Abortion
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This paper provides a discussion of Catholic moral teaching with respect to abortion Catholic ...... More...
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Paper Abstract:
This paper provides a discussion of Catholic moral teaching with respect to abortion. Catholic doctrine, Scripture, and classical and contemporary theologians are used to show why Christians views abortion as morally abhorrent in any circumstance at any stage of conception.
Paper Introduction:
Abortion Devout Roman Catholics because of their faith define abortionunder any circumstances as a sin primarily because all forms of abortionare equated with the taking of a human life From the perspective ofCatholics and other religious groups abortion is no more than the murderof an unborn human being Roe v Wade and other legislation sanctioninglegal abortion is both a legal and a moral failure to Catholics Otherthan the explicit Thou shalt not kill Commandment the Bible remainssilent on the issue of abortion
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4). When the killing of innocent humanbeings by other human beings is justified by law, then no one is safe fromviolence, and the good orders of society is undermined" (p. (McFeely, 2 8, p. 2 8 . The Church'sdefinition of a "person" as the embryo from the moment of conceptionforward helps illustrate why the Church holds that human life must beprotected throughout all stages of development. 1). Letter of Pope John Paul II to All the World's Bishops. This isevident from Christian opposition to partial-birth abortions. Many poverty stricken individuals choose to have an abortionwhen the addition of one more child to her family represents overwhelmingburden. From a moral perspective, Christians value the right to life for allhumans from the point of conception where they see the abortion issue asmore than a religious one. A conclusion will provide an objectiveassessment summarizing these views. In thisletter, Pope John Paul II (1991) expresses his concerns that people's moralconsciences have become "frighteningly confused" because they find it"increasingly difficult to perceive the clear and definite distinctionbetween good and evil in matters concerning the fundamental value of humanlife" (p. Pro-Choice advocates often argue that theembryo is not protected by legal or moral rights, since it is not viewed asa human entitled to such rights before birth. Walking the Plank: The Democrats and Abortion. 2 8 .Pope Paul VI. This analysis will provide an overview of Catholicmoral teaching on abortion. Wade as a violation of these rights and asserts, "Wereject the 1973 Supreme Court decisions which deny legal protection tounborn children, and we support efforts to prohibit or restrict abortionlegislatively and to provide constitutional protection for unborn humanlife" (Abortion, 2 8, p. In keeping with the tradition ofthe Church, any abortion is immoral because it opposes the inviolable rightto life of all human beings. In a speechhe made recently, Barack Obama said of his daughters, "I've got twodaughters. 1 John 3:16 reads, "By this we know love, that he laid downour life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"(Pavone, 2 , p. Theview of the embryo as a "person," entitled to all moral and legal rights asa living human being, is the foundation of the Church's staunch anti-abortion stance. As Pope Paul VI (1974) states, "Introduced by sin,death remains bound up with it: death is the sign and fruit of sin" (p. In this sense, killing of life, whether anembryo or adult, is viewed as sinful and is opposed to Christian moral law. Those who feel this way view the womb ofa woman as her private property and her rights as surpassing those of anunborn infant. The Church recognizes that not all reasons put forthfor abortion are evil. Christians also view the fetus ashelpless in the sense that it is conceived by the acts of others, so hasnaturally been placed where it is by its parents. Otherthan the explicit "Thou shalt not kill" Commandment, the Bible remainssilent on the issue of abortion. Athenagoras condemns the killing of children,even those still in the womb, "where they are already the object of thecare of divine Providence" (Pope, 1974, p. Abortion is viewed as not only sinful but evilto Catholics. In this assertion lies the primary argumentfor Christian belief that abortion under any circumstances is a violationof moral law. 2 8 .Pavone, Fr. 25 Aug. 1). aborting a child to save amother's life) as a similar violation of moral law. Any form ofabortion during any time of pregnancy is, therefore, viewed as sin andtantamount to murder. The Catholic Church views abortion from the moment of conceptionforward as a violation of Divine and moral law. Declaration on Procured Abortion. As the most fundamental of rights to Christians, the right tolife is not viewed as something that needs recognized by others (i.e. As Pavone (2 ) notes, "Abortion teaches the opposite of love: Isacrifice the other person for the good of myself" (p. As Pope Paul VI (1974) says of such difficultconsiderations, "None of these reasons can ever objectively confer theright to dispose of another's life, even when that life is onlybeginning...Life is too fundamental a value to be weighed against even veryserious disadvantages" (p. 25 Aug. When theSupreme Court ruled that states could not ban partial-birth abortions,Christians viewed this as not only a moral violation but also a profoundsocial one. 1). The major basis for thisview goes beyond Scripture that posits the killing of innocent individualsas a sin and the Commandment "Thou shalt not kill." The primary foundationfor this view rests upon the Church's belief in the "inviolable right tolife" of every human being and its view of the embryo as an entity that"from conception must be treated as a person" (Abortion, 2 8, p. 1). Instead, the right to life demands fullrecognition because it is unjust and immoral from a Divine perspective torefuse this right. Direct abortion, thatis to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contraryto the moral law" (Abortion, 2 8, p. Christians oppose this view, claiming that freedom hasalways been restricted based on the rights of others. We see this contrast in thewords of Barack Obama, who argues that viewing the embryo at conception asa human being with full rights is tantamount to overturning the legalprotection for abortion provided in Roe v. Obama uttered these lines while speaking in favorof sex education for young children, including the use of contraceptives.The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2378) directly opposes this view of achild being conceived under any circumstances, "A child is not somethingowed to one, but is a gift...A child may not be considered a piece ofproperty, an idea to which an alleged right to a child would lead. Many individuals argue that the rights of the mother outweigh therights of the embryo in the womb. 25 Aug. As the DemocraticPresidential candidate argues: Whenever we define a pre-viable fetus as a person that is protected by the Equal Protection Clause or the other elements in the Constitution, what we're really says is, in fact, that they are entitled to the kinds of protections that would be provided to a child, a 9-month-old child that was delivered to term. 1). 2 8 .Kandra, Deacon G. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals.But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby"(McFeely, 2 8, p. The view among Christians that abortion is a grave violation ofmoral law also stems from the Christian conception of the word love.Authentic meaning related to love only originates from the Word of God toChristians. The Christian moral perspective on abortion rests squarely onChristian value of human life. Since the embryonic entity is considered a fully valuedhuman life, abortion at any stage of development remains morally abhorrentto devout Catholics. 2 8. However, God is of the living, not the dead, for resurrection promiseseternal life for the faithful. Christians view the conceived embryo and thefetus not only as a person but also as among the most vulnerable and mosthelpless of populations. In this manner, all human life is viewed asGod and all death as sin in Christian theology. Infused by the Creator, life is again taken back by Him and He will demandan account of it" (p. They view it as a fundamental human one withdire consequences for society if abortion is sanctioned in law. In this sense, the Church views the right to life as significantto the embryo as it remains to the elderly and infirm. 2). U.S. It Is Not a Liberal Cause to Support Abortion: It Is Anti-Life and Anti-Church. Wade. Wade and other legislation sanctioninglegal abortion is both a legal and a moral failure to Catholics. 2). 25 Aug. The please cannot be made that the child is an unjust aggressor.It is simply where nature and its own parents have put it. 2). As Knight (2 8) writes, "Evil is never done that good maycome of it. 1). (1991). The opposition toabortion in any form at any time during pregnancy from conception onwardderives from sacred Scripture and tradition, with regard to the"inviolability of innocent human life" (Pope, 1991, p. From an objective viewpoint, the Church views the rights of theembryo or fetus as significantly as it does those of any other human being. Made in the image of God and joined withthe body of Christ through sacrifice and resurrection, Catholics believeeven the embryo has a human soul and has the same moral, natural, and legalrights as an adult human. The view of death as sin and life as God in Christian doctrine alsocauses Christians to oppose abortion (i.e. Christians view this as Christ making humans one with Hisbody to offer us eternal life, but they see those who choose to have anabortion as believing it is their body not one with Christ's. It is this kind of Scripture that justifiesChristian belief that even the health of the mother does not outweigh therights of the fetus, even a new embryo, to its life. In this sense,Christians view abortion as a violation of not only moral law but alsonatural law. 25 Aug. 2). Abortion. In thisarea, only the child possesses genuine rights...including the right to berespected as a person from the moment of his conception" (McFeely, 2 8, p.2). (1974). 2 8. For devout Catholics, abortion equates to the taking of a human lifeunder any circumstances. 2 8 .Curtiss, Archbishop E.F. The Church recognizes the difficult reasons someindividuals may opt to have an abortion, from life or death issues for themother to overwhelming burden posed by another child for the poor.However, these values are secondary in importance to the inviolable rightto life of all human persons, which the Church considers an embryo from thepoint of conception. Because it isviewed from conception as a person, the embryo is considered entitled tothe moral and legal rights of any other human being in the eyes of theChurch. That determination, if accepted by a court, would forbid abortions to take place. Therefore,Natural law forbids any attempt at destroying fetal life" (p. 2 8 .Knight, K. Others choose abortion when they believe their child will sufferfrom severe developmental abnormalities. Christians value life and thedignity of human life to the degree where the view of a child as a burdenor some form of punishment is considered immoral and sinful. On Combating Abortion and Euthanasia. Obama and Abortion: Is the Democratic Frontrunner Most Pro- Abortion Ever? 2).Therefore, abortion transgresses against moral and natural law in the eyesof devout Christians. With respect to political responsibility, the Church remainsopposed to Roe v. The moral and the just also adoptthis view. Thisteaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. For by virtue of Christians viewingthe embryo as a human being from the moment of conception, Christian beliefthat human life must be protected and it is sinful to take any other actionapplies. death) on a moral basis. God's example of loveto Christians is that He sacrificed His only Son for the good of all humanbeings. thecourts or pregnant women). 1). 2 8. Ancient Christian doctrine and writings clearly prohibit abortionat any stage of development. Catholic Bishops. 2 8. Morally, Christians view the main right of all humans as the rightto life. In defining the fetus as a person from conceptionforward, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (227 ) is viewed as a totalprohibition on abortion, "Human life must be respected and protectedabsolutely from the moment of conception. 1). 1). 1) The Church's view of the embryo as an innocent human being from themoment of conception serves as the basis for its total opposition toabortion at any stage of pregnancy. ReferencesAbortion. As Curtiss (2 8) explains, "The deliberate killing of babiesoutside the womb has been condemned by moral law and most societies in theworld throughout recorded history. This Is My Body: In the Abortion Debate, the Devil Mocks God with His Own Words. From the first moment of hisexistence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of aperson-among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life"(Abortion, 2 8, p. Now it is an evil means to destroy the life of an innocentchild. 1). 25 Aug. 2 8 .Pope John Paul II. The one who will be a man is already one" (Pope, 1974,p. Wade, which permits elective abortion during the first threemonths of pregnancy, is in contrast to the Church's view of personhoodoriginating at conception. 1). 2). To the Church,freedoms are always limited by the rights of others as mandated by God.Divine law excludes the killing of an innocent human being, which theChurch extends to the embryo from the moment of conception. The entirereason for Christ's death is so sin and death no longer held power overhuman beings. From the perspective ofCatholics and other religious groups, abortion is no more than the murderof an unborn human being. Wherehumans are concerned, Christians view Satan as responsible for bringingdeath into the world. It is unjust to Christians to avoid opposingabortion, seeing themselves as doing God's Will by championing the rightsof innocent and helpless human beings. No action; therefore, is just that destroys fetallife. 2 8 .McFeely, T. F. Likewise, Christiansview abortion as a means to an end (e.g. It is inthis sense that Christians oppose abortion from a religious and moralstandpoint but also a social one. Row v. In conclusion, a major part of Catholic teaching that opposesabortion from a moral perspective is based on the view of the Church thatthe fetus is a person, with the inviolable right of every innocent being tolife, from the moment of conception as embryo forward. Christian doctrine also makes it clear that a child is never aburden or punishment in the eyes of God. Tertullian makes it evenclearer that taking the life of an individual at any stage of developmentis tantamount to murder and, therefore, a sin and express violation ofmoral law, "To prevent birth is anticipated murder; it makes littledifference whether one destroys a life already born or does away with it inits nascent stage. 25 Aug. 25 Aug. Roe v. However, in the Didashe, a book of rulesthat many consider to be the teachings of the Apostles, it is proclaimed,"you shall not kill by abortion the fruit of the womb and you shall notmurder the infant already born" (Pope, 1974, p. As Pope Paul VI (1974) writes, "Any discrimination based on thevarious stages of life is no more justified than any other discrimination"(p. Abortion Devout Roman Catholics, because of their faith, define abortionunder any circumstances as a sin, primarily because all forms of abortionare equated with the taking of a human life. 3). 2 8. In a letter to the world's Bishops, Pope John Paul II (1991)referred to abortion as the "slaughter of innocents" and a "violent attackagainst human life at its weakest and most defenseless" (p. Both being products of God, the Church views it was immoral to put theneeds of the mother above the needs of the helpless, innocent embryo orfetus. As Pope Paul VI (1974)proclaims, "We understand that human life, even on this earth, is precious. As noted in theCatechism of the Catholic Church (2271), "Since the first century theChurch has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.
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