"It is my body, I do not want the foreign body!!! Remove it!!"
"That foreign body is a human being! Removing it is killing it and the law does not permit it, so madam we cannot remove it"
The line of reasoning above basically pervades major arguments on abortion. So I was about to sleep when I started reminiscing about one of my favorite courses in the university; Philosophical Ethics and particularly about the lessons on abortion.
Topics like that made me come alive and I remember I was always arguing in every class( funny enough I almost failed the course, you could say....nonchalance or overconfidence)..Well, bottom line I decided to bring the arguments to Steemit and get what steemians feel or think.
Basically there are two sides to an abortion argument; the Pro-life and the Pro-choice.
The Pro-life argument is that abortion should not be permitted as it is tantamount to murder while Pro-choice is of the opinion that the pregnancy is part of the woman's body and she has a right to decide what to do with it.
So I would be summarizing some of the arguments of both sides after which I would explain my issues with the whole abortion concept, from my perspective really.
Proponents of the pro-life argument believe that the foetus is a human and aborting that human is killing it which is the same as murder.
They equally believe that there is nothing like unwanted pregnancy as there are always people ready to adopt.
They are of the opinion that permitting abortion would result in abortion being a form of contraception, they also think being responsible for ones body is being responsible enough not to get pregnant.
Well and about rape victims they think there would always be medical aid to prevent pregnancy from occurring.
They justify their stance by stating that an unborn child has done no wrong so why kill it, the abortion eventually results into medical complications for the mother and most people that indulge in abortion are young women that do not really understand the repercussions of their action and so they often regret it.
There are a lot more arguments and standpoints but that's just a few.
Now the Pro- choice proponents are of the opinion that abortion basically takes place in the first trimester and at that stage the foetus is not a child but a fertilized egg and if we use that often and discard too for in vitro fertilization then how can we call abortion murder.
They also believe the foetus is not a person but a part of the woman's body which she has a right over.
They equally argue that abortion is mostly a safe medical procedure, and in the case of rape victims, forcing them to carry a resulting pregnancy is further psychological and emotional trauma.
They categorically state that it is not a form of contraception as some people who do want abortion actually took steps in preventing the pregnancy.
In their opinion, adoption is no alternative as most women do not actually want to give up the children for adoption once they have had them.
Again, there are more arguments but let me stop with this..
In my next post which is the second and final part of this post, I would be discussing my perspectives, my questions and my opinions. Please do check it!....https://steemit.com/blog/@tolarnee/why-can-t-i-have-an-abortion-2
I would appreciate comments, I would love to know what we think about both perspectives and arguments offered by the two sides.
Don't also forget to upvote and resteem...much love😘😘
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This obviously represents two sides of a coin. None of each outweighs the other- the pro-life and the pro- choice. As with all ethical discourse, it boils down to what's morally wrong or right. The decision of which is considering the means as a justification for the end or the end justifying the means .
As a man on the fence, sides will not be taken. There are countless instances that justifies both actions. And my opinion will be based on insights into the third school of thought(if there's any of such)
What is the main purpose of sex? Is it for procreation or enjoyment? If former, abortion is morally wrong and if latter, why engage in careless and mindless act of giving life to your actions with the arrays of contraceptives in town.
Religion and ethics do not blend. All religions have different tenets of beliefs. Christianity as a way of life frowns on killing but how do you explain the ordeal of a couple who upon anatomic scan discovered that their foetus has no functioning brain and heart. Believe in miracle? Or take chances on a positive outcome?
You see, most arguments on abortion are only seen from the emotional lens of that teenage girl that was impregnated through rape or consensual agreement. Less emotions gives better justification for the end.
Why do single Christian( christianity as a case point here) brothers look upon single mothers that decided to live the pregnancy with disdain and marry that beautiful chorister?. Talk about hypocrisy. For I know, if the single mum had aborted, she might be worthy of marriage.
Then again, what would have been the fate of Valerie Gatto whose mother was raped at knife point and eventually conceived to becoming Miss America in 2014 or the case of famous Rebecca Keissling ( a conceived- by rape too) who now lives to tell her story to millions of Americans that rape is not only a justification for abortion. These two could have been aborted anyway.
Both schools are right with their opinions. Neither of them( pro life and pro choice) can be tagged as inhumane or evil. After all, the person who supports life as a pro-life also gave his signature to death penalty of hardened criminals. And the pro- choice looked on, thinking only if the criminal could be given a second chance.
We live in a life intertwined with mysteries that blurs our definite stance on a course of action. Then again, what do I know, I'm just a man sitting on the fence with his "trinoculars" observing mankind
My goodness this is a post on it own bro. U really gwud.
honestly i think my perspective is better revealed in the next post.. its the reason i did not address the issue from a religious or sentimental perspective when i gave my opinion
For me, I've always been a pro choice for a lot of reasons though. Maybe on your next post, I would have put my thoughts together. On a lighter note, when they argue that abortion is murder, I ask "what about the lives trapped and lost in a condom" .
looool...true though, i think sometimes we have to look at these issues in a straightforward and logical manner
Good write up. Thanks. I personally think the only thing to abort at a time when such pregnancies come up is the woman senses that thinks of such a barbaric act as a choice to be made. It's simple, everybody has a chance to life, with that established, every potential mother carrying pregnancy was also a potential aborted baby but somehow, someone gave them a chance to life. Everyone deserves a chance to life. Very important.
A good point you have made! I am really learning everyday
I want to take side with the pro life argument but slightly on scriptural view. The issue of child bearing from conception to the point of birth is divine.
The book of Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God is aware of every take-in of any form be it through rape or consent. Carrying out abortion for the sake of convenience isnt a tenable reason
I know is your body but you have to understand that the baby about to take forn in your womb is from God.
i understand your perspective and i might not be able to expatiate much on it because i had decided not to delve into that arena but i appreciate your comment
You cannot have abortion bcus it is against morality and against biblical principles.
please read my next post and let me know what you think, the link is in the body of this post
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I must commend your argument! You dropped this like a philosopher!
Now to the argument on ground. Abortion has been a debatable issue in applied ethics. It is one topic that is controversial as you rightly noted above.
The question is not about human choice per say. It is about the fetus, the mother and the right to life. To say we have choice to 'kill' a fetus is absurd.
Now i see that you considered so many factors in your second work which i will also attend to but this one is about two opposing views. Here i will go with the pro-life for some reasons i will be advancing in your second work.
Life is sacred and should be seen as such. If the mother had been aborted, she wouldn't be alive to be considering an abortion.
okay, i will be off to visit your other comment...life indeed is sacred but when it comes down to shove, i think the mother ought to also be considered
@tolarnee .Nice right up. Simple but profound.
thanks a whole lot!!!