Essay on Pro-abortionists and Anti-abortionists

Introduction

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The right to choose abortion has been a controversial topic for a long time. There have been two sides to the debate. Pro-lifers claim it is wrong and amounts to killing an innocent child. While pro-abortionists say it is a form of contraception, the other side claims it is legal. These people claim that it is perfectly legal as all children should be conceived when they want.

This topic has become more controversial than it is helpful due to the numerous laws, policies of governments, and hard-line positions taken by organizations such as the church. One could argue that there wouldn't be any consensus on abortion's pros or cons in any essay, discussion.

If both pro-lifers or pro-abortionists change their firm positions, this debate will likely continue for many years. It is important that people find ways to accommodate each other's views on the topic. The author will analyze the issues surrounding abortion. The essay will examine the pros and cons of abortion. It will also attempt to resolve the conflicts.

Pro-abortion

There are many arguments in favor of abortion. First, a baby should be born when the parents desire it and not at random (Potts, et al. 229). It would be a great way to help the world create an environment that is conducive to proper development for all its children.

It is not necessary to fill the world with children who are unable to access basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, education, and shelter. Not only is it not because a woman feels it is wrong to have a child, but also because it is not the right time. 229).

If a woman is raped or incestuous, it can be very distressing to have a pregnancy. It is not something that anyone would want to do. The best solution is to abort the unborn baby.

Rape is a case in point. The emotional traumatizing effects can take time to heal and many victims don't recover. The addition of a child to a rape victim is like salt to a wound. It would be a constant reminder to the victim that it is likely to cause more emotional trauma (Khoster 35).

Numerous studies have been done on the morality and immoralities surrounding abortion. They found that many people opposed to abortion agree that it is okay to terminate a pregnancy that has resulted from rape.

The gulp poll in Canada showed that only 13% were against it completely, while 65% of respondents thought it was acceptable to terminate an unplanned pregnancy under certain circumstances (Flanagan 130).

The exact moment at which a fetus becomes a person with rights, feelings, and lives has been a subject of endless debate (Sather159). Sather further claims that the fetus does not have human features before the 24 th-28 thweek. It is not murder if an abortion is performed before this time.

The Catholic Church, which is pro-lifers, insists that life begins at conception. Anyone found guilty of performing an abortion could be excommunicated for committing murder (Kohmescher 137) However, there have been multiple studies that show conflicting dates in cases involving unborn children.

The uncertainty surrounding when an individual can or cannot have an abortion has made it possible for anyone to have one. Because it is unclear when life begins, a woman can have an abortion as long as she feels she cannot have a child.

Sometimes complications can arise in a pregnancy that could put the life or health of the mother and unborn child at risk. While abortion should be allowed to save the mother's physical health, some abortion advocates argue that it is necessary to consider the mother's mental health when discussing health (White & Baldwin 113).

The mother's life is taken into consideration at this stage. A fetus cannot survive alone and can get additional children if the mother wishes.

Pros and cons of abortion

Pro-lifers argue against many of the disadvantages of abortion. The majority of books on the topic are in support of the disadvantages of abortion, as opposed to the benefits. Koster states that abortion is a temporary, irrational choice that gives women relief from the possibility of losing a child to infertility.

She also argued that while removing unwanted pregnancy can offer some relief, the risk of becoming infertile, especially if the operation was performed by an unqualified person, is very real. Once you lose fertility, there is no chance you will ever regain it.

There is always a possibility that complications could occur, even if the procedure is performed by a qualified doctor. If this happens you may lose your fertility. Interviews with women who experienced complications during an abortion revealed that most had either lost their ability to conceive, or had miscarriages (Koster 344).

The temporary relief one feels when having an abortion is not lasting and eventually dies, leaving behind a feeling of guilt and sadness. This relief is often a psychological attempt to erase the guilt and shame that set in after an abortion.

Holman adds that even though most laws and policies regarding abortion allow for the practice of abortion in the case schoolgirls, the notion that you once killed a part of yourself is unlikely to disappear and will haunt you forever.

Many pro-lifers will equate abortion with murder. It is morally wrong and should therefore be banned. Genovesi defines murder to be the intentional act of taking away a person's life (Genovesi 344) He adds that murder is when a person takes away the life of their fetus.

Naturally, arguments will arise about when a person's life actually begins. It is criminal for any Christian to take another person's life, no matter what reason or at what stage of life.

Pope John Paul, the late pope, has condemned this practice and stated that it would be detrimental to the dignity and freedom of humanity as it encourages a culture that accepts death as a normal part of life (Zastrow & Kirst 82).

The only option for unwanted pregnancy is to have an abortion. However, the child can also be adopted. According to Grunlan 217, 10%-15% of all American married couples do not have the ability or desire to have children.

This is a staggering number that has led to more Americans turning to foreign countries to have children. Grunlan also stated that this trend has been increasing as more women opt for abortion to control their births.

Zastrow & Kirst also add that in an age when so many contraceptive options are available, there should be very few unwanted pregnancies. This would make it possible to abort a baby already conceived (Zastrow & Kirst 82).

Relationship between abortions and courses on religion

The abortion debate is primarily about morality and ethics. Unit one covers ethics and morality.

Unit one focuses on how to discern right from wrong. Aristotle argued in part of the course that to be ethical, one must first think well and have a good character. Noble people can achieve total happiness.

The ethics of abortion is at the center of the debate. While those in favor argue that abortion solves many problems caused by unplanned children, those opposed argue that abortion only provides temporary relief.

Unit three focuses primarily on living a Christian life. This unit focuses on Christian values and virtues. Unconditional love is one such virtue. It is said that abortion can be performed automatically and that one does not feel love for the child, regardless of its circumstances.

All Christians must preserve human life and respect God's creations. Failure to do so is considered a sin. People should also be able to critically evaluate their actions and hold themselves accountable. As discussed in the unit they should also avoid looking for quick fixes to problems.

Since long, the Catholic Church has been vocal in opposing abortion. It is unlikely that this strong position will be reversed. The author of the book Catholic Morality and Human Sexuality argues that the resulting zygote should be treated as a human being immediately after fertilization. It is murder to remove it from the uterus (Genovesi 344).

Rejecting human life at any time is like rejecting God, since humans were created in God's image (Ferrara and Ireland 20). The church has argued that accepting abortion is akin to accepting a culture without Jesus Christ. It amounts to killing an innocent creature who has not yet committed any sin.

The church doesn't allow abortion even in cases of incest or rape. A woman can seek treatment right away, but not weeks later, in this instance. Even if the pregnancy poses a danger to human life, it is important to try to save both. Human lives are sacred and equally precious before God and each is equal before Him.

Conclusion

It seems that the abortion debate will continue as it is today. Both pro-abortionists as well as anti-abortionists have taken such rigid positions that there has not been any attempt to reach a consensus.

The church, for example, will not relent in its assertion that abortion is murder and therefore a capital crime while pro-abortionists argue the right to choose whether or not to have a child. This subject has been dominated by conflicting policies from different governments, rather than offering any guidelines.

It is important to establish a policy that can be accepted by the entire world via an international organization like the United Nations. Other than that, the church and other anti-abortion organizations should soften their positions in certain instances like rape that can be too traumatizing.

Works Cited

Ferrara, Jennifer & Ireland, Patricia. The catholic mystique: fourteen women find fulfillment in the Catholic Church. Huntington: Sunday visitor publishing, 2004. Print

Flanagan, Thomas. Game theory and Canadian politics. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1998. Print

Genovesi, Vincent. In pursuit of love: Catholic morality and human sexuality. Minnesota: Hutts Publishing, 2002. Print

Grunlan, Stephen. Marriage and the family. Michigan: Zondervan. 1983. Print

Holman, Thomas. The family in the new millennium. Westport: Praeger Publishers. 2007. Print liturgical press, 1996. Print

Khoster, Winnie. Women and abortion in the Yoruba society, Nigeria. Amsterdam: Aksant academic publishers, 2003. Print

Kohmescher, Matthew. Catholicism today: a survey of Catholic belief and practice the third edition. New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1999. Print

Potts, Malcolm, Diggory Peter & Peel John. Abortion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977. Print

Sather, Trevor. Pros and cons: a debaters handbook 18th edition. London: Routledge, 1999. Print

White, Stuart & Baldwin, Timothy. Legal and ethical aspects of anesthesia, critical care, and preoperative medicine. Cambridge: Cambridge university press, 2004. Print

Zastrow, Charles & Kirst, Karen. Understanding human behavior and the social environment: 8th edition. Belmont: Brookscole, 2007. Print