One of the first attractions I had towards the Catholic Church were the many Anglicans I met that were in the Anglican Church because of the Catholic Church’s stance on abortion. For me abortion has always been a simple matter, man and woman, in cooperation with God, conceived a child. To take this life is wrong. We as a society have taken the argument as far away from this simple fact as is possible.
Argument #1: The couple are not married, made a poor judgement that led to conception, have no means, monetarily nor mentally to raise a child. We should just abort the child and forego a life of misery for all involved.
Response: Who made us God? Can we see the future that clearly? I cannot deny we have statistics that clearly forecast a chance conception ending in poverty and a broken family, but is that the fault of the couple or the society that refused to provide the structures by which they could succeed? The Church does provide excellent adoption counseling, helping mom to a happy family that is desperate for a child. But we need to do more. Every parish should have a free day care for those in need, letting mom and dad work or finish school. Will mom grow up with everyone knowing she was pregnant without being married, yes, but please, this is hardly a scarlet letter in todays society.
Argument #2: It is a woman’s choice what is done with her body.
Response: I totally agree, choose not to have intercourse, as once the deed is done and the life in conceived, your body is no longer private, there are two where there was one. What about the child? How can one person make a life or death decision for another? If my mom “chose” to shoot me dead after I threw the football that knocked over her favorite piece of art when I was 8 years old, would the police simply discard my body and bid mom a good day? I think not! But of course this argument goes further, debate is made on whether the child in the womb is alive or simply a mass of tissue. The bible does not remain silent here.
The phrase “conceived and bore” is used repeatedly (see Genesis 4:1, 17) and the individual has the same identity before as after birth. “In sin my mother conceived me,” the repentant psalmist says in Psalm 51:7. The same word is used for the child before and after birth (Brephos, that is, “infant,” is used in Luke 1:41 and Luke 18:15.)
God knows the preborn child. “You knit me in my mother’s womb . . . nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret” (Psalm 139:13,15). God also helps and calls the preborn child. “You have been my guide since I was first formed . . . from my mother’s womb you are my God” (Psalm 22:11-12). “God . . . from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace” (St. Paul to the Galatians 1:15). taken from https://www.ewtn.com/library/PROLIFE/PFLBIBLE.HTM
This is a life from the moment of conception, to believe otherwise is to discard scripture, and before you walk that road, remember the parts of the Bible that you enjoy, are we ready to cast those off as well? This of course will not sway the atheist, nor the heretic, but we must still protect the innocent in the womb, as they have no means of helping themselves.
Bottom line, any pregnancy is a life that deserves to live and at least have a chance. The Church should do more, without a doubt, to help parents adjust and thrive with unexpected addition(s) of children. Perhaps if we, the Church, were more proactive, led the way to create the daycare needed, supply the financial aid needed, maybe society would see that we are ready to care for these families and not be so eager to discard these innocents.
Seeking the Truth 