So this is an issue I am strongly against and it seems to be coming up a lot lately, at school especially... Somehow, every time I try to express my opinion, someone interrupts me. So, to defend my stance against abortions, I have a few points I would like to make. Keep in mind, this is coming from a Christian stand point, and if you would like to oppose my opinion, please do so in a way that doesn't make you look stupid. Some of my views may be extreme, but sometimes you have to be a little extreme to make people listen. Here we go...
1. Every time we have a discussion about this in class the "well what if she was raped" excuse comes up. I call it an excuse because that's exactly what it is. While it is terribly unfortunate that a girl was raped, and became pregnant, that is no reason to kill an innocent child. It doesn't change the fact that she was raped, it only makes her a murderer. If she was raped and she feels that she absolutely must kill someone (while I don't believe this is the solution either), why not kill the guy who raped her? At least she has a reason to be mad at him, she has no reason to be mad at HER innocent child. "But you can't say that you wouldn't have an abortion if you were raped because you haven't been in that situation. You will never know for sure until you are in that situation." That's actually incorrect. Although I have never been raped, I already know that if I were to ever be raped and become pregnant, I would keep MY child. How can I say that for sure? Well this concept may be a little hard to grasp but here it goes: Even though I currently have no children, I already love them. I don't know who their father will be, how many I will have or if I will ever even have children, but I do know that I love the children I hope to have one day. I can't describe how much I already love them. In the same way, even though I am not married, I already love my future husband enough to remain a virgin until marriage. I don't know who God has planned out for me, but I already love him.
I also believe that everything happens for a reason. If a girl was raped, and became pregnant, I can't help but feel like something horrible happened in order for something amazing to happen: a child. If she aborts the child, she may have just killed the best thing that could have ever happened to her.
"But what if she is scared the baby will grow up to be just like the man who raped her?" Let me tell you this: if you raise a child right, keep them in the Lord's presence, love them, support them, discipline them when needed, and pray for them, your child is going to be fine. (Again: "how can you know that? you don't have any kids." I've seen it done over and over again. I was raised that way, my whole family was raised that way, and now they are raising their children that way. It works.) "So if abortion isn't the solution, what do you think is the solution to her being raped?" My answer is simple: 1. Salvation, if she doesn't already have it. 2. Prayer. She should pray that God would give her the strength to forgive whomever raped her. She should pray that she may have peace in her life. She should pray for guidance in raising her child. 3. She should read the bible. This is how God will guide her. This is how she will learn how to forgive the person who did this to her. 4. (In my opinion the hardest thing to do) She should FORGIVE. Forgiveness, contrary to popular belief, isn't for the other person, it's for you. It's not going to make the other person feel better, it's to make you feel better. It's hard, but it is possible.
2. The second issue that people argue is "a woman's right to do what she wants with her body." I love when people bring this up, because I get to tell them that there is a difference in a woman's "right" and her "ability". We have the "ability" to park in handicapped parking spots at Wal-Mart, but it doesn't give us the "right" to. We have the "ability" to punch stupid people in the face, but it doesn't give us the "right" to. We have the "ability" to rob a bank for millions of dollars, but it doesn't give us the "right" to. We have the "ability" to kill people but it doesn't give us the "right" to. Just because she has the ability to murder her child DOES NOT give her the right to. If she does not want a child, she should not be having sex. It seems everyone has forgotten that that is the purpose of sex: to create children. Why are people so surprised when they get pregnant when they are having sex frequently? THAT'S WHAT SEX IS FOR!!! Sex is not going to make someone love you. Sex is not going to make you popular. Sex is not going to make your problems go away. Sex is not going to make you prettier, or smarter, or more fun, or funnier, or nicer, or better in any way. SEX IS GOING TO MAKE A BABY. Also, if a woman does not want a child, but is pregnant, there is always the adoption choice. Millions of loving couples do not have the ability to have children, and so desperately want them. Some will even pay for all of the expenses. Some will even let you be a part of the child's life if you want to. And SOME might even let you name the child. I brought up this point once and someone said, "but she may not have the heart to give up her child after she has it." If she has the "heart" to kill her child, I'm pretty sure she can give it away to loving parents. If she would rather kill her child, than allow suitable parents to raise it, she's severely screwed up in the head.
Also, it's not only the woman's body, it's the child's life. Everyone, no matter who their parents are, race, sex, religion, geographic location, etc., has the right to life. No woman should have the "right" to kill her child.
If you still believe the woman should have the "right" to do what she wants with her body, then I have this to say: I believe it is the Child's right (notice no quotation marks) to cast their vote in whether they live or die.
3. "All sins are equal in the eyes of God, so having an abortion is the same as telling a lie." You're absolutely right. But to me, that doesn't justify abortions, it emphasizes how wrong lying (or any other sin for that matter) is. "So then why is it so bad to have an abortion? I'm sure you have told a lie before, and not thought anything about it." Still, you are right. I am flawed, I sometimes tell lies, I sometimes say things I shouldn't, I sometimes judge people before getting to know them, etc... However, as a Christian, I am forgiven for any sin I have or will ever commit. Does that mean I can go and do whatever I want to as long as I say "I'm sorry" at the end of the day? No. I have to make a conscious effort NOT to do those things. If someone is living a sinful life, and simply saying "I'm sorry" at the end of the day, and then the next day, doing the exact same things they "apologized" for, and they think that is perfectly ok, and they can go on living their life in that manner: then I dare to say that I don't believe that person is a Christian. Pure, plain, and simple. I do sin. I screw up all the time. I'm not perfect, and I don't claim to be. However, from a worldly standpoint, none of my sins have ever cost anyone their life, as abortion does.
4. For those of you who may be reading this, and do not believe that a child is alive while still in it's mother's womb. Let me ask you at which point is that child alive? The opposite of life is death. Therefore, if you don't believe a child is alive until the very moment it is born, is it dead the nanosecond before that? No? What about the minute before that? What about the hour before that? Day? Week? In your mind, at what point does that baby stop being dead and start being alive? My Senior A.P. Biology book defined life as an organism's cell's having the ability to multiply. So is that when it starts? Absolutely! So when does that start? At conception. Therefore, if life starts at conception, terminating a pregnancy at any point is murder. Did you just scare yourself? I hope so.
I think that about sums up everything I have to say. I could probably talk about this for days on end, but I'll spare you the time. I just have one last thing: PEOPLE, YOU HAVE GOT TO STOP JUSTIFYING MURDER. If a woman was raped and a toddler magically appeared at her side, should she have the right to kill it? ABORTION IS MURDER. There is no way to spin it to make that untrue. I don't know who will read this, or if anyone at all will read this. If you are reading this, and previously thought abortion was ok if... then I hope what I have said here will make you think twice. I don't know if it will change your opinion about it, but I pray that it does. If you are reading this and currently thinking about having an abortion (or just going through a hard time in your life) because you think it is the only option you have, and you don't know how to deal with the stress of being pregnant; this is what always helps me get trough hard times (and believe me when I say this, I have had my share of hard times.)
Psalm 46 says:
God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil.
There is a river- its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most High. God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns. Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.
The Lord of Hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth.
He makes wars cease throughout the earth. He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces; he burns up the chariots.
"Stop your fighting- and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth."
Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
One God. One Love. One Way.
