Abortion
–noun 1. Also called voluntary abortion. the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy.
Definition taken from dictionary.com
You know what I never got about abortion: why would anyone ever want to have one? To kill- oh sorry, political correctness: to remove- a fetus/an embryo- a growing, living piece of tissue!- from a mother serves no purpose in life (how ironic). Why, why, why?
Embryos and fetuses are living things.
By the definition of a living thing, it must satisfy 7 requirements (yay biology):
1) Grow and Develop- fetuses and embryos do this; their cells divide and they grow fingers...etc
2) Respond to stimuli- a stimulus (pl. stimuli) is a change in an environment; if someone threw a ball at you, you'd either catch it or run away. You'd also feel scared or nervous. Those are all stimuli. The most obvious no-science-y stimulus shown by fetuses and embryos are their fingerprints. Fingerprints are determined by the movement of the unborn baby as well as the mother. They respond to how their mother moves- a stimulus. Also, alcoholic mother may lead to some diseases in the baby- it changes based on the environment.
3) Homeostasis- the ability to maintain a stable environment. These unborn babies are warm blooded- they make their own heat. They can maintain a stable body temperature. They have hair to retain heat, etc.
4) Organization- living things need to be organized; cells make tissue, making organs, making organ systems, making a living being. Fetuses and embryos are made of cells, have organs...etc
5) Metabolism- metabolism is anything that needs energy (ie, eating). Unborn babies have umbilical cords which bring nutrients and food over which are converted into energy.
6) Evolve/ Adapt to surroundings- Genes from parents are passed on...leading to adaptations which help them survive- longer legs for running away, smarter for thinking, etc.
7) Reproduce- Later in life, they can reproduce.
So there we have it. Unborn babies are still alive, even though they are dependent on another being.
Brio and Beyond magazine points out in their January 2009 issue with the article "Know That You Know That You Know" that unborn babies are definitely not part of the mother. They have their own genetic code, therefore they are different beings. They could be a different gender, for crying out loud.
Federal law and 37 state laws state that killing a pregnant woman accounts for 2 charges of murder.
So unborn babies are, in fact, real living breathing things. Take it from science, take it from logic, take it from the law.
Therefore, doesn't a living thing get its choice if it dies or not?
Either way, whichever place you put your vote- dead or alive- you know life very explicitly. You're living it; you've been through a lot: good, bad, happy, sad...that one time you jammed your finger on the car door...that other time you were happy for the guy who won a million dollars on "Wheel of Fortune"...seeing the dead body of one of your friends after he died of cancer...that inevitable but rare boredness during winter break...prom night in high school...caramel and mint chip icecream at the parlor...fighting and yelling regretful things with your sister. We've been there, done that. There are good parts in life, and there are bad parts.
Now take your life however many years back so you're into the womb of your mother. Unwind it all so you go to the point of conception. And then she kills you.
Do you really want to do that? Can you even support that? Isn't that just one of the scariest things possible? To never have touched, smelled, tasted, laughed, saw, experienced, perceived, thought, ran, jumped, loved, hurt...
That really stinks.
Proverbs 31:8a (NIV): Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves
if its early enuf there not alive...
ReplyDelete...and abortion is good depending on the situation.
a girl who gets raped..is she forced to have the burden of that unwanted child?
How bout if the mother is going to die or be impaired or something..is it not allowed even then?
Just think about it...
Your argument is poorly structured and contains at least one fallacy (begging the question). You can argue that a fetus is alive by definition, but that is not enough to validate your arguement that it is wrong. By your logic: a) a fetus is alive b) it is wrong to kill any living thing.. therefore is is wrong to kill a fetus. It begs the question - why is it wrong to kill a living thing? your words:
ReplyDelete"Therefore, doesn't a living thing get its choice if it dies or not?". Hmmmm.. why don't we have a little think about that one. I'm sure you've killed a living thing at least once. Did that mosquito, or fly, or bacterium, get a choice? In fact, it's not reasonable to claim that killing a living thing is fundamentally wrong to the point that a woman should be stripped of all rights over her own life and body. So... your argument is defunct. Fetuses lack most of the qualities that we would consider 'human', so it really comes down to personal feelings. Maybe you should try admitting to yourself that you don't like the IDEA of abortion (which you try and validate through quoting of scripture), and refrain from trying to justify your views with clumsy logic and flawed reasoning. Also, i would read up on critical thinking and how to structure an argument, then maybe you can point out the flaws in your own logic rather than others having to do it for you. Thankyou.
I agree with you on most of your ideas about abortion. If a woman is raped then I understand her choice of an abortion. If she chose to have the child every time she looked at the child it would probably remind her of that terrible incident. Abortion is definitely a difficult and complex decision. I have a friend that became pregnant at the same time I did when we were about 18 years old after high school. I chose to have my child and she (along with her mother's influence) chose abortion.One night my friend, her boyfriend, and I went to a department store. I noticed her boyfriend was looking at baby clothes and he told me how happy he was that they were going to bring a baby into the world and have a family together.I felt terrible knowing she had already aborted the baby and hadn't told him yet. She later that night lied to him and told him she had a miscarriage the day before and lost the baby. He was devasted and went into a terrible depression. My friend acted like she did'nt care and broke up with him. As it turned out later on my daughter and I ended up moving in with my friend and her family. They were wealthy people and I came from a middle class working family. I was happy to be living with my friend and at this time my daughter was about 6 months old. About a week later my friend, my daughter, and I were laying in her bed talking. She was looking at my daughter and I noticed tears in her eyes. She simply stated that there should have been two babies laying in the bed with us. She started crying and I could tell she felt terrible about what she had done. She chose to have an abortion because her mother had pressured her and they did not like her boyfriend. Her parents said he would never amount to anything because he came from a poor family and was not suitable for their daughter. I did not agree with my friend but I still supported her and was there for her when she needed me. I did not think she felt bad about what happened because she never mentioned anything about it but secretly she had been harboring these feelings of guilt and sadness. My friend is a good person that chose abortion for all the wrong reasons. I understand why women chose abortion but I am terribly saddened that it happens. There are some circumstances such as rape that may constitute a woman to have an abortion. The women who get pregnant and just dont want the responsibility of having a child should not have abortions but instead opt for an open or closed adoption. There are thousands of families in the world who are hoping and praying for a child each day. I love me daughter. Yes, I did have to sacrifice some things in my life for her but it was the right thing to do and I was happy to it. There were times when I wanted to go out with friends but instead had to stay home with my child. She is everything to me and is a gift from God that I get to experience each and every day. She is now 6 years old and I am so proud to have such a wonderful, beautiful daughter! My friend still thinks about having the abortion probably every day but she can't go back in time and erase it. There are other choices besides abortion available to women. I pray that they utilize those resources and abortion becomes a seldom choice. I can't imagine the guilt my friend has to carry with her for that child. I know that I remind her of the decision when she sees my daughter who would be the same age and around the same birthdate. Abortion is not an easy chioce to make, I mean it is basically the death of a beautiful living human being that depends on you for their support, nourishment and their life. How could you kill a child that is so innocent and all they want to do is love you? I'm sorry for taking up so much of your space but I am so passionate about this and I want other young mothers to hear my story..which is one of life and unfortunately one of death for a precious child that was killed by it's mother for no apparent reason.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you!
DeleteThank you for sharing. Your story was really touching...
ReplyDeletedude i wholeheartedly agree with this and thank you for having the courage to speak out like this
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, your argument focuses on facts and a lot of "what if's". Everyone knows life is more complex than hypotheticals like that. You pose the question of if we would want to be taken back through our lives and killed at conception; I doubt anyone would, but that wouldn't be the case. Said fetus has no memory to work your proposition to. Personally i'm pro-choice and it seems to me that aborting a fetus can be the best thing for it; I know a few people who wanted children - and a few who had them begrudgingly due to pressure - and all of the examples of people that I know and am thinking of have given their children poor starts in life because of this callus dis-regard for the fact that they brought a life into this world without being prepared and it put the babies at huge disadvantages across many areas. Not arguing for the record, just debating. Also, I would reference your post about your church retreat, which I enjoyed reading aswell, and note that I've chosen to follow your blog - interesting stuff. I would appreciate any and all comments/debates on my own posts also; I am eager to hear educated opinions like yours.
ReplyDeleteOne year ago, when I was 14, I started a project on this very issue. I found out a lot of answers through research and have been able to form an opinion for myself. I do not believe in abortion, and I believe it is taking life. I completely agree with your post and there need to be more opinions like yours out there. In the rare case of rape (or in the more common case of general irresponsibility), women have more options. A freshman friend of mine (yes, high school freshman) gave her newborn daughter to a loving mother though the adoption process. Abortion is not the answer. As a side note, a vast, overwhelming majority of rape cases do not result in pregnancy (fact, not opinion). If I were to become pregnant, though whatever means, my child is mine. I would feel devastated to take away my son's/daughter's opportunity to grow and learn. I know many of my young peers are impressionable and I strive to make them understand the value of life. As my mother, and I'm sure your mothers told you, "The easiest choice is not always the best." Abortion seems like a quick fix, but it isn't. Society needs to get a grip and understand these are difficult issues, but can't we please become strong enough to value the life of our own unborn children?
ReplyDeletegood site keep posting
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, your argument focuses on facts and a lot of "what if's". Everyone knows life is more complex than hypotheticals like that. You pose the question of if we would want to be taken back through our lives and killed at conception; I doubt anyone would, but that wouldn't be the case. Said fetus has no memory to work your proposition to. Personally i'm pro-choice and it seems to me that aborting a fetus can be the best thing for it; I know a few people who wanted children - and a few who had them begrudgingly due to pressure - and all of the examples of people that I know and am thinking of have given their children poor starts in life because of this callus dis-regard for the fact that they brought a life into this world without being prepared and it put the babies at huge disadvantages across many areas. Not arguing for the record, just debating. Also, I would reference your post about your church retreat, which I enjoyed reading aswell, and note that I've chosen to follow your blog - interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteI pray that they utilize those resources and abortion becomes a seldom choice. I can't imagine the guilt my friend has to carry with her for that child. I know that I remind her of the decision when she sees my daughter who would be the same age and around the same birthdate. Abortion is not an easy chioce to make, I mean it is basically the death of a beautiful living human being that depends on you for their support, nourishment and their life. How could you kill a child that is so innocent and all they want to do is love you? I'm sorry for taking up so much of your space but I am so passionate about this and I want other young mothers to hear my story
ReplyDeleteOh my GOD I love this
ReplyDelete