What's your view on abortion and why?

Question

I am trying to understand the full rational for the different sides of the debate, so please include the following in your answer:

1. When you believe the zygot/embryo/fetus/baby becomes its own organism, seperate from that of its mother and why you chose that time.

2. When would an abortion be acceptable in your opinion? (mother incapable of raising child, child has abnormality, rape, incest, could kill mother, etc.)

3. Do you know anyone who had an abortion and if so how did this affect your view?

Julia, seeing how you've been through such an experience your opinion is clearly valid. However, how could life have begun at conception and then, as you put it, when born, the life begins.

Answer 1

I am pro choice. I believe a fetus is an organism at conception, but, it is not a human until it has significant cephalization and can live on it's own outside of the mother's womb. A significant amount of cephalization is what seperates humans from other animals. If someone kills a plant does it matter? No, because the plant can't feel it. It can't even think. It's nothing more than a plant. The same is true for a fetus without significant cephalization. It can't think or feel. It has no "soul" because the soul is nothing more than the human mind. Unless you want to make killing all animals, insects, plants, etc. illegal, you can't make abortion illegal. There is no difference between an immature fetus and a plant. Also, an fetus must be able to survive outside of the mother's womb. If a fetus were born at two months into pregnancy, it would have no chance of survival. I see no difference between a fetus inside of or outside of the womb at that time.

I believe all forms of abortion are acceptable. Even if it is used as a form of birth control, that's fine. It's the woman's problem when her reproductive system is screwed up and, if she can afford having an abortion after every unplanned pregnancy, then she can go ahead.

I don't know anyone who had an abortion, but I had a friend, Justin, who was an unwanted child. His mother never wanted him and she only had him because her family made her. My friend went through a crappy life and he choose to end it. You can say that Justin had a chance to life because his mother decided not to terminate her pregnancy, but I see it the other way. A child came into this world unwanted, the thirteen years of his life were pure hell, and he committed suicide because of it. An abortion would have saved him from having to endure thirteen years of unwant. I used to be anti-abortion, but knowing Justin definitely changed that. He used to tell me that he wished his mother had aborted him. He was a Christian and he felt that, if his mother had an abortion, he would be happy with God. Life was difficult for him because he had to deal with his mother not wanting him, but as a Christian he thought he could not kill himself. He felt he would be sent to Hell. Eventually he decided death/Hell was better than his life. And an abortion could've prevented that.

(This is too long for Spellcheck. I apologize for any spelling errors.)

Answer 2

1. I believe life starts at conception. I believe this because it is in the bible. It says something along the lines of "i knew you from the moment you were conceived" or something like that. I can't give you the exact quote because I'm at work right now.

2. I believe that abortion is murder. But I also can see acceptable reasons for it. Pretty much those that you mentioned. Well, not the first 2. Those ARE murder. But I can kinda see it in the case of rape. I mean, I understand why someone would feel that was their only choice. If that ever happened to me, I could not imagine having to tell a child that they were a child of rape. But in this case, adoption is the BEST option.

Incest, the child could have a TON of problems. So, it's life might not be that could because of that.

for the mothers safety, i can see that too. Especially if she has other children. But i think that most women would choose their baby's life over their own.

3. I don't know anyone who has had an abortion. (or if i do, they've never told me)

Answer 3

1. I believe that a fetus becomes a separate organism when it is no longer entirely dependent on the mother. When a fetus is fully developed and can live on its own then it is a person. This may sound cruel, but mothers abandoning unwanted children has always been part of nature, and in a way, it is not wrong, but necessary.

2. Yes. I think abortions are a huge choice, but a choice none the less. I do not encourage it, but the right to rid yourself of an unborn child is the right of the creators of the child. All your listed examples, in most cases, are decent reasons for an abortion.

3. I am aware of someone I know having had an abortion in the past, and now has children and a husband and a house in the suburbs. Knowing this has not changed my view.

Answer 4

1. When it is capable of surviving on its own without it's mother's body (even if it needs the help of modern medicine). The human body does not know it is a potential human being. Say if the mother is Rh negative and she is carrying an Rh positive fetus and their blood mixes (as a small amount will traveling through the placenta) the mother's body will react to the other Rh factor and attempt to destroy it. All it sees is an invader which does not belong there.

2. I don't pick and choose what I think is right and what I don't. Secular law has made abortion legal and each person makes a decision based on their own personal situation and that is good enough for me.

3. Yes I know people who have had abortions and no it did not affect my view of abortion or the person themselves.

Answer 5

I believe that once the fetus can viably survive outside of its mother without the aid (or without a LOT of aid) of a hospital, it is considered its own being.

And nothing annoys me more than people who use abortion as a form of birth control. Several of my cousins have had at least 3 abortions apiece because they don't want to use condoms. That is not acceptable.

I've got some pretty specific criteria when it comes to when abortions should be allowed:

1. In cases of rape or incest.
2. Cases of extreme young age in the mother, even when not related to reason 1 (we're talking the age of 15 or younger here).
3. The child will be stillborn, or will not be able to survive outside its mother without serious, SERIOUS medical assistance (this choice will be left up to the parents and is not up to me to decide)
4. There is immediate or impending threat to the life of the mother.

Answer 6

1. At birth. I pick that because that's the point at which the fate of the zefb is not critically tied to the fate of the mother. However, independence is not the litmus test in my book. For me, it's the concept of personhood. Abortion is complicated, because it's a black and white event applied to an area filled with gray. Personhood is not a binary operation, but is something that emerges over time. We have to decide at what point the personhood of the zefb has supassed a critical level. Since there is no way to really do that, it's best left to the one most impacted - the mother.

2. Basically, the reason is irrelevant.

3. I probably know people who have had them, but I haven't been made aware of it.

Answer 7

It is a child (human) growing in the womb and as such should be protected. No abortion is acceptable because it unlawfully takes a human life. In the extremely rare and with today's medical advancements maybe never) that the mothers life is threatened it should be between the family and the doctor who should live but every effort to save both should be made.
Yes I do know some. For many later in life in is a hard burden to live with knowing they ended their babies life

Answer 8

1) I believe human life begins at conception. Where else can it begin?

2) Abortion is always an evil act regardless of circumstances.

3) I know someone who got pregnant at age 16, was pressured by some people to have an abortion, but ended up giving birth (and life) to her baby -- who was then placed for adoption and now is a happy and healthy 24-year-old woman.

That someone is me.

Answer 9

First i don't see any issues here since its totaly personal female decision and not biblical hypocrits.

I don't advertise for abortions but there are many reasonable cases when it has to be done.

For exmaple when you know baby will be life time sick ( some inheriting types of decieses) and suffering. You would not want to adopt that baby by any chance would you?

When female was raped.
When mother realise she can't give her child anything good except pain suffering and so on. and there is no1 from those screaming groups like Green peace wants to help or adapt.
Ppl like to scream its wrong, its wrong, but in reality they never help any1.

Therefore GOD and abortions exist.

Answer 10

when I was 20 years old I became pregnant. My boyfriend wanted me to have an abortion. I knew that that was wrong and I knew myself oh so well. That if I killed that baby I would not be a able to live with the pain ever....... Now my baby is 28 years old and I love him with my whole heart. He is special to me and to his dad. By the way, his dad married me and we have been married 28 years.. What seemed as a devastation, turned into so many blessings for all of us... I am speaking from life's experience- it can not be said any better than that..........