Roe on the Chopping Block

[Kishkumen]

As I said, I don't agree that abortion is murder. I also don't see that the Bible teaches it is. I know a very conservative evangelical pastor who is not a strict pro-lifer precisely because of that passage in Exodus. I find the whole concept of scriptural authority bizarre, but a lot of pro-lifers seem to accept it. I think they're wrong about scriptural authority but also wrong about exegesis.

I just don't think that attempted theocracy is the charge that will stick against pro-lifers. Given their belief about abortion, they have to be right to try to forbid abortion for everyone. They're not trying to make everyone go to Church on Sunday. They're trying—according to their lights—to stop everyone from committing murder.

I do think they're badly wrong. They are wrong to come to conclusions about what is or isn't murder in the way that they do. I'm just saying that one should understand how they are wrong, and not fight the wrong battle.

Fundamentally, however, they are pushing their view of murder on everyone else. If most people do not share their definition of murder, and their definition of murder derives from their religious views, then they are pushing a theocratic agenda. What should be viewed as murder is that which most people have accepted as the definition of murder through the ages. If their own sacred text doesn't back up their opinion, then they have a problem, which they are now making our problem.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

If they believed it was murder they would’ve kicked off a civil war by now.

- Doc

[doubtingthomas]

If abortion is murder, so is male masturbation.

Not at all Simpson.

"The neurons involved in nociception appear in the dorsal root ganglion by 19 weeks of gestation, while thalamic afferent neurons reach the subplate zone between 20 and 22 weeks of gestation. The thalamic afferent neurons reach the cortical plate between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation."
https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378 ... 0/fulltext

So there is a good argument that elective abortion shouldn't be legal after 18 weeks.

But I personally don't care.

[doubtingthomas]

If they believed it was murder they would’ve kicked off a civil war by now.

- Doc

We are no longer in the 19th century. You have to be realistic.

[Some Schmo]

To be clear, I don't think abortion should be relied upon as a form of birth control. I think you're on pretty shaky moral ground if you aren't highly disturbed by late term abortions.

But ultimately, we're talking about removing extremely personal life and health choices from women over a minority-shared intuition ("abortion is murder"), and I am absolutely against that. Not only am I pro-life, I'm pro-quality-of-life.

[doubtingthomas]

I think you're on pretty shaky moral ground if you aren't highly disturbed by late term abortions.

Is 19 weeks a late term abortion?

[Some Schmo]

I think you're on pretty shaky moral ground if you aren't highly disturbed by late term abortions.

Is 19 weeks a late term abortion?

I was thinking more like the last four to five months.

[K Graham]

Late term abortions are already illegal in many states and RARELY happen. And when they do happen, it is to save the life of the mother.

[Jersey Girl]

Late term abortions are already illegal in many states and RARELY happen. And when they do happen, it is to save the life of the mother.

Absolute truth. I don't know why anyone brings it up. Probably kool-aid intoxication with a side of too lazy or unconcerned to actually investigate it.

[Some Schmo]

Late term abortions are already illegal in many states and RARELY happen. And when they do happen, it is to save the life of the mother.

As it should be.