Abortion in Case of Incest or Rape

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WordisLove

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Hello all,

I wanted to bring a discussion I was having with my mother in law and others onto this forum to get an answer I am having trouble communicating. My mother-in-law is pro-choice as is my wife (albeit less so and I think via her mother channeling her beliefs down the line) She cannot understand how I could be pro-life explicitly with no exceptions. I stand on my Catholic faith’s moral teaching and tradition to back me up. I believe that abortion is killing an unborn child whatever the reason for the abortion may be. Believe me I understand why people have abortions also, fright, panic, selfishness, health reasons etc. The question that was posed to me which I was unable to formulate a proper response that secular ears would hear and understand is: How can someone who is forced into a sexual act through rape or incest be forced to carry the child to term if they do not wish to? I cannot even imagine the feelings and thoughts of those in this situation but I kept responding that regardless of the reason for the abortion it remained wrong because it was the killing of the defenseless innocent unborn child. And also, I believe the birth of the child could prove to be the good that comes from a bad situation.
The woman never makes a conscious decision to sin by having intercourse outside of wedlock etc, she never even consents to the act at all. I can see the side of the argument which argues that it is a continuation of the rape for the woman to have to carry the child to term. (the abortion doesn’t negate the act either though, and may add additional wounds) As a man I always find myself on the losing side of these types of arguments because “I cannot put myself in a woman’s shoes” And that is true to some extent. As I am argueing with people with secular outlooks on life the biblical and catholic responses don’t always work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can respond to this question charitably and completely. Please keep in mind the audience I am trying to persuade of the barbarity of this act. Thanks
 
My answer to this is always: Why should an innocent child receive the death penalty for the crimes of his/her father?

I don’t minimize the pain and suffering women go through, but compassionate counseling and a good plan for the baby (whether adoption or not) will heal a lot more souls than compounding her powerlessness with regret and guilt over murdering her child.

P.S. This is such a rare occurrence, especially since the advent of emergency contraception, that it is a red herring thrown out by the other side to make them look compassionate toward women. And I have been assured by a very holy, educated, trustworthy catechist that it is perfectly morally acceptable for rape victims to use medication to prevent ovulation.
 
My sister was raped in the early 80’s. She became pregnant as a result of the rape. Abortion was not a choice for her. She decide to carry the baby with the decision to give it up for adoption. After the birth of her daughter she decided to keep her. She realized that even though this child was conceived by a horrible act, this child was a part of her. She did not realize how much she would be able to love her daughter, until she held her in her arms.

Love will always trump evil…if you choose it.

I read a good book a while ago called “The Atonement Child” by Francine Rivers. Rivers is a Christian author. It deals with this exact topic. I must warn you all though, it is a pro-life story.
P.S. This is such a rare occurrence, especially since the advent of emergency contraception, that it is a red herring thrown out by the other side to make them look compassionate toward women. And I have been assured by a very holy, educated, trustworthy catechist that it is perfectly morally acceptable for rape victims to use medication to prevent ovulation.
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Personally, I think it is up to the woman who is raped to decide if she is wants to take the emergency contraception. I am not against one using it.
 
Premise 1: When a crime is committed, we are obligated to protect, defend and care for the victims as well as punish the perpetrator. Under no circumstances should the victim be punished.

Premise 2: If a woman is pregnant, it is a baby. Life starts at conception. Therefore abortion kills a human life.

Premise 3: Execution is a form of punishment.

Conclusion: Aborting a baby whose father victimized his/her mother is punishing the innocent, and is very seriously evil.
 
WordisLove said:
How can someone who is forced into a sexual act through rape or incest be forced to carry the child to term if they do not wish to? I cannot even imagine the feelings and thoughts of those in this situation but I kept responding that regardless of the reason for the abortion it remained wrong because it was the killing of the defenseless innocent unborn child.
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You gave a fine answer. It is always wrong to kill babies.
 
Why should a woman have to give birth to the child of the rapist? Why should that rapist get to have a child when it was done against her will? It seems almost unfair for that father to get to have a child and have someone else raise it, because of his evil action.
 
jfoges said:
Why should a woman have to give birth to the child of the rapist? Why should that rapist get to have a child when it was done against her will? It seems almost unfair for that father to get to have a child and have someone else raise it, because of his evil action.
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What did the child do wrong, that he deserves to be killed?
 
jfoges said:
Why should a woman have to give birth to the child of the rapist? Why should that rapist get to have a child when it was done against her will? It seems almost unfair for that father to get to have a child and have someone else raise it, because of his evil action.
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How is killing the child fair to the child? What did the child do to deserve to be executed?
 
The only one forcing a woman to bear a child is the rapist. If a conception occurs, the woman is a mother, plain and simple.

We do no wrong in preventing a mother from killing her own child.
 
well, isn’t someone who has been raped, doing the exact same thing that happened to them, to their baby? in as much as they didn’t have a choice?
the woman didn’t have a choice when she was raped, so why would she do the same to someone else? especially her own child.

you don’t have to be a woman to have a say in this matter, everyone has the right to give their opinion because EVERYONE was a baby at one time! you have the right to say these things because you have something in common with those who risk being aborted, you were once right where they are, you also have the right to talk about it because you’re defending the innocent, and they are only thinking of what suffering it may bring, but since when did anyones suffering justify the killing of innocent lives?

the fact is, that the child’s right to life, over rides the mothers right to choose, it’s as simple as that,

but i think one big difference between your opinion and theirs is, you know the true value of life, and they don’t, so getting alot of these kinda things threw to them may be very hard.

well, here’s some pages i think we help you out alot -

catholicapologetics.info/morality/abortion/answers.htm

catholicapologetics.info/morality/abortion/tough.htm

i think those go over just about everything you asked.

ok, hope that helps, tc.
 
I would like to clarify a point about “emergency contraception”. Check out the product insert avaliable online for PlanB. It not only can prevent ovulation, but if the egg has already been released and is fertilized, it PREVENTS IMPLANTATION, thereby causing an abortion. (the same potential exists with birth control pills) The Vatican as recently as 2/29/08 has confirmed the statement from 2000 by the Pontifical Academy for Life that so called “morning after” pills may not be administered by Catholic physicians even in the case of rape.
 
MomMD said:
I would like to clarify a point about “emergency contraception”. Check out the product insert avaliable online for PlanB. It not only can prevent ovulation, but if the egg has already been released and is fertilized, it PREVENTS IMPLANTATION, thereby causing an abortion. (the same potential exists with birth control pills) The Vatican as recently as 2/29/08 has confirmed the statement from 2000 by the Pontifical Academy for Life that so called “morning after” pills may not be administered by Catholic physicians even in the case of rape.
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It does not matter what the Vatican says about this issue. The morning after pill is administered at all hospitals including Catholic ones. Sometimes the physicians are Catholic as well.
 
I’ve been told by several catechists, a priest whose expertise is TOTB, and my diocesan bishop back home that EC is acceptable for rape victims.

The BC pill is allowed for married women with health problems. Why not EC for rape victims? The chance of a possible miscarriage is very small and it’s not intended for that purpose but to prevent ovulation. As I recall, she didn’t consent to sex so she doesn’t have to be open to life (now if she becomes pregnant or is already pregnant, she is obligated to protect the life of her child).

And for the record, most rapists would want an abortion or something, so that a DNA test can’t prove his paternity and land him in jail. I’ve heard of a drug mixed with date rape drugs that induce sterility and of rapists doing what they can to cause miscarriage so no one labels him the father.

I don’t agree with abortion at all, but EC after rape? I do agree with that.
 
WordisLove said:
Hello all,

I wanted to bring a discussion I was having with my mother in law and others onto this forum to get an answer I am having trouble communicating. My mother-in-law is pro-choice as is my wife (albeit less so and I think via her mother channeling her beliefs down the line) She cannot understand how I could be pro-life explicitly with no exceptions. I stand on my Catholic faith’s moral teaching and tradition to back me up. I believe that abortion is killing an unborn child whatever the reason for the abortion may be. Believe me I understand why people have abortions also, fright, panic, selfishness, health reasons etc. The question that was posed to me which I was unable to formulate a proper response that secular ears would hear and understand is: How can someone who is forced into a sexual act through rape or incest be forced to carry the child to term if they do not wish to? I cannot even imagine the feelings and thoughts of those in this situation but I kept responding that regardless of the reason for the abortion it remained wrong because it was the killing of the defenseless innocent unborn child. And also, I believe the birth of the child could prove to be the good that comes from a bad situation.
The woman never makes a conscious decision to sin by having intercourse outside of wedlock etc, she never even consents to the act at all. I can see the side of the argument which argues that it is a continuation of the rape for the woman to have to carry the child to term. (the abortion doesn’t negate the act either though, and may add additional wounds) As a man I always find myself on the losing side of these types of arguments because “I cannot put myself in a woman’s shoes” And that is true to some extent. As I am argueing with people with secular outlooks on life the biblical and catholic responses don’t always work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can respond to this question charitably and completely. Please keep in mind the audience I am trying to persuade of the barbarity of this act. Thanks
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From what I have been told, every conception is the will of God. I dont get it because if a conception is the will of God, where is the sin of sex outside of marriage etc, rape, incest?
 
Bella3502 said:
It does not matter what the Vatican says about this issue. The morning after pill is administered at all hospitals including Catholic ones. Sometimes the physicians are Catholic as well.
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There are tests that can be done to determine if ovulation has occurred. If ovulation has not yet occurred, then emergency contraception may be administered to prevent it occurring. That is my understanding of allowable EC use for Catholics.
 
seekerz said:
There are tests that can be done to determine if ovulation has occurred. If ovulation has not yet occurred, then emergency contraception may be administered to prevent it occurring. That is my understanding of allowable EC use for Catholics.
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While the Church has not spoken definitively on this, so far, this has been the guidance of a couple of individual bishops here in the USA.
 
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