Babies are a gift , not a choice. What do you think of this statement?

Question

I heard this statement on the radio a few weeks ago, and it stuck with me. I think it is beautiful. Choose life for you baby because it is a gift, no matter when or how he/she was conceived.

About the women who are raped and get pregnant- I can understand how hard that would be- but the baby is not to blame for the rape- the rapist needs to pay the price not the child's life. Since you are in the religion section- answer me this one- In Deut. it says that we are not to punish children for the sin of their father- wouldn't you say that abortion is punishing the child, the rapist does not pay, the child does. I know a couple of women who were raped and choose life, and placed that baby for adoption. This is not to say that it would not be hard- sacrifices always are.

Jayelle- I do help women in these circumstances, I am a counselor of women who are making these choices every day. Also I am adopted myself, and wouldn't be here if my birth mom had not given life to me. I have 2 adopted childrens, and one of their birth moms was a victim of date rape.

I am so sorry that you mom and dad told you that they had you just to save their marriage. Do not listen to that, THEY ARE WRONG- you are created by God and have a purpose for your own life. you are a gift from God.

all life is precious that person who has CHOOSE LIFE on his truck, should have been more careful. I am not denying that fact that all life isn't precious.
I am almost sorry I posted this, because my intention was not to offend. Please forgive me if I have.

I am not trying to defend myself here- but I do have concern and love for the women as well because there are many risks to her as well. I counsel many women who have had abortions that want to be healed and forgiven. And if one of my pre-abortion counseling women choose abortion- I still have concern for her. Once again, I am sorry if I offended anyone

Answer 1

In my personal experience that is SOOO true. I think it is out of context as to what you are really asking but:
my first was conceived on the birth control pill, after I got pregnant they came out with the "don't take antibiotics on the pill"...
My second was conceived on the depo shot they said you couldn't get pregnant on.
My third was kinda my fault, condoms and spermicides, my husband and I shoulda known that wouldn't work.
The fourth was 5 years after my husband had a vascectomy.
So our children were not a choice, and yes they are a gift!

Smile much and Love more! No matter what comes at ya!

Answer 2

I think that statement is wrong. If something isn't wanted, it isn't much of a gift, it's more of a burden. If you can't care for it properly, you shouldn't have it at all. It is a choice, and it's one that you or anyone else have no right to judge or interfere with.

I saw that you made a statement saying that if someone was raped, then the baby shouldn't be punished, the rapist should. Did you ever consider that forcing a woman to carry a baby that not only wasn't wanted, but reminds her daily about the violation she suffered could be considered a punishment to her? You seem to have no regard for the women in these situations. Is a fetus more important that the woman carrying it, or does she mearly become an incubator at the moment of conception? I think most people like you agree with the latter, though you'll never admit it.

Answer 3

I can understand that - and I think it's a wonderful sentiment - but there are a few things to consider:

1) Ectopic pregnancy. If you're not familiar with the term, use Google to look it up. I'd rather not go into detail here.

2) Inability (due to poverty, illness or mental disability) to care for a child. While adoption is a better option, nominally, it is not always available or viable.

3) Underage pregnancy. Again, adoption is (nominally) a better choice, but the girl may not be physically capable of carrying to term without severe risks to herself and the fetus.

4) Physical inability to safely carry to term. It does happen, unfortunately, and in many cases the fetus cannot be saved.

I am pro-choice, yes. I do not believe that abortion should be used in place of birth control, and I do believe that the best form of prevention is abstinence, but in the event a girl/woman does become pregnant, it should be her choice whether to terminate it or not. Pro-life advocates should keep the above points in mind as well; you'll find that, if you do, there is virtually no difference between you and the pro-choice advocates on this point.

Answer 4

If a 13 year old girl gets raped and is impregnated, is that baby still a gift? If a destitute mother doesn't have the money to shelter and feed herself and she gets pregnant, would it really be a wise move for her to have that baby? Even if she chose to give it up for adoption, she couldn't afford the proper prenatal care and nutritional diet to help the baby reach it's full potential. The babies who are planned, I would say they're gifts. The ones who aren't planned are accidents that may be seen as gifts later on. And in some situations, like the ones I referenced above, it would be the wisest decision to not bring the baby into the world at all. It's not like humans are in any danger of going extinct. We're on the verge of overpopulation as it is.

Answer 5

I'm sorry, but if I'm brutally raped or molested, I do not want the reminder of that brutal act growing inside me as a constant reminder. I wouldn't let my daughter carry it either if she chose to abort.

What about when the mother's life is in danger? What if the mother discovers through testing that her baby will be horribly deformed or retarded? Why is the baby's life more important than hers?

I would probably never get an abortion... but I reserve the right to choose that if I wish for whatever reason I wish. And I wish to allow that right to all women.

It has nothing to do with god or religion or beliefs. It has everything to do with humanity and dignity.

And you cannot use your bible, a book that has no basis in fact or reality, to make laws on the woman's right to choose. I don't care what Deut. says about the sins of the father (it's a metaphor!!!)... that has no basis in reality.

Life is not a gift... it's a fact of biology, plain and simple.

Answer 6

Babies are a gift. I agree.

I also agree that you have a choice. Have premarital sex or don't. If you don't want/ aren't ready for a baby, don't have sex. That's where your choice is.

In the case of rape I also agree that the rapist should be punished, not the child. Sure, pregnancy and adoption will be hard, but everyone has their cross to bear. Some kids get cancer when they are 8. Is that tough and unimaginibly painful? Did they ask for it? They still have to deal with it, though.

Answer 7

While it is a pretty sentiment, and perhaps one prevalent among those well-off enough to own one or more computers, I have to disagree with you. Babies are human beings, but human beings are not necessarily a gift to the rest of us. Bringing another human being into a situation already fraught with difficulty, whether it is poverty, the mother's poor health or drug addiction, urban crime or rural desperation, is not a gift but a cruelty that can last a lifetime.

You and I may well agree upon late-term abortion, but in the early stages, I believe it is wrong to urge the victims of rape, incest, or those who are unable to care for a child on their own to perpetuate their suffering in bearing an unwanted child. It is the right of every woman to choose to keep the pregnancy and deliver the child if she wishes, even as it is her right to terminate the pregnancy, but it is a choice that should be made without pressure or harassment from others.

Answer 8

Ted Bundy's mom Louise got pregnant as a teenager and Ted grew up with most people thinking he was her brother. I don't think in the end when he was executed as a serial killer that she or his victims and their families thought he was such a gift from god.

Now that we're back down to Earth:

Parenting is not a Hallmark card, but I can testify from my experience, you just might produce someone truly amazing who will be a source of unimaginable joy. So I say approach with fear and trembling, prepared to deliver the most heroic effort of your life, or don't have one. It's no mystery how babies are made and prevented.

Answer 9

They can be both. The woman can choose to give the gift of her body to give their life partner, family, self the child they have wanted.

However for some people it is not a "gift" that they want, nor did the try to. Sometime the birth control doesn't work, or it's not available and for a woman who knows that being pregnant would be a strain, physical, emotional or financial, she has every right to choose not to have one.

And I'm sorry, I don't agree with you. Being raped or molested is not a gift, neither is being forced to serve as a brood mare for a husband who want you to keep having children no matter the physical cost to you the woman.

Answer 10

I can agree. My fiancee is pregnant with our first he's a boy and due in only four more weeks!!! Im 30 years old and have wanted a son since i was 21 years old, but in past relationships i should of had 2 kids already, one of my ex's had a mis-carriage and the other had an abortion with out telling me!!! I can tell you first hand im looking forward to this and am SOOOO thank full!!! it's the best gift a man and woman can get.