Religion and Abortion: Understanding the Pro-Life Movement

Introduction 

Death sentences, guns, religion, and abortion are among the top debated subjects in conversations. These topics are discussed frequently, especially if it’s a hot topic for a political debate. There are supporters and opponents on these subjects due to their strong points of view. Abortion for example is also called a voluntary abortion. This is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy, Abortion. (2016, May). Abortion is a procedure that ne perform legally or illegally before the birth of a newborn. In this essay on religion and abortion, we will explore the pro-choice and pro-life views on the controversial topic of abortion, which has been debated for centuries due to its moral, legal, and religious implications.

Worldwide there is over 40 million women that have had an abortion. According to Clark Prosecutor, Paul kill murdered Dr. John Bayard Britton and his bodyguard in 1994. Hill, committed this crime due to his religions believes in abortion. Hill was a Presbyterian minister, that supported an anti-abortion movement. In his trial, Hill defended himself by insisting that his actions were condemned and justified. He stated that this killing prevented the murder of unborn children. The incident in Pensacola, Florida is an extreme example of the acts of a furious individual. This case showed the different types of supporters. Supporters of abortion are called categorized as pro-choice, while supporters of anti-abortion are categorized as pro-life. The abortion argument has carried on for centuries because it surrounds moral, legal, and religious views. These topics of discussion tend to be so delicate, people actually avoid debating them in public.

Why abortion? pretend a woman realizes that she is 5 weeks pregnant. This pregnancy could be the effect of an unplanned event, a careless act, or worst a rape. A woman can also make this decision if she was not ready to be a mother. Today’s statistics show that 81.5% of young adults are being raised by a single mother, Single Mother Statistics. (2019, June 14). There can be a variety of reasons on why abortion would seem like an option. The pro-choice supporters that agree that she has a right to make that decision. Pro-life supporters on the other hand believe that a woman should be responsible for her actions and proceed with the pregnancy. Pro-choice supporters understand that a woman has reasons to not want to have a child, especially if she is unmarried. A single mother will experience a setback in education, income, and employment, Single Mother Statistics. (2019, June 14). Many women who decide on abortion don’t have the financial means to support a child. Single mothers’ expertise a low salaries making difficult to continue their education due to the high expenses, making it even harder to advance in career opportunities. Nowadays, there is aa lot of assistance nowadays to help single mothers. These agencies can assist with paying bills, rent, and moral support. If a woman is not allowed to proceed with legal abortion, she is not only forced to complete the pregnancy but also depends on the community for support for the next 18 years.

The pro-choice view in abortion is the safe and legal way. A 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade, affirmed that access to safe and legal abortion is a constitutional right, Parenthood, P. (2014, January). The court stated that a fetus was not considered a person, but more of a protentional life and it did not have any constitutional rights. This sparked a complete outrage on pro-life supporters. It also marked a huge milestone for the pro-choice community. This meant that it was federally e approved for a woman to make the decision to terminate her pregnancy. Modern abortion procedures are monitored by state or local health departments, therefore making the procedure lot safer. Since these abortions are legal and done by a medical professional, it reduces the death toll. The American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated 'Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures performed in the United States. This court case gave women the possibility to control their life, manage their futures, and have independence. About six-in-ten U.S. adults 61% said in a 2019 survey that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, Types, Lipka, M., & Gramlich, J. (2019, August 30). Legal abortion also gave women the choice to end a pregnancy if the fetus was found with abnormities, as long as the fetus did not surpass a 24-week period. According to Harvard Medical School, there are two types of abortion. One type is the medical abortion that includes Mifepristone (Mifeprex), Misoprostol (Cytotec), and Methotrexate. A medical abortion can only be performed if the pregnancy is before 9 weeks. The other type is Surgical abortion includes Menstrual aspiration, Suction or aspiration abortion. Dilation and curettage, Dilation and evacuation, and Abdominal hysterotomy. Surgical abortions are performed after the pregnancy has passed 9 weeks.

Religion and abortion

The pro-life view in abortion, the moral and non-murderous way. Religion has always attracted attention in the healthcare field. The bible states “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” Psalm 127:3-4. A pregnant woman plays an important role in religion. This cause the abortion topic to be quite controversial. The pro-life community believes that abortion is considered murder, which defies the word of god. An innocent child will be born from that fetus and abortion will kill them. The pro-life community believes that life begins at conception, way before a heartbeat is even detected. Pro-life advocates also believe that fetuses suffer in pain when abortion is being executed. In a December 2017 survey, roughly half of Americans (48%) said having an abortion is morally wrong, Lipka, M., & Gramlich, J. (2019, August 30). It is immoral to murder an unborn child for the sake of comfort and convenience. Another argument with approving a legal abortion is that it tends to reduce the number of available babies to adopt. If a woman is constantly aborting instead abortion, it does not give couples who can’t conceive an opportunity to be a parent. Abortion also tends to promote a culture that makes an ending of a human life, acceptable. Domestically, the percentage of infants given up for adoption has declined from 9 percent of those born before 1973 to 1 percent of those born between 1996 and 2002, Pov. (2010, January 18). A woman should be responsible for her actions if she was to become pregnant. She should accept the responsibility, effort, and blessing that it is to carry another life. An innocent child should not carry the consequences of an adult. Pro-choice supporters have strong beliefs that abortion is a type of unfair discrimination to an unborn child and prevents this child to have a future in the life of god.

Conclusion

Overall, abortion will continue to be a sensitive subject where none of the parties will win. In the past, before Roe vs. Wade was approved, abortion was still happening and very common. Illegal abortions in the 1950s and 1960s ranged from 200,000 to 1.2 million per year, Gold, R. B., & Guttmacher Institute. (2018, September 14). Abortions were still being performed whether it was legal or not. An estimated 68,000 women worldwide die each year from unsafe abortions, Abortion Facts. (2017, September 12). Once abortion because legal in 1973, it provided women with legal and safe abortion. The Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade changed woman’s history. The legalization was very controversial and debated over the years. The pro-choice community is referred as child killers, murderers, and sinners by the pro-life community. The pro-life community is referred to as unreasonable, hypocritical, and unrealistic. Regardless of the different points of view, criminalizing abortions will not stop them. It will only make them riskier and cause more deaths. There is a substantial and growing partisan divide on abortion, Lipka, M., & Gramlich, J. (2019, August 30). Women should not be forced by the government or by religious views if they should have a child. Similar to the ways the US cannot force an individual to donate body parts. This decision should be a personal decision based on her beliefs. Every human being should have the opportunity to decide on their own body. A woman who has access to these rights gives her a step ahead on gender equality.