Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Abortion Is Not "Morally" Wrong But A Blessing

I'm probably going to make some people mad today -- maybe even some progressives and/or liberals. These days there is a war being waged on the right by those who would deny a woman the right to control her own body -- a right that men unquestioningly have. By denying women this right we are reducing them to a second-class status as citizens, and saying they are too stupid to control their own bodies and make their own decisions.

This is just wrong. Those on the right, especially the religious fundamentalists, would have us believe that abortion is morally wrong -- that it is the taking of a human life. And far too often these days too many people are buying into this argument -- even those who say they believe in a woman's right to have an abortion. Somehow, they give the moral high ground to those who would deny women their rights. They want to talk about what a difficult problem this is.

Well, let me be clear about my stance. This is not a difficult problem. Abortion is NOT morally wrong! It is NOT the taking of a human life! The well-being of a woman is much more important than the protection of a bit of protoplasm (and that's all it is)! No woman should ever be made to feel guilty for choosing to have an abortion! And no man should ever have a say in whether a woman gets an abortion -- it is her body and her choice, and whatever she chooses is the right (and moral) choice! And no level of government should have anything to say about a woman's decision to have an abortion!

I refuse to give up the moral high ground to the fundamentalists! Abortion is not a moral choice, but a psychological, physical, medical, financial, or social choice that can only be made by the woman in question. And I refuse to believe that having an abortion is in any way wrong.

I bring up this topic today because I ran across these words by the Reverend Katherine Ragsdale (pictured), dean of Cambridge University's Episcopal Divinity School. She also refuses to give up the moral high ground to the rights-deniers, and I agree with every word she says here:

Let's be very clear about this: when a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.


When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion — often a late-term abortion — to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.


When a woman wants a child but can't afford one because she hasn't the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.



And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion — there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing.



These are the two things I want you, please, to remember — abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

17 comments:

  1. Dearest Ted,
    Thank you, thank you and Ms. Ragsdale for so eloquently saying what I have always felt. As a woman who was brought up Catholic, I always found it difficult to articulate the constant feeling that I was inferior to men in that world.
    Turning my back on a religion that constantly told me I was too stupid to make my own bodily choices was a difficult and life changing choice.

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  2. Curious Texan-
    I am not going to post your comment about the description of the abortion of a 26 1/2 week old fetus. I will note that is more than twice the legal age limit set by the Supreme Court. You have your own blog if you wish to post that kind of ridiculous and misleading information.

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  3. First of all, it's a quote from a Supreme Court decision (Gonzales v. Carhart, decided on 04/18/2007). The quote was from sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. If anyone wants to look up, it's in the public record. The quote is on page 8 of the slip opinion.

    Secondly, under Roe v. Wade, which is still the law of the land, abortion is legal during all nine months of pregnancy. Cite me a Supreme Court decision that rules otherwise. Gonzales v. Carhart outlawed one particular late-term procedure, not late-term abortion outright.

    Thirdly, I did post it on my own blog shortly after Gonzales v. Carhart was decided.

    Fourthly, it's easy to wax eloquent about what a "blessing" abortion is - in the abstract.

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  4. Abortion is "legal" only up to the point of viability. After that it requires a doctor's decision that the woman's life is in danger. Are you in favor of killing women to save fetus's? And yes, abortion is a blessing.

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  5. Doe v. Bolton (the companion decision to Roe v. Wade) ruled that late-term abortions require a doctor's decision that the woman's health (not life) is in danger. Here's the definition of "health," taken directly from Doe v. Bolton:

    "We agree with the District Court, 319 F. Supp., at 1058, that the medical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors – physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age – relevant to the wellbeing of the patient. All these factors may relate to health. This allows the attending physician the room he needs to make his best medical judgment. And it is room that operates for the benefit, not the disadvantage, of the pregnant woman." [Emphasis added.]

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  6. If all it is is a "bit of protoplasm", then why the decision to abort? A little bit of protoplasm never hurt anyone. Clearly, your science is off. An unborn human life is just that -- an unborn human life. And taking that life results in the gruesome murder of a child, not to mention an irreparable void in the life of not just the parents of the child -- but all of us. Who do you think you are to call to killing of a human person "a blessing". What makes your life so much "superior" to the lives of these unborn children that the decision of your mother to abort you would not be considered by you (or anyone) to be a "blessing"? YOUR LIFE IS A BLESSING AND SO IS THEIRS. There is no difference, unless you think that some people are worthy to live and others to die. Just some food for thought.

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    Replies
    1. God (or Nature, whichever you believe is in control) aborts most human fertilized eggs and embryos. Less than half ever become people. Look it up. Most of the time if a sexually active woman isn't contracepting her menstrual flow flushes out a fertilized egg. By your reasoning you should be fighting for their lives or at least giving them decent burials.

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    2. I loved every word in this article. Thank you for having the compsssion of Christ. It’s so rare to find that among Christians today. Women’s lives matter. Sad that I even have to state that.

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    3. A fertilized egg cares as much about whether it becomes a living breathing human being as a unfertilized egg. Neither have more value than the woman. People who get all emotional over fertilized eggs need to be medicated.

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  7. A confused young woman11/08/2012 4:57 AM

    I don't know about any of you all but I am a seventeen year old girl who made a mistake with s boy who is only interested in making my life miserable. He is trying to be in the child's life just to hurt me and when he's not he's sleeping with countless other girls trying to get back at me. If the people above have never been in a position were having a child would prevent them from finishing high school or having enough food to eat I suggest you rethink your stance. I have been struggling with this decision myself. And to the person above, I really hope you've never used birth control or anything of the sort because it's the same argument. I really appreciate this article; it's been helpful

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  8. Greetings -
    At the intersection of my roles as a psychologist and blogger for Alternet and the Huffington Post and co-chair of Washington Women for Choice, I have been thinking recently about how to change and deepen the conversation about reproductive rights and thoughtful childbearing, and how abortion fits into this mix. Recently I summarized some of my thinking into an article, which I am hoping will stimulate conversation. I wanted to call your attention to it, in case it is of value to you.It is very much along the lines of Dr. Ragsdale's thinking.
    Warmly,
    Valerie
    Abortion As a Blessing, Grace, or Sacred Gift–A Renewed Conversation about Reproductive Rights and Moral Values
    (awaypoint.wordpress.com)

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