Abortion

Abortion

1. Personhood

   • Michael Tooley and Peter Singer
     • Ann embryo is not a human being but it has the potential to become one. Potentiality means that it has no expectation that it will achieve becoming a human being, so abortion is acceptable. HOWEVER an embryo hasn't had a choice in whether or not it reaches it's potential. Is this fair?
   • John Locke (1632-1704)
     • A foetus is not yet a human being as it does not have he capability for rational thought.
     • Human beings are sentient - we have freewill, individuality and a social nature.

2. Whose right is it to decide?

   • No right to decide
     • Christianity: Your body is a gift from God and life comes from God. Only God can give and take life away.
       • Sanctity of Life
   • Right to decide.
     • John Locke - A woman's body belongs to her and therefore it is her right to have an abortion if she chooses. A foetus is a part of her body.

3. Bible quotes against abortion.

   • These help support the idea that life begins at conception or, at least, that the foetus is a person.
   • "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart"
     • Jeremiah 1:5 God has a plan for every human being before they are born.
   • "You saw me before I was born"
     • Psalm 139:16
   • "God...chose me even before I was born"
     • Galatians 1:15

4. Bible quotes for abortion.

   • God made Adam and then "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."
     • Genesis 2:7 We are not human until we breathe.
   • If a woman is hurt and loses her child when men are fighting, but is otherwise okay the one who hurt her is to be fined.
     • It is more serious to kill an already-born human being than it is to harm a foetus.
   • Jesus taught love. Sometimes abortion is the most loving thing.
   • It is better to have not been born than to suffer in life.