Is abortion murder or a matter of personal freedom?

The definition of something living includes the ability to grow, which is exactly what is going on inside a woman, who is pregnant. An abortion ceases the growing process, therefore ending the future life of a human being. This little being may not start with a heartbeat or brain activity, but cells are still dividing and allowing it to.

It arguably it is life when you can save the child in premature birth at age 24 weeks. The 24 weeks old life can both be taken and saved by the same doctors – killing the idea, that it is not a child and does not have a brain. If we would have stock strictly to the free abortion period, you could argues so, but since we do not, that argument is failing under the current laws.

Children cannot be and do not ask about being born, this is purely an option adults have. Whether the woman get pregnant or not is a choice by actions or lack of same, by two individuals – rape excepted. Pro-life individuals say abortion is taking the right to live, from a human being, a right an embryo cannot defend.

In ancient Rome infanticide were permitted under Roman law, but that doesn’t make them humane. Leaving your child on someone’s doorstep, or committing murder are considered a major penalty today, so why not abortion!! Roman law also support the institution of slavery (non-racial based slavery that is, the Romans didn’t discriminated based on race, everybody was entitled to be enslaved by Roman standard), yet today we see slavery as an abomination. Just because it is legal, does not mean is morally right or can be defended morally.

In 1973 abortions were made legal throughout the US, yet many would be more than happy to see them made illegal once more. Do you feel abortion is a woman’s right like the slave owners use to think of their rights to keep the slaves!!!

Abortion is a problem, because you can’t have the right of one part without violation the right of the other (it’s child vs mother in this case). For the taxpayers, abortion is cheaper than having many unwanted babies born and our earth is closes to being overpopulated as it is, so why is abortion a problem?

The answers is, because it ethically and morally wrong and the problem should be handled as a human rights issue, it’s hard to defend human right when the same individuals arguing for it, are so easily killing others just because they don’t have a voice or dear I say vote. Then the human rights outcry, become rather hypocritical when we don’t based our society on a moral principal and stick to it, but pick and chooses based on personal preferences, we then lose the moral justification.

Abortion Facts:

  • 40 million abortion are done annually, globally
  • The number of unhealthy abortions is unknown, since the statistics doesn’t support the distinction on a global level
  • Having abortions legalised is beneficial for most adults, the mother and farther, society in large etc. with only one victim the child – without a vote
  • Only 9 Weeks after Fertilization, more than 90% of the body structures found in a full-grown human are present (medical classification changes from an embryo to a foetus at this point) - at this point the child might be able to feel pain, but it’s unknown if it is so
  • 24 Weeks after Fertilization, is the latest abortion time, however also within the reach of modern medicine to save the child if prematurely born. Here we see a clear crossover where the same child can be saved or killed, depending on the circumstances

So emotions and the law sat aside, what is morally right here?

So is abortion murder or a matter of personal freedom?
2 0

Most Helpful Girl

  • Abortion is murder pure and simple. The first thing pro choice people throw at you is "but what about cases of rape?" I seriously doubt that 40 million women a year become pregnant due to rape. Also if a woman is raped I would assume most of them would terminate the pregnancy very early on or even take plan b after just to be safe. No pro choice people don't usually like to admit that in most cases they just recklessly made a life and are too selfish and immature to deal with the consequences.
    As far as the overpopulation thing goes, if we as humans have to deal with that by murder then we truly are idiotic. Maybe we could find other solutions for food and such. And if pro choice people actually cared about over population they would take care of their ability to become pregnant permanently through surgery.
    What I hate more than abortion is people hiding murder behind a righteous cause. It's sickening. If it's your "choice" then maybe you should own it and be proud of it. If there's truly nothing wrong with it then why be ashamed of your choice?

    • I do agree with you :)

    • Do you think abortion should be legal under any circumstances? for example health issues caused by the pregnancy to the mother or what if the child has extreme health issues?

    • "for example health issues caused by the pregnancy to the mother" yes, you help the mother and if as a consequence the child dies so be it. It an unfortunate consequence, not a deliberate murder. "what if the child has extreme health issues?", the child still have the right to life, presuming it can live without any assistance - except for care of course. If it can't life on it's own though, then the life is not about to live, however why kill it and get guild why not let it die naturally? When adult asks for assisted suicide it's a choice, the can't can't ask, so should we assume the child wants it? perhaps, I don't know, it might the be kinder option in those specific cases, as least if it can be done before pain is a possibility. Healthy kids however is always a no go, unless a result of rape or incest, then the crime of murder is on the rapist.

    • Show All

Most Helpful Guy

  • Firstly, you are not looking for opinions, you want to preach because your mind is made up. Secondly, you are right that an embryo is alive, you are also right that it will one day become a human being. You are wrong in that 1) Just because something may become something, does not mean that it already is that thing. e. g. A pile of iron, copper, silicon, and plastic may one day become a car, but don't try to drive the pile yet. 2) Women have a right not to have to have things inside them that they don't want to be there. The have a right to their own bodies. You are trying to ignore that right. 3) You are also choosing to ignore what happens after the baby is born. If you force women to carry embryos to term, then you are responsible for the babies that result. Get READY TO PAY.

    • "Firstly, you are not looking for opinions, you want to preach because your mind is made up" I suppose that is somewhat true in any political debate (including all on GaG, pro-choce, pro-gay rights, pro feminism etc.). You debate to get new view and insight in others opinions, but essentially also to present your own view. 1) No, but even a embryo is a human life already, arguable not with feelings or a sense of awareness, but a human life nonetheless. Don't compare living beings with a pile of iron, totally not comparable. 2) "You are trying to ignore that right." no I have argued why this is not applicable as in other similar circumstances. Those rights are limited already for both genders by the way. You can argue the same about drug or smoking wherever you want to etc., we are limiting our freedom all the time in the name of consideration for others - like the unborn child. 3) I ignore nothing, read what I have written (including reply's).

    • I have not read all of your arguments, because I am not going to spend the time assembling your arguments from bit and pieces, as you suggest I do (thank you for volunteering my time, BTW). I can easily note however your constant use of FALSE equivalences, e. g. " Do you feel abortion is a woman’s right like the slave owners use to think of their rights to keep the slaves!!!" Note the Trumpian triple exclamation point LOL! But that aside, Taking someone's life and liberty from them, is NOT equivalent to ejecting a non-sentient trespasser who leeches off of your body, threatens your health, and then causes you horrible pain on exiting.

Scroll Down to Read Other Opinions

What's Your Opinion? Sign Up Now!

What Girls & Guys Said

53 44
  • Morally, I'm on the side of pro-choice. Against abortion? Then don't have one.

    • "Against abortion? Then don't have one" obviously, but that is hardly the issues. Murder and rape is not allowed because it have innocent victims, that is how abortion becomes a non personal choice, but a legal matter for society. What I am trying to ask is, what principals should uses to legislate about abortion? Why have the limits right where it is - because as it is, it's clearly not based on a moral principal but on political practicality?

    • Not to sound crude, but if the victim doesn't have a birth certificate, and once 'removed' doesn't require a death certificate then that should be an indicator of why there is no legal repercussion to getting an abortion. One has technically not taken any life to begin with because life wasn't to be had.

    • Correction one has "legally" not taken any life to begin with because life wasn't recognised legally as life. But you define is as ok to kill as long it's pre-birth and not post-birth correct, then why put a limit to 12 week or 24 week with medical reasons?

    • Show All
  • If it were murder, than every time I use a condom or masturbate I'd be killing thousands, because my sperm could grow into a kid.

    • thats a false argument.

    • Why is that a false argument

    • Would you like to elaborate on that Mr. dudeman. Also, *then (I hate when I mess up my grammar).

    • Show All
  • I'm pro-choice, a feminist, and I don't consider it to be murder at all.

    • Why do you say feminist, what does feminism have to do with this?

    • Oh, it has a lot to do with it. My pro-choice stance is largely based on the idea that women's bodies and reproductive organs shouldn't be policed or controlled, in the same or similar way that men's aren't. It's an aspect of gender/sex equality for me, and a woman's right to decide what to do with her own body. It also relates to the common feminist frustration with the tendency of culture to control women sexually and reproductively. I could go on, but that's the gist of it I think. Also, feminists have been at the forefront of the efforts to work for abortion rights, rights to birth control, and tackling sexist definitions of womanhood and female sexuality throughout history. We're still at the front of the defense of reproductive rights against the conservative right. Feminist organizations are some of the largest players in any effort concerning reproductive rights to abortion, birth control, etc. Hopefully you understand where I'm coming from a bit more now. :)

    • Exactly, womens bodies should NOT be policed and controlled, especially not by men who don't have to bare the child for 9 months!

    • Show All
  • Of course its murder, but that doesn't mean that it isn't necessary. Your killing your own baby, a child like any other. It's an evil act to the baby, like a farmer slaughtering an innocent cow. But what if that mother was raped or so poor that the child would starve, and what if that cow was sick anyway and the farmer's family needed food for the winter. Ethics is a messy buisness, but my favorite quotes are "for the greater good" and "neccercary evil."
    Babies who aren't killed in the whomb, and are not abdopted or given a stable home are unwanted and unloved so they dont usually turn out as good adults.

    • Ethics is about not killing innocent people "for the greater good". But what if that mother was raped (I am willing to let the child die in cases of rape, but I'll charge the rapist with murder since it's a consequence of his actions) or so poor that the child would starve - starvation in not a real problem in the western hemisphere, yet here is where abortion is free. That kind of invalidates your argument. You argument would be valid perhaps in India or African, where there are no free abortion in most places, but not in the west. "dont usually turn out as good adults." then we should start killing in the millions as it is already with born people. Clearly that is not ethics at all.

    • But it's not even a baby yet it's a hunk of cells

  • I don't like the idea of abortion. I like it when people are just like, well ill keep it until it is born at least. that makes me feel better. plus i don't think most women really know what they are doing to themselves when they go through that. abortion is known to cause the woman certain emotional consequences.

  • It is murder. However even as a Christian I have a hard time with black and white on this. If the mother's life is in danger or it is rape of incest I don't feel I can tell someone the right decision. I do think it is done too casually. The morning after pill should eliminate much of the need for abortions. Abstinence is not very realistic in today's world and isn't always the solution as far as rape and the mother's life in jeopardy. Or say the child will have a very challenging physical problem I can't say what that would be. I feel all lives matter. But say conjoined twins that would be hard to separate. That may be an example. Where they we suffer more as they grow. It should never be a decision people make lightly. And they should give that life a funeral.

    • " If the mother's life is in danger or it is rape of incest...", I am a Christian and I can accept abortion in these exceptional circumstances, I am talking about free abortion as in the US since 1973, not the law as it was 80 years ago where abortion was legal but only when a result of rape, incest or if the mothers life was in danger.

  • Murder. Hands down.

  • People really need to stop seeing pregnancy as some sort of punishment. Is that really the way you want kids to be seen? As a punishment? Yeah, that will for SURE make them feel really good about the fact that they were born. "And that, sweetie, is why you were born. Because your mother was a whore and deserved to go through the pain of having you. You're welcome. Have a wonderful life."

    And not only that, but to think it's "justice" when a woman dies while trying to get an abortion. Pro-life my ass, you're just pro-women suffering. If people truly were pro-life then they would also be pro-THE MOTHER'S LIFE too and not just pro-fetus life. Don't call yourself pro-life if you're willing to let hundreds of thousands of women die each year due to having back alley abortions (that are, by the way, probably a million times more painful for the fetus anyway).

    Maybe we should take care of all the starving, unhappy kids that are already alive and outside their mother's womb before making such a huge fuss over a small lump of cells that is incapable of cognition.

    • "Don't call yourself pro-life if you're willing to let hundreds of thousands of women die each year due to having back alley abortions" - that is their choice, they chooses to die trying to commit murder. Being pro-life is not being pro save the life of murders, you must understand the difference. The mothers have a choice, the child does not - big difference. Rape victims is another matter, I am talking free abortion only. "Maybe we should take care of all the starving, unhappy kids that are already alive and outside their mother's womb" indeed we should, I can't disagree with that, however one doesn't exclude the other. "uch a huge fuss over a small lump of cells that is incapable of cognition." ... and at what week doesn't small lump of cells become a child capable of cognition, now that is the question?

    • Life is life, whether it's a "murderer" or a fetus. Like I said, don't call yourself pro-life if you can't support all lives. That would be hypocritical as fuck of you. And some women don't really have a choice. I didn't say one excludes the other. But I do think it's more important to focus on what we already have vs. what we could potentially have. The earth is already overpopulated as it is, with adoption centers being overcrowded and children dying homeless, or child trafficking. I would think this is a more pressing issue compared to the potential life of a little lump of cells that is completely unaware of its own existence.

    • Hear! Hear! Preach!!! @LightsOff

    • Show All
  • To me an embryo is an embryo. I don't see anything morally wrong in first trimester abortions. Human fetus looks like a lot of other mamal fetuses. It would never be able to survive outside of the body (first trimester development doesn't allow that)

    A human embryo vs a calf (baby cow).. yeah I would save the calve's life.

    I'm pro-choice (don't believe in forcing women to go through pregnancy and child birth when they don't wish to.) and I'm a vegetarian so I'm also pro-life!! HA-HA ;-)

    • Nope not really pro life, only hypocritical and you pick and chooses based on your own feelings and personal interests. You did however say trimester development as in after the trimester development is might not be ok, it that correctly understood?

  • I'm pro-life. I had a rape baby several years ago, and I can attest that abortion is not the option, while giving my child up for adoption was hard, it was truly the best option, and I can also say that it isn't as impossible as it seems. With that said; the argument that the fetus isn't living yet is rather invalid considering that is that fetus was left to it's own devises it would turn into a human being, and therefore you've changed the course of the universe by eliminating a unique individual, whether formed yet or not.

    • Thump up for you, I admire you choice :) However I am willing to conceit abortion when a result of rape. Why, because it's already a crime, if we charge the rapist with murder as the naturally consequence of his actions, then I can live with the mothers damages being reduced if she chooses too - otherwise the rape will in a way go on for at least 9 months and the knowledge of the result for the rest of her life that a child is out there with those mix genres is continued atrocity. So if she want an abortion, I can live with that, I'll blame the rapist for it - after all it is his responsibility.

  • Murder. No matter what trimester you decide to terminate, you are still impacting a heart to stop beating. Furthermore, the argument, "my body, my choice", seems moot because the child's body, in fact, is not the mother's body. Contrarily, that child has its own unique set of DNA that is totally separate from its mother's.

  • So few late term abortions are done, and they are usually by middle-ish aged white women who have learned either 1) the baby could harm them or 2) there's a high probability the fetus will not live a satisfying life as an adult.

    Of course, I hope that as few abortions are done as possible. But early term abortions are not murders in my eyes. Yes, life is ending. But a blastula is not the same as a 24 week, developed fetus.

    In a perfect world, every woman could take the morning after pill, after a mishap, take abortion inducing pills early on, but that's not the case. As you said, there is not a definitive time known as to when the fetus is able to feel pain. I draw the line firmly at this point.

    I'm pro-choice, but I don't wish for highly developed being to feel pain associated with abortion. Because in my eyes abortion is a type of mercy. Often mothers aren't able to provide for this future child in the way the child will need, and what will happen then? When the life could have ended at 7 weeks, now you have an ailing 2 year old which is cognitive and more developed.

    • I uses the late term abortions example to prove the 'it's not murder' is clearly not true. I know the 24 week abortions are few and constitutes the extremities but it proves that killing a baby able to live and feel pain and cry is not preventing the pro-choice people from supporting abortions - hence it eliminated the entire argument about it's not murder. It's true we don't have a definitive time for feeling pain but it is about 8-10 weeks, since the neural connections are formed at that time. So we are clearly killing babies able to feel pain. "draw the line firmly at this point" that would be 8-10 weeks then, that would be a dramatic reduction in abortion time - not exactly a popular opinion, however one we can agree on :)

    • Well not all killing is the same. A vet puts a dog down but that's different from a hunter killing an animal and that's different from someone torturing an animal. And obviously there are pro-choice people who don't agree with the killing of feeling beings. But concrete evidence does not exist for when these fetuses are able to feel pain. I of course would hope that women get an abortion as soon as possible, but just because a woman gets a later abortion-that doesn't make her terrible. Because, as agreed, they are few and fare between and most often those women are in extreme situations. And, I have no problems drawing the line at 8-10 weeks if there was a scientific consensus on the issue. It's possible to be pro-choice and draw a line.

    • There is scientific consensus about the 8-10 weeks, only we can't test it for obvious reasons. But abortion have nothing to do with scientific consensus but all about politics, economics and practical problem solving vs moral, ethics and principals.

    • Show All
  • I think its personal choice if its BEST for the mom to BE like if she REALLY doesn't want the kid or would be a miserable person and thus making the NEW life miserable and feel unwanted its BEST to abort and move on - its HUGE raising a GOOD human and I MUST really really want it.. Versus having the kid THEN not wanting it or abusing it which HAPPENS A LOT... SO aborting is a GOOD option!!! Not hardly murder but working out the BEST situation then use contraception and NEVER have that happen AGAIN... GOD would forgive for SURE... Why ruin two lives...

    • "Not hardly murder" this is the crucial element. If you where right about that, then sure, but are you right about it not being murder technically... legally no doubt it's not murder... but technically it fit the bill. What make the law legal, the answer is humans in power, there are unjust laws because there are unjust people, the law is not just it simply political consensus at the time. Like the salve laws of old.

  • I'm personally against abortion and I doubt I could never have one unless it was under extreme circumstances, even though I never want children, I just couldn't emotionally handle an abortion.

    I do think other women should have the right to have an abortion though, it's not my place or my business to judge their personal circumstances, emotional or physical well being, that should be up to them.

    • That is what society is doing all the time, judging personal circumstances, emotional or physical well being though legislation. That's why drugs are illegal, why you can't drink and drive, why someone insane can't be prosecuted etc.. Why is abortion the almost only exception?

    • I think drugs should be legal, I think if anyone over 18 wants to do them they should be able to, it's their decision, even if I hate drugs. I think prostitution should be as well, if you're an adult. I understand what you're saying but drinking and driving also harms others.

    • Morally I don't agree with abortion personally and I do view a pregnancy as a child, no matter the term but that's why I personally wouldn't have an abortion. Others may not feel that way though, babies develop and some people don't see them as an actual baby yet at certain times during the pregnancy. Others may also feel that abortion isn't murder. The difference is, when abortion if legal, you're not impacting someone's right to not have an abortion but when abortion is illegal, you're actually imposing your will onto someone else.

    • Show All
  • I'm sympathetic to both sides; I get that on each extreme you're either killing an infant or denying a woman a right to make some personal choice with her body; and the current definition is pretty scientifically sound as far as we know, but there's also the question of whether we should base morality of ending life should stop abruptly at the edge of our definition of what life is; so my final answer is that I don't know, and I reserve the right to not have an opinion on this.

    • "denying a woman a right to make some personal choice with her body" Factually wrong, we are temporarily suspending her complete autonomy for the sake of her child, she did CHOOSE to have, when they didn't use effective birth-control or the morning after pill. Just like no drug is a limitation of freedom, or no prostituting is a limitation of freedom or conscription is a limitation of freedom. So is not smoking everywhere you pleases, not be able to hit, kill or rape anyone is also a limitation of your freedom. So limitations on freedom is done all the time for obvious reasons. "the current definition is pretty scientifically sound as far as we know" not at all, scientifically it's a human life, scientifically it can feel pain from week 8-10, scientifically we can safe prematurely born at age week 24 and still we abortion the very same. Current definitions are politically based not scientifically. Legally it's not human life until birth, so a 9 month old unborn baby is not human lif

    • Internet says 24 weeks is the legal limit in the US, but 13 weeks is the limit that most clinics have.

    • Yes that is true, and?

  • no matter what, i am going to prioritize the life of an already grown, developed, and functioning human being over the life of some cells. therefore i am pro-choice, more willing to support a developed and already thinking and breathing creature than a cluster of cells. the mother > some fetus without its own opinions, its own tears and fears. the fetus doesn't have any of these things yet. the mother does. i'm not going to support the fetus over the mother.

    i don't personally think of it as murder but, in the event that i did start to consider it murder, i'd consider it justified murder.

    • "some fetus without its own opinions, its own tears and fears. the fetus doesn't have any of these things yet" at what age do the child/foetus get that and at what age can you have abortion?

    • So what is your opinion when a fetus can survive outside the mother at any stage of development? We are getting VERY close to being able to do this it's only a matter of time. As soon as the fetus is out of the mothers body and on artificial support it is now a human being with it's own rights. A right to know it's father and a right to collect child support from the abortive mother who gave up her rights to having the child because she wanted to get rid of it...

    • @jager66 adopted children don't even have the right to know either of their birth parents in closed adoptions. I doubt a child that was removed at 4-5 months or later will have more rights than a child surrendered at birth.

    • Show All
  • I'm pro-choice because I'd rather see the children who ARE born be wanted and cared for and provided the opportunities they need in order to live fulfilling and productive lives, than see every accidental pregnancy go to term only for those children to be raised in poverty with a parent who has no time to dedicate to their growth and home education because they're working 3 shit jobs just to get by. Or to see desperate women and girls forced to seek back alley abortions which may leave them dead or irreversibly damaged, or could result in a failed abortion attempt and a severely damaged baby being born to a mother who could not afford to properly care for a healthy child, let alone one with special needs.

    • I consider MY stance to be more Pro "LIFE" than those of pro "BIRTH" advocates who stop caring the moment the baby is born.

    • So we need more abortions then, far too many children are not wanted or cared for as it is?

    • I do certainly not agree with you stance is Pro "LIFE" , it's pro-freedom for women... not life , life quality perhaps but not life.

    • Show All
  • Abortion should be kept legal.

    If it were illegal then backyard abortions would once again become prevalent, and we will end up losing, not just the child, but often times the mother too.
    It is cheaper to not have that many unwanted children around, it's also better for the environment to not be forced to overpopulate anymore than we already have.

    I would much prefer to live in a world where unwanted children never know what it's like to be unloved, than to be in a world where every corner you turn there is an unwanted, unloved child, feeling the effects what it's like to be a burden.

    There are too many children who know what that's like even now. To make abortion illegal is to force this on so many more innocent kids who don't deserve the punishment they receive due to their parents, or a single persons stupidity or mistake.

    • To follow your logic, we should legalise all drugs then, to stop all drug related crimes?

    • Absolutely except for minors.

    • Major difference between drugs and pregnancy. While both can be avoided, sometimes there is no way for the woman to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. There is always a way to avoid drugs. In my opinion, if you take drugs and OD that's your own damn fault. We all know what drugs do. But yeah, most drugs should be legalised. Less people would use it then. If I go by an actual account of what happens when something is banned, at my old school everyone wore ties. To the extent that the school made ties compulsory, but of course once they did that, everyone stopped wearing ties, and the school gave up, made it not compulsory, and everyone started wearing ties again. It's the same principle.

    • Show All
  • Abortion has its own reasons... If u don't play safe and abort it's wrong. If u have medical or life threatening issues. I don't think it's wrong

    • I agree. Rape and illness should be the only exceptions.

    • Yes life threatening issues and rape is something different, that was the way it used to be before the free abortions laws.

  • As for when the cut of should be, I'll leave that to the Dr's and researchers..

    But Abortion is not, and should not, go away.

    I don't ever want to have kids. And I'm not just meaning raise them. I do not want to be pregnant, to give birth.. To have that damage done to my body.

    Nevermind the fact, that many of these children who wouldn't be aborted, would grow up with horrible lives. Mothers who don't stop drinking, smoking.. who are hooked on drugs.. What about mothers who would pass on disease to their children? Or children born to unwilling mothers/families, in 3rd world countries?

    What about Global over population?

    Yes, more needs to be done as far as birth control.

    Never getting pregnant, is much better then aborting the pregnancy.

    But.. when it all slips through the cracks, and it is needed or wanted, it should be there.

    • In essence, it's ok to kill in order to save money and reduce overpopulation?

    • Yup. Also to save my body from having to deal with pregnancy. Besides, I'd make a shit mother anyways. Sometimes, I'm even in favour of post-birth abortions.

    • Interesting your advocating human rights violations and even speaking against the Canadian constitution. How about we start by eliminating all young Canadian women, would that suite you, it's a way to start global overpopulation reduction?

    • Show All
  • Show More (77)