I have a friend who attended the 'March For Life' recently, and seemed really proud of it. He's an ordinarily nice, logical, friendly person, and there's no way in hell that his mind is going to be changed on the topic of legal abortion, even though more deaths will occur if it's illegal. His religious indoctrination prevents him from critically evaluating his perspectives and makes religious commandments more important than public health outcomes and increased personal agency. Why is religion allowed to shape the behavior of people who don't follow it's commandments?
My cousin is still religious but found a way to still be "pro-life" while still knowing that abortion should be legal and that the more resources that are available to woman the less abortions that will happen. Considering number of abortions are at its lowest since Roe v. Wade it's hard to deny that access helps. Now, I know that's actually called pro-choice, but I'm not telling her. I'm hoping this version of "pro-life" spreads, it's not like they aren't already deluding themselves into multiple beliefs I think they can handle rebranding pro-choice while also hating pro-choice.
That's not the question though. The question is 'Should this act be lawful?' Not 'Will the legalization and regulation of this potentially life-threatening medical procedure help save lives and boost public health outcomes and combat poverty?' From a Christian perspective, they are murdering infants, and that can never be allowed under any circumstance (Except when God asks you to kill them, of course)it's hard to deny that access helps.
I'm actually anti-abortion on religious grounds but am pro-choice on political grounds. I do believe that the soul is created at the moment of conception, that early and abrupt deaths halt spiritual development (also a main reason why I'm mostly anti-war and anti-death penalty), and that abortions as a form of birth control is inappropriate due to the two previous reasons. HOWEVER, I also understand that not everyone else believes what I believe, that there are complications that arise in pregnancy that abortion resolves making it a sound medical decision in those scenarios, that organizations that provide women's health in general and provide a needed service to their communities are necessary for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of society and shouldn't be defunded just on the issue of abortion, and that like the right to guns, gay marriage, etc., the government shouldn't have blanket restrictions on personal freedoms. So while on an individual moral level I'm against abortion, I think it's important I set that value aside if evidence and data suggests that it is beneficial on a wider scale. That said, I'd much, much rather point to alternatives whenever possible, such as promoting safe sex, encouraging adoption as an alternative, etc. I can bet you easily that I'm not alone in this mentality.
Yes, but as I'm sure you're aware, you're a statistical rarity. How do you feel about birth control?I can bet you easily that I'm not alone in this mentality.
I'm totally fine with most traditional firms of birth control as long as they don't terminate a fertilized egg and aren't irreversible alterations to the human body. The obvious caveat is that if they're a necessary procedure because a person's life is otherwise at risk.