by Mark Harmony

Created on: June 28, 2007

Abortion is a very difficult subject, involving trying emotional issues. Many reasonable and honorable men and woman hold very firm opinions on both sides of this moral issue. Do we allow women their natural freedom to choose what occurs within their bodies, or do we act to save the lives of the innocent unborn children? While we may disagree with each other's views on abortion, no one would deny that the subject of abortion serves as a compass for the moral direction a nation pursues. It is therefore prudent to carefully review the facts as they are known and to formulate opinions, knowing their ultimate consequences.

People in favor or against the permissibility of abortion invariably fall into two categories; those who believe that a woman aught to have the right to her body (Pro Choice group) and those who believe that the unborn fetus is a human worthy of protection as in any other human (Pro Life group).

Extreme proponents of the Pro Choice group believe that the right of a woman to her body is nearly absolute, that an unborn fetus is not human, and therefore a woman aught to have the right to terminate her pregnancy at any time until the presentation of the baby.

Extreme proponents of the Pro Life group believe that an unborn fetus is a human being from the time a sperm meets an egg and fertilizes (i.e., conception). Thus, the fertilized egg, having formed within hours of sexual intercourse, is worthy of protection like any other human being. The Catholic Church actually goes one step further in its extreme Pro Life stance in that it holds that even contraception is immoral. The Church argues that sperms and eggs can not be prevented from meeting and that the mere act of preventing the sperm from having a fair chance of fertilizing an egg is a crime!

In discussing a complicated issue such as abortion, wherein the ultimate objective is to come to some sort of consensus, it is perhaps best to debunk the most extreme views first. Let us consider the above mentioned extremes.

First, let us consider the Catholic Church's belief that contraception even prior to fertilization should be banned. The overlying moral principal is that first both the ovum (the egg) and the sperm are sacred material, and second that they should not be prevented from performing their godly' purpose. Regarding the sacred nature of sperm and egg, it is important to remember that both the sperm and eggs are discarded naturally as part of activities of daily living. The male testicles regularly

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