only 18 years old and certainly (financially) not able to take care of a child yet, I think I should go for an abortion. It's very hard making a decision like that, and yes, I do have doubts. I asked my boyfriend what he thought about it from a religious point of view and he told me that abortion is fine unless the fetus already has fingerprints, because than it has a soul (I looked that up and a fetus gets fingerprints at 23 weeks). So than would it be okay for me to get an abortion? Please tell me.

Yasmina.

sweety, please don't get an abortion. Give the baby up for adoption.. yes the baby already has a soul.. what makes us human is not fingerprints, but human DNA, and this baby has had DNA since it was conceived. It grieves God when His little ones are killed in the womb. I've talked to people who were adopted and they are all glad that their mothers did not get an abortion. I also know someone who got an abortion and she regrets it every day. It affects the mother too, emotionally, and spiritually; don't do this to yourself. Since this baby was conceived, that means God wants it to live and has already created the soul, at the moment of conception. I hope you wouldn't go through with it. I know this is a very difficult situation for you, but you will be glad one day that you didn't get an abortion. Prayers for you, God bless

edit: maybe it would help to think of Mother Mary. She was very young when she was pregnant with Jesus, and people around her in society didn't know that she had conceived by the Holy Spirit.. she was willing to give birth to Him even though it meant potential persecution from her people and even being stoned by them. She chose life, and because of this we now have a Savior. Each person is so precious to God and He loves you and your baby very very much.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Thank you very much for your quick replies! To Etsi: No, I haven't talked to it about my priest yet, I am going to it's just that I really don't know how to drop the bomb.

I'm sure priests have dealt with this situation many times before! don't worry, there's no reason to think he would be anything but understanding.

My boyfriend also told me that in Russia (where alot of people are orthodox) alot of women have abortions and it is generally accepted by the church. Is this wrong too then?

the Orthodox Church in Russia (or anywhere) is against abortions. I know that many women in Russia have abortions because I'm Russian myself and have heard about this. But this is because the country was under Communist rule and the government didn't have a problem with abortion. The Church does however.. maybe these women just don't know.

God bless

 

[GreekGrl]

A child is a gift from God. Life is the most precious thing we have. From the moment of conception.