Abortion

[Altair]

Quote:

Originally posted by Lady Valkyrie
I am very tolerant of others beliefs. However, I do not back down in what I believe. ... IMHO... as so many on this board is so fond of saying.

Tolerant, but open?

IMHO, , we grow when we allow ourselves space to do so. I once took a course in college titled "Critical Thinking." It changed my life. I learned to let my guard down, I learned to open my mind to other perspectives, I learned that I wasn't all-knowing or that my set-in-stone viewpoints were really not so set-in-stone. Humility is strong and can carry us a long way.

Try me, Lady. I'll debate. I'll listen. I'll look from your point of view and consider the possibilities because I believe you have something to offer and it's called another perspective. Will you do the same? Or, will you stand firm without consideration?

[Lady Valkyrie]

If I wasn't willing to listen to anyones opinion I wouldn't have posted this thread to begin with. Didn't I start this thread with the questions of "What do you think?" and "how do you feel>". If I wasn't willing to listen to anyone elses opinion I would have started the post with my opinion... not with the questions of what the rest of you think. Thank you Altair, I am sincere when I say this.

[Siana]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dogstar
I'm staying away from this one. Too much of a hot potato for me, and I'm not sure this is the place for my view on this.
I agree with you, Allison, about the different organizations offering abortions. I think they minimize the emotional impact of such a decision. I, too, know women who have suffered severely because of it. I also know women who do not regret their decisions to abort. So, it goes both ways, but I agree, more should be done to make women aware of what this can mean for them emotionally in the long term.

I'll stay away from this 1 too.But I'll just say I don't think abortion is morally wrong in all the cases....would it be better if a woman don't want a child but she has to give birth just because the society don't approve abortion??What's the meaning to have a kid if you don't love & want it?

[allison]

I WAS just going to make the post about the emotional risks that abortion providers neglect to tell women about and leave it at that, but I guess I'll go ahead and give my opinion about the morality of abortion itself. I agree this is such a dangerous topic for people who want to remain friends. It's just so emotional, and it is rare that people change their minds about it. But what good is a mind if you're not willing to change it, right?

My heart tells me that abortion is wrong. I think I feel this way b/c 1) I have seen alot of women suffer incredible grief from their abortions, and if there was nothing wrong with it, why would they suffer with so much guilt, regret, anger, and sadness?, and 2) I can't help thinking that ending a life is wrong. Even if the life is only 6 weeks old, which I think is the earliest one can get an abortion - even if it's a second old, isn't it still a life (a living thing)?

So that's the way I feel. But I do want to say that I do not judge women who have had abortions. My best friend has had more than one, and I do not condemn her in any way, I love her very much. More than anything I hurt for her so much, seeing what she has gone through the past 10 years, and continues to go through. As a matter of fact, I do not think we should judge each other anyway. I don't think it's our place to do so. Judge actions, but not people.

[Siana]

but by judging ppl's actions you judge the very ppl in fact........

[allison]

I disagree. I think there is a big difference between saying "what you did was bad" and "you are a bad person".

[Lady Valkyrie]

I totally agree with you allison. One can look at another's actions, develope an opinion of that person's actions, whether those opinions are negative or positive doesn't matter... you can still love the person as a human being. The God I serve doesn't like when I sin... however, I know he loves me... even though I have sinned. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. My best friend is a Wiccan, I don't like the that particular religion, and I was once a Wiccan myself, however, I still love this woman as deeply as a sister. She also had an abortion 20 years ago, I do think abortion is murder, however, I still love this woman as deep as a sister. She knows my opinions of both Wicca and abortion, but we got beyond those issues and love one another as human beings, not holding what we with are sins or faults against one another. It can be done... you have to expand your mind... as a certain person is used to saying on here... look into the person's heart and soul... I see people as God sees me... and I know God loves me.

[Lady Valkyrie]

Here is the perfect example...

I am a mother of 3 children. I love them so much. I would die for them. I recently went through a custody battle and this past summer has showed me just how much my children mean to me. As I type this I am tearing up.

Now my children are not perfect. They make a lot of mistakes. Even though they know what is proper behavior and how they should act or react to situations, they make the wrong choices sometimes and do the wrong thing or react in an improper fashion. I form an opinion of their actions, if I feel that they have done wrong I will make a judgement. Because I have made a judgement on their actions does this mean I have stopped loving them? No of course not!

My ex mother in law has a son who recently got in trouble for a B/E and has had to go to court over it and he may have to spend some jail time. He has left his wife and child, he is a drug addict, and he's sleeping around with other women. Her son, my ex-husband, has always been a drug addict, lazy, slothful, never kept a job, left me and our children on our daughter's birthday for my best friend, never pays child support, and is a horrible father. My exmother in law has never and will never approve of her sons' actions. She has told them that she will never condone their actions. However she still loves them with all her heart and soul, and they know this.

So yes it is possible to dislike the actions of a person and still love them

[Aimee]

I saw the title of this thread and I thought, "Uh-oh, I'm not touching that." then I saw that there are two pages already. Nice to know that many others had the same reaction I did. For the same reasons even. However, I'm not able to keep my mouth shut now that I'm here so...
When I was a teenager, I did lots of research about abortions just to ease my own curiosity. I recieved info from Planned Parenthood and some church groups. I saw photos of aborted fetuses in the third trimester. A baby in a bucket. Now I know that htose are illegal, but the scare tactic worked! I am the only one of my girlfriends who has never had an abortion. My mother had a child when she was 16 so she stressed to her kids the importance of safe sex. As I became sexually active, HIV and AIDS were big news. So I used condoms for that reason. I took birth control pills to avoid getting pregnant.
My opinion is that if you're having sex, you know the consequenses (in America anyway)! Don't be stupid or you'll end up with a much bigger problem than a baby! It's easy to say that I would never have an abortion because I knew that sex could lead to a baby. But what about this...
What if, now that I'm married, I get pg and am told at the first ultrasound that my baby is abnormal. Two heads, or a funky heart. I can have an abortion or take the chance that my baby will either die or be retarted. What do you do?

[TeriB19]

The thing that always got me was this: The Catholic church always says, if you are pregnant, it is wrong to abort the baby. But how can a 15 or 16 year old child themselves bring a child into the world and raise it? The Catholic church won't pay to feed it, clothe it, diaper it, doctor it, they will be there for spiritual guidance, but that will only go so far. Sure, adoption is an option, but at 15, why put their body through 10 months of pregnancy and interrupt their lives just to give a baby up. Everyone makes mistakes, but the individual is the one who has to live with the consequences.

[Aimee]

You have to live with the consequences of getting pregnant anyway, whether you abort, keep or adopt out the baby. At least with the last option, you are giving your child a chance.

[TeriB19]

But my point is this, when I was in school I was always taught that if you had an abortion, you would be automatically excommunicated from the church. This is the church that will not be responsible for bringing up the baby (other than spiritually). I believe it is the individual's decision, and yes, they will have to live with the consequences one way or the other. I am looking at it from the angle that the church tell us "you can't do this" but will not be there if "you do". It's never black and white. There are always shades of grey.

[Aimee]

True True, Oh TerI with one big eye in her infinite wisdom

[TeriB19]

I never really wanted to debate the whole right or wrong issue on abortion. But when it comes to the Catholic church and what it dictates to people, my Irish really gets up.:P

[Aimee]

I knew it! You could only be an Irish lass with that spunkiness! And don't even let my Scottishness get started on Catholocism! Lots of ! for such a late hour, huh?

edited to add one more !