!
Yr 10 Miss MGG
Year 10 ReligionPersonal Moral Responsibility
Part A:Response to Article
In the article ‘Doctor investigated for refusing abortion’ published in
The Sydney Morning Herald, on the 7th of October 2013, deals with the moral issue of abortion and sex selection. Abortion meaning the action of deliberately terminating of a human pregnancy, in simple words killing the unborn baby that is still inside the mother. Abortion has been an on going issue for a lot of Australians. Some Australians think abortion is right because its law, where some Australians believe abortion is a no no, due to moral responsibilities. Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. Sex selection is ILLEGAL in Australia, but research shows that
50% of Australian adults would like to choose the sex of their baby. Dr
Mark Hobart a 55 year old Melbourne GP, may lose his medical license, after refusing an abortion of a couple who wanted a boy.
!
Dr Mark Hobart revealed a couple had asked him to refer the couple to an abortion clinic after discovering at 19 weeks that they were having a girl, when the wanted a boy. Dr Mark Hobart said ‘ The parents were upfront and told me that that was the only reason they wanted an abortion’. ‘I was dumbfounded to get a request for abortion for that reason’. The Dr also told us that the husband did all the talking and was very insistent. Dr Mark Hobart refuses the refer them to an abortion clinic and said ‘I don't know any doctor in
Victoria that would be willing to refer a woman that wanted to have an abortion just because of gender at 19 weeks’. Dr Mark Hobart stated that the baby was very health. Dr Mark Hobart had refused to the abortion due to his religion morals and conscience. Dr Mark
Hobart’s conscience said it was the wrong thing to do as he was a devout catholic and also a former activist in the Democratic Labour
Party. He has since resigned. This demonstrates the problem with abortion law, that the doctors can’t use their consciences wether its wrong or right. The couple went ahead with the abortion despite being refused by Dr Mark Hobart. Vitoria’s abortion law reform act
Nijashree Shah
Yr 10 Miss MGG
2000 says if a women want a abortion and the doctor has a conscientious objection, they doctor has to refer the women to another doctor who doesn't have an objection.
!
Catholic Belief
Today’s society has various different views on this particular topic.
Centuries ago the Catholic teaching on abortion was unclear, but now as modern times, the Catholic Church condemned abortion as a grave moral and social wrong. Even though Australia is predominantly
Christian the law still allows women to perform abortion. Catholic’s believe abortion is killing the creation of God. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” This verse shows that God has a plan for us even before he creates us in the womb. For man to thwart God's plan through the killing of His creation is an abomination.
!
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2270 states that Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.
!
Abortion does not only break the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:13)
‘You shall not murder’, but it also breaks the first commandment
(Exodus 20:4) ‘You shall have no other God against me’, because tinkling we are the ones who decide whether a child should be created is to say that God is not God because we are making the decision.
!
Non-Christians don't believe in aborting without a strong reason.
Aborting because of the gender is a sin in the eyes of Non-Christians.
But aborting because the woman's health might be in danger or aborting due to rape, is not a sin. Where as aborting because of the woman's health in danger is a sin for Catholics, no matter what happens there are no reasons to abort.
!
The Catholic belief says that deliberately causing an abortion is a grave moral wrong. It bases this doctrine on natural law and on the
Nijashree Shah
Yr 10 Miss MGG
written word of God. Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong. The Church teaches,
"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being" ("Donum vitae," 5). The Catholic believe there should be no reasons to perform such a dreadful act. Even if the woman's health is in danger, they are not to perform abortion. But a lot of Catholics do perform abortion only if there is a danger to the woman. Even the horror and tragedy of rape it isn't a considered reason to kill an innocent unborn life. The Catholic belief state that there should be absolutely no reason to perform abortion.
!
Secular Belief
Abortion is unacceptable even in a non-religious arena. It is plain murder of an infant, no matter how small it is. It goes to the basic moral principle, do not do to others what you do not want be done to you. But the secular belief differs as you may abort the fetus due to health problem or being a victim of rape.
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Nijashree Shah
Yr 10 Miss MGG
Part B:Personal Statement
!
My belief
I believe abortion is a sin. It is the wrong action. For me aborting a fetus is the same as murdering a living human.In Luke chapter one, verses 36 and 41, we are told that Elisabeth conceived a "son" and that the "babe" leaped in her womb. God does not say that a "fetus" leaped in her womb! He says THE BABE leaped. This is the exact same word that God uses to describe Christ in the manger AFTER He is born (Luke 2:12, 16). In God eyes, an unborn babe and a newborn babe are the same. They are both living human being. I respect and salute Dr.Mark Hobart, for his action, I believe he did the right thing even if the couple performed abortion, at least he didn't go against his religious belief. I believe if Dr.Mark had helped the couple to perform abortion, he would've sinned alongside the couple. I believe abortion should not be performed in any circumstances except I believe it’s ok if you abort the baby if the life of the woman is in danger, but I disagree that it is fine to abort as the woman was a victim of rape.If the victim of rape does not want the baby, she should still give birth to the innocent baby and put it up for adoption. I think the rape has nothing to do with the unborn baby.
!
To reduce abortion due to the sex selection we should wait to tell the sex of the fetus. We should only be able to tell the sex after 20 weeks.
Therefore there will be a decline in abortion due to sex, as you can’t get an abortion after, the 20th week.
!
In conclusion, for me abortion is a sin, only when its performed without a strong reason e.g rape, can’t afford. There should be no reason other than the pregnancy creating danger for the women. My moral conscience will never allow me to perform such immoral act. If for some reason I had to perform this act, there will always be guilt.
My conscience will always remind me that I murdered a innocent child. !
!
Nijashree Shah
!
!
Yr 10 Miss MGG
Bibliography
http://www.news.com.au/national/dr-mark-hobart-who-refusedcouple-abortion-for-wanting-a-boy-believes-abortion-is-murder/ story-fncynjr2-1226631861565 !
!
http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/gp-may-be-struck-offafter-objecting-to-abortion
! http://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_abortion.htm ! http://bible.oremus.org !
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ p3s2c2a5.htm !
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/abortion/ catholic-teaching/abortion-catechism-of-the-catholic-church/ !
http://www.catholicplanet.com/information/Catholic-Teachingon-Abortion.pdf
!
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Confrontation with authority is familiar to Morgentaler. His journey to earn the title as the country’s best known abortion provider was unlikely, but expected considering the early traumatic experiences which led him to his eventual career.…
- 890 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Ohio’s 24 Hour Informed Consent Law requires that women receive certain information at least 24 hours before an abortion in a face to face meeting with a physician. We will provide this information during your Pre-Abortion Visit.…
- 330 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The analysis for experiment four: Stoi 903was conducted by Me (name) and my partner (name). They analysis performed for experiment four: Stoi 903 took place at Texas State University- San Marcos in room 117 of the chemistry building. The concentrations used in the experiment were both .5 M sodium hypochlorite and sodium thiosulfate. The concentrations of the solutions found in the dumpster were calculated to be .806 M (both sodium hypochlorite and sodium thiosulfate as well). This was found by taking the 6.0% (by mass) sodium hypochlorite and multiplying it by 1 gram of solution, 1000 mL and 1 mol NaClO. This result was then divided by the result of 100g of solvent, multiplied by 1 mL of solution and 1L which equals 60g NaClO. 60g was then divided by the molar mass of NaClO (74.44) which equals .806 mol NaClO. The same can be done for sodium thiosulfate which results in the same molarity.…
- 410 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
As a physician, my strong stance against abortion, despite being interpretable as extreme, can actually be a very positive thing. A strong bias, rooted in a deep reflection on personal experience,…
- 401 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
According to sections 224 and 225 of Queensland Criminal Code 1899, it is currently illegal for any persons to terminate or assist with the termination of an unborn foetus. Failure to abide by this law may result in a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment. This law is not fair, just or equitable as it does not align with the general opinion of Australian society. In order for a law to be fair, just and equitable, it must fairly balance individual rights with community good, should be clear and unambiguous, must be consistent and stable, should apply equally to all and should be capable of being enforced. A survey conducted by the Children by Choice Organisation indicated that over 80% of the participants thought that a woman should have the right to choose whether she terminates a pregnancy or not. This statistic clearly indicates that a large majority of the participants believe that abortion should be legalised and available to women. Moreover, the current abortion law is not fair, just or equitable as the need of the law is not understood within a majority of Australians and does not accord with individual and community notions of justice. Additionally, Current laws are inherently contradictory, given that testing for fetal abnormalities is not only legal but Medicare-funded, and yet women cannot…
- 1442 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
Canada has a history with the controversial issue of abortion. The two sides to this topic have strong opinions about the right and wrong decisions when it comes to abortion. One might believe that abortion should not exist in Canadian society. These people are most likely known as pro-life; who believe abortion is equal to murder. Others believe that abortion is a good thing, and has had a strong impact on Canadian society. These people are pro-choice, they believe abortion is a way to help an individual's life for the better. The R.v. Morgentaler case was about two men, including Morgentaler who were licensed physicians, they set up a private clinic providing abortion services to women who did not have the necessary approval and they were criminally charged. The R.v. Morgentaler case made a significant impact on Canadian society; more broadly this case impacted the women of Canada by granting women greater equality rights, giving them a healthier along with a safe lifestyle, and it got rid of illegal acts made by doctors.…
- 775 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
There is a huge subject debate on the word abortion which is still going on today because it is such a controversial topic that some states are continuing to change the law, so that abortion can once again be illegal. However, throughout the world, there are about 115,000 abortions going on every day and some people are fine with it. An abortion is when a woman decides to kill her unborn child for whatever her reason(s) is/are. That is why many people consider that abortion should be legal since a woman should have the right to do whatever she wants with her body. On the other hand, abortion opponents think that killing a baby is the wrong thing to do because it is a sin to them. Abortion should be illegal even though there is no right or wrong answer for whether abortion should be legal or illegal; it just depends on peoples’ views and the cases on abortion.…
- 1512 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Carrying on to 1938 Dr. Bourne would illegally perform an abortion on a 14 year old girl who was raped by a soldier. He went on to turn himself in but when he went to trial he argued that, “If this girl were to go through with this birth she would have been a mental wreck for the rest of her life.” As it turns out he would not be charged for performing the abortion, because of this many new abortion cases would be allowed as long as the doctor believed the child would cause any kind of pain or danger to the mother. This was a major loophole in the system and would soon get out of hand.…
- 1792 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
When one brings up the topic of conversation on an ethically and culturally controversial topic such as, “Should abortion be legal,” this poses many hard found feelings towards many of the individuals engaging within this conversation. Often the topic of this discussion is a case of morality and what are the rights associated to the mother and if the fetus has any rights depending upon the discussers; however, it makes for a wonderful argument that has long been the battle between human rights and morality with the teachings of religions from various cultures. Therefore, I pose the question of Should Abortion be Legal? This is a topic that I have long thought about that has forever flip-flopped in my mind from the differences of opinions, and below the arguments will be made for Morality versus Pro Choice; thus allowing the reader to formulate their own conclusion of what they portrait as right and wrong in the case of abortions being legal. I have a few examples that will go hand in hand with our discussion, and the first is of a woman having the legal right to decide what she desires to do with her own body. The second example involves those who think that abortions should be illegal, because they feel that it is killing a person. The third example is the basis of morality with how people view the situation and based on the thoroughness of the evidence provided. The purpose of this paper is to look at abortions with an open mind and to critically assess…
- 2708 Words
- 11 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Many people around the world agree with abortions and think they are an okay thing to do. A lot of countries world wide have made getting an abortion legal, including the United States. An abortion to me goes hand-in-hand with murder, it's taking away the life of a fetus that could be a human one day away.…
- 441 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
To begin with, abortion is a process to which creates either a miscarriage or a failure in a women pregnancy. Abortion is a topic which could be argued in many ways because many views are taken into account. Some people may believe it could be a good thing and it could be seen as a very pleasant way to get rid of a unborn baby before it becomes an actual child. By contrast, many religions are against abortion, which is later interpreted in this essay. This issue takes account of many beliefs and different peoples understanding on the topic. Due to an unbelief in an issue such as abortion it could lead some people to believe different to those people who have a belief in religion or themselves.…
- 903 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
"What Are the Different Types of Abortion?" About.com Women 's Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.…
- 921 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Abortion do you think it is right or wrong? Well I think that it isn’t the best choice to make. Many women in the entire world have abortions. Many women believe there are many reasons to abort, such as a fear of taking care of the child, rape, or not even having enough money. Women need to think about their unborn baby, they are not responsible for this situation; these unborn babies should have a privilege to grow up and live a great life. It is not necessary to kill a life; there are many other solutions to resolve this problem short of abortion. Every year there is at least about 1.2 million abortions happen every year, there is 234 abortions per every 1,000 live births, abortions per day is 3,288 and abortion per hour is 137 and there are 9 abortions about every 4 minutes and 1 abortion every 26 seconds. Nearly half of pregnancies among American women and unintended and about 4 out of every 10 pregnant women get an abortion. When a women has an abortion, she will always think about the baby that she could have. There are many reasons why women shouldn’t have an abortion. Women need to think about the consequences that can occur before having sexual relations. I think that the effects of having an abortion are very sad. People should watch what they do and be more careful. I don’t think women should get abortions because the embryo that they are killing will become a baby and then because an adult and if you kill the embryo then that baby will never see the world. If a women isn’t ready for a baby then she shouldn’t have sexual intercourse because if she think’s ahead of time she would know what the consequences are. When you go to get an abortion you are taking a whole bunch of ricks with your life, you could go and get an abortion and a few weeks later have an infection from the abortion you had, not only that but you have a chance of dying with the baby also. If the child is alive, the attending physician has the legal obligation to take all the…
- 585 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Abortion is a very popular area of interest for writing. But the reason I chose to write about abortion is because in my country it's particularly unheard of. I come from Pakistan, which is in the Middle East and very is highly focused on Islamic beliefs. But when I came here to the United States I heard about abortion everywhere, like there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Abortion is a sensitive issue today. There are people who are highly against it and there are people who support it. Personally, I am against abortion. I consider abortion a type of murder. For instance in partial birth abortion the woman's labor is induced and when the baby's head emerges from the birth canal, a sharp instrument such as a pair of scissors is jabbed into the base of the baby's skull, then a vacuum tube is inserted to the hole and the brains of the baby are sucked out. The baby is alive while all this is happening. How can you not call that murder? I believe that nobody has the right to take another's life. In my religion, murder is a sin. I am going to put it in a Religious point a view, Politically point of view and Ethnicities point of view.…
- 913 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Definition: The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy is called abortion (before child birth, at the early stage of embryo). Abortion could also occur spontaneously due to miscarriage. But in this context we discuss about deliberate abortion, issues of it, current dispersion around the world, affected parties and consequences, legal background and ethical philosophies used in analysis of this issue.…
- 257 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays