Rants
My Position on the Abortion Issue
Being male, I will obviously never be in a position to have an abortion. This, in my opinion, disqualifies me from being able to decide for someone else whether or not they should be able to obtain an abortion legally. But I digress...
The real issue isn't whether abortion is right or wrong. It's about having the freedom to make the choice for yourself. If you get into a discussion with someone about whether abortion is right or wrong, you'll eventually arrive at one thing. Those who say it's wrong say it's because "God says" it's wrong.
The Freedom of Religion
In the United States, there are two problems with "God says it's wrong". Problem one: Freedom of religion. In the US, we have the freedom to practice religion. Any religion. Or even the absense of any religion. Just because one religion says something is wrong, doesn't mean it's wrong for everyone. And that brings us to... Problem 2: The Separation of church and state. You can't use "God says so" to base laws on, especially when there are many religions in practice in the US.
My Theoretical Country
I find that often, things are best expressed by analogy. So for this instance, I've invented the country of Befesta. Befesta is a small country with a deeply religious culture. One of the long-standing religious traditions practiced in Befesta is the sacrifice of each family's first born child to the Befestan god. This has been done for centuries, and is never thought twice about. Any thought of non-compliance would be heresy.
Recently, because of Befesta's strong economy, many immigrants have been flocking to the country in search of high paying jobs and good quality living. The Befestan government has adopted a position of tolerance, not requiring those who aren't of the Befestan religion to participate in the sacrificial ritual. This decision has infuriated the Befestan religious conservatives, who maintain that there is "only one god" and that the ritual must be adhered to, or those in question will "burn in hell".
Many religious Befestans have been converging at hospitals where anyone who fails to sacrifice their first-born is harassed and threatened. Many hospitals that adhere to the government's policy receive bomb threats, and the government is under constant pressure to uphold the religious traditions. Doctors who perform deliveries for those who are exempt from the law are also threatened, and occasionally killed.
All because "god" says so. When it's put this way, it's easier to see it for what it is.
What does it all mean?
I don't think abortion is right. I don't think
it's a substitute for birth control. But I live in the United States, and
in this country we have the freedom to practice whatever religious beliefs
we choose. If you have a moral or religious problem with abortions, don't
have one. But don't ram your religious beliefs down someone else's throat.
It won't work. People have to find their own paths in life.
