Thank you for visiting this page! In today's culture, the morality of abortion is a hot topic, sure to elicit a wide range of feelings. Let's take a look at some facts as we consider the question...
Human life begins at fertilization.
DID YOU KNOW? Fertilization is the scientific term for when a male sperm joins with a female egg to form a new individual.
Fact
1
From fertilization, a distinct, genetically complete, and self-directing human being is formed.
In fact, this is a biological reality.
At fertilization...
You were
distinct.
You had your own unique set of DNA, resulting from genetic recombination. At fertilization, your DNA was entirely distinct from that of your mother, your father, or any other individual.
At fertilization, you had all your genetic code, --the building blocks that naturally develop to make you who you are today. You have not acquired any additional genetic code from the time you were a single cell up to this very moment.
You were
genetically complete.
You were
self-directing.
You were self-directing. Although you relied on others to care for you during the first stages of your life (both in and out of the womb), your biological development has always been striving to reach your fulfillment.
Fact
2
Elective abortion is the directly intended termination of an innocent pre-born human life.
In all cases and stages, an elective abortion is a choice to intentionally halt the natural development of a pre-born human. It is a deliberate action with the purpose of ending a human life. During pregnancy, a woman's body naturally develops to support the pre-born child. An elective abortion halts the natural development a pregnant woman experiences resulting in potential short-term and long-term effects.
FACT 1:
Human life begins at fertilization.
FACT 2:
Abortion is the intentional termination of an innocent human life.
+
Given:
Is it wrong to intentionally end an innocent human life?
With very few exceptions, almost everyone agrees that it is wrong to intentionally end an innocent human life.
If it is wrong to intentionally end the innocent life of someone who has been born, isn't it also wrong to intentionally end the innocent life of a pre-born individual?
Let's consider the differences between a pre-born human life and a born human life...
Size
Level of
Development
Environment
Degree of Dependency
Given these differences, is it reasonable to think that...
-
...a male who is larger has more human value than a female who is smaller?
-
...a child has less human value than an adolescent, because he or she is less developed?
-
...an individual who lives in his or her parent's house has more human value than an individual who lives in his or her own apartment?
-
...an elderly adult in a nursing home has less human value than a young, healthy adult, because he or she is highly dependent upon care?
Pre-born humans are typically smaller, less developed, located in the womb, and highly dependent, but none of these differences give a pre-born child more or less human value than a born individual.
Conclusion:
It is wrong to intentionally end an innocent pre-born human life.
?
But what about the tough circumstances faced by some women?
We cannot ignore that child-bearing in all cases requires incredible strength of pregnant women.
Throughout pregnancy, many women are unable to rely on support from partners, family, and friends to navigate the challenges they face.
When a woman lacks a personal network of support, did you know that there is a vast network of community support ready to assist her during and after pregnancy?
Do you know about HerMichiana.org?
Check out this collection of 200+ resources to support women in our community throughout pregnancy and beyond!
In other cases, women experience exceptional difficulties carrying pregnancies resulting from acts of sexual violence or navigating adverse health situations that develop during pregnancy. Even in these tragic cases, does their tragic nature ever justify ending the life of an innocent human being? To help answer this question, consider these factors:
A direct and intentional abortion is never medically necessary.
In rare circumstances, life-threatening repercussions may result should a mother continue to carry a pregnancy to term. However, in these cases, physicians affirm abortion is never the required treatment to save the mother. There is a difference between an intervention treating a serious medical condition of a pregnant woman that unintentionally ends a human life and an intervention that deliberately and purposefully ends a human life. Though in rare circumstances, an urgent medical treatment may result in the unintended passing of an unborn human life, the treatment never requires an abortion - the direct and intentional termination of a pre-born human.
Can your value depend upon how you came to exist?
In cases of pregnancy resulting from rape/incest, both mother and child are victims. Despite the tragedy of this act, we must acknowledge that no human can influence how he or she is conceived. It is wrong to intentionally end the innocent life of a child because of the violence committed toward the child and his or her mother.
Humans experience adverse conditions.
In some cases, humans develop adverse conditions that are incompatible with sustained life. When this occurs in a preborn human, a doctor acts in much the same way as in the case of born individuals who develop adverse conditions, making every effort to render care that respects and affirms the life without performing an elective abortion.
Although these circumstances are tragic, the tragedy of each circumstance cannot change the value of the lives involved.
Why Should I Care?
" A civilization is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members."
- Mahatma Gandhi
If you understand that an elective abortion is the intentional termination of an innocent pre-born human life and agree it is wrong to intentionally end an innocent human life, is there any justification for participating in such an act?
What Should I Do?
As you continue to ask, "Why care about abortion?" you may feel that not only would it be wrong for you to have an abortion or promote abortion to others but also that you cannot stand by passively while abortions are permitted in our community.
If you have arrived at this conclusion or you would simply like to discuss the question, "Why care about abortion?" further, we encourage you to reach out to us, here.