Should a Mother Risk Her own Life ?

[BAFRIEND]

About 8 years ago a man in Mississippi was at a lake. His two young children were on a jet ski and somehow were ejected. The children were both wearing life jackets.

The father swam out into the lake and grabbed his son (the youngest) and brang him back to shore.

While the man was doing this, a "good" samaritan decided to help. He swam out to the man's daughter. When this person arrived at his daughter's side, he realized he was exhausted and feared drowning. The man removed the life jacket from the little girl and headed back to shore telling the stranded girl he would be back for her.

The girl drowned and the "good" samaritan received a lengthy prison sentance. An expert testified that the girl could have floated for over ten hours with the life jacket on.

Why is it that in this case we recognize that it is a solid principle that an adult sacrafice their own life for a child but people will argue that when a mother's life is at risk, she should get an abortion and terminate the child's life in order to save her own ?

Assume that while the risk is grave to the mother, that chances are even the mother and child will both survive if the pregnancy is not terminated.

In the above example most would have held that the man should have tried to save the child at the risk of his own.

 

[saraharms1]

I'm against abortion all around. No matter what. If a woman makes the decision to have sex then she needs to realize that there will be "consequences". Even if she didn't mean to get pregenet then she should go through with the pregenency and have the child because there is always the option of putting the child up for adoption. Now a lot of people have argued the fact that if the woman was raped then she should be allowed to. As tragic as it is and I have much sympathy for the woman she should go through with the pregnency and if she can't live with the memory of the tragic accident then she can put the child up for adoption. Abortion is taking the life of one that has never had the chance to take a breath or smell the air or even touch soft fabric. The mother has no right to take a life that is not her own. In her body resides the child till it is time for it to come out it is not her own body.


I agree with what you have said and its sad that the little girls fate had to be what it was its still a great example.

 

[BAFRIEND]

I believe that regardles of situation, once that life is created, it belongs to someone else. No one has the right to rob another of what does not belong to them.

 

[teishpriest]

The first time that I became pregnant I told my husband that if it ever came down to a choice, I would want a doctor to save our child over me. I told him that since it would be a hard and emotional decision for him to make, that I wanted him to know that our child's life was more important than my own. I pray that I will be here to raise all of our children, but I also wanted to do what I could to make it even a little easier for him if he was ever asked to choose for me. I love my children so much, and I could not imagine choosing to save myself over them.

 

[MissLady]

^^^ I have a cousin that is a lawyer and in the sad case such a thing should happen and you could not speak for yourself, your husband and doctor (hopefully wouldn't but) COULD go against your SPOKEN request of NOT terminating the pregnancy. So you can have papers draw up like an advanced directive saying "do not recessitate" and such. To ensure that no matter what happened or what your husband and family told the doctor the doctor legally could not go against your wishes. It'd be sad to think a husband would go against his wife's wishes but I can see where in a moment of distress at the thought of losing his soulmate he may do it.

For my experience my mother could have died while having me. She told the doctor to save me but the laws were at the time that you had to save the mother no matter what. She a lot of times mentions "do you imagine what kind of life you woulda had if I'd died?" Yes I realize my life could have royally sucked and given more greater issues than the ones I have had. But I think that's where God comes in. He knew my life would have been worse without her so we both made it. If God sees the child will have a hellish life if the mother dies, then He will spare both or take the child home to Himself.

 

[bliz]

If the mother's life is at risk because of a pregnency, it is her choice what she will do.

It is interesting that so many of you are willing to require that someone else risk their life for your beliefs.

 

[BAFRIEND]

If the mother's life is at risk because of a pregnency, it is her choice what she will do.

It is interesting that so many of you are willing to require that someone else risk their life for your beliefs.

Not beliefs... for their own child, their flesh and blood. I would die for my child.

 

[Gwenyfur]

My daughter's friend is a child of rape. Her mother didn't abort her and they have a beautiful relationship. Small minded people let evil override blessings.

Did G-d not say what man means for evil He means for good? I can't find the reference right now.

 

[ShiningSonBeam]

There are so many excellent points here! It's refreshing.

Many like to use the word "abortion" where they should insert a scenario where a doctor did his best and lost a patient anyway. This is not an "abortion" but a loss of life... not KILLED by the doctor (that's where the difference lies, IMO). I do not believe there is any circumstance that would require the termination of a healthy pregnancy (i.e. not a tubal pregnancy that would eventually end anyway) in order to save a mother's life. To say there is such a scenario is to put our medical advances back in the dark ages.

So if, in an effort to preserve life, a doctor advises an early induction of labor, there is a whole separate list of issues regarding premature births, but both lives will have been saved. Babies are viable at a remarkably tiny stage... did any of you read about the 20 week old fetus?? Or, was it 16? I don't recall.

My point is that doctors take an oath to protect life (written deep within that oath is a phrase that even denounces abortion, but I can't remember exactly what it is) so they have no business killing one life in favor of another. They must attempt to save both even in great odds of losing one.

In the OP's story, the man took the life-jacket from the little girl... the equivalent of killing her... rather than finding other means to save himself (regardless of his ability to save her at that point).

 

[ShiningSonBeam]

I also want to add that a friend of mine bore a child who had developed no brain and he died. Had this child been carried to full term (she was induced early at her doctor's suggestion), his organs may have saved a handful of other infants. It is rare to find available organs to save other babies... so if I knew I was having a child who would not survive outside the womb even after 9 months, I believe I would carry him to term and donate to save others. Sounds gruesome until you're faced with the death of your own infant. I'd much rather he lived for something beyond himself, even if his life was only 5 minutes long.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Case in Point:

A mother found out she was pregnant. She already had a 9 year old child. At 10 weeks gestation, she also found out she had cancer.

Despite hearing about how dire and deadly it would be to carry her child to term, despite all the Dr's recommendations of abortion, she was determined to have her baby. If it was to be her last child, she wasn't passing up the chance to cuddle another bundle of joy in her arms.

7 months later, after months of "bed rest" and being sicker than she'd ever thought possible, she gave birth to a healthy child by cesaerian. The child was slightly underweight, but strong and grew quickly.

A month later mom went back to the hospital and had a complete hysterectomy, including her ovaries and fallopian tubes. She then went through 3 months of chemotherapy.

Of course you risk your life for your child! If G-d decides to bestow you with the greatest of His earthly blessings, who are we to spit on it, and send it to the garbage can?


And before you say too fantastical to be a true story:

It's the story of me and my youngest daughter.

 

[bliz]

Not beliefs... for their own child, their flesh and blood. I would die for my child.

And it is fully your choice to do so. But it is another matter is I tell you that you should die for your child or require that you do so. Further, I cannot imagine a scenario where your death would give life to an unborn child and so while I believe you are 100% sincere in what you say, you are exempt from facing this actual situation. I can't believe it does not alter one's perspective.

My 3 kids were in elementry school and debating this matter and one of them looked at me in horror and said "But if you died so your baby would live, we wouldn't have a Mommy!" Mercifully, I was not faced with such a choice but such a situation would not be a simple choice for me. I am not about to tell any other woman which choice she shoud make is such a scenario

Gwenyfur - I admire your choice and am so happy that things worked out as they did.

Of course you risk your life for your child! If G-d decides to bestow you with the greatest of His earthly blessings, who are we to spit on it, and send it to the garbage can?

And your life is also a life given by God that should not be tossed in the grbage can.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Not to be sanctimonious or anything here...

but no greater love hath anyone than he who lays down his life for another...


that goes for us "she" people too

 

[ShiningSonBeam]

Posted by Bliz: "Further, I cannot imagine a scenario where your death would give life to an unborn child and so while I believe you are 100% sincere in what you say, you are exempt from facing this actual situation. I can't believe it does not alter one's perspective. "

This statement is apparently used to back up both side of the point, then? The scenario goes both ways: that one's death wouldn't give life to an unborn child, neither would the death of that unborn child ensure the life of the mother, if it were already in true danger.

 

[BAFRIEND]

And it is fully your choice to do so. But it is another matter is I tell you that you should die for your child or require that you do so. Further, I cannot imagine a scenario where your death would give life to an unborn child and so while I believe you are 100% sincere in what you say, you are exempt from facing this actual situation. I can't believe it does not alter one's perspective.

My 3 kids were in elementry school and debating this matter and one of them looked at me in horror and said "But if you died so your baby would live, we wouldn't have a Mommy!" Mercifully, I was not faced with such a choice but such a situation would not be a simple choice for me. I am not about to tell any other woman which choice she shoud make is such a scenario

Gwenyfur - I admire your choice and am so happy that things worked out as they did.



And your life is also a life given by God that should not be tossed in the grbage can.

It does not bother me, there are plenty of woman posters here saying they would give their own lives for their unborn child.

 

[bliz]

Posted by Bliz: "Further, I cannot imagine a scenario where your death would give life to an unborn child and so while I believe you are 100% sincere in what you say, you are exempt from facing this actual situation. I can't believe it does not alter one's perspective. "

This statement is apparently used to back up both side of the point, then? The scenario goes both ways: that one's death wouldn't give life to an unborn child, neither would the death of that unborn child ensure the life of the mother, if it were already in true danger.

No, the comment was intended to point out that a MAN saying he would die for his child is one thing, but that a man will never face the choice of dieing so that his unborn child will live.

It does not bother me, there are plenty of woman posters here saying they would give their own lives for their unborn child.

What doesn't bother you?

Was the purpose of this thread to encourage women to die so that their children can live? How very dramatic and romantic.

 

[BAFRIEND]

What does not bother me is the fact that you mentioned that you cannot visualize a situation in which I would sacrafice my life for my unborn child because there are women posting here that said they would.

Another reason it does not bother me is that a woman is 20% more likely than a male like myself to believe that abortion should be prohibited under any circumstances.

Pro-choicers always try to "spin" and point the finger back at the pro-lifers because they cannot win the moral and ethical arguments self-evident in the abortion issue.

A parent, whether a mother or father, should sacrafice their lives for their children if it is necessary. Abortion is murder.

Jesus chose to die for us, His children.

 

[bliz]

What does not bother me is the fact that you mentioned that you cannot visualize a situation in which I would sacrafice my life for my unborn child because there are women posting here that said they would.

Nothing I said was intended to "bother" you. I was simply pointing out the fact that you will never be faced with the choice of having to risk your life for the life of your unborn child, so, no matter how glowingly you discuss dying for your child, you personally will never face that choice.

Pro-choicers always try to "spin" and point the finger back at the pro-lifers because they cannot win the moral and ethical arguments self-evident in the abortion issue.

If advocating that mothers whose lives are at risk if they carry a pregnency to term should be permitted to decide for themseves what they will do, instead of being forced to make any particular choice by the government, or their spouses or anyone other than whomever they wish to consult, makes me "prochoice", so be it.

But what am I spinning? You will never carry a child. That is a simple fact. I contend that that makes your offer to die for your child somewhat less valuable or meaningful than, say, Gwenyfur, who actually took that risk.

A parent, whether a mother or father, should sacrafice their lives for their children if it is necessary. Abortion is murder.

You are not choosing life over death. You are choosing life for one person and death for another.

Jesus chose to die for us, His children.

Jesus's death made eternal life with God possible for everyone. Can your death or mine accomplish that?

 

[BAFRIEND]

"Jesus's death made eternal life with God possible for everyone. Can your death or mine accomplish that?"

See what I mean by spinning ?

 

[bliz]

What spinning? You said "Jesus chose to die for us, His children." A statement of fact, but in this context, you hoped it was also a compelling argument. We are to be like Jesus, and Jesus cose to die for His children, therefore, we should be willing to die for our children.

I pointed out that Jesus's death was not about saving earthly lives, but our eternal souls, an action we are unable to emulate.

So it appears that "spinning" means pointing out the flaws in your arguments.