Yvonne, what happened to you and your brother and his wife would seem to me to be reason enough for anyone to rethink their position on abortion. There's a vastly different mindset between people who believe abortion is always okay no matter what and those who believe abortion is not okay in most circumstances but understandable in others. My view is the latter.
I know when people mention abortion we go to whether it's wrong or right. But I believe Nab was originally saying people said one thing about the issue and voted the other way. I believe some people are afraid to speak how they really feel to their peers especially if it differs. Fortunately or unfortunately, I've never had that problem.
It's funny, but I was going to come back to the statistic issue today, too. I realize that this is what the article is saying, that people are saying they are pro-life, yet voting pro-choice. I realize that it goes on to say that 40% of women will have had an abortion in their lifetime. I find that staggering, especially since no one I know has ever even considered the idea. I just wish the article would have clarified if these are elective, induced abortions only, or if they are counting spontaneous abortions(aka miscarriages) in that statistic. If it is the latter, then I would be more apt to believe the number, as many women do miscarry before carrying a pregnancy to term. I also wonder if this number comes from a poll of "repeaters" which would run the statistic up also. I am still not sure how they can determine someone is saying they are pro-life yet voting pro-choice either. But oh well, at least I know that my words and actions match what my heart and mind feel is right.
I think the insight into this issue has been good. I do have a problem with "selective abortion." Does that lead to selective elimination-if I want a child with blue eyes, yet it has brown, do I terminate it. If I have a child with Down's, is it my decision to kill it? Personally, I don't think so. There will always be circumstances where something can go wrong, not just during pregnancy, but during childhood. I believe the only one with the power to make the decision of life or death is the One who created us to begin with. With medical advancements, children that may not have lived even 5-10 years ago, are now given a fighting chance. Tests can be wrong-how bad it would be to kill a child that you thought had a problem,only to learn that a test was misread. It happens. Even in the case of a child who is microcephalic or anacephalic, to me those few minutes or hours of life would be worthwhile.
In the case of rape, I have seen girls/women who had pregnancies as the result of rape or even family sexual abuse, who went on to deliver their babies and either place for adoption or to keep them. I admit that would be very hard, but because I believe that all life has value, I commend these ladies that do that.
I also commend women who become pregnant accidently (which is ridiculous of course) or as rape victims but choose to carry the child to term and then place him/her up for adoption. Now that's truly a selfless act, though not one that all women could manage. There's just something about the actual birth that bonds (most) women to their babies in such a way that releasing them to another would be impossible.
Like most important issues, I think there are gray areas in the abortion area. As I've mentioned before I am strongly opposed to repeated abortions and feel that they should only be performed only when every other option has been weighed and eliminated as a possible alternative.
rmseek, regarding your claim that no one you know has ever even considered the idea, to that I'd have to say that the likelihood is that not only do you know women who have considered the idea, you know women who have had abortions. Even though they're legal, the stigma still exists in the minds of many women and they would not dream of sharing the information that they've had an abortion with ANYONE, no matter how close they were. They're ashamed and they feel they'd be letting their family or friends down, diminishing themselves in their eyes, to admit such an "atrocity". To some women, an abortion they've had is a secret they'll carry to their grave.
So, how do y'all feel about the morning after pill? Same thing, or different altogether?
Mseek, my brother and his wife went to experts in this area. In Dallas, you will notice all the operations to separate conjoined twins happen there. That's where my family is from. I kinda felt a little like you insinuated the twins might have had a chance. Do you think it's okay to let a child who they know will die, suffer for one minute or a few hours? That seems selfish to me. I've told my family never to keep me alive on machines, let me go. I agree with nab too, there's alot of women you know who have had abortions, unless you live in a convent. I feel a little self-righteousness going on. No one has the right to pass judgement on ANYONE. That's God's job. And if you're Christian you can recall all his disciples were sinners, while all the self-righteous people were in the temples and synagogues passing judgement on Jesus and his followers. His preaching was considered heresy and immoral. Change is inevitable, perpetual, never ceasing. Let us not forget he didn't barrade people or yell, he planted seeds in his followers.
The morning-after pill seems different to me. Everyone gripes about all the welfare and bad mothers, but you want to take away their choice in the matter. If it's a moral matter it should be between them and God, not them and the government.
I can sympathize with your brothers situation. Yes, most conjoined twins do die, but that too depends on what organs are involved. Some are successfully separated (ever watch Discovery Health?) And I am not trying to pass judgment, that is God's job. But that said-what would Jesus do? Would he approve of abortion? These are just my personal views. I do not think He would have approved, but He would have continued to love us in spite of. The seeds that need to be planted here are one's of responsibility. The welfare mothers and bad mothers do have a choice, and that choice is to practice safe sex and not get pregnant. Birth control is free to those on limited incomes. All they have to do is take it! As to government's involvement, there would not even be the whole pro-choice and pro-life debate, had we not had Roe vs. Wade. Recently, if I am not mistaken, the lady who went through that was for making abortion illegal now. I think I saw it on Dateline. No I don't think back alley abortions are good, but if abortions were not so easily accessible, might we see a decline in unwanted pregnancy? Might we see people who would act more responsible, if they didn't have the vacumn to use as "birth control?"
Please do not take this as an attack against you or your family. That is not my intention. Only to point out "the rest of the story."
Sorry if I offended anyone here! But is abstinence still not a legitimate choice? Sex has been so glorified by society and media, that it's been made like it's the right thing to do. I love intimacy as much as anyone and I have my share of regret about senseless sexual encounters. I made every effort to impress upon my daughters that they have a whole life ahead of them to be an adult. Just enjoy childhood and being a young women to the fullest. One arguement I received from them was "All my friends make fun of me for not giving in" My response was for them to tell their friends that they could be like them any time they wanted, but their friends could never be like them again. Call me old fashioned, but the the fact is they listened!
So is it o.k. for a school system to offer birth control instead of education? I think not! If the school thought your daughter had a nervous problem and prescribed xanax without the parents consent, would that be acceptable? Again, I think not! But I know it's not about me!
You are right MeAmerican, abstinence is the best choice. But in light of the fact that not all people are going to make the best choice, then there are always other alternatives besides abortion. I don't think birth control is the responsibility of the school, but rather of the parent(if a teen) and person involved. I know not all kids are going to open up to their parents about what they are or are not doing, but for goodness sake, you can go to CVS and get protection for a couple of dollars. It still boils down to the whole issue of taking responsibility for your actions. But really this is about statistics. What are the statistics on the people who don't have abortions? What are the statistics of those that do, and then have lifetime regrets? What about all the other issues involved with abortion-ie infertility later on, etc? I still think this report makes it sound like the everyone is doing it scenario with abortion, when I really don't think that is the case. Instead of focusing on the issue of abortion and unplanned/unwanted pregnancies, why don't they focus instead on the number of people who do wait, who have children within marriage and the positive statistics?
Very well put! Thank You! There are options. So what if oprah an angelina only want to help kids in other countries. There are a lot of more stable and moral people in this country that can and will!
"Wayne, in another post I believe you said you are for the death penalty. Does that not contradict your feelings about abortion? If abortion is always murder, is not the deliberate killing of an adult the same?"
I suppose it could look that way...
"Or is baby-as-innocent versus criminal-as-guilty the difference?"
Yes.
"To that I'd have to say more and more "guilty" criminals are being set free every day based on sophisticated DNA evidence. We'll never know how many innocent "criminals" were killed in the name of justice.
The innocent person that is executed is a victim of the real killer just as the first victim was.
The justice system is not perfect but it is being improved every day.
