This is from
www.umc.org, I have highlighted areas of interest.
Abortion
http://www.umc.org/uploads/images//about_believe_nurtcompgfour_lg(1).jpgThe beginning of life and the ending of life are the God-given boundaries of human existence. While individuals have always had some degree of control over when they would die, they now have the awesome power to determine when and even whether new individuals will be born.
Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother, for whom devastating damage may result from an unacceptable pregnancy. In continuity with past Christian teaching, we recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures. We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection.
We oppose the use of late-term abortion known as dilation and extraction (partial-birth abortion) and call for the end of this practice except when the physical life of the mother is in danger and no other medical procedure is available, or in the case of severe fetal anomalies incompatible with life. We call all Christians to a searching and prayerful inquiry into the sorts of conditions that may warrant abortion. We commit our Church to continue to provide nurturing ministries to those who terminate a pregnancy, to those in the midst of a crisis pregnancy, and to those who give birth. We particularly encourage the Church, the government, and social service agencies to support and facilitate the option of adoption. (See ¶ 161.K.)
Governmental laws and regulations do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian conscience. Therefore, a decision concerning abortion should be made only after thoughtful and prayerful consideration by the parties involved, with medical, pastoral, and other appropriate counsel.
*From *The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church
- 2004. Copyright 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
I have highlighted areas in red that seem to indicate wishy-washiness and questionable discernment on abortion.
The first highlighted portion comes across as contradictory. It seems to imply that the life of the unborn child is sacred and then goes on to say that the life of the mother is sacred as well. This is very true but one cannot put a price on either life. They are both sacred. But it seems to be saying that the mother is more fit for life and better suited to deserve life than the child. Someone once said that if she was told that she had to choose between her life and the childs, she would give her life up for her child like a true mother should.
The second highlighted area is one of the most blatant attempts at not tackling a serious problem. The UMC says that it cannot “affirm” abortion as birth control. The word *affirm *used in this context is hardly powerful or authoritative. Look up the synonyms for the word *affirm *and you come up with assert, asseverate, attest, aver, avouch, avow, certify, cinch, clinch, confirm, cross heart, declare, guarantee, ice, insist, lock up, maintain, nail down, okay, predicate, profess, pronounce, ratify, repeat, rubber-stamp, set, state, swear, testify, vouch, and witness. Any of these words used in the context is simply not strong enough to convey that the UMC opposes abortion as a means of birth control. Meriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word in question:
*AFFIRM: *
1 a : VALIDATE, CONFIRM
b : to state positively
2 : to assert (as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed
3 : to express dedication to
intransitive senses
1 : to testify or declare by affirmation as distinguished from swearing an oath
2 : to uphold a judgment or decree of a lower court
