Jennifer, half the babies aborted are females who will develop uteruses. What about their bodily autonomy? A human is a human from conception, so each individual – with or without a uterus- has a right to bodily autonomy. The woman’s right to bodily autonomy is best exercised before she and her partner have created another living human being.
We should not punish women who find themselves in an unintended pregnancy. We should provide a full generous spectrum of resources. However, the position of valuing one human life over another is the very basis of oppression throughout the world.
Every human life has intrinsic value. When we start to put people in categories, we are all eventually put at risk.
Lora, something as precious and irreplaceable as human life should not be determined by an arbitrary, shifting measure. The determination of life has an objective, scientific criteria – DNA. DNA is the identifier of life forms. When the sperm and egg meet, a unique, 46-chromosome human being is formed. Nothing will be added apart from time and nourishment. Scientifically, a human life has begun.
Sherry, breath is not the determinant of personhood. What about people who are on life support? Because they are not breathing on their own, is their personhood eliminated or diminished while they are getting the support they need?
Once a new human being is formed at conception there are two unique human lives. We can and must love and support them both. We do not need to diminish one to support the other. You speak about choice, but what about the choice of the baby?
Please view this brief two-minute video. It features real people speaking their truth of almost being the victims of “choice” via abortion. Please hear them. Faces of Choice
Regarding your reference to being a “true Christian”, respectfully the Bible speaks clearly that love for all is the Lord’s command, and we must care for the “least of these”. Again, we as a society can and must love both mom and baby and protect both their rights.
Taylor, Mahatma Gandhi said, “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” Once conception occurs there are two distinct human beings – both with rights to life and bodily autonomy.
Should the baby’s very right to life be subject to the mother’s simply because she is the stronger party? Might does not make right.
Respecting the life of the baby is not inherently anti-woman or anti-choice — the woman has many choices prior to the creation of the new human life. Her choice should end where another human life begins. Both must be protected from that point.
Paul, you are misunderstanding. Following long established common law and cultural norms, the woman’s life would take precedence in a situation where the woman’s and the baby’s physical lives were at risk. What we are saying is that we must recognize that TWO human beings’ lives are at stake in every abortion decision. Both must be treated with respect. Should the baby’s life be ended for eternity in order to avoid the months-long consequences of pregnancy?
We are a compassionate people. There are pathways forward – either parenting or adoption that enrich, support and value both the woman and the baby. Why wouldn’t that fertilized egg have the same right to life? With its own unique set of DNA, that “fertilized egg” is a human being. A human is a human. The position of valuing one human life over another is the very basis of oppression throughout the world. Every human life has intrinsic value. When we start to put people in categories, we all eventually are put at risk.
Our nation’s body of law is all about establishing universal, objective human rights – that are not subject to the whims of bureaucrats, parents, or any other subjective decision maker. Our human rights should be protected on the objective basis of humanity. Please consider that the first right enumerated in our Declaration of Independence is the “Right to Life”. That right forms the foundation for all our rights.
Robin, pro-choice arguments suggest that forcing a woman to carry an unwanted pregnancy is a violation of her bodily autonomy. However, since an embryo is a person with its own unique set of DNA, then abortion is a violation of the embryo’s bodily autonomy.
Bone marrow and organs are an extension of a person. When a woman is pregnant, the embryo or fetus is not an extension of the mother. It is its own separate person.
Furthermore, pro-life arguments are not inherently anti-woman or anti-choice — the woman has many choices prior to the creation of the new human life. Her choice should end where another human life begins.
J.r., once conception occurs the woman is already the biological mother of a genetically unique human being. As a human being, the baby has human rights.
There are many alternatives to abortion. Safe Haven laws allow women to surrender their parental rights in anonymity without shame or judgement. Traditional adoption plans are another loving alternative that protects innocent lives. Experts estimate that there are 1-2 million couples waiting to adopt each year. There are approximately 900,000 abortions each year. Adoption is a great option! adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-myths-facts/domestic-us-statistics/