Abortion: Morally Acceptable or Not

Abortion…Morally Acceptable or Not

Whether or not abortion is morally acceptable has for long been a debated topic. When discussing this topic, the context in which the word "moral" is used needs to be clearly understood. The word "moral" has many different meanings. One meaning of this word is: "conforming to standards of what is right or can extend in behaviour: virtuous". So much has been said and is still being said, written, aired on radio and television, and argued in courtrooms about abortion these days simply because nobody knows if it is ethical or not. Subsequently, this essay will attempt to argue the case against abortion. Abortion is the act of denying a child who is still in the womb a chance at life. It is wrong and looked down upon by many religions. One religion that will be referred to is Christianity and what the Bible says about having an abortion. Another issue is that abortion is the easiest and also the laziest way out of a complicated situation. Having an abortion may cause the health of a woman to be at risk. The chances of a woman getting pregnant again may decline. These are the issues that will be the focus of this essay: innocent lives being killed, the Bible's view on abortion, and the health of women taking part in this act.
A teenager who accidentally becomes pregnant and does not want anybody in her family or the outside world to find out about her pregnancy may likely want an abortion in order to avoid humiliation. However, it is important to take into consideration that by aborting a fetus, you are taking away an innocent life; a life in which you created. For a mistake somebody else makes, an innocent life has to suffer by being forced to die before it is allowed to be born. According to Centers for Disease Control Surveillance, the total number of abortions done in hospitals around Canada from 1970 to 1995 was approximately 1,464,450 and from 1978- 1995, 189,956 abortions were done in clinics. Sadly enough, the province that had the most abortions performed in 1995 was our very own Ontario, at a lead of 44,483 abortions.
For the more religious people, religion is their main argument against abortion. There are some Christians who believe the Bible says nothing about abortion. In one sense this is true, because there is no direct teaching that says, 'You shall not allow a woman to have an abortion', despite the fact that abortions occurred in biblical times. Christians, who seek to argue against abortion on the basis of the Bible, use a number of verses that seem to teach that God knows and plans the life of a person before they are born.
'For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be' (Psalm 139:13-16 NIV)

The strongest biblical evidence used against abortion is the prevention to commit murder. Christians against abortion believe the embryo is human and should be given equal human rights. Anyone taking away its life is committing an act of disobedience against God; they are committing murder and attempting to put themselves on a level equal to God, who alone is the decision-maker of giving or taking away any lives. The Bible considers murder a sin, and sin shall be paid for. According to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Society held June 2000 in Miami Beach, Florida, it is said that women who undergo abortions are at greater risk for mental problems in the following years of their lives. Researchers examined the women's medical records for up to six years after the abortions take place, and found that women who had undergone abortions had higher mental health claims than women who had given birth. Women who had abortions were more than twice as likely to have two to nine treatments for mental health as opposed to women who complete their pregnancy and gave birth. Through an examination of three factors, it has been clearly argued why abortion is an immoral act. The woman who the abortion is performed on is put at a greater risk or health problem than a woman who completes her pregnancy, abortion is considered an act of murder, and murder is considered a sin according to the Bible, and most importantly innocent little unborn babies are deprived a chance of living by being murdered without first having a chance to come into the world.