Abortion and Belief Systems

What is your view - ceremonial, tumor removal, murder or something else?

The goal of this post is to highlight different views on personhood (when someone becomes a person), to encourage people to think about how these different views could create conflict, and to provide some discussion on whether, given the percentages, it is appropriate to use taxpayer money to fund abortions.

First it is interesting to note the differences between the beliefs of Catholics, most Protestants, most of those of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths (a fetus becomes a person at conception); many people of the Islamic faith (a fetus is not a person until it has a soul); and most people of the Jewish faith (a fetus is not a person until birth). Then the use of abortion as a ritual, as in the Satanic faith, creates another layer of complexity.

It is also fascinating to note that people of the Christian and Jewish faiths started with the same base belief system (both use the Old Testament of the Bible) and radically departed in their viewpoints on things like abortion when the Jews adopted the Talmud in the 3rd - 6th Centuries AD (CE).

Here are some summaries on how different religions, denominations, and sects view life and abortion.

When Fetus Becomes a Person Is Not Important (<1% U.S. Population)

Satanic

• Abortion is a religious ritual.

• The ritual involves the recitation of two of the Satanic Tenets and a personal affirmation that is ceremoniously intertwined with the abortion.

Unitarian Universalist

• All individuals should have the autonomy to make decisions about their own bodies and reproductive health.

• They affirm the right to choose abortion and advocate for reproductive justice, which includes access to safe, legal, and affordable abortion care.

Fetus is not a Person Until Birth (2% U.S. Population)

Jewish

• A fetus is not considered a person under Jewish law and therefore does not have the same rights as a person who is already alive.

• Abortion is not only permitted but is required should the pregnancy endanger the life or health of the pregnant woman. “Health” is commonly interpreted to encompass psychological as well as physical health.

• The Talmud says that the fetus is “mere water” before 40 days of gestation.

• Jewish values compel full access to safe and legal abortion care as basic health care.

Fetus is a Person When it Gets a Soul (1.5% U.S. Population)

Islam

• Hanafi schools - Discuss abortion related to the timing of ensoulment, which Islamic scholars generally agree occurs at approximately 120 days post-conception. These scholars permit abortion up to 120 days.

• Maliki schools - Strictly oppose any form of abortion once pregnancy commences.

• Hanbali and Shafi'i schools - Have a blended view which allows abortion up to 40 days, primarily when justified by a pressing need.

• After 120 days, abortion becomes impermissible across all schools of thought, except in situations where the mother’s life is endangered.

Fetus becomes a Person at Conception (66% U.S. Population)

Buddhist

• <1% U.S. population

• Buddhism generally views abortion as a negative act, due to the principle of non-harming and the belief that life begins at conception.

• Abortion is generally considered to create negative karma.

Catholic

• 20% U.S. population

• The Catholic Church unequivocally opposes abortion, teaching that it is a grave moral evil from the moment of conception.

• The Church believes that human life is sacred and should be protected from conception until natural death.

Hindu

• 1% population in the U.S.

• Abortion is generally viewed as a grave sin, primarily due to the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) and the belief that the soul enters the body at conception.

• Abortion is a worse sin than killing one's parents.

Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

• 2% population in the U.S.

• Believes in the sanctity of human life and opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions.

• Exceptions are granted when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, when the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or when there will be severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

Protestants

• 43% population in the U.S.

Protestant - Assemblies of God

• View the practice of abortion as evil.

• Abortion is a morally unacceptable alternative for birth control, population control, sex selection, and elimination of the physically and mentally handicapped.

Protestant - Baptist

• Southern Baptist Convention - This is the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. It has a strong stance against abortion, viewing it as "murder".

• American Baptist Churches USA - American Baptists oppose abortion, as a means of avoiding responsibility for conception, as a primary means of birth control, without regard for the far-reaching consequences of the act.

Protestant - Lutheran

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) - Views the developing life in the womb as a "neighbor" and recognizes the moral agency of the pregnant person in making decisions about their pregnancy. Supports abortion access.

• Missouri Synod (LCMS) - Views abortion as the taking of a human life, contrary to God's Word so they oppose abortion. They believe abortion is not a moral option, except in rare cases where it is necessary to save the mother's life.

Protestant - Methodist

• United Methodist Church - Belives in the sanctity of unborn human life which makes us reluctant to condone abortion, but recognize that tragic conflicts of life may justify decisions to terminate the life of a fetus.

• Global Methodist Church - Belief in the sacredness of all life compels them to resist the practice of abortion except in the cases of tragic conflicts of life against life when the wellbeing of the mother and the child are at stake.

Protestant - Presbyterian

• Presbyterian Church in American (PCA) - Has a very strong stance against abortion, considering it the taking of a human life and therefore morally wrong. They believe that life begins at conception and that abortion is a violation of God's law.

• Evangelical Presbyterian (EPC) - Holds a pro-life stance on abortion, viewing it as the taking of a human life.

• Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) - Believes abortion “is a matter of careful ethical decision” by each person and “should not be restricted by law.”

Obviously, there are some radical differences in how people view the world. Interestingly, the vast majority of people believe a fetus is a person at conception. Given this information, should we have laws that allow taxpayer dollars to be used for abortion? Why or why not?