Hi there, I am learning about abortion and I'd like to hear what are your (Christian) responses to the following questions posed by pro-choice people. I am looking for answers from a pro-life Christian perspective. In other words, how would a pro-lifer Christian adequately respond to these questions including (but not limited to) use of Scripture and theology.
1. What about allowing abortions in the case of rape or incest?
Two wrongs do not make a right.
Also something else to consider is who says that by aborting that child this woman's issues will somehow magically get better? Who decided that abortion will somehow make her at peace? Does it makes the horror done to her go away? What about the health risks of abortion to both her physically and mentally?
2. What about a woman's right to her own body? It is her life and her choice.
What about the babies right to its own body and life? He or she did not ask to be conceived.
890,000 abortions took place in the United States in 2016
There was a total of 95,730 estimated rapes. (rapes not pregnancy from rape)
Senatorial nominee from Missouri Todd Akin
made televised remarks yesterday that included the assertion: ...from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy after rape] is
really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try and shut that whole thing down.
The pro life movement love to bring up rape, incest, mothers life like they are the major reasons for abortion. Those things are rare. We all know the vast majority of unplanned pregnancies come from one thing, casual careless sex. If they care so much about their body maybe they should think twice and take responsibility.
3. What about allowing abortions in the case where the life or health of the mother is at risk?
This is so rare as to be worthy of a news story. A baby can be delivered and live as young as 24 weeks gestation.
Common Abortion Exceptions - The Mother's Life - American Life League
Even a diagnosis of cancer does not automatically mean you must have an abortion
Cancer During Pregnancy
If you are on death's door you will continue to be so, pregnant or not. And if you are not at death's door you can be treated and have the baby early.
Again, those 8 million dead babies were not killed for this reason.
4. What if the unborn child has a disease or illness that would guarantee him or her a life of suffering after birth?
In that case you are playing God, because nobody knows exactly how a child will suffer or even if it will suffer at all after birth. Doctors have made claims about a child not walking or talking and they have done both.
My nephew in law has both severe autism and Down Syndrome, he can't walk or talk. His mother was told he was fine at 20 weeks. She was close to 9 months before they even hinted at an issue, would you have crushed his skull at birth? Likewise, there have also been families told a child had X and turned out to be false. Wouldn't that be nice to abort an 'unhealthy' baby only to find out it was perfectly normal? What kind of guilt would that bring down the rest of their life?
If a child is going to die after birth then they can do so held by family, not aborted-which causes great suffering to the fetus. We don't even know when a fetus starts to feel pain, but certainly premature infants do. A fetus at 20 weeks will pull away from a pinprick, who are we to say it can't feel pain?
As to the whole, "It's kinder to abort" (which actually means rip its arms and legs off and crush its skull- mmm not so pretty when what it really done is described is it?)
I know first hand, my first child died from a birth defect after birth and I was offered a termination at 20 weeks. So yes I am passionate about this issue because I have been there and it's not something that I would wish on anybody, but most people blowing smoke over this never have, so they can pack their bags and take a hike. Birth and death are a circle, and by completing it naturally you bring yourself far more closure than taking unnatural steps to break it prematurely. I would encourage any woman with a bad diagnosis to carry to term or as long as possible and to give their baby a funeral.
5. Can a Christian be anti-abortion personally but allow for a pro-choice legislation in the United States? To what extent should Christians legislate morality?
I am not American. Abortion should be illegal.