Abortion___Morality_Debate

Does the fetus have any moral or legal rights' One of the most discussed ethical issues is the controversy surrounding abortion. Everyone has an opinion. Many people who voice their opinion do not base it on conversations with people who are opposed to their views or scientific studies. Problem: When does a fetus become a person' Does the fetus have any moral or legal rights' Supporting Arguments for abortion: Not everything that is immoral is illegal. For instance death by lethal injection, some people may argue it is immoral but it is legal. No women should be forced to carry a child for 9 months then give birth. Children that are a product of an unwanted pregnancy are very likely to be abused or neglected. Some women may abort simply because they can not afford a child. It is inhuman to bring a child into this world then force it to live without life’s necessities. This is a Liberal point of view. Liberals are people who reject logical and biblical standards often for self centered reasons. According to the “Introduction to a Moderate Position on Abortion” fetus’ are not a person due to the fact they lack the six features required to be human. 1. Sentience (conscience experience) 2. Emotionality (able to be happy, sad etc…) 3. Reason (ability to solve a problem 4. Capacity to communicate (able to communicate) 5. Self awareness (having concept of ones self) 6. Moral agency (able to regulate actions through moral principals). Opposing arguments against abortion: God is the creator of life. All life is precious and should be protected. A person becomes a person at conception therefore it has rights that exceed the rights of the person’s body it is within. This would be a statement of a conservative person. Conservative people are usually part of religious groups. Conservative persons go as far as saying a child conceived during rape should not be aborted. Abortion should be illegal. Neutral arguments: A moderate approach is basically neutral. Moderates feel a line should be drawn dividing the stages during pregnancy when a zygote becomes a fetus (person). If the unborn child has a functioning brain then it is considered a person. Conclusion: I definitely can not be a part of a conservative group. But, as a Liberal I can not condone abortion without good reason. My first thoughts are 1. If something has to feed off someone in order to exist is it truly alive' 2. Can the fetus feel the pain of being extracted from its mother’s womb' After reading several articles including the “Introduction to a Moderate Position of Abortion” I decided I also am definitely taking the moderate position. But I have changed one of my points of view. In a previous post I stated that the State laws prohibit abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy and that a fetus could possibly survive outside the womb during the 22nd week of pregnancy, which is true but, then I learned at about 8 weeks of pregnancy brain waves are present. If brain waves are present then it is possible for a fetus to feel pain. Therefore I feel it would be moral to terminate before the 8th week of pregnancy. I do not know what the abortion procedure is but, I pray that the pain relievers given to the mother is also passed to the child. I also think it is the woman's choice to terminate if they are raped, for health reasons or if the child will suffer disabling conditions. I feel abortion is a very personal issue. I do not feel people should judge anyone. Women who chose abortion will have to live with the decision for the rest of their lives. They will never forget especially when they do give birth or they are asked by their physicians how many pregnancies they have had and the results of each pregnancy. Women who had abortions need support and understanding not criticism. Cited articles: 1. www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article 2. www.huffingtonpost.com/.../how-liberals-think-about-_b_58036.html 3. jonjayray.tripod.com/abortion.html - 4. www.mc.maricopa.edu/~yount/text/abortion.html Are God’s commandments the foundation for mortality' There are numerous theories that attempt to give an explanation of mortality. One of the most common theories is that mortality depends on following Gods commandments and lives according to scripture. Problem: Are God's commandments the foundation for mortality' Supporting Arguments: “The Divine Command Theory” states that morality is a creation of God. It also states morality and religion are inseparable. In Rachel’s chapter four it is implied that there would not be any foundation for morality without Gods commandments. God created Adam and Eve. God gave them rules to abide by. At the beginning of creation God directed them to be righteous and deserving of his love. He rewarded them for good deeds and punished them for being disobedient. God is our foundation for mortality; he created the heavens, earth, the sun, and human life. If it were not for God there would be no existence. When God created the 10 commandments he intended them to be a guideline for humans to live by. Opposing Arguments: “The theory of Natural Law” respects views of the world; it is based on the structure of reality itself. It also argues the “laws of nature” not only describes how things are but, how they should be and it questions moral knowledge. Natural law is unchanging rules or patterns which human beings will discover through experience and wisdom. Atheists are likely to adopt the “The Natural Law Theory”. According to natural law human beings can rationally guide themselves to their own good. God’s commandments could not be the foundation for mortality for the simple fact; there are many moral people who do not believe God exists and some who have never been exposed to the teachings of Christ. For example, there are not as many Christians in China compared to the Buddhism religion. This does not mean there are less moral people in China than in America. Conclusion: No matter how vague it may seem mortality is based on beliefs, culture, race, gender or any type of difference. There is no right or wrong definition for mortality. In my book “The Divine Command Theory” was made up to convince people they would be better people if they were followers of God. “The Theory of Natural Law” is a close explanation to my beliefs. For example, as a teenager I was offered the drug “speed” I was aware for the effects of the drug due to observing others that were taking it. My human nature alarmed me that the drug could destroy my mind and made me aware I may do things I will regret. I chose to walk away from the situation. There is not any commandment that specifically states “Thou shall not use drugs” You could interpret the verse “Your body is your temple and you must protect it.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 in the bible but, it is not a commandment. I am a follower of Gods commandments but, they do not cover all situations. Although I do believe in God, I feel people who do not believe can be as mortal as I am as long as they believe in being a positive influence on society. Most of us were raised by parents who told us it’s not right to lie, steal, kill etc... These were words of wisdom from our parents they instilled in us to prevent them from one day bailing us out of jail. Later we learned these were Gods commandments. Sure God is a positive influence on mortality but, God is definitely not the foundation for what is right and wrong. Cited articles: 1. www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/gospel/mortality.html 2. www.bibleontheweb.com/Bible.asp 3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_command_theory 4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Christianity