Letter to the Editor, Star Banner, January 22, 2000
Editor,
Despite the many qualities of life issues in need of attention, some Christian religious leaders persist in pressuring candidates for public office to focus on outlawing all abortions. The influence of Roman Catholic clergy in highlighting this issue is awesome. Their model is Roman Catholic Ireland, the only nation in the world which outlaws all abortions. A full analysis of the pros and cons of legal abortions is needed, including attention to religious beliefs. Following are several of the many factors to be considered.
Numerous polls show Americans favor keeping abortions legal with some restrictions.
Those who want to outlaw all abortions say a pregnancy is a gift from God. Personnel in Grolier's Encyclopedia say perhaps as many as 75% of conceptions end in spontaneous abortions, known as miscarriages. More pregnancies are terminated by miscarriages than by birth and induced abortions. Is God doing this?
In nations other than Ireland, abortions are legal though with some restrictions. For example, Italy provides free abortions through the first trimester, and contraceptives are widely available. With restrictions in Brazil and Mexico, women have more than 4 million illegal abortions a year. The #1 cause of death in Brazil and Mexico of women of child-bearing age is related to pregnancies.
More than 65% of pregnancies in the US are unplanned and many are unwanted...
For centuries prior to 1869, the Roman Catholic church approved abortions for the unborn prior to the time they believed God gave the unborn a soul. In early centuries, the unborn male received a soul from God after 40 days, and females received a soul from God after 80 days. Saint Thomas Acquinas' doctrine had the unborn child progressing from being a plant at conception, then an animal, then, 8-10 weeks after conception, receiving a person soul from God.
According to Christian Doctrine, every child from the moment of conception is laden with original sin. Original sin means the unborn is considered to be vile, depraved, and an abomination in the sight of God. Some religious leaders refer to the same unborn as the "innocent unborn." Which is it?
It's men primarily who favor outlawing all abortions as they and their male dominated religions do not trust women to govern their own bodies.
Current US law permits abortions. Is the best interest of our nation served by keeping
abortions legal?
James M. O'Hara