Every life is precious, but I find more and more it comes down to the babies are worth more than their mothers,which is dumb.
The unborn babies' lives aren't worth any more than their mothers', but since they do not have the voice of their own yet, we pro-lifers must advocate for them. Once again, as strict as the Catholic church when it comes to their stand against abortion, they do NOT oppose to treating the mothers, when her life is in danger, as long as treating the mother's life is the main and only purpose. Ending the baby's life must not be seen as the very first option.. but the unfortunate outcome when other measures are employed.
As well, I find that extremely religious people and people who have trouble having children even though they want them are far more concerned about what other people are doing with their bodies and their choices.
Imho, the religious opposes abortion because they believe God created life and we are created in God’s image. He, and He alone, decides when life will be created and when life will end. Many in today’s society feel that they get to decide and so they murder or they assist in suicide, while we believe in the sacred dignity of a human life, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. In this light, we not only oppose abortion, but also assited suicide, capitol purnishment, etc..
As for those who have troubles having children.. perhaps it's because they know first hand how precious of a gift a baby truly is. I guess, a vague comparison is anyone of us Chazers would be more passionate about saving a stranger dog's life than an average non-dog person - because to us, a dog is not "just a dog", but it's a companion, a family member, and its life is invaluable, etc.. In the same light, people who are having trouble conceiving or those who undergo treatments after treatments to no or little avails would understandably get upset/utterly sad when someone else's having what they crave for easily, yet choose to dispose of it.
I remember a couple years ago, when we were still trying to get pregnant, I was crying my heart out for weeks when I saw on the local news that they found a newborn baby in a dumpster behind our apartment complex. I cried for that baby as if it was my own... and couldn't help but wonder why the mother did not consider giving the baby up for adoption. I would take it in a heartbeat.
But you HAVE to open that can of worms. Really most of the debate about the rightness or wrongness of having abortion on the table as a choice always seems to boil down to some combination of: 1. Is that fetus (or mass of cells if you will) a person, 2. When does that fetus become a person, 3. If and when that fetus is a person, whose rights get more weight in a decision about abortion?
For me this is what the crux of the whole abortion debate comes down to - not how *I* feel about fetuses, but how on earth do we make a law about something that we can't as a society even agree on the definition of? When you've got people who truly believe it is just a mass of cells and people who truly believe it is a full person with rights equal to a grown adult and people who believe everything in between... and it's not like 99.99% of people believe one thing and there's that one guy who believes something else... there is basically NO majority belief or general consensus. So it doesn't make any sense to start flinging laws around.
There are lots and lots of scientific studies that support the belief that life truly begins at conception... But, I'll leave it for you to google and decide for your own. All I know is that at 6 weeks gestational age, my baby (the one I'm carrying right now) has a heart beating that can be detected by ultrasound. There is no ways to argue that baby is not a baby when he/she already has a beating heart, a
brain that is forming.. even when (at 6wks) he/she is only a size of a pea!
I thought, by your own argument, that if someone REALLY believed in something, they wouldn't be ok with other people making different choices? Because honestly, the major religions are all pretty clear that "ours is the one true god" and prescribe witnessing as a responsibility..
Aren't we all like that, religious or not?? As a society, we believe in the dignity of life, therefore we wouldn't & shouldn't be ok with rapists, murderers & their likes. They are those who decided to make "choices", one that are considered not acceptable by society standards, right?. I would imagine every abiding citizens would have problems with those who don't, not just me, no?.
And yes, every Christians are called to be a witness to what we believe, and not even that, to evangelize and spread the Good news... but, how one carries out that mission is an entire different subject. Granted that we have those religious lunatics that gives religions very bad names & actually turn people away from God. Thanks goodness we also have millions of faithful laborers on the field that help bring people to God on a daily basis based on their witness of Love. You can't really blame religion for what individual believer does!
Generally I think murder is wrong, but I think murder in self defense is justified.
I think every religions, heck, anyone with the right mind for what matters, believe that!
My religious beliefs are right for me, but not for everyone. Little white lies. A million tiny decisions like this every day. So honestly I don't see how your "but if you REALLY believe abortion is wrong for you, then you can't be pro-choice for anyone else" argument can hold up when you yourself are contradicting it in your own words.
I don't think I'm contradicting. All I'm saying is,
IF you (a general you) personally think abortion is wrong, then you should be consistent in your opinion & stand firm on the side of protecting precious lives, not swaying with one foot in & one foot out like, "it's wrong for me", but "right for you" so you go ahead!" So, because I think abortion is wrong (period), I would NOT be pro-choice, when the choice in question is to abort the baby. Someone said that choices could mean "to abort the baby or not", I don't see how the "or not" supports the arguement, as all pro-lifers would be thrilled to stand behind this "choice"!!