Points of View

It is nearly impossible anymore to find someone who doesn't have an opinion

about abortion, and probably a strong opinion at that. Yet the endless debates on the topic

usually go nowhere, leaving the opponents even more committed to their positions and

the open-minded observers confused. Both sides make a good case. An unwanted child is

a pitiful thing, and the attendant social problems (single motherhood, financial

destitution, child neglect, and urban overcrowding, to name just a few) do not have easy

solutions. On the other hand, the thought of terminating something that, if left to run its

natural course, would ultimately result in the birth of a human being gives all but the

most hard-hearted among us cause for serious introspection.

One reason the debate goes nowhere is that each side focuses on a different topic.

We make no progress because we are not talking about the same thing. The

pro-abortionist prefers to discuss choice, and to dwell on all of the social problems

inherent in an unwanted child. The anti-abortionist is interested primarily in protecting

the life of the fetus. In simple terms, the pro-abortionist focuses on a woman's rights and

the anti-abortionist focuses on a fetus' rights. Though interrelated, these are basically

different topics.

  Though neither side realizes it, there is actually much more agreement than

disagreement between the opposing views. The majority on both sides would agree that

social problems like child neglect and urban overcrowding are serious issues. Most

would also agree that the life of a child is a precious thing that deserves the full

protection of the law. There would even be nearly universal agreement that it is a

woman's exclusive right to make decisions concerning her body. So where's the

disagreement? The entire complex issue comes down to one question:  Is the fetus a

person? If you believe it is not a person, then it is simply part of the woman's body and

subject to her exclusive control. From this point of view, any attempt to diminish that

control is a cruel infringement upon a woman's rights. If, however, you believe the fetus

is a person, then you are obligated to protect it, even to the point of delimiting the actions

of the woman carrying it. For you, the suggestion that this issue is a matter of personal

choice is like saying that whether or not a parent kills a two-year-old is a matter of

personal choice.

The goal of these pages is to examine the abortion debate from several perspectives,

focusing on the question of when the fetus' life as a person begins. Toward that end I

have divided my presentation into four areas:  History, Medicine, Law, and Bible. History

provides insight into how other people and cultures have approached this issue. Medicine

discusses scientific evidence relating to the topic. Law considers how the Constitution

bears on this debate and the role of the court in it. Bible examines the teachings in this

area of one of the fundamental moral guides for Western culture. Throughout each of the

specific areas I have endeavored to honestly reflect views from both sides. But I make no

pretense of being unbiased. No one who spends any time considering this issue can be

truly impartial. Instead I admit my position freely, but try to avoid letting it cause me to

misrepresent the alternatives. If you feel that I have missed something significant, please

let me know. I hope to refine the content of these pages over time to make them more

useful.