Morality in abortion?

[Victoria Snow]

So I was reading this book the other day where the main character had two sisters. One sister had an abortion and the other sister comited suicide. I then got in this long debate with my friends about which is worse: suicide or abortion. I happened to be the only person whom said that suicide was the greater sin. I also heard that there were some people wanting to make abortion illegal.

Question: Is abortion ever (in any circumstance) justifiable?

 

[selfinflikted]

Yes. Also, another abortion thread? Yea, I guess it's about time to come full circle. Let the games begin!

 

[Jade Margery]

So I was reading this book the other day where the main character had two sisters. One sister had an abortion and the other sister comited suicide. I then got in this long debate with my friends about which is worse: suicide or abortion. I happened to be the only person whom said that suicide was the greater sin. I also heard that there were some people wanting to make abortion illegal.

Question: Is abortion ever (in any circumstance) justifiable?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: I'd need you to provide a better definition of 'justifiable' first, just so we're working off the same page here.

 

[Victoria Snow]

jus·ti·fi·a·ble


adjective capable of being justified; that can be shown to be or can be defended as being just, right, or warranted; defensible: justifiable homicide.

This definition is what I meant by justifiable.

 

[Jade Margery]

jus·ti·fi·a·ble


adjective capable of being justified; that can be shown to be or can be defended as being just, right, or warranted; defensible: justifiable homicide.

This definition is what I meant by justifiable.

Aye, but what counts as defensible? For some people, the answer is no, never ever can you justify it. For others, it is yes, sometimes, under some circumstances. For still more, it is yes, at any time, the woman's choice is justification enough.


As always, the whole thing boils down to opinion. But I have found that for any perceived 'evil' act, there is some contrived situation where it will be justified to even the most vehement of its opponents. Sure, such contrived hypotheticals may never actually occur, but under the right circumstances pretty much anything can be justified to anyone.

 

[[serious]]

Personally, I think abortions prior to viability of the fetus are justifiable. I think almost anyone would agree that the abortion of a fetus that will never be viable is completely justifiable if the pregnancy will kill the mother. When it's a choice between the child dying and both the child and mother dying, there is only one moral choice.

 

[Victoria Snow]

What if the mother just doesn't want the baby?

 

[jayem]

In my opinion: Ectopic pregnancy, obviously. Other maternal health reasons may justify an abortion. As do fetal abnormalities. Pregnancy resulting from rape or other coercive circumstances. And I'll go along with selective reduction of high multiple pregnancy. It's a case-by-case determination.

 

[yasic]

Both suicide and abortion can be moral or at least not immoral.

 

[Skaloop]

What if the mother just doesn't want the baby?

Yes, justifiable.

 

[Paradoxum]

Question: Is abortion ever (in any circumstance) justifiable?

Yes. I think it can be justified whether you think the fetus is a person or not.

What if the mother just doesn't want the baby?

That's her choice.

I'm pretty sure I would do what was necessary to get an abortion. I refuse my life being held hostage. I will live and die according to my choices.

 

[Victoria Snow]

That's exactly what i've always thought. It's the mothers choice weather to have the baby or an abortion. Especially if the mother is a teenager because I've also always thought that having a baby could kind of weigh you down and stop you from doing things that you really want to do. Someone told me that every 9 out of 10 teenage mothers don't go to college. My mom just says that you should just have the baby instead of an abortion.

 

[Jade Margery]

That's exactly what i've always thought. It's the mothers choice weather to have the baby or an abortion. Especially if the mother is a teenager because I've also always thought that having a baby could kind of weigh you down and stop you from doing things that you really want to do. Someone told me that every 9 out of 10 teenage mothers don't go to college. My mom just says that you should just have the baby instead of an abortion.

I don't know about the accuracy of that statistic, but it would not surprise me.

I'll say this though; with the exception of those who had it forced upon them or were coerced into having one, I'm willing to bet every woman who has had an abortion felt it was justified at the time. Despite how a lot of pro-lifers would portray them, no one just has abortions all the time for no good reason. Only the woman having the abortion can really understand why she is doing it, and no one else can walk in her shoes. It's a hard choice to make, but that doesn't mean it should be taken away from her.

 

[jayem]

I've worked in health care for 30+ years. I don't do OB-Gyn, but I've had contact with quite a few women who've had abortions. I can't remember a single one who didn't struggle mightily with the decision. Anti-abortion zealots--usually men--often imply that women just check into the abortion clinic, get their vacuum aspiration, then go for their nail appointment without a second thought. Nothing could be more ignorant or pejorative. It's emotionally very trying to terminate a pregnancy. Not a situation any patient I've known wants to be in. But most felt it was the best option she had at the time. And I think most all made a carefully considered decision. In several cases, I've strongly suspected pressure from a husband or boyfriend. But my job is to discuss the medical facts about the procedure, and to present the alternatives. And also to provide what emotional support I can, and to offer referrals for whatever she chooses. It should be only in rare and exceptional circumstances that the government needs to get involved.

 

[Theofane]

What if the mother just doesn't want the baby?

Then it's her fault for getting pregnant when she should have kept her knees together. This is not a very nice thing to say, but it's the truth. Womens' control over their own bodies should start *before* the pregnancy test gives them some life-destroying bad news.

If I had daughters, this is how I'd raise 'em.

 

[Jade Margery]

Then it's her fault for getting pregnant when she should have kept her knees together.

Ugh, I hate this phrase and all of the s|ut-shaming it implies. Aside from the crassness and self-righteous attitude of the (almost always) men who use it, it is totally possible to have sex with your knees together.

Like you've never made a mistake in your entire life?

 

[Theofane]

Both suicide and abortion can be moral or at least not immoral.

According to what moral code?

 

[Skaloop]

Then it's her fault for getting pregnant when she should have kept her knees together. This is not a very nice thing to say, but it's the truth. Womens' control over their own bodies should start *before* the pregnancy test gives them some life-destroying bad news.

If I had daughters, this is how I'd raise 'em.

That almost sounds like "Women, take control of your bodies early by doing only what I tell you to do." I know it's not what you mean, but it sounds that way.

The thing is, control of their bodies doesn't start or end with sex or pregnancy. It's continuous. And making a decision to engage in sexual behaviour is part of that control. Taking the risk of pregnancy is part of that control. Dealing with the consequences of a pregnancy, either by keeping the child, giving it up for adoption, or having an abortion, is part of that control.

Anyway, I'm glad you don't have daughters.

 

[Jade Margery]

Both suicide and abortion can be moral or at least not immoral.

I would guess that from a christian point of view, suicide is worse than abortion, because if you kill yourself you cannot repent of your sins and get one of those nifty 'Jesus loves me for free' cards that are all the rage among convicts these days.

 

[Theofane]

Ugh, I hate this phrase and all of the s|ut-shaming it implies. Aside from the crassness and self-righteous attitude of the (almost always) men who use it, it is totally possible to have sex with your knees together.

Like you've never made a mistake in your entire life?

Plenty of mistakes, embarrassments and failures. When I go before my Maker, I'll have to give account of everything I did and failed to do.