Abortion

[kittylover0991]

This is the third post mostly caused by my comparative religions class and it is only the third week. For the past two class periods, we have been talking about abortion and what the different relgions/denominations believe.. well, what the "authorities" or "elders" of that religion say.

To say this upfront, I don't believe abortion is ok even in cases of rape or incest. I was talking to my friend at church about the "life of the mother" telling her I didnt' know what to think. She then asked me what I meant by that.. but I couldn't explain that to her. What do people people when they say the life of the mother? ... Her life being endangered? Endangered by what.. carrying the child or giving birth?...

Next thing... my teacher, Mr Scripture, told us at the beginning of the course that he was a particular denomination and was surprised to find out that the authorities/elders of the church(this is a United... Church) believe that abortion is ok... I talk to him afterwards and asked him about what his opinion used to be and why and why, and what it is now. He used to believe that abortion was wrong because it was murder and the bible says not to kill, but now he is pro-choice. Why is it that people form to the church that they go to? Why do people comprimise what they know is right for what their church believes in?...

I promise I will try and lower the number of questions I post on here from my comparative religions class. It is getting old for me to

[Trust & Obey]

kitty, most mothers I know would give their own life for their child. I just read in a newspaper article how the other day how a drunk driver came running a red light and straight for this mother and her two children. She instinctively jumped in front of her children, thereby protecting them by taking the majority of the impact herself.

She is in the hospital in critical condition, but her children are both doing okay with minor injuries.

I know I'd give my life, and I'm a dad, for my children in a heartbeat. I've even asked myself, similar to Paul, if it came down to it... would I trade my place in heaven with my children if I had to? That's a really tough question, but I just can't bear the thought of my children suffering. Therefore, I lead them to Christ daily.

To answer your question... the fact of the matter is that the "life of the mother" issue is really a non-issue. It very, very rarely ends up that way.

Abortion is a crime of convenience and selfishness. The woman is not wanting to make the life-sacrifices that having children demands. Perhaps the woman is very young and ill-prepared to take on the responsibility... there are a multitude of reasons women make the decision to "terminate the pregnancy." But, NONE of them justify killing an innocent child, and that's what abortion is.

Regarding rape and incest... you don't punish the child for the crimes of the father.

Regarding how one's views change to fit their denomination... people are influenced very easily... some more easy than others. That's why it is necessary to be convinced of such things for yourself and then find a Church body that conforms to your beliefs. This is similar to the Catholic debate we have in the "Catholics and the Bible thread." In that thread the Catholics are arguing that you must humbly accept, and never question, what is being handed down to you by "those in Biblical authority (i.e. The Pope, etc.)." This is just plain wrong. We are individually responsible for what we believe. Although those who teach the Word are more accountable to God for what they teach, we as Believers do not get "off the hook" simply because we were told something by someone in authority.

The Bible treats the killing of an unborn life as it does the killing of a born life... the death of the killer is required:

Exo 21:22 If men strive and strike a pregnant woman, so that her child comes out, and there is no injury, he shall surely be punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him. And he shall pay as the judges say

Exo 21:23 And if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life,

Exo 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exo 21:25 burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

See how the offender's life is required if he takes the life of the unborn child? God sees the unborn child for the child that he/she is. No "product of conception here."

[Pax]

This is the third post mostly caused by my comparative religions class and it is only the third week.  For the past two class periods, we have been talking about abortion and what the different relgions/denominations believe.. well, what the "authorities" or "elders" of that religion say.

To say this upfront, I don't believe abortion is ok even in cases of rape or incest.  I was talking to my friend at church about the "life of the mother" telling her I didnt' know what to think.  She then asked me what I meant by that.. but I couldn't explain that to her.  What do people people when they say the life of the mother? ... Her life being endangered? Endangered by what.. carrying the child or giving birth?...

Next thing... my teacher, Mr Scripture, told us at the beginning of the course that he was a particular denomination and was surprised to find out that the authorities/elders of the church(this is a United... Church) believe that abortion is ok... I talk to him afterwards and asked him about what his opinion used to be and why and why, and what it is now.  He used to believe that abortion was wrong because it was murder and the bible says not to kill, but now he is pro-choice.  Why is it that people form to the church that they go to? Why do people comprimise what they know is right for what their church believes in?...

I promise I will try and lower the number of questions I post on here from my comparative religions class.  It is getting old for me to

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It doesn't matter what a paticular denomination thinks, abortion is clearly a intrinsic evil. By this I mean it is always wrong and can't ever be justified. You ask why certain denominations are now o.k. with abortion, it's because they don't have a true authority guiding their Church. So now we have Churches that are o.k. with killing unborn babies, endorsing homosexual activity, etc. If this person is teaching you religion I would be concerned. If he can't even understand that the killing of unborn babies is wrong, he probably won't be correct on to many other theological or moral issues.

Now to address your issue with the life of the mother during pregnancy. Pro-Choice advocates will go around telling you that abortion must be kept legal or else doctors won't have an option to save the mothers life over delivering a baby if the problem ever arises. A mothers life can be in danger at anytime throughout a pregnancy, but this is not very common. Even if abortion was outlawed, which is clearly should be, a doctor would still have the right to abort a pregnancy if the mothers life was clearly in danger. But pro-Choice advocates want abortion to be legal and anytime during the pregnancy for any reason at all. This is very sick, because babies that are in the third trimester are being killed seconds before being born. This would be called partial birth abortion. If you have anymore questions about abortion, or theological questions during this class feel free to pm me.

[nebula]

I was talking to my friend at church about the "life of the mother" telling her I didnt' know what to think.

[kittylover0991]

I was talking to my friend at church about the "life of the mother" telling her I didnt' know what to think.

Edited September 18, 2005 by kittylover0991

[Guest suzettebooyens]

Abortion never really struck me as an issue, i think mostly because whe are not aware of how many women all around us, even those we would least expect it from, are having abortions, until, of course i became a mother myself. The realness of having life growing and kicking inside you is so much more than just the physical. Even the mother and baby's thoughts and emotions are connected. If the facts about the cruelty of the deed doesn't bother a mother to be enough, then i would like to tell them that abortion is not the end of a "problem", but rather the beginning of emotional torture, a life of knowing an emptiness that cannot be explained and a struggle for forgiveness. If anyone think they are better of with having an abortions, there is a rude awakening waiting on the other side. I really wish that mothers to be would wake up, and realize that no matter how unwanted your pregnancy is, the problem is not as big as it seems, so what if people find out, so what if they blame and accuse you of awful things, emotions change constantly, later on they will treat you like a person again if not to your amazement from the start, (it is surprizing how supportive people you least expect it from can be in times of need!!!) not to mention how unstable a pregnant woman's emotions are because of the hormones, but once the baby is born you feel normal again, and life will go on BUT that one child with its own individual personality, its own identity, its own emotions, its own interest, its own purpose can NEVER be replaced, not even by another pregnancy. So we should ask ourselves, is it really worth taking the oportunity for a life that can be a nationchanger and trade it because of the fear of dealing with a few months, maybe only weeks of confused emotions... is it really worth the trade?

[nebula]

Nebula.. but an abortion is still not ok even in that rare situation?

Truthfully - I don't know.

If a woman has a pragnancy such as this and decides that since the child will die anyway and potentially kill her to have it surgically removed, I wouldn't lump it with the same category as I do other abortions. If this were a situation I had to face, that's not a decision I could actually make until it is something I actually face.

If a woman decides to take the risk and not "abort" out of conviction, I'd support and pray for her.

Basically, you need to find your own convictions on this case.

[Pax]

Abortion never really struck me as an issue, i think mostly because whe are not aware of how many women all around us, even those we would least expect it from, are having abortions, until, of course i became a mother myself.  The realness of having life growing and kicking inside you is so much more than just the physical. Even the mother and baby's thoughts and emotions are connected.  If the facts about the cruelty of the deed doesn't bother a mother to be enough, then i would like to tell them that abortion is not the end of a "problem", but rather the beginning of emotional torture, a life of knowing an emptiness that cannot be explained and a struggle for forgiveness.  If anyone think they are better of with having an abortions, there is a rude awakening waiting on the other side. I really wish that mothers to be would wake up, and realize that no matter how unwanted your pregnancy is, the problem is not as big as it seems, so what if people find out, so what if they blame and accuse you of awful things, emotions change constantly, later on they will treat you like a person again if not to your amazement from the start, (it is surprizing how supportive people you least expect it from can be in times of need!!!) not to mention how unstable a pregnant woman's emotions are because of the hormones, but once the baby is born you feel normal again, and life will go on BUT that one child with its own individual personality, its own identity, its own emotions, its own interest, its own purpose can NEVER be replaced, not even by another pregnancy.  So we should ask ourselves, is it really worth taking the oportunity for a life that can be a nationchanger and trade it because of the fear of dealing with a few months, maybe only weeks of confused emotions... is it really worth the trade?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are so very correct. The Pro-Choice crowd doens't want people to know that 75% of women who have abortions struggle with mental illnesses for a very long time, if not for the rest of their lives. They are more likely to commit suicide, suffer from depression, struggle with drug and alcohol abuse etc. When a person makes a selfish choice to kill an innocent human life there is a huge price to pay for all of us. Keep watching the boards as I am getting ready to start a thread dedicated to the topic of abortion.

[yomotalking]

Hold a mo....if a woman is bleeding to death......????

Oh dear......ummmmmmm