Abortion, you're thoughts?

[Kent]

My son and I had a discussion on this the other day as we've had in the past since he is catholic and I'm not. Now that doesn't mean those that aren't catholic automatically think it's okay, I am not saying that at all.
He is 16 and has been taught the church line/stance that a fetus is a human, actual life and under no conditions should it ever be ended.
My thoughts are that why life is something to protect and value, that in some cases and with science the way it is today, that not every fetus needs or should be carried to the point of birth.

Here are my reasons and thinking at this point and while I am not looking for a heated debate it might happen so please lets remember that we have the right to disagree and not get into name calling or such.

Rape babies. Why should a female be forced to carry a baby from an act of violence unless she wants to?
Incest. So some will argue that babies from an act of incest have no more a chance of having birth defects or mental issues than the next but come on, we know it happens a lot but since it's a taboo event, even in todays society it's not spoken of and hidden from the public. There is much more I can say on this but I'd like to see others thoughts and ideas first.
Known health issues or birth defects. Again because of science most know of the baby's health condition not long after conception, so you know your baby has one of more severe and maybe drastic health issues that will make them dependable on others all their life and will limit them to live in a state that when old folks get old and can't help themselves we push them into a nursing care center to await their death, or the quality of their life will not be viable to any point. So is is really right or fair to do that to someone? Keep in mind that some just can't deal with it so they know as soon as the baby is born it's going to some institution, so why should they be forced to give birth?

Yea I know, it's not the same, but say I have a mole on my body that is cancer and I want it gone, don't I have the right to get something on my own body removed? Should I have to keep it there and get sick or die just because the government says no, God put that there so you have to keep it. Yea, to me at this point a baby is the same thing as a mole. The only difference to me is that their are two people involved, the mother and the father, not the family or grandparents or anyone else. If one wants it then they should have that right, but if they don't, why should I have the right to force it on them.

Now I do have strong thoughts on what I and others call baby making machines, those that get pregnant to live off the tax dollars and then get to the point where even they can't deal with another child. If they want the abortion fine, do it, but at the same time also remove their reproductive organs and I mean both parents. But that can be another topic.

So what are your thoughts?

[Peggy]

I used to not believe in abortion, in any way, shape, or form. I feel that life is precious, in any shape.

However, the ONLY instance in which I believe an abortion could be necessary is if it is proven, through testing in the first trimester, that the child will be (NOT could be, but WILL be) severely disabled or retarded, and will have NO chance at any kind of aan even semi-normal life... then I will concede that it would be a merciful, perhaps even loving act, to end the child's life as early in the FIRST trimester, as possible.

But hell, some people have abortions because their child may have autism, or CF, or Cerebral palsy. They don't want the bother, the hardship of a child with health disorders. This is NOT a reason for abortion, imo. Most of these children grow into productive adults and make their mark on society. They are worthwhile and precious human beings who have the right to live the life that God gave them.

Imagine what would have happened if any of the first trimester tests had shown that my son would have Asperger and ADHD. What if I'd decided to have an abortion because I didn't want the hardship of a child with disorders. I would have missed out on the biggest, most precious blessing of my life!

Rape babies. Why should a female be forced to carry a baby from an act of violence unless she wants to?NO way is this a justifiable reason for an abortion. This just does not cut it for me. That is the same as saying that child has no worth, is useless, is a horrid mark on society, because he/she was conceived during this violent act. This is absolutely NOT true. EVERY life has worth. EVERY life is precious. No matter the reason for their conception.

Why, you might ask, am I so adamant about this one thing, a child conceived during rape?

I are one.

[Kent]

Before we get off wrong here let me clarify that I am not pro-abortion, nor am I what is considered to be pro-life. I'm pro-choice and except for a few cases I do feel it's the combined parents choice as to what to do.

As for the rape thing, I didn't say abort the baby, I said why "force" someone to carry a baby from rape. Again it has to be the potential mother and or father to decide and I don't think it's my right or the government to tell them different. Sure, every life is precious, at least at first, but how many times have we all seen a child go bad for so many reasons and the worst I think is parents that don't care for them, or love them.
Who can say except for the potential parent(s) how they are going to treat a baby from rape? Is it right to force this if the mother knows she is not going to be able to deal with it and the root of shy it's born? Maybe she knows she will resent or hate it, mistreat it and not raise it right, and she can't deal with the emotions of it all, so for the betterment of her and how she knows she is, is it still wrong? I just don't think so, matter of fact I think it takes a damn
strong person to admit they can't do it. It's not something they wanted, they were attacked and raped so I can't see making them go through not just the horror of the rape but to be reminded of it for 9 months and then the rest of their life? No, I can't see it.
Now should they decide to keep it, then great and I hope they can do it and not suffer a single day from any influence. I have a cousin that was raped and she decided to keep the baby and has tried to do her best, but her father disowned her and never treated her the same and any time the family got together she would come up in less than positive talk, so she pretty much stayed away from family functions and thats' not right either.

Now with babies that have health issues, wow, really is a hard call but again, doesn't the potential parent know and have the right to decide if they can deal with it? Not everyone is as strong as you Peggy and you're to be commended, but not all can do it even though they might wish to, so how hard is it to first admit they can't do it and then decide to end the pregnancy.

Abortion should never be a means to effect birth control, never. If found that this is the case then the mother AND father should be sterilized imho. But other than that, it's their life and lives and something they have to live with and I just don't feel it's my right to say they have to give birth to something they can't or won't be able to deal with because they know their limitations.

[Peggy]

Before we get off wrong here let me clarify that I am not pro-abortion, nor am I what is considered to be pro-life. I'm pro-choice and except for a few cases I do feel it's the combined parents choice as to what to do.

As for the rape thing, I didn't say abort the baby, I said why "force" someone to carry a baby from rape. Again it has to be the potential mother and or father to decide and I don't think it's my right or the government to tell them different. Sure, every life is precious, at least at first, but how many times have we all seen a child go bad for so many reasons and the worst I think is parents that don't care for them, or love them.
Who can say except for the potential parent(s) how they are going to treat a baby from rape? Is it right to force this if the mother knows she is not going to be able to deal with it and the root of shy it's born? Maybe she knows she will resent or hate it, mistreat it and not raise it right, and she can't deal with the emotions of it all, so for the betterment of her and how she knows she is, is it still wrong? I just don't think so, matter of fact I think it takes a damn strong person to admit they can't do it. It's not something they wanted, they were attacked and raped so I can't see making them go through not just the horror of the rape but to be reminded of it for 9 months and then the rest of their life? No, I can't see it.

That's why there's adoption. There are too many people out there who can't have a baby, but want one desperately, who don't give a damn how the baby was conceived, but will love the child with all of their hearts.

Don't forget that I was raped and thought, for a few weeks, that I could be pregnant. I had to deal with what you're talking about.

There are just way too many alternatives, for abortion to be a feasible choice, except under the most extreme circumstances, and that would be, imo, if the child will not be able to have a good life due to the above things I mentioned.

I think y'all know where I'm coming from, but just to be clear here, I am pro-life, all the way, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The only exception, in my opinion, would be of course, the circumstances that I mentioned in my first post.

:)

[donttreadonme]

Relying on what a doctor thinks he knows is a joke !!! I used to believe a female had the right to an abortion early on if she was raped , but not any more . Doctors kill lots of people every day by misdiagnoses fact . Trusting a doctor is risky business . that's why they tell you to get more than one opinion . Opinion ! Our constitution grants everyone the right to Life . By killing an unborn child you deny them that right no matter there potential disability . At what stage is that unborn child not a human in development he or she is a human and should be respected as such and has every right to life , just as you or I now . IMHO