Talking to Kids about Abortion

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Nothing teaches like first hand experience. Taking them to pro-life talks at an appropriate age is effective in raising awareness. Many diocese have pro-life speakers from project Rachel who can share their stories.
At younger ages it’s more effective to speak about the underlying principles in a more general and positive way.

But for older teens…there are people with life stories that can scare the hell out of them, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
 
The single-issue accusation isn’t without merit; I’m a member of the Consistent Life Network and support the womb-to-tomb approach.

But I also think that Catholics (rightfully) get noisier about abortion because unlike with torture, human trafficking, etc., there’s a large, well-organized cohort denying that abortion is even a human rights violation. Nobody is arguing that the trafficked child is “not a person” or that human trafficking is a personal choice, how dare you judge traffickers, etc. It’s the denial surrounding abortion, along with the massive number of lives lost, that result in this issue appearing to receive some special treatment among Catholics.
 
blackforest said:
“You need to be clear about what the church teaches on the subject.”

I’m not sure why abortion gets any sort of special treatment as an issue. I lump it in with all other human rights issues that the Church upholds. Womb to tomb, we don’t kill defenseless human beings, and we treat them with the Works of Mercy. This shouldn’t be so complicated, but society is weird.
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I addressed it as one issue in my response because the OP asked about talking to kids about abortion. Obviously a catholic household would be teaching all the values of the church all the time.
 
Oh, I caught that. My rant wasn’t a personal one. 🙂

Pro-lifers in general need to do a better job at framing this as one more human rights issue. You’ve clearly taken this inclusive approach in your volunteer work.
 
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Yikes! Sounds like you need to talk to the priest at your local parish about things. Stop recieving the Eucharist immediately and after you’ve come back into communion with the Church, go to confession and start recieving again.
 
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lovethelord24 said:
I am Catholic, but do disagree with the church on some social values.
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I’m not sure I understand what that means. How is it a “social value” that an unborn child is a life? Or is it that you disagree with the church that an unborn child’s life is worthy of protection?
 
I was exposed to the anti-abortion, pro-life crowd far too early. It was the 80’s and people did not think to censor images around young children. While I am pro-life I see those people as incredibly disrespectful of the dignity of the person. Never sat well with me.

For now, as they are small, they get the “sometimes mommies and daddies make bad decisions that hurt babies” line. Given that New England has a heroin problem and we run into quite a few foster care situations among friends it fits well.

For my niece, who is older, she gets more information. However, she has not yet been exposed to graphic pictures, even as she nears her teen years.
 
Then you are profaning the blessed sacrament.

No leniency for abortion should be given. It’s not “Who are you to judge.” They’re killing a child! Under no circumstances is that ever acceptable.
 
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Why is it different than explaining any other “bad thing” to your kids? You explain murder, you explain death, you explain kidnapping and surgery and comas and poop and sin and Satan, you also explain abortion. You do it bit by bit, as the child asks questions or as it comes up in your life.
 
The “science” on baby growth and development focuses on issues of pain perception and ability to survive outside of the womb. Not the issue of whether or not it is life. And that is the first question that has to be answered. It is either a life, or it isn’t. If it isn’t a life, then what is it? And if it is a life, then why is it not worthy of protection?

This isn’t a case of judging. I can say that there are many reasons why women might seek an abortion, and all of those are tragic. No woman should be condemned. But it doesn’t make abortion right.
 
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We do not kill the child because his father is a rapist.

Aside from an ectopic pregnancy (and that is treated by removing the damaged tube), modern medicine gives doctors the ability to treat both patients, the mother and the unborn child.

Direct abortion never, in any case.

The women you know, do not dismiss their pain and sorrow.
 
Under no circumstances. No rape, not even in the completely farcical “life of the mother” case. Those women are still people, and still Catholic, but they have committed grave sin. So are you, by condoning abortion. I urge you, as a fellow Catholic, please see a priest. Please stop recieving the Eucharist. Please, confess your sins and be contrite. Your soul is at stake. May God help you.
 
For women who’ve been through this, we have the sacrament of reconciliation and ministries like Project Rachel. Shaming women is against our faith.
 
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I’m not sure these sorts of personal condemnations are helpful. Obviously @lovethelord24 has, unfortunately, been influenced by the same kinds of propaganda that fill society today. It is more helpful to offer gentle advice than harsh correction.
 
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