Abortion through various prisms

The truth is that the discussion about abortion is fraught with “Deceit and Dishonesty.” But

"Let the Little Children Come to Me."

with you, I would rather be anything other than deceitful or dishonest. Very little would I be able to slip by you if I tried. So I’ll share with you my absolute opinion, and whether right or wrong in your opinion, it will not be that I am trying to inflict you with ideas that I myself don’t even agree with. So here I go.

I find that there are several ways to consider the abortion issue by seeing the issue through different prisms. Politically, the most preposterous way, how could an issue so fragile and delicate be viewed through a political prism? Yes, I know, everything now days is at least somewhat political. But, as political, I find nothing in the politics of this day that has to do with the right or wrong of abortion, but rather as a tool where politics can further divide our nation and deflect the attention away from the real issue of right or wrong to a party condition of which should you side with, RED or BLUE and use the abortion issue as a garbage can to hide the political corruptness in Washington, DC.

If not political, then what? One more consideration is to consider it from a practical point of view. That is, of course, very subjective. I must accept that practical is subjective in itself. Even my opinion. The practical side would have two sides, on the pregnant women's side which could take on many and various conditions, and my and your sides. I won’t use examples here, you can conjure up your own. I think there are many: Inconvenient, embarrassing, incompatible with lifestyle, interfering with educational or professional pursuits, unacceptable to family and friends, fear, and of course, medical limitations. In each of these, many examples could be posited. And still, another supposed justification; most of the abortions are happening in the worst ghettos of the country, a bad place to raise a kid.

Another would be “Morally.” There again, “Moral” comes in various colors and to say that moral is one thing or another, would be said by a person who hasn’t spent much time studying the rainbow of morality. But, still, I can understand how a person could be impressed by his moral conclusions, considering he will have his own cognitive ideas of what morality is. Here I use morality in connection with each individual’s morality standard. The fact that each person seems to have their own definition of morality it would be impossible to find consensuses or at least reasonable consensuses. So, for this discussion, let’s separate morality and Christianity. To suppose that the two were the same would be an unfortunate supposition, simply because they are not the same even if they may be considered cousins. Morality, I think is both learned and taught, usually by example or influencing lifestyle. A person’s value system emanating from a background of foundational teaching or examples. All I’m saying here is that an opinion by this person will be an opinion based on his esoteric intellectual conditions. It will be his opinion but not necessarily based on reality.

Or, for what I would call a “Super Morality”, and I will put that into the context of both Jewish, Christian and other religious organizations. Which, for sure needs further explanation. That being, the spiritual wisdom of the Jew would be primarily based on the teaching of the Old Testament, while the Christian would search both the Old and New Testaments for the answer to the abortion issue.

I have reviewed most of the denominational positions on abortion and they are all over the place. From that research I decided that it would be difficult to discuss abortion from a denominational perspective. Eccept maybe the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church, the nearest to unequivocal, states that abortion is always wrong, because life begins at conception and is God given. This means that in the eyes of the Catholic Church abortion is classed as murder and goes against the commandment, Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13). This commandment is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 19:18.

The Church also disagrees with abortion as it goes against natural law, which is an act that goes against what nature intended. The Church takes an absolutiststance on this and believes that abortion is wrong in all situations. I would say that the Catholic Church perfectly takes the position of the absolute Pro-Lifer. This may be you.

The Southern Baptist Convention, the best I can find regarding the position of the Southern Baptist Convention is that the convention resolution endorses no right to abortion. Contending that the unborn child is a human God creation from the very beginning. This of course created much debate.

An addendum proposed to the resolution; (Not mine) The resolution on abortion that was passed at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville was well-intended but woefully flawed. It offers no exception for the life of the mother, and it opposes incrementalism. Those two items are serious shortcomings that would lead to the loss of more innocent lives, not fewer. (I know the meaning of the word, “incrementalism” but I have no idea how it fits into this discussion. Feel free to send its purpose in this discussion to the Press Editor.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, the Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions.The Church allows for possible exceptions for its members when: Pregnancy results from rape or incest, or a competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or a competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

The next time we get together we’ll wrap up this discussion on Abortion with my own personal opinion from what I’ve learned from my research.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

“And That’s My Opinion”