Abortion

Abortion Podcast By Matt Kersic What is abortion? Abortion is the process of terminating a pregnancy after conception. There are two standing view points that deal with the issue, and the two are pro-life and pro-choice. Pro- life believes that every baby should have a chance in the world. The other view point is pro-choice, and they believe that the mother and father have the choice if they want to terminate the pregnancy. Abortion throughout world religions can vary to each religion going from allowable to disallowed. Each major world religion has different rules that each follower of that religion to follower. First, Christianity, the largest religion in the world, is different from the other world religions from having two sects that have two varying viewpoints. Catholics see abortion as a forbidden practice that should never be done. All Catholics believe that abortion is murder and the government should have nothing to do with abortion. The Protestant’s views varies from each separate sect of protestantism, but most protestants are against the practice. Some Protestant sects may be a little more liberal about abortion. Christians believe also believe that abortion should only b used to protect the mother in case in life threatening situations. When abortion is referred Judaism, all Jewish sects believe that abortion is murder and should not be practiced unless there is a life threatening situation to the mother. Also, all Jews believe that the government should not have the power to decide whether abortion is legal or not. They also believe that if a mother chooses to have an abortion she must confer with a poskim. A poskim is a rabbi that gets to decide matters of Jewish law. In Islam, the second largest religion in the world, abortion is one of the worst sins that can committed while a Muslim. Islam believes that abortion is one of the worst sins because there was no crime or foul that the fetus did, so aborting has no logic. Muslims also believe abortion is the same as if a man killed another man. When abortion is referred to Hinduism, the beliefs are the same as Islam, believing that abortion is one of the worst acts that a human can commit. Hindus believe that **all** life is sacred and should be dealt with care. Abortion is so bad that the Hindus have a special name for the practice called, //Garha-batta// , which literally means womb killing. When abortion is referred to Buddhism, the key word that comes to mind is toleration. Buddhists believe that the practice is not right, but they are not angry for Buddhists that have received an abortion in the past or are considering abortion in the future. Buddhists also believe that abortion should only be used to protect the mother if needed. The final major world religion is both the Chinese philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism. These two religions have the same teachings on the ethical issue of abortion. The followers of Confucianism and Taoism see abortion as a necessary evil. In these two religions there are no ethical codes that forbid the practice. The Taoists and Confucianists believe abortion should only be used in a situation when the pregnancy would threaten the mother. In conclusion, abortion is very much treated the same way by all of the major world religions. All of the religions regard the practice of abortion as evil, but mostly all religions believe that if the mother is threatened then abortion is the right thing to do. Overall, we can see that abortion is really bad and should not be done because it is the same thing as murder. http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/Religions.htm http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles/10rguments.htm http://lifestrategies.thingseternal.com/topics/abortion/prochoice-arguments.html http://www.unconventional-wisdom.org/Essays/Abortion.asp http://www.religioustolerance.org/jud_abor.htm http://www.thatreligiousstudieswebsite.com/Ethics/Applied_Ethics/Abortion/abortion_judaism.php http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48954946.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_abortion http://www.fnsa.org/fall98/neusner.html http://www.spuc.org.uk/students/abortion/religion http://www.catholic.com/library/Abortion.asp http://www.cpforlife.org/teaching_against_abortion.htm http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=398 http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_hist.htm http://www.islamic-laws.com/abortion.htm http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/abortion/background/islam1.html http://www.fnsa.org/fall98/murti.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/abortion.html http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Buddhism-and-Abortion.html http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/Religions.htm

Abortion

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **The Chinese Philosophies: Confucianism and Taoism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

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In Confucianism and Taoism abortion is usually treated as a necessary evil, to be used as a last resort, only rarely is it promoted. In ancient times both Chinese philosophies practiced it because no ethical codes forbid the practice. Although, the practice is not encouraged in any ways. The choice for abortion is left in the mother's hands to decide if she wants to have the child or not. Like the other major world religions, abortion should only be used in emergencies so the mother does not perish. There are no consequences in any way if a mother receives an abortion while practicing one of the Chinese philosophies.===== http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/Religions.htm

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Buddhism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

When abortion is referred to Buddhism, many Buddhists believe that abortion is not right. The Buddhists have a toleration for the people who do receive abortions even if the person is a Buddhist. Buddhism is renowned for its benevolence, toleration and compassion toward all things in life. There are no consequences, legally, socially, or spiritually that result from a person that receives an abortion. There are no known protests held by Buddhists against abortion at clinics or government offices. Buddhists do not care one bit about abortion and has no opinion about it. Throughout the world different Buddhists have different beliefs about the practice of abortion. Some Buddhists believe that taking a life is wrong and should not occur. Also, many other Buddhists have no opinion and do not care for the issue. There is no real private consequences either because their belief about compassion, love, and toleration.

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Hinduism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

When abortion is referred to Hindu's, all Hindu's believe that abortion is one of the worst acts a human can do. According to //Nine Beliefs of Hinduism,// a tract published by the Himalayan Academy of San Francisco: "Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice //ahimsa,// or nonviolence." All life is sacred because all creatures are manifestations of the Supreme Being. Hindus believe that the practice of abortion is bad karma. According to the Parliament of the World's Religions, writes that karma is "...the moral and physical law of cause and effect by which each individual creates one's own future destiny." Hindu scriptures and tradition have from the earliest of times condemned the practice of abortion, except when the life of the mother is in danger. Hinduism teaches that the fetus is a living, conscious person needing and deserving protection. Hindu scriptures refer to abortion as //garha-batta// (womb killing) and //bhroona hathya// (killing the undeveloped soul). Hindus believe that abortion is a crime and any one that practices abortion should be punished for doing or getting the abortion.

http://www.fnsa.org/fall98/murti.html

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Islam** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

The teachings on abortion show that abortion is one of the worst of the mortal sins in Muslim beliefs. The teachings show that any one that kills a fetus will be held responsible for killing the fetus. According to Islamic-law.com, " In Islam ‘all life matters'. Killing an innocent human even in its early stages as in abortion is like killing the whole of mankind, and to save a single human even in its fetus or embryonic stage is like saving the life of the whole of mankind." Islam teaches that abortion should never be treated as a practice because Muslims believe that aborting a fetus or embryo is like taking someones life away. Muslims believe that the fetus has no sin to be killed for, referencing to a Prophetic tradition that states "...that on the Day of Judgment the first case is about shedding innocent blood. The terminated fetus will confront its killer saying: “For what sin, was I killed?”." Muslims today are considered passionate pro-lifers saying that all life has a right to live. If one was to get an abortion as a Muslim, the person would be considered an outcast, and would be damned forever.

http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/abortion/background/islam1.html
Abortion

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FINE PRINT: DIVERSITY AND NUANCE. Are there different rules for different people/sects within **Christianity** regarding your ethical issue? What about differences in the way consequences are applied? **This week, concentrate on the similarities and differences between Catholics and Protestants on your topic.**=====

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The basic rules for abortion for both Catholics and Protestants is that both sects condemns the practice. The Jewish prophet, Moses, said "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely, but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" (Ex. 21:22–24). The Catholic Church has always condemned abortion as a grave evil. Both sides are pro-life and believe that abortion is very intolerable. These two sects have no specific consequences in which the Church does to a person who receives an abortion. The Christian Church does all it can do to prevent from the family to getting an abortion, and tries to find other opportunities for the child like adoption.=====

http://www.spuc.org.uk/students/abortion/religion http://www.catholic.com/library/Abortion.asp

Abortion

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Christianity** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

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For Christianity, abortion is dealt in a very proper manner regarding the ethical issue. Christianity condemns the process of abortion and does not allow it unless there are life threatening consequences for both the mother and child. The Cristian Church does not approve of it and say that dealing with life and death should only be in God's hands. Two quotes from the Book of Deuteronomy explains how only God should only take care of it and the quotes say " **Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live 30:19, It is I who bring both **** death and life. 32:39 **<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">" Christianity believes that life begins at conception and believe the Human Life is very sacred. Abortion in the Christian Church is considered to be a "closed" topic. They say the mother should not do it, that's it, but many people use abortion in deathly situations with the baby and the mother in danger of dying. Abortion is considered a spiritual matter and that the church bans the process. It is considered spiritual because only God should decide whether the child should live or die. There are no really big consequences when a person of the Christian church receives an abortion, the church just does all it can do so the person does not choose the option of abortion. =====

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For all sects of Judaism abortion is considered murder unless there is a specific reason why the mother is deciding to get an abortion. The Jewish sects are officially opposed to government involvement and regulation of abortion. In their opinion, the decision to have an abortion should be made by the woman with the assistance of her husband, her doctor and her rabbi. She needs all this assistance with the decision on abortion because they can not receive the abortion until they get an approval by the rabbi. The woman may receive an abortion unless there is a life threatening situation that will harm the mother and the baby=====

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BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Judaism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.=====

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Many Jewish people believe that life does not fully begin until the fetus' head comes out of the woman's body. Many would say that this belief would make the Jewish people a "pro-choice" people. The Jewish people also say that abortion should only be used in case of problems that develop with the pregnancy and would cause the woman pain. So there are two different views on abortion that can be considered both pro-life and pro-choice. It can be said about Judaism being very neutral on abortion depending on the situation in which the woman becomes pregnant or if the baby would have a disease when born. When the mother wants an abortion done to her baby, she must ask for permission from her //Poskim// (Rabbis qualified to decide matters of Jewish law). Some Poskims allow an abortion and some do not allow one. Abortion is a personal matter between the parents or mother and the Poskim. There are no true consequences if the woman would go ahead on the abortion without permission, but many Jewish people ask permission anyway and the views for the abortion from the Poskim. Spiritually, the Jewish people believe that life should always be preserved except in cases when the life would die anyway.=====

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Define and describe your topic as an ethical issue and identify the controversies and dilemmas within the issue. Seek to do general background reading to understand the main issues inherent in your topic.Identify at least two opposing positions often taken on your ethical issue, and explain two to three main arguments for each side.=====

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Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. The abortion is a optional decision between the mother or the mother and father. Many controversies go along with this ethical issue, but the biggest one is when life starts to determine if the abortion appropriate or not necessary at all. It is hard to settle on one side because each side have very argumentative points that can be true. The two sides that are discussed dealing with abortion is pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life is for the side that every pregnancy should get a chance in life and that no fetus or embryo should be terminated on the choice of the parents. Pro-choice is for the side that wants the choice and decision if the parents want to terminate the pregnancy or not. They stand for every deserves a choice in life and it would unfair if the people would not have a choice. Three important arguments come up for both sides of the ethical issue. The three for pro-life are the baby has attributes of a human during the development of the fetus. The second argument is that women have more of a chance for breast cancer when getting an abortion through the cells in the breasts being more acceptable to <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">carcinogens. Also, the third argument is that the bible pronounces any time a life is taken away, it s considered as killing a human being. The main controversy with when life begins argues the third argument. The three arguments for Pro-choice are that the fetus can be argued as another body part like the tonsils or appendix. The second argument is that people celebrate birthdays not on conception day so that is when life begins per says. The third and final argument for Pro-choice is that according to some people every woman should have the choice to decide whether they want the pregnancy or want to terminate and it is wrong to take that choice away from the woman. =====

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sources <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles/10rguments.htm <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://lifestrategies.thingseternal.com/topics/abortion/prochoice-arguments.html <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.unconventional-wisdom.org/Essays/Abortion.asp