Is it possible to be a Christian and pro-choice?

[sccs]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

 

[timothyu]

What is the Christian response to these points?

You might want to add what is their viewpoint on war, capital punishment, weapons and the like. It seems unlikely we can divide human assisted death up according to method. It is what it is.

 

[dzheremi]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

It's not really a 'counter argument' (I don't argue with people about this stuff), but I would wonder why it is that a Christian is expected to have this divergence between their personal views and their public/political participation in society, given that the abortion-approvers are not being expected to do the same. Nobody ever says "It's fine if you personally agree with abortion, but don't try to put that into the law code."

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

I think a total ban that ignores issues such a life-threatening pregnancies is incredibly unwise and not very pro-life at all (is the mother not a live person as well?), but I don't see being against abortion as being driven by a "Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies", as that ignores that there are other reasons why a person could be disapproving of abortion. Like for me, I've always been against it because I am disabled and there is a history (continuing up to today) of elective abortion being presented as a moral good to pregnant women in the case that they may have a child like me. That's kind of terrifying, since it's essentially reinforcing the idea that disabled people don't deserve to live/are such a burden to everyone that it is good that we are killed in utero. A very rough comparison could be made to the greater rates of vaccine hesitancy that are found in the U.S. among Black and Latino Americans than among whites, as this has its own historical roots in the horrific medical experimentations and non-consensual sterilizations of those populations. Anyone who knows about the history of such things would never tell a black or Latino person that they are being unreasonable for being hesitant in this context, and so I don't think it's unreasonable at all -- let alone a sign of anti-woman religious fundamentalism -- to not be on Team Abortion if you are a disabled person. You simply don't want to be murdered, just like literally everyone else. But people on the political 'far left' on this issue don't seem to recognize situations like the ones disabled people are put through just to get to be alive in the first place as being a part of this discussion, even though we're the ones who are most likely to be used as poster children for abortion. (And, yes, my mother was told by the doctors who delivered me in the early 1980s that she should authorize immediate cessation of life-saving machines I was hooked up to in the days after my birth, with the reasoning that "he won't survive anyway, and this way it is easier for you, because the longer you wait, the more you'll just get attached." And when that didn't pan out how they thought it would, they told her not to bring me home from the hospital because their best guess is that I would be so profoundly mentally retarded that I would not ever be able to adjust to society, so I should be shut away in a state-run facility for life. I guess it could be argued how well I've been able to adjust to society, but I don't think they give out master's degrees to profoundly mentally retarded people for fun, and generally people in that state cannot live independently, manage their own finances and daily living, prepare their own food, take care of animals, or do any of the other stuff I and millions of other disabled people around the country do every single day.)

 

[Hank77]

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

This is what concerns me about some states' laws.

Prudente, 38, experienced heavy bleeding on June 12, followed by a premature rupture of the amniotic sac and the separation of the placenta, according to Weeldreyer, 45. While the hospital is carefully monitoring her for any sign of infection, the facility cannot perform the surgery to complete the miscarriage, he said.

Malta is the only European Union member nation that outlaws abortions for any reason.

“The miscarriage is 80% complete,″ Weeldreyer said. ”Her waters are broken, the placenta has separated, but because of a (fetal) heartbeat,” the fetus cannot be removed, he said.
Woman who had miscarriage on Malta trip can't get abortion

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

There may be room for both however, not in this Christian Nationalist environment and I do believe there is an abundance of hypocrisy among the fold.

On a side note....

I find it disingenuous when its " ok" at 6 weeks but not "ok" at 6.1 weeks. Makes no sense to me. Abortion, if one really cares, should be considered murder no matter what stage, case or situation. Afterall, why is a mothers life more important than an infant's life? Life is life! Makes no sense to me to go half way on this. Believe it or not it's still a sin at 6 weeks ! It's also a sin to use contraception too! So let's be real. What are we really talking about here? Politics?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

I'll respond to point one. Why is a Christian personally against abortion? Is it because the life in question is regarded as a human life, created by God and that to terminate said life is in of itself wrong? How then, can it be possible, to say it is permissible to terminate said life? Why does the Christian have to assent to a made up right to abortion and work in the interests of abortion by allowing it to happen? By consenting or agreeing with the law? They would only have a duty to assent to abortion if the standard of a right to abortion is superior to the Christian standard against abortion. This implies, inevitably, that Christian morality on abortion is a mistake, wrong or foolish. Those who argue for an absolute right to abortion, with no limits or curtailing are not being consistent with Christianity.

A direct ban on abortion, by not allowing abortion to be done legally will do far more to limit abortion, than hoping for it to disappear in our sexually decadent culture, especially if said ban is enforced. People obey the law generally, some might try to get around it, but it is not our duty as Christians to cater to them, even if they put themselves in dangerous situations to procure an abortion. To do so is to give in to the abortion side and recognize they have a superior claim to being right and therefore abortion must be legalized.

I should also wonder how a Christian thinks a woman has the right to an abortion. Did God give her this right? Where in the history of Christianity do we see such a right given?

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

IMHO the legality should have never been taken up by the government in the first place one way or the other.
Women are free will agents. God does not override a persons will.
1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV
The Believer’s Freedom
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

Yes you can be a Christian if you believe in Jesus Christ. For it is written:
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.NIV

 

[seeking.IAM]

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion?

"How should?" is one question. "How do?" is another. In reality Christians do not have homogeneous thought on the matter. I'm personally opposed to abortion in most instances, but I support access to abortion for non-viable fetuses, threats to life of the mother, rape, & incest.​

SCOTUS decision does not stop abortion in this country. It will stop medical-professional abortions in some states for some people. Persons of means will still be able to travel to states deciding to permit abortion or to other countries. The poor in those states will either do without or be back to seedy little illegal providers and coat-hangers.​

I think another issue to be faced is whether states will merely prohibit medical-provider abortions or actually criminalize abortion? If criminalized, who will the criminal(s) be? The doctors? The women? The girls? Are we going to lock up for life a 14-year-old who won't bear her incestuous father's child? I'm opposed to that.​

 

[Rachel20]

This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues) ... they would be forced to carry the baby to their death.

"The fact of the matter is that abortion as a necessity to save the life of the mother is so rare as to be nonexistent.” ~Dr. C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General of US

“The situation where the mother’s life is at stake were she to continue a pregnancy is no longer a clinical reality. Given the state of modern medicine, we can now manage any pregnant woman with any medical affliction successfully, to the natural conclusion of the pregnancy: The birth of a healthy child.” ~ Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist

“During my time at Albany Medical Center I managed hundreds of such cases by ‘terminating’ pregnancies to save mother’s lives. In all those cases, the number of unborn children that I had to deliberately kill was zero.” ~ Dr. Anthony Levatino, former abortionist (note he 'terminated' those pregnancies by delivering the babies early)

 

[timothyu]

As an example.. Will there now be more pregnant elitists and celebrities bragging they are the first parents ever? Does this mean that now tiny little unborn black lives will matter? Was this what the movement had hoped for? Or will executive careers be ended? Does Christianity seeks to conform to human values?

 

[BobRyan]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

For point one - I think many Christian groups in the American south would have argued similarly regarding slavery... against it personally but not wanting to stop anyone else from owning slaves.

We can all see how that went .. and how well it "aged" over a period of 150 years of reflection.

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

Less than 1% of abortions occur due to real life health issues of the mother where her "life might end" if she has the baby. Thanks to advancements in medical science that is pretty much unheard of.

"70 percent of the women having abortions view abortion as immoral, or at least deviant, behavior"

And in recent years we are greeted with "birth day abortion" and even "after birth day abortion"... so not like this thing did not go to every extreme imaginable - in real life.

 

[The Narrow Way]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes?
2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

For #1. NO. You are either for LIFE or you are for DEATH. It's very Black & White. There is no GRAY area.

For #2. Christians should be overjoyed! The examples you bring up are extremely rare....and even in those cases....the Doctor should do all he can to save the life of both the Mother & the Child.

 

[BravoM]

No.
Fact: Human life begins at conception. It doesn't matter we look weird until about 14 weeks or so. We can't change how we pro-create, develop, and which organs form first.
No Christian can support unborn baby murder. No one.
Which is more important? One's soul or obsession with unborn baby murder?

 

[Zion Princess]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

I have thought about this extensively and my answer would be yes a person can be a Christian and be pro-choice. I am personally pro-choice and not for abortion but I am for an individual’s freedom to make that choice. In other areas we have a choice whether we want to commit sin. Killing is a sin, no question about that. No matter if it’s a fetus or a fully formed human, killing a human is sin because we are made in Gods image. The question really is: is there a difference between a fetus and a fully formed human as far as laws go? And yes there is a very big difference between a murderer of a child or an adult and the average woman that gets an abortion. Abortion is done out of desperation and not hate usually. Most people don’t have abortions because they like to kill. They do it because they feel like they have no other choice.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a fairly conservative Christian but am very moderate and relatively uninformed when it comes to US politics. Therefore, in light of yesterday's US Supreme Court announcement, I had two overarching questions:

1) Is it possible to be against abortion morally and personally but pro-choice as far as legislation goes? The Christian who is pro-choice could be against abortion personally but argues that from a legislative perspective, pro-choice will/may reduce the occurrences of abortion and protect the life and health of women. They don't want to take away rights from women from political standpoint and still allow them the right to choose. What would be a counter argument to this?

2) How should the Christian think about the recent news about the Roe v Wade issue especially for women in states with total bans on abortion? This means that for pregnancies in which the mother's life is at risk (ectopic, non-viable fetuses, other health issues), rape, incest they would be forced to carry the baby to their death. Many non-Christians are outraged by this and see this as yet another example of the Christian fundamentalist right to control women's bodies. What is the Christian response to these points?

1. People can be Christian and pro-choice. I am.

2. They should be concerned. I’m responding by getting involved and educating people about the availability of Plan C.

 

[timothyu]

Self justification is at the root of the human dilemma

 

[RDKirk]

It's possible to be Christian and to concentrate on ways to encourage women to avoid unwanted pregnancies (first) and then to avoid abortion, rather than throwing all efforts behind pushing Caesar to use his sword to prohibit abortions after unwanted pregnancies have already occurred.

And we have to remember that our only given mission is to make disciples...everything else is "mission creep."

The sword ultimately fails; love does not fail.

 

[Jermayn]

Self justification is at the root of the human dilemma

I wonder if humans will ever figure out that they don't define sin, but God alone.

 

[Zion Princess]

I believe that abortion should have always been less widely available and easy to come by. I am not sure how much state funding has to do with this. Maybe a lot. So in that sense now that one may need to travel to another state to receive an abortion can be viewed as a good thing. I know there are people out there who have had up to seven abortions, and it’s obvious that’s their birth control. This should not be. With contraception and Plan B it’s statistically impossible for those forms of contraception to have failed that many times when you look at the numbers. Another factor now is that women who decide to get a tubal ligation to stop conceiving it is a surgery which requires at least some bed rest time afterwards which women who work and have other children won’t be able to accommodate. The birth control now available has side effects. Many women have horrific side effects to the IUD or other implanted devices. The other birth control methods such as the pill contain synthetic hormones and have side effects of potentially life threatening blood clots. I believe we as a society need better options for birth control. More research more funding to provide safer and easier birth control options.

 

[ICONO'CLAST]

IMHO the legality should have never been taken up by the government in the first place one way or the other.
Women are free will agents. God does not override a persons will.
1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV
The Believer’s Freedom
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

Yes you can be a Christian if you believe in Jesus Christ. For it is written:
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.NIV

Murder is never lawful.