Premium Essay

Church Teachings on Abortion

In:

Submitted By DoreenI
Words 1146
Pages 5
Abortion

Abortion is controversial subject, which many people like to avoid. It is important to discuss such widespread social issue, with serious implication to hundreds of people and can increased moral consequences if not discussed, as many people have different attitudes towards abortion. Abortion can take place for various reasons, such as being afraid of financial hardship that child would bring, being subject to rape or incest, unstable relationships and sometimes may be an inconvenience to the woman who is career driven. With such reasoning to justify abortion raises many moral questions like ‘when does a human life which is morally equal to our own being?
Pope John Paul II defines abortion in Evangelium Vitae as “a deliberate, lethal attack on the body of the child- with or without the aim of ending its life. The church has always condemned the act of abortion as the Catholic Christians believe that life is sacred from conception until natural death. Although, there is no clear mention of abortion in the bible, besides references to the treatment of pregnant women in war that can lead to killing of the unborn child. The church believes that the taking of an innocent life whether born or unborn is morally wrong. The churches view on abortion is backed up by a passage from the Declaration on Procured Abortion 1974: “Human life is precious. Infused by the creator, life is again taken back by him.”(Gn 2:7) and he will demand an account for it, for in the image of God man was made.”(Gn 4:10) The commandment of God is formal; ‘You shall not kill (Ex 20:13). The passage highlights the importance of first human right; life. A mature human life does not belong to society or public authority to achieve his right to live and any discrimination towards him or her based on race or religion is considered evil. Therefore, the right to life for a foetus should be

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Wrong With Abortion

...What is wrong with abortion. Abortion is an on-going phenomenon that has been shaping the world for many generations, breaking up families, disappointing religions, and has psychological distress; basically, it's the "removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order end a pregnancy” (Abortion). Abortion is tragic because it's a form of murder, it goes against religious teachings, and it avoids responsibility. In the Hills like White Elephants, the theme was about abortion, we examined how two people were affected by phenomenon or subject. The man and woman were set on getting an abortion, but since the man kept on pestering the women about the subject, she started getting mixed feelings about if she should get an abortion or keep the...

Words: 1320 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Speech on Religion

...sperm count is low, or the couple’s infertility is unexplained. It is an assisted reproductive technology in which one or more eggs are fertilized outside a female’s body. To do this, eggs are collected from the ovaries and placed in a dish with a large number of sperm for approx. 18 hours. The eggs are then placed in a special growth medium which allows fertilization to occur. Afterwards the embryo is either transferred back into the woman’s uterus or frozen and stored for later use. IVF has been a source of moral, ethical and religious controversy since its development. Although members of all religious groups can be found on both sides of the issue, the major opposition has come from the Roman Catholic Church. In 1987, the church issued a doctrinal statement opposing IVF on 3 grounds; the destruction of human embryos not used for implantation, the possibility of IVF by a sperm donor other than the husband-thus removing reproduction form the marital context, and finally the severing of an essential connection between the nuptial act and procreation. The use of IVF is said to violate the delicate innocence of those created, as God, their creator has not given them the gift of life, and therefore the fundamental value of life has been lost. Catholics believe it is immoral to produce human embryos destined to be exploited as disposable biological material. In the usual practice of IVF, not all embryos are transferred to the woman’s body;...

Words: 2615 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Catholics View on Abortion

...Catholics View on Abortion It is not right to destroy a human at any stage of life, whether it is a single cell, or a fetus, an infant, or an octogenarian. These are all natural stages of human development, but science establishes the beginning of human life at conception. From the moment of conception, a distinct human being is present. Abortion, therefore, kills a developing human being. This is a fact, not a moral or religious assertion. After the birth of a human being, our society has laws in place to protect it from murder. Thus, it would seem that we have chosen birth as the moment after which the laws of murder apply to a human being. If the process of birth is important enough to be the event that bestows on a human being its legal rights, it is entirely logical to ban a procedure that so effectively blurs the legal line between murder and abortion -- between the “born” and the “unborn.” Abortion is murder no matter what kind of laws the Government makes. In 1973 the United States Supreme Court made a decision on the case of Roe vs. Wade, the Court found that a woman had the right to choose whether or not to abort a pregnancy within certain constraints. However, according to the Court if a fetus were a person, abortion would be found impermissible. While this decision made an attempt at establishing a legal precedent, from a moral and religious standpoint, it is wrong. Upon the moment of conception, the human embryo is a person; and as a result, the fetus...

Words: 1518 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Effect of Social Issues on Individuals

...TOPIC: CATECHESIS; YOUTH AND CATHOLIC VALUE WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ABORTION. According to Oxford dictionary, it defines the word “YOUTH” as the time of life when a person is young, especially the time before a child becomes an adult or the quality or state of being young. Youth can also be define as the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit; strong will est. characteristics of one who is young. The most delicate period of an individual is the youthful age. In this wise, it is of utmost important for parent to give appropriate checks and balances to their children. We all have a role to play in the life of our fellow youth; these roles can be adequately played if there is unity among cyonites. Unity among youth announces to the world the love that Christ has for all people and his wish to share his life with them. Christ himself knowing the importance of unity prays to his father, ” that they may all be one as thou father in me and I in you”, we are living stones in the building of which there is only one foundation, Jesus Christ. Each of us has the responsibility of promoting unity in a world largely indifferent to the church. Nowhere in the teaching of Jesus is “rugged individualism” promoted as an option for Christian spirituality. Christian would be known by their love and interconnectedness in caring relationships. When we live in one another, we not only share one another‟s burdens, we share one another‟s blessing, strengths and joys as well. Our personal development and...

Words: 2427 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Moral or Ethics Issues

...upon which organizations are run. The existing guidelines show people, for instance, employees, what they ought to do at any given time. It is on the same note that codes of conduct exist; they help in detecting any misconduct that may have happened in an organization within various ranks. However, in this context, the Catholic Church comes into perspective in a bold way. Prudence is an essential part of comprehending the intrigues of justice. Moreover, the paper will try to find answers as to why formation of conscience is an imperative matter injustice. The paper will then seek to bring to light the position of the Catholic Church. Catholic existence spans hundreds of years backwards. This implies that the foundation upon which it was structured has been firm. However, the Church has been dogged with controversy over the years. Some of the matters have been resolved while others have never been touched in any manner, whatsoever. The reasons as to why they have never been solved will always remain a mystery. Moral and ethical issues are matters that have been in the public domain for myriads of years. The Pope, being the captain of the Catholic Church has been charged with ensuring the uninterrupted continuity of the Church's ultimate goal: that of leading a righteous life. The scorecard, however, lies with the public: both Catholics and non-Catholics. Morality in humanity has always been a controversial topic; people have extremely diverse views on the subject, some being very...

Words: 1723 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Abortion

...ABORTION A MORAL CONCEPT The dictionary describes abortion as termination of human pregnancy which is accompanied by death of the fetus or the embryo. This is a worldwide moral concept which is viewed differently by different cultures. Some of the cultures view it as a very deep moral deviation and others will view it as a decision which every human is at liberty to make decision according to situation triggering the act. This is an issue which different government organization have tried to come up with a solid solution which will make it look as a positive act to human culture and other organization have come up with rules to stop the act. So it is not clear we as human beings what we can really look at when we are making decision on whether to condemn or judge an individual who has been involved in the act harshly or not. Some of us might understand if a good reason as to why all this murdering of fetus was undertaken was given and other can make life for the individuals involved a living hell. When a religious person is given a chance to give his/her view on abortion they will do it according to the biblical teachings which are so different according to other views. The real question here is who knows or can come up with a universal moral view of abortion? How should we handle these victims, and do we even have the right to judge these people according to their deeds. Below are the views of a utilitarianism and right-based on abortion as a moral issue. The positive views...

Words: 1233 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Blah

...The Church of England encourages people to think through the issue of abortion very carefully and recognises that each individual will have differing views on the subject. However, the Church's governing body, The General Synod, has passed resolutions on the matter which provide a coherent Church of England position. The Church of England combines strong opposition to abortion with a recognition that there can be - strictly limited - conditions under which it may be morally preferable to any available alternative. General Synod The Church of England shares the Roman Catholic view that abortion is 'gravely contrary to the moral law'. As the 1980 statement of the Board of Social Responsibility put it: In the light of our conviction that the foetus has the right to live and develop as a member of the human family, we see abortion, the termination of that life by the act of man, as a great moral evil. We do not believe that the right to life, as a right pertaining to persons, admits of no exceptions whatever; but the right of the innocent to life admits surely of few exceptions indeed. Church of England Board of Social Responsibility, 1980 However, this statement does acknowledge that under some circumstances abortion could be permissible. The 1983 resolution of Synod, after expressing concern about the number of abortions in recent years went on to recognise: That in situations where the continuance of a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother a termination of pregnancy may be...

Words: 789 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Rh Bill

...A GUIDE TO ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL This matrix has been prepared by a group of Catholics who feel that a systematic comparison of the arguments for and against the reproductive health (RH) bill may still serve some purpose at this juncture. It may help to bring the debate from the emotional temper which has characterized it thus far, to a more rational temper in which both sides attempt to comprehend each other’s perspectives. It is hoped that this presentation will allow each side to view the other’s argumentation as the legitimate offering of reasons in good faith which ought to characterize a democratic process of deliberation. Such a process must be valued equally by all who are committed to living together in a democracy, be they Catholic or non-Catholic, pro- or anti-contraception. Questions in the final column are provided to aid further reflection, with a view to clarifying positions and, perhaps, to building compromises that are morally and politically acceptable to both sides. Eleanor R. Dionisio ISSUE ANTI-RH BILL PRO-RH BILL QUESTIONS I. LEGISLATION OF AN RH-BILL Necessity of RH Bill 1. Overpopulation 1. Overpopulation is not the problem. The problems are government corruption and the unequal distribution of wealth and resources. 1. Managing population growth is not the sole solution to poverty but is part of the solution. Are overpopulation and graft and corruption mutually exclusive issues? Or ought they to be addressed...

Words: 1503 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Personal Narrative: Growing Up In The Catholic Church

...Growing up in a Catholic household, I was taught their beliefs. I grew up in a Catholic environment, at school and at home. Blindly, I believed these teachings of the Catholic Church, not thinking twice about them and just accepting them. However, I now have learned to question these beliefs through new lessons and experiences. I have attended a Catholic grade school my entire life. In addition, I attended a weekly, Catholic Sunday school. Undoubtedly, Catholic teachings would be ingrained into me; I learned what was acceptable and what was not acceptable to the Catholic Church. Abortion, gay marriage, and premarital sex had primarily been the issues that had stuck with me. I was taught to defend these teachings: abortion takes away sacred life and women should not have a choice on it, marriage is a sanctity between a man and woman only, sex should be sacred for people who are married, and tell others they were wrong if they were not for it. These issues were significant to me because I thought it was unfair and critical towards people that fell into these categories, but I never...

Words: 518 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Article Review

...The issue of abortion has been a widely debated issue over the past twenty years. In fact, it is probably still the most controversial of all the current contemporary social issues heading into the twenty-first century. Abortion poses a moral, social, and medical dilemma that stirs up emotional responses among disputants of the topic. Usually, there are two points of views on abortion, those that are “pro-choice” and those that are “pro-life.” Pro-lifers would argue that from the moment of conception, a fetus, or human embryo, is a living person. Abortion deprives this fetus of a chance to live and can be considered murder. The Catholic Church advocates this stance, since we have a moral obligation to preserve all forms of life. Pro-choicers, on the other hand, may feel that the decision to abort a pregnancy is that of the mother and the state has no right to interfere. Actually, about half of the U.S. populations are for abortion and the other half are against it. Clearly, what’s at stake in the issue is the fetus right to life. The actual procedure involved in abortion can be done in a number of ways. As early as the day after having unprotected sexual intercourse, a woman can be given drugs to halt fetal development, such as the “morning after pill.” One of the most common methods of abortion is the vacuum aspiration method. This is usually performed within the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy. A tube, called a cannula, is simply inserted into the female’s...

Words: 1997 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Abortion

...States, abortion laws began to appear in the 1820s, forbidding abortion after the fourth month of pregnancy. Through the efforts primarily of physicians, the American Medical Association, and legislators, most abortions in the US had been outlawed by 1900. By 1965, all fifty states banned abortion, with some exceptions which varied by state: to save the life of the mother, in cases of rape or incest, or if the fetus was deformed. Groups like the National Abortion Rights Action League and the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion worked to liberalize anti-abortion laws. The Supreme Court in 1973, in the case of Roe v. Wade, declared most existing state abortion laws unconstitutional. This decision ruled out any legislative interference in the first trimester of pregnancy and put limits on what restrictions could be passed on abortions in later stages of pregnancy. While many celebrated the decision, others, especially in the Roman Catholic Church and in theologically conservative Christian groups, opposed the change. "Pro-life" and "pro-choice" evolved as the most common self-chosen names of the two movements, one to outlaw most abortion and the other to eliminate most legislative restrictions on abortions. According to the Center for Disease control –CDC In 2009, 784,507 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC from 48 reporting areas. The abortion rate for 2009 was 15.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years and the abortion ratio was 227 abortions per 1,000...

Words: 2009 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

The Fifth Commandment: the Violations of the Dignity of Human Life

...fifth commandment, "You Shall Not Kill", directly forbids us from making any direct attack on human life as well as on the integrity of the human body By prohibiting violence and murderer. As a "people of life and for life", we are called to understand reasonable apply what our Church teaches about different life-related issues. We are called to listen to the church in the same way we are called to listen to our parents-- always with an openness of mind heart, grounded on the truth that it is our happiness and joy that our parent and the church desire. This new life of grace is Christ's gift of his Spirit who inspires and empowers us to live life to the fullest. God gives us life more abundantly by sending the Holy Spirit who strengthens us individually, but specially as members of the mystical Body of Christ, the Church thus becoming a "people of life" But we are a people not only of life but also for life. Human Life is sacred because it is a gift given by God without any return. Some people forget about it by aborting an innocent life. Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by the death of the fetus. But more than merely ending pregnancy, abortion is the "the deliberate and direct killing, by whatever means it is carried out, of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence , extending from conception to birth. Nowadays early pregnancy is rapidly increasing here in the Philippines. According to the UNFPA...

Words: 1877 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

The Great Schism Of 1054: Division Between The Orthodox And Catholic Church

...Schism of 1054 is the split between the Orthodox and Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church originates from Constantinople after the fall of the Roman Empire. Their church believes that authoritative power should not be assigned to one person like the Catholic Church does with the pope. Due to this contrasting belief, they created a Council of Bishops to create a balance of power between people. Their holy works are based mostly around the Holy Spirit, while Catholics have the bible as their main holy work. Orthodoxs believe and teach that the reason they have kept traditions is due to the Holy Spirit. Also, without the Holy Spirit they would not know which works are truly apostolic and which can be used in their worship. They also...

Words: 1377 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Faith and Catholic Tradition

...experience his act unfolding. As Edwards says, “all of this is God’s work, brought about by God working in and through the laws of nature over immense lengths of time and with great patience.”(4) Now what does this have to do with abortion? Abortion is a serious political and religious issue. It is the removal of a fetus from a women’s uterus to end a pregnancy. It is the center of much debate primarily between the church and state. Currently the law states that abortion is legal; meaning that women have the right to choose whether or not they would like to continue with their current state of pregnancy or terminate it. The Church however has its own laws and guidelines set, and has a very strong opinion when it comes to the topic of abortion. Separate from the Church there are there are currently three positions that can be taken in the discussion of abortion; Pro-choice, Pro-life: another group of people who believe that there are special circumstances in which an abortion could be classified as necessary yet for the most part they believe that is morally reprehensible. An individual who describes themselves as being Pro-life believes that life begins at conception and that terminating a pregnancy is the murder of an unwanted child. They consider an abortion as a complete destruction of God’s creation and a disruption in God’s plan for...

Words: 2713 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Abortion Debate

...law should trump God’s since men are the ones who experience the law and following God’s law infringes on the rights of those being affected. Especially on the topic of abortion, man’s law of pro-choice creates a healthier and more progressive society that ensures the rights of the individual. The Church, an extension of God, proclaims that abortion should not be allowed. The Catechism outlines, “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...

Words: 782 - Pages: 4