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May 23, 2012 |
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Most world religions condemn abortion on demand, though most do consider abortion acceptable under very limited circumstances:
Likewise, some atheists are also opposed to abortion.http://www.godlessprolifers.org/members.htmlhttp://swissnet.ai.mit.edu/~rauch/nvp/hentoff.html Buddha advised against the taking of conscious life, as he identified such activity as a cause of suffering. Buddhism generally asserts that conscious life begins before birth. Therefore, many Buddhists consider abortion to be equivalent to infanticide. Early Christian writers condemned abortion explicitly. There is no known Early Christian text that contains any exceptions under which abortion would be morally permissible. The Didache, which most scholars consider to be written in the latter 1st century Anno Domini|A.D., comments on the commandment, "you shall do nothing to any man that you would not wish to be done to yourself", by saying:
In the 2nd century, Tertullian defended Christianity from accusations of practicing human sacrifice by writing,
By the 3rd century, abortion was commonly listed among the crimes of men, and there are no extant or referenced texts attesting to any exceptions that would make abortion permissible. In the fourth century, Gregory of Nyssa wrote that Christians believe that there is one principle of life from embryo to adulthood (as opposed to two, as assumed in Roman law). In the same century, John Chrysostom denounced married men who encouraged their prostitutes to get abortions, saying,
Early Christianity|Christians lived under Roman law which permitted both abortion and infanticide. Given the generally ineffective or dangerous methods of abortion available at the time, unwanted children were sometimes carried to term by Roman women, and abandoned to die of exposure. Unlike infanticide, to which the early Christians reacted with intervention and strongly opposed teaching, some believe that it is less certain how the earliest Christians regarded abortion, though all the extant texts imply opposition to abortion. They argue that writings against infanticide are sometimes mistaken for anti-abortion teaching. Others believe that these works provide evidence that early Christians saw no difference in principle between abortion and infanticide. The four gospels offer no statements about abortion as such, and offer no new prohibitions. Exodus 21:22-23 is interpreted by Christian tradition as an unequivocal assertion that the child formed in the womb is a human being, because the Greek version of the Old Testament (Septuagint) translates in such a way as to distinctly state that a life is to be taken in the extreme case of a "life" lost (whereas the Hebrew only explicitly mentions a monetary compensation, if a premature birth is caused by unintentional violence - thus the Jewish view of the issue). The implication of course, is that the fetus can be recognized for what it is, so that damage to it may be assessed. Speculations arose then, concerning whether the child should only be considered a human being after it has been "formed", which led to a diversity of views on the matter. However, the biblical issue gradually resolved around Genesis 1:26-27, which affirms that man is made lower than God but above material creation, in the image of God. Genesis 2:7 is further interpreted as giving man the dignity of the name, man, even before he becomes a "living being". And Genesis 9:6 sharply distinguishes between animal life and the life of man who is made in the image of God, teaching that, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.". Such passages of the Bible are not taken in a proof-text manner by Christian tradition (that is, they are applicable to the question, although they do not mention abortion), but as illustrations of a basic ethical principle of the created order — a unity of instruction, or "world-view". And this provides for a syllogism, which forms the basis of the modern Christian prolife movement. Scripture condemns the shedding of innocent human blood. The biblical insight into the order of things is that man is distinct from, and above an animal; and man is uniquely subject to God, whereas animals are given to man; and an unborn child is human and known to God. Therefore, even an unborn child is protected by God, as made in the image of God because it is human (an issue distinct from all speculations of when life begins). Further, many Christians hold that God sanctified every aspect of human life starting from conception. This is evident by Jesus being equally divine & equally human from conception & therefore showing humanity the very sacredness in each developmental stage of gestation. Jesus did not become divine or human at some later date but from the very moment of coception. Mary is also seen as the ideal candidate for showing how the usual arguments against having a child are very dangerous when applied. Mary was a young mother, poor, Joseph doubted staying with her, & they lived in a time of great oppression. In today's world she would have been the "ideal" candidate for abortion. Yet, Mary had Jesus & in that act she showed that all women should be open to the role of mother & open to the plan of God. Moreover, Joseph stayed & raised Jesus as his own son showing the power in being a foster or adoptive parent in his own openness to the will of God. In summary, Christian tradition teaches that human life is actually sacred, and consequently abortion is prohibited. For some, the view that life begins at conception is unresolved. In their view, ancient ethical reasoning is not given the same weight in all Christian traditions, with the result that old issues are revisited, as it were, for the first time. Secondly, they hold that modern science has provided a window to an embryo's beginnings at a microscopic level unenvisioned by tradition; so that, the more traditional view, which used life's beginning at quickening (when the embryo first began to move) as the starting point for reasoning, is not always perfectly applicable to a life beginning at conception. For example about 10% of all pregnancies end by natural miscarriage - in most cases earlier than pregnancy is detectable without modern technology. In their view, the ethical interest in these miscarriages, as reflected in laws for example, has never been on the same scale as interest in the unexplained death of a born person; all the more the case, if the expelled fetus cannot be seen without special equipment. Others counter that the personhood of a fetus is not disproven by the fact that a significant percentage of fetuses die in utero, any more than a child is shown not to be a person by the fact that, absent modern medicine, a significant percentage of already born children die before reaching adulthood. Besides, the traditional view that personhood begins at quickening, rather than at conception, is a contrast between ancient technology and modern technology for recognizing a human child; consequently, the comparison does not indicate that the traditional opposition to abortion would have been different if informed by modern technology, and rather, has tended to solidify the conclusion that life begins at conception. Catholicism Christian writers from the first-century author of the Didache, to the late Pope Paul VI in his Humanae Vitae, to Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life") have maintained that the Bible forbids abortion. Although the Roman Catholic Church has always considered abortion a grave offense, it has at times punished the offense differently depending on the stage of pregnancy in which the abortion was performed. For example, under Pope Gregory XIV excommunication was prescribed only for those aborting a "quickened" child. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01046b.htm "Quickened" refers to the stage of pregnancy in which the child can first be felt to move. Excommunication is a formal recognition of the reality that a person is no longer in communion with the Church's teachings. The person excommunicated can contritely confess the sin to a priest (in this case material cooperation in an abortion) and be received back into the Church. The Church today firmly holds that "the first right of the human person is his life" and that life is assumed to begin at fertilization. The equality of all human life is fundamental and complete, any discrimination is evil. Therefore, even when a mother's life appears jeopardized, choosing her life over her child's is no less discrimination between two lives - and therefore morally unacceptable. Although, the Church does make a clear distinction between direct abortion & indirect abortion. Direct abortion regardless the reason always viewed a moral evil as its sole purpose is seen to end the life of the unborn. Here the idea that the "ends do not justify the means" is clearly applied & would not be a morally permissible action. While indirect abortion is where both the life of the mother & the life of the unborn are equally given status but the act that saves the mothers life may cause the unborn child to die indirectly. An example of indirect abortion is seen in cases of eptopic pregnancy where the fallopian tube would be removed with the unborn intact, saving the life of the mother, but resulting in the indirect death of the unborn. The Church only recongnizes very rare cases were indirect abortion is possible & views the vast majority abortive procedures to be the result of procurring a direct abortion.http://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/INDIRECT.TXT http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19741118_declaration-abortion_en.html Catholics who procure or participate in an abortion suffer ipso facto latae sententiae (automatic, literally by that very fact the sentence is incurred) excommunication under canon law. The Catholic Church also considers the destruction of any embryo to be equivalent to abortion. The following practices are considered immoral because they are likely to involve the destruction of an embryo: any potentially abortifacient birth control methods (IUD, the Morning After Pill, RU-486, the Pill); embryonic stem cell research or therapy; and in-vitro fertilization (which almost always involves the discarding of a fertilized embryo and is also considered immoral for other reasons). However, the Church does state that it is moral to provide the "Morning After Pill" or Emergency Contraceptive if conception has not occurred to victims of rape or incest. If conception has occurred (verifiable through a blood test) the Emergency Contraceptive may not be given as its purpose is to cause a direct abortion. http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/ecfact.htm Further, Catholic women may use hormonal birth control methods if they remain celibate during the course of treatment. This treatment should only be used in rare medical cases as hormonal birth control does have negative side effects. In sum, the Catholic Church teaches that direct abortion is always a grave evil. The Second Vatican Council in 1965 referred to abortion as "an unspeakable crime" in the document Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World):
Such a Constitution is the most authoritative expression of the faith that exists, in that a concilliar Constitution is only issued with the universal affirmation of all the bishops in the world in union with the pope. Church leaders often explain that modern advancements in scientific and medical knowledge of DNA and pre-natal development have simply affirmed the Church's understanding of the beginning of human life. Eastern Orthodox While not all the Orthodox share Catholicism's objections to all contraception, they agree that life begins at conception, and that abortion (including the use of abortifacient drugs) is the taking of a human life. This view is reflected in their observance of the Feast of the Annunciation, when Jesus was conceived, and also of the feast of the conception of the Virgin Mary and the feast of the conception of John the Forerunner. Today, many Orthodox leaders have also spoken out against euthanasia and human cloning as related practices that reflect a devaluation of human life. Protestant Protestant views on abortion vary considerably. There is no instrument by which a formal definition of doctrine can be declared for all Evangelicalism|Evangelical and fundamentalist movements and churches. Therefore, the teaching held in general by these groups must be discerned sociologically. Especially in the United States, the view is widely held that abortion is a form of infanticide. The groups are substantially united in the view that "abortion for convenience" (abortion where there is no mortal danger to the mother, or where the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest) is always wrong and should be banned. Increasingly, in recent elections since the 1970s, many Evangelical and fundamentalist churches have encouraged their congregations to vote based on the pro-life agenda, and preach that it is a religious duty to seek legislation restricting or eliminating access to abortion, and for laws requiring parental consent for minors and more complete disclosure of the risks involved. However, there is no consensus within these camps as to whether exceptions should be allowed when the mother's life is in mortal danger, or when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. Some argue that the lives of both mother and child should be given equal consideration, in effect condemning all abortion, including those performed to save the life of the mother. However, others argue for exceptions which favor the life of the mother, perhaps including pregnancies resulting from the corner cases of rape or incest. The "mainline" Protestant churches continue to be divided over the issue. While generally tending to be reluctantly supportive of legal abortion in limited circumstances, most of the mainline denominations have factions of both the pro-life and the pro-choice movements active within them. As a result, the mainliners are usually not officially, institutionally aligned with either side of the debate. The Southern Baptist Convention is an exception, having recently issued statements in opposition to abortion (stances issued from the national level are not necessarily reflective of state and local associations or individual Baptist congregations). Most Anglican bishops hold and teach that abortion is grave sin, as do most Lutheran bodies. For a more detailed examination of the Evangelicalism|Evangelical position on abortion, see Abortion and Evangelical Christians. Mormonism The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes a strong position against abortion, viewing it as the taking of a human life. Mormons are encouraged to consult the bishop of their ward for a blessing and prayer before making a decision, though bishops are discouraged from persuading the mother either way. Church-wide, abortion is viewed as acceptable only in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother or child is in danger. Hinduism teaches that abortion is a great crime and one of the worst sins. It is one of the six kinds of murder described in Hindu culture. Moreover, abortion thwarts a soul in its progress towards God, like any other act of violence. It teaches that a fetus is a living, conscious person deserving of protection. Hinduism has traditionally taught that a soul is reincarnated and enters the embryo at the time the embryo is conceived. In fact, one of the seven legendary immortals or Chiranjeevin in Hinduism, Ashwatthama, was cursed by Lord Krishna, avatar of Vishnu to immortality and eternal suffering partly for killing the fetus, later born as Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna when he was in his mother's womb. Parakashit was born stillborn but was raised from the dead by Shri Krishna. http://www.indianest.com/hinduism/036.htmhttp://www.hinduism-today.com/archives/1998/10/1998-10-25.shtml http://www.chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/religion/bala.asp. Islam generally does not approve of abortion. The only circumstance that is agree upon is if the mother's life is in jeopardy, as this is seen as destroying a potential life to save one already existent. It is also believed if one is obtaining an abortion for reasons that are related to financial or emotional that one is doubting Allah and Allah's ability to provide. Jewish tradition is sensitive to the sanctity of life, and does not permit abortion on demand. However, it sanctions abortion under some circumstances because it does not regard the fetus as an autonomous person. This is based partly on the Torah (Exodus 21:22-23), which prescribes monetary damages when a person injures a pregnant woman, causing a miscarriage. Judaism holds that the fetus is not yet a full human being, and thus killing a fetus is not murder. Abortion, when necessary, must take place before the first 40 days, when the fetus is referred to as "mere water". (Christians who agree with these Jewish views may refer to this idea as abortion before the "quickening" of the soul by God in the fetus.) The Mishna (Ohalot 7:6) explicitly indicates that one is to abort a fetus if the continuation of pregnancy might imperil the life of the mother. Later authorities have differed as to how far one might go in defining the peril to the mother in order to justify abortion, and at what stage of gestation a fetus is considered having a soul. Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism disapproves of abortion in any other circumstance than to save the mother's life. Although a recent posek|rabbinical authority holds the minority view that a child with known Tay-Sachs disease may be aborted due to its dismal prognosis, this view has not been accepted as of 2005 by most rabbinical authorities. Psychiatric disease in the mother and rape as the cause of pregnancy are debated by the Acharonim (post-1550 authorities), but generally abortion is only morally permissible if there is actual danger to the life of the mother. Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism: the Rabbinical Assembly Committee on Jewish Law and Standards takes the view that an abortion is justifiable if a continuation of pregnancy might cause the mother severe physical or psychological harm, or when the fetus is judged by competent medical opinion as severely defective. The fetus is a life in the process of development, and the decision to abort should never be taken lightly. Before reaching her final decision, the mother should consult with the father, other members of her family, her physician, her Rabbi and any other person who can help her in assessing the many grave legal and moral issues involved.
Category:Abortion Category:Religious law Category:Religion and politics This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Religion and abortion".
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