Mormons can pray about getting an abortion, but they can't pray about playing a game of poker. Hmmm...

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Mormon Stumpers
The Church Handbook of Instructions
, approved in September, 1998, states that abortion may be performed in the following circumstances: pregnancy resulting from rape or incest; a competent physician says the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy; or a competent physician says that the “fetus” has severe defects that will not allow the “baby” to survive beyond birth. In any case, the persons responsible must first consult with their church leader and receive God’s approval in prayer (156).


…the Handbook says: “The church has not favored or opposed legislative proposals or public demonstrations concerning abortion (156).” While the Mormon prophet claims to speak the mind and will of God, he can neither figure out when the unborn child becomes human or if it is God’s desire that we protect the unborn unconditionally.

Your Mormon friend will offer the excuse that his church leaves many decisions to the free agency (free will) of its people, and that abortion is one such concern. You might point out the irony in the fact that the Mormon church has no hesitation or uncertainty in making the following declarations:
  1. “The church opposes gambling in any form” (including lotteries). Members are also urged to oppose legislation and government sponsorship of any form of gambling (Handbook, 150).
  2. The church also opposes [correctly, of course] pornography in any form (158).
  3. Church members are to reject all efforts to legally authorize or support same-sex unions (158).
There is no need for a member to pray for divine guidance or seek church approval for such activities, for there will be no divine or ecclesiastical finessing of morality to permit even an occasional bingo game. A prayerful game of poker, unrepented, will bar the member from the temple and ultimate salvation; a prayerful, by-the-book abortion, unrepented, won’t.
 
I was raped. I became pregnant. I was read that to by my bishop. I already in new in my heart that the baby was innocnet of what had happened. I was mentaly, spiritualy, and physicaly strong enough to proceed with pregnancy. BUT… not every one is. I personaly don’t believe in abortion except: in cases of incest(sp?). A woman must decide in any case no matter what their religion, belief, or culture the eternal consequences of their decision. I wouldn’t be able to live with the knowledge that I killed another human being. While every step along the way was painful, I know that I amde the right dession for me.

Until we walk in that woman’s shoes, we can speculate what we would do and not know the truth until we do. I would have made that same dission weather I was Catholic or LDS. So, ask yourself this…what would I do if I was rapped and beaten? What if I had just gotten to hte point of being able to walk out of your house to the mailbox without being afraid and you just found out that you are pregnant? Your whole world just crumbled…not everyone can go through with a pregnancy. We should understand, listen, cousel, and support that woman. It is her dission, not ours. She had her right to refuse taken away.

I would seperate your statement on abortion(bue to rape, etc) and gambling. And just so you know, I attended a bingo game…I told my bishop…he asked if I won. I said yes. He asked what I won. My reply… a Bible. I gave it that church’s charity closet with my favotire scripture Eph 3:16-19. And I was not disaplined. I still go to the temple.
 
I was raped. I became pregnant. I was read that to by my bishop. I already in new in my heart that the baby was innocnet of what had happened. I was mentaly, spiritualy, and physicaly strong enough to proceed with pregnancy. BUT… not every one is. I personaly don’t believe in abortion except: in cases of incest(sp?). A woman must decide in any case no matter what their religion, belief, or culture the eternal consequences of their decision. I wouldn’t be able to live with the knowledge that I killed another human being. While every step along the way was painful, I know that I amde the right dession for me.

I still go to the temple.
You are right. In exceptional cases a woman must decide for herself. Thank you for sharing your experience. I think that the lds church has a very human centered approach to abortion.

We also must remember that before this earthly life, the lds believe that we were spirit children living with our heavenly parents. An abortion will not prevent that spirit from gaining a physical body in this life.
 
I was raped. I became pregnant. I was read that to by my bishop. I already in new in my heart that the baby was innocnet of what had happened. I was mentaly, spiritualy, and physicaly strong enough to proceed with pregnancy. BUT… not every one is. I personaly don’t believe in abortion except: in cases of incest(sp?). A woman must decide in any case no matter what their religion, belief, or culture the eternal consequences of their decision. I wouldn’t be able to live with the knowledge that I killed another human being. While every step along the way was painful, I know that I amde the right dession for me.

Until we walk in that woman’s shoes, we can speculate what we would do and not know the truth until we do. I would have made that same dission weather I was Catholic or LDS. So, ask yourself this…what would I do if I was rapped and beaten? What if I had just gotten to hte point of being able to walk out of your house to the mailbox without being afraid and you just found out that you are pregnant? Your whole world just crumbled…not everyone can go through with a pregnancy. We should understand, listen, cousel, and support that woman. It is her dission, not ours. She had her right to refuse taken away.

I would seperate your statement on abortion(bue to rape, etc) and gambling. And just so you know, I attended a bingo game…I told my bishop…he asked if I won. I said yes. He asked what I won. My reply… a Bible. I gave it that church’s charity closet with my favotire scripture Eph 3:16-19. And I was not disaplined. I still go to the temple.
Thank you for sharing this experience.

It is important to remember that following Christ is not an ideology. Often the debate of abortion is reduced to just that. The experience of people like yourself reminds us that that following Christ is not an ideology, it is an encounter.

Peace be with you.
 
Yes, they can. I personaly know someone who was. It wasn’t the fact that she had the abortion as much as her refusal repent. She wasn’t in a position that she had no say, rather she willingly chose to sleep with someone. I wish she had repented. She is living with this choice everyday of her life. Just like you would go to a preist for confession, we to need to seek to road to forgivness with the help of our bishop.
 
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