In Catholicism, abortion is a sin, equated with murder. However, as with murder, there are various levels of culpability, and forgiveness is always available, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In Mormonism, murder is the most horrible sin, because the individual can never make restitution. Abortion is “different” because making restitution to an unborn infant is a ridiculous concept. In past years, LDS did not consider abortion with any seriousness. There was no specific advice on the issue. Because Mormons believe in a spiritual pre-existence, with little spirit-babies floating around waiting for a body, abortion in the case of a defective baby, rape, or incest, or danger to the mother, is not a moral problem, because the spirit of the aborted baby will attach to a different fetus. In addition, in the cases of rape and incest, the view was that the aborted baby suffers for the sins of its immediate ancestors, and this is just and right.
However, today, as it allies itself with the political right, which includes other religious conservatives who oppose abortion but support unjust war and the death penalty, this attitude has changed. The official stance is that abortion is permissible in cases of rape, incest, a defective baby, and physical and emotional consequences on the mother. Given the prohibitive sexual restraints in Mormonism, any young woman who has become pregnant outside of marriage will naturally desire an abortion. She knows that the Mormon community will shame her to the point of self-loathing, and possibly even suicide. They think that it is their duty, to bring her to repentance for having made a sexual mistake. The Miracle of Forgiveness, the most popular ethical guide for modern-day LDS, mentions abortion only once. Note the lack of concern about the issue of shame in the following excerpt:
This is especially true if pregnancy results from the sin. In this situation it is the girl who suffers most. She must not have an abortion, for that would add serious sin to serious sin. She carries most of the burdens, while the boy often goes penalty-free. The girl must go through the uncomfortable nine months with its distress, deprivations, limitations and embarrassments, and then the pain and expense of delivery and the difficult life afterward. It is a cowardly boy who would not propose marriage, pay the costs, share the deprivations and embarrassment. Yet many young men have walked away and abandoned the girl to all the devastating payments for the sin of them both. (Kimball, 1993, Restitution for Loss of Chastity)
I do compliment Kimball for calling young men to responsibility. Today, with DNA paternity tests, the law does hold them responsible.
