Opinions on Abortion

[fulano]

I'm okay with abortion during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, afterwards I'm kinda torn on the subject but leaning more on the side of pro-choice up to the sixteenth week with a firm no, no, up to the twentieth. But that's me.

If it's for decent reasons like for example: to save the life of the pregnant woman, to preserve the woman's physical or mental health, to terminate pregnancy that would result in a child born with a congenital disorder that would be fatal or associated with significant morbidity, or to selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen health risks associated with multiple pregnancy. Other than that, it's a fuck up.

People tend to overlook the fact that we're a bunch of cells in the beginning and there is no noticeable or even basic brain activity in those weeks of gestation. We're basically way, way dumber than even the slightest bug.

If people want to associate feelings with a cluster of quasi reptilian cells(YES they are alike in the first weeks of gestation) good for them, but they should do their homework first before coming out decrying morality and whatnot. They whine that every life is sacred while at the same time doing shit for those still alive and in misery, calling them lazy, over the hill, whatever...

If one is going to argue that then one has to be aware of the double standard.

I'm 100% pro-choice under the circumstances cited above.

 

[BaronAsh]

I like the way the U.K. has it.

 

[Jamanticus]

Pro-choice here
I don't see how anyone else can dictate to a woman what she can and can't do with her own body. And that group of cells in her womb is not a child.

....But there's an excellent chance that those cells will develop into a child, so you have to take the future into consideration, right?

There's an excellent chance the next load some snotty teenager wipes away with a kleenex could have been a child. i fail to the see the point of that argument

I say: woman's choice completely, i've been through this, would've been with my girlfriend w/e she decided, i can't tell someone what to do with their body at all, it's just basically wrong

?.....What I'm trying to say is that, once conception's occurred, you're going to have a kid. It's been proven over and over again.

Now, what I meant by that argument is simply that, while a baby may start off as a small cluster of undifferentiated cells, it will develop into a human if you give it long enough. Therefore, one has to think of the future (the kid's future?) when considering things like abortion, in addition to the current state of things with the mother and her health, etc....

 

[fulano]

Now, what I meant by that argument is simply that, while a baby may start off as a small cluster of undifferentiated cells, it will develop into a human if you give it long enough. Therefore, one has to think of the future (the kid's future?) when considering things like abortion, in addition to the current state of things with the mother and her health, etc....

There are lots of things to consider, but the fact remains that it's still a cluster of cells in the initial weeks of gestation, so if there is merit to the case of abortion the cluster should be treated as such.

 

[Jamanticus]

There are lots of things to consider, but the fact remains that it's still a cluster of cells in the initial weeks of gestation, so if there is merit to the case of abortion the cluster should be treated as such.

Excellent point. Then we all get into the argument of when and whether abortion has any merit, and before long, we start reusing arguments and repeating ourselves (in my experience, at least.... Won't happen here, though)

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

to be honest, yes it is the womans decision, but it's always the womans decision, one can still have an opinion on the matter.

i generally have far too much empathy (it's a good thing im not a woman!) because when i think about abortion, i think about people that i know not being here. i mean imagine your best friend not being your best friend because he was never born? or the doctor who saves your life, and so on. yes, it can work both ways but still, i overthink things, i could probably never say yes to abortion unless it was a rape baby, or it endangered the womans life.

 

[Jamanticus]

to be honest, yes it is the womans decision, but it's always the womans decision, one can still have an opinion on the matter.

i generally have far too much empathy (it's a good thing im not a woman!) because when i think about abortion, i think about people that i know not being here. i mean imagine your best friend not being your best friend because he was never born? or the doctor who saves your life, and so on. yes, it can work both ways but still, i overthink things, i could probably never say yes to abortion unless it was a rape baby, or it endangered the womans life.

No, I think you brought up some valid points, ChromeAlchemist.... I don't have that much to add to them at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something soon

 

[Dys]

I'm for abortion to a point, however late term abortions are bother disguisting and dangerous, so I am against them (more for the latter reason I suppose..but really...yuk).
I tend to dismiss the argument about it destryong life as stupid, if it isn't relying on its on bodily systems to maintain itself, I don't consider it to be alive. Where do you draw the line?
should menstrating women feel terrible because of the potential "loss of life" they have caused?
or how about every man that has EVER had sex, as even in the case of the lady friend getting impregnated, uncountabel legions of sperm don't make it.
Then, even without the aspec of the other argument being silly and it being wrong to dictate your beleifs on others, there are many times when it is much less cruel to abort a pregnancy than bring a baby into an unwilling family. Do we really need more kids walking the streets because their parents don't care?

 

[stompy]

I'm for it. If the baby is born of rape, or has a debilitating illness, or life will be hell for all parties involved, then abortion should be an option. If, like a few others have stated, the mother uses abortion instead of contraceptives, then she should still get an abortion, but get tubal ligation as well.

Potato Lord, if I may ask, have you had a child? Have you ever given birth? Generally, it's very taxing to give birth to a child, both physically and emotionally. If a woman gives birth to a child, and then immediately gives it up for adoption, it's even harder for the mother.

Most people here are saying abortion should be allowed, but as a last resort. This, I agree with.

 

[fulano]

I'm for it. If the baby is born of rape, or has a debilitating illness, or life will be hell for all parties involved, then abortion should be an option. If, like a few others have stated, the mother uses abortion instead of contraceptives, then she should still get an abortion, but get tubal ligation as well.

Potato Lord, if I may ask, have you had a child? Have you ever given birth? Generally, it's very taxing to give birth to a child, both physically and emotionally. If a woman gives birth to a child, and then immediately gives it up for adoption, it's even harder for the mother.

Most people here are saying abortion should be allowed, but as a last resort. This, I agree with.

That's why women who are actually exercising their sex life should take their pregnancy tests often. Contraceptives work very well on both sides(m/f), but they are not perfect, and since we guys can't get knocked up, it falls on the ladies laps' to take those measures seriously(or for the guys to start nagging). That way, if an unwanted pregnancy occurs, measures can be carried out promptly, in time and without involving a hospital(there's a pill for that).

 

[Ultrajoe]

Im Pro-choice, but also for a fathers right to have somewhat of a say in the matter.

 

[Arntor]

As I see it, a human isn't conceived until he is aware of himself. Until consciousness of their own existence is fully developed, the parents may do as they please. Until then, the fetus is merely a part of the mother's body with no will.

Even so, while I support early abortion, late term abortion is in the moral grey area, as a child kicking may or may not have become conscious. I don't know, I can't recall the time when I was in my mother's womb.

 

[Rshady]

I'm neither 'pro-choice' or 'pro-life'(which is a stupid term). I have no problem with abortion and I don't think it is anyone elses concern aside from parents of the fetus, end of.

 

[dusparr]

Pro choice:

To All the bible people out there:

"Abortion sends babies to god faster!"

 

[fulano]

As I see it, a human isn't conceived until he is aware of himself. Until consciousness of their own existence is fully developed, the parents may do as they please. Until then, the fetus is merely a part of the mother's body with no will.

Even so, while I support early abortion, late term abortion is in the moral grey area, as a child kicking may or may not have become conscious. I don't know, I can't recall the time when I was in my mother's womb.

You seem to take a stance I sympathize with for completely wrong reasons in my opinion.

Your whole "consciousness of existence" is a bogus idea, sorry.

When a fetus is in the later stages of the pregnancy it doesn't matter if you consider it conscious or not (they may not be 100% conscious but they seem to respond to musical stimuli and mum's voice), that thing is a person already. Brain activity is already there. Late term abortion is not a gray area, it's a definite no.

If the unwanted baby is already on the later terms of the pregnancy, then, that's it. Better have the hellspawn and give it away to a family that can adopt it and give it proper care.

 

[Arntor]

When a fetus is in the later stages of the pregnancy it doesn't matter if you consider it conscious or not (they may not be 100% conscious but they seem to respond to musical stimuli and mum's voice), that thing is a person already. Brain activity is already there. Late term abortion is not a gray area, it's a definite no.

Yeah, to be honest, the reason I called it a grey area was because I was unsure, so thanks for clarifying that. If there is a reaction to external stimuli then by all means have the child and then leave them up for adoption if you don't want them.

 

[Trace2010]

I was completely anti-abortion until I picked up a pamphlet from T.D. Jakes (a pastor from a church in North Carolina). In it he asks a simple question:

"How can the majority conservative Christian right be pro-Life and yet shun women with illegitimate children at the same time?"

Changed my whole thought process on the issue. I am still pro-Life, but I believe that Christians as a whole need to accept, embrace, and aid the unwed mother with as much emotional support, love and friendship that the spiritual community can muster. Continuing to simultaneously cast out the unwed mother yet praise her for the decision to keep her baby is very hypocritical.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Pro-choice. I'd rather an unwanted kid be "killed" while it's still mostly a bundle of cells than it be born and potentially live an abused, neglected, unwanted, horrible life.

But also I'm against late-term, a mother should know whether or not she's keeping the kid pretty early on, and when it's big enough to respond to stimuli and whatnot I do consider that killing someone, and letting it get to that point and then deciding to abort is just ridiculous.