Interesting article
about the variances in statements about abortion in various Christian
Churches.
The Episcopal Church, 1994
“While we acknowledge that
in this country it is the legal right of every woman to have a medically safe
abortion, as Christians we believe strongly that if this right is exercised, it
should be used only in extreme situations. We emphatically oppose abortion as a
means of birth control, family planning, sex selection or any reason of mere
convenience. . .
Right? This certainly concedes a lot on their part. The word right is bandied
about by a lot of groups but the definition seems to be all over the map. The
declaration of Independence says “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights.” Inalienable rights are those rights that can not be taken
away, and in this reference those given us by God. If rights are only given by
the government then they can be taken away. If you believe in the governments
ability to create rights then pro-abortion groups shouldn’t complain if the
so-called rights are taken away. If you don’t believe in God-given rights, then
what becomes the source of rights in a random universe? If your chances for
existence are a massive improbability then how does this associate with rights
that pertain to every human being? Because you are a more highly evolved
organism then other you then automatically have rights assigned to you? In a
society where morality is more and more subjective why are rights, especially
abortion rights, seen as absolutes?
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 1992
“We affirm the
ability and responsibility of women, guided by the Scriptures and the Holy
Spirit, in the context of their communities of faith, to make good moral choices
in regard to problem pregnancies.
“We call upon Presbyterians to work for a decrease in the
number of problem pregnancies, thereby decreasing the number of
abortions.
I really don’t like the choice of the words “problem pregnancies.” Pregnancy
is not the problem but the acceptance and support by family members and friends.
How many abortions would there be if family members and friends were very
supportive of that person and were helping them out?
Southern Baptist Convention, 1984
“Be it further
resolved, that we deplore the practice of performing abortions, as well as
dispensing to minors without parental consent or even notification,
contraceptive medications which have potentially dangerous side effects, and
deplore also the use of tax funds for such activities; and
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002
“Abortion
is a violation of human rights incomparable in magnitude and an atrocity for the
whole human family. . . . We are committed, no matter how long it may take, no
matter the sacrifices required, to bringing about a reversal of this tragic
Supreme Court decision. We will speak out on behalf of the sanctity of each and
every human life wherever it is threatened, from conception to natural death,
and we urge all people of goodwill to do likewise.”
Before becoming Catholic I thought I was pro-life. I was an increasingly
pro-life atheist, even though I wouldn’t have been able to defend my beliefs
with my belief system. I didn’t believe in the existence of souls, but I
believed in human life at conception. It would have been more consistent if I
believed that the development of thinking processes built up to a point where it
then wouldn’t be right to have an abortion, that would have been more in line. I
also had no problems with contraception and sterilization. It seems to be a
state secret that some forms of contraception can also act as abortifacients ,
where they don’t prevent conception but starve to death the embryo or don’t
allow them to implant. Now the absence of this information isn’t to surprising
for most of the major media, yet I have heard thousands of hours of conservative
talk radio and I never heard this mentioned. This information also seems to be
missing from Protestant churches (and also in Catholic parishes), where even if
they don’t believe in abortion they support it through those forms of
contraception. I was also for the rape and incest exemption. I might not have
thought that the death penalty should be used for rapists, yet as a result I was
for the death penalty for a child as a result of rape. On my way into the Church
the Pope’s encyclical The Gospel of Life was
greatly influential to me. This was a consistent across the boards message on
the sanctity of human life, from abortion and contraception to the death
penalty; this was a cohesive overview of the Churches teachings. When I hear the
label on politicians of being 100% pro-life I wonder if that includes
rape/incest exemptions, embryonic Stem Cell research, cloning of any form, and
In Vitro Fertilization? A real 100% percent pro-lifer is very rare in political
circles, yet I am glad for those who are pro-life in any way. Whether that
person is an atheist who is against partial birth abortion or someone who is
against abortion in most cases, I am thankful for those of goodwill. The
Bishop’s message and the Pope’s encyclical were both addressed to people of
goodwill, not just those who support 100% catholic beliefs and I hope those with
some pro-life convictions will grow in them.
