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Another pro-life argument
Following a recent Creation Magazine LIVE! episode about abortion, a retired doctor writes in to point out another pro-life argument that can be used.
Dear Creation-speakers,
I loved the video on anti-abortion arguments (Abortion: A Matter of Choice?): I fully approve. Also in Belgium rape is considered the strongest argument for abortion … Gynaecologists told me though that is was indeed extremely rare and therefore virtually not argument at all, because also in this harsh condition abortion is by far not the only solution, as you also said. A other powerful argument is the two-years-rule. I used it always in discussions and it always works.
There is one argument (only a small one) that is missing according to my opinion.
It is the fact that in pregnancy it is also impossible for the becoming mother to argue she is the boss in her own body since she renounced for that point of view since before getting pregnant she first admitted … a man into her body.
So if there should be thought about abortion (God beware!), one doesn’t only have to look at the mothers’ point of view or at the position of the baby but also there is a third person involved: the responsible father of the future child.
It is never mentioned, but why should it not be considered that a future father might be vulnerable in his position towards the future child? When a woman can become depressed after an abortion for the impossibility for her to see this baby to grow up, why couldn’t the father have any questions on who this baby might have been later?
I love being a member of Creation information.
God is always greater.
Dr. Jozef D., a retired Belgian (Flemish) doctor in medicine and a strong believer. Had no problems with abortion though, since my patients knew my strict point of view.
CMI-Canada’s Thomas Bailey responds:
Dear Jozef,
Thank you for supporting our ministry and for your encouraging words. I’m glad you are in agreement with our stand against abortion, particularly since you are a medical professional who understands firsthand the truth about the unborn baby’s humanity.
You make a cogent point about the role of the father. It’s true we didn’t manage to include this point in our show as we were focusing on choices made by the mother. But I would agree that the father should not only have some input into the baby’s future, but he also bears as much responsibility for the well-being of the child as does the mother. I would submit that the choices of the mother are directly affected by the choices of the father.
As you point out, the unborn child is not part of the mother’s body because he/she has his/her own unique DNA from the very first cell. This, of course, is substantially due to the fact that much of that DNA comes from the father. While the emotional state of the father at the loss of a child may not be as strong as the mother’s, it still bears consideration. I know of a married couple who have had two miscarriages and both times, the father went into a dark frame of mind. Mind you, this is an example of a couple that clearly wanted a child. Such is not always the case.
When looking at reasons why women choose to abort their babies, a five-year survey concluded in 2013 indicated that 31% say the relationship isn’t in a good place to raise a child.1 In some cases, perhaps the relationship was non-existent or there was risk of a break-up if the mother decided to keep the baby. In a small percentage of cases, the relationship was abusive. Then there are the financial pressures which are amplified for single mothers. Such statistics represent situations in which sex should not have occurred since the couple was clearly not prepared to raise a child. I made reference to this in an article I wrote titled Abortion ‘Choices’, in which I quipped, “Don’t want a baby? Don’t do the thing that makes babies.”
I’m old enough to remember when unmarried couples who conceived were expected to get married and raise the child. Both parents were expected to take responsibility. Sadly, in a culture in which sex and marriage are considered as separate and almost mutually exclusive things, and it’s all about the individual, taking responsibility for one’s actions and looking after others have become low priority. The same survey indicates that 85.5% of women who had abortions were single. 8% specifically indicated they didn’t want to be a single parent; although this may have been true for more of those surveyed. I can’t help but wonder if more women would be willing to raise the child if they had the father’s support.
So yes, I would agree that fathers should be allowed to be involved in the decision to abort or not, just as they were involved in the decision to have sex. They should also take responsibility for any children conceived as a result. CMI is staunchly pro-life, so we would hope that raising the child would be the course of action that both parents will take, even when the pregnancy is unexpected. Failing that, adoption would be the next-best option. However, if a decision is made to abort, I submit that both parents bear equal responsibility for such an abominable act.
God bless you sir,
Thomas Bailey,
CMI-Canada
References and notes
- Biggs, M.A., Gould, H., and Foster, D.G., Understanding why women seek abortions in the US, BMC Women’s Health 13:29, 2013. Return to text.
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