Abortion..? Cultural/ethical/personal opinions??

Question

Do you think abortion is right or wrong? I understand it is not that simple, and it is a grey area...

Also what are the cultural differences on the subject? Being in the UK, we hear more about pro-choice and pro-life news from America then we do in this country, why is that? What does your religion say on the matter if it does at all?

Do you think its right for pro-lifers to harrass women outside abortion clinics? Or do you think they should keep their opinions to places where they will not offend and disturb?

Have you ever had one yourself? If so, why did you not consider adoption? If you haven't, why do you think that adoption should rule over abortion, when sometimes this simply isn't an option.

At what point to you think life is created? Conception? Heart beat? Brain activity?

And if you do not agree with abortion, do you agree with the pill? If the point of life is conception, then surely the pill is not ehtical either as the egg is still fertilised, only it doesnt set into the lining of the womb?

Also can you mentiuon where you are from, so I can see what the opinions are depending on where you are, thanks.

Please DO NOT TRY TO OFFEND PEOPLE WITH THIS SUBJECT! I merely want to hear peoples opinions and see the difference of opinions..don't whittle on about abstenence, and being sensible, etc.

Please respect other peoples feelings.

Oh and so you know. I'm pro choice. Always have been, always will be. N its not for coursework, I'm simply intrigued, thanks.

Answer 1

Abortion is one of the most delicate subjects in polotics at the moment. In my opinion life is born at the moment of fertilisation. Therefore I feel it is murder, but then again I may be simply bias as I am a catholic, but I can tell you that there are a lot of things where the catholic church have gone wrong.

For instance, contraception is a good thing in my opinion, because there are a millions of children born in Africa everyday that are born with nothing but aids. This has a lot to do with the the fact that adults in Africa aren't using contraception because the catholic church forbid this. This example is an instance where the church needs to make exceptions.

In abortion i believe that exceptions need to be made for women who have been raped. For me this is the only circumstance where abortion should be allowed. Otherwise it should be forbidden.

The catholic church have made exceptions to divorce where you can get your marriage anulled. In the bible it says specifically that divorce is forbidden yet the church allows marriages to be anulled in certain circumstances.

If this is the case then why cant the same exceptions be made to abortion???

Answer 2

I live in New Zealand, and I have the freedom to chose abortion.    

I love my childdren and to date I have never had to have an a termination of pregnancy.  For me personally, the whole issue is centred around an individual woman's rights.  To chose to have a termination of a pregancy is that woman's right.   It is very much a personal choice.    I am not religious in the orthodox sense of that word, and my spiritual view is that the soul enters the body of a born individual at the time of birth, not at conception.    My view is that a human being has all human rights once it is free of its Mother - from the time at which it breathes on its own, it is deserving of all human rights.    I am appalled at the number of women who use abortion as a form of birth control when there are so many methods of birth control available.    I am equally appalled at the number of countries who do not have birth control methods available.   In New Zealand it is not a sin to have a child if one is unmarried therefore there are many women who have children without the support of those children's fathers.   Religious factors having not much bearing in this country.   I have no statistics to prove this, but I would hazard a guess and say that NZ women have it better than most other countries world wide in that we are not 'hampered' by out worn religious/political beliefs.  I hope this answers some of your questions.   Kia Ora from Aotearoa

Answer 3

I think abortion is morally objectionable. Since the fetus already has life, though it is totally dependable on the mother. So, abortion is something like infanticide.

But sometimes it is necessary for the women like when she is raped or cheated in a relationship or somehow got into an unwanted pregnancy.

I don't support those who says abortion is a method of contraception. Their are many good choices for that.

Of course a women has the right to do whatever she want with her body (though suicide is illegal in all countries) but she don't have the right to kill another life in her unless she has no other way.

My opinion is choose abortion as your last choice. Using contraceptive will not make you regret later in your life, but abortion will.

Answer 4

?

Answer 5

I'm English and I'm a billion percent pro-choice. It is a woman's right to do what she wants with her body. that isn't to say that the one person I know who has had an abortion took it lightly - it was the worst thing she's ever had to do and it was heartbreaking having to see her go through it. Adoption is difficult because it's very difficult to give away a child one you've given birth to it - motherly instict etc. Plus, you have to deal with all the questions from people.

America is far more religious than we are and a lot these people do not agree with abortion on religious grounds, as I'm sure you well know. Having not read the bible, I can't say what they base this on but I do know that abstenence only s*x education is the worst idea in the world.

Abortion is a right and should not be taken away from the women of America.

Answer 6

When you get right down to it, abortion is a legal issue, not a religious or ethical one. The abortion rights issue is based on The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v Wade. That decision was based on the right to privacy as outlined in the Fourth Amendment and the right to equal protection as outlined in the 14th Amendment.

Answer 7

Abortion in America was started to eliminate the black people as much as possible.

Answer 8

First & foremost I think it is a choice that ought to be thought about LONG & HARD.... I myself did in fact have an abortion back in 1974, & there has not been one day of my life since that I have not totally regretted it. I had the abortion because back then "slipping up & getting pregnant" was not an option in my home, not with our Daddy. The father to my unborn child was in his prime in sports heading for all kind of scholarships, so timing was just not right. So I did it. & I hate myself for doing so. When you become Mama, there is nothing else like it, & now I am a Mama, & I have to live with the fact that I chose to end my first child's life before he even had a chance. This is just "my" opinion, & what I have had to deal with for the last 34 years. I was 15 when I had the abortion, I am 49 now. I would love to be one of these people that have the chance to look their kids up when they grow up. I wish I had done the adoption thing, but I didn't. There is no do-over. Like I say, this is "MY OPINION". This is "MY EXPERIENCE". I do not condemn anyone who chooses to do this as I am pro choice myself, but I wanted to add what the years following can do to some of us...

I am from good ole South Carolina...

If my opinion helps one person, it is all worth it....

Life may not be the party we planned for, but while we're here we may as well dance.....

Answer 9

pro choice all the way

Answer 10

i don't believe it is a gray area at all.  a fetus is human life and human life should not be deliberately destroyed.

the argument about BC pills or other methods that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting is a red herring when one considers that abortions are NOT performed prior to 3 or 4 months since the baby isn't big enough to find easily in the uterus, even if the mother knows she is pregnant earlier than 3 or 4 months.

re: abstinence.  as far as i'm concerned, the moment people decide to have s*x, they do so in the full knowlege that a pregnancy might result.  therefore, responsible thoughts begin there, not when a pregnancy results and "O MY i used birth control!" is the lament.

like it or not, abortion IS used as birth control.  there is NO other reason an abortion is done.

i often think about who those babies would have grown up to be.  how many geniuses have been killed?  artists?

i also think that when there is wholesale condoned slaughter of our own species, it lowers the respect for life in general.

i am a non-practicing Catholic.

no, i have never had an abortion. but i have been faced with that decision.  i look at the faces of my children and wonder that IF i had agreed that abortion was a solution given my circumstances "which one should i have killed?" and bless that i did not cringe from my pregnancy and parental obligations.  i wonder how many women who have HAD abortions look at their kids and think, oh i could have aborted YOU or YOU or YOU...i wonder who my dead child would have turned out to be had i let them live?

i grew up in various places over the world due to my parents' jobs and currently reside in the SE United States.

i cannot understand how someone could choose death for their infant so they aren't embarrassed or inconvenienced or life in ruins rather than adoption.

so often i hear "i couldn't bear to know i had a child out there somewhere..."  and i wonder, how is it better to KNOW one has killed one's child rather than WONDER about one's child.