The Sadness of Life After Abortion

Catholic Educator's Resource Center ^ | FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

[Ladysmith]

Yes, but remember it is not for me to forgive. That I leave up to God.

If a post-abortive woman truly repents, has found God's forgiveness or is unknowingly searching for His forgiveness and healing, could you not forgive her also and help her find His peace from the madness of her choice ?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Again, IMO, it is not for me to forgive. I have already been flamed for taking a hard stand on this. I don't let them off the hook that easily, but bottom line is that is that I believe it has nothing to do with me. I believe that the option for women to kill their unborn children is reeking havoc on the society I raise my children in, but other than that , it is none of my concern if a woman repents and ask for forgiveness.

That is between that woman and God. Are there cases of good women making an honest mistake , sure a few I am sure.

Would I hurt a woman on purpose because she had an abortion, never.

But that is as far as I able to go. I am not able to offer much compassion or sympathy to a woman who kills her child and then needs shoulder to cry upon about it.

I can not speak for others.

I think the case for men is different, I can offer much more sympathy and compassion there. Forgivness is still up to God.

[Ladysmith]

I am not able to offer much compassion or sympathy to a woman who kills her child and then needs shoulder to cry upon about it.

That's too bad. Because that post-abortive woman may not realize that God will forgive even abortions. A compassionate shoulder from a Christian who does know this could be that thin thread of hope that God might, in fact, be there waiting to help her, if she could only ask.

[CSM]

"If you try to address the question as you've posed it, then you set humans up to determine at what nanosecond would a fetus be able to survive, even if barely, outside the womb?"

Actually, with the links and article provided as a reference, I no longer need to answer that question. The nanosecond that a person exists is upon fertilization.

Thanks for the feedback tho.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I understand your point, but IMO opinion God will get the message to those who seek his forgiveness all by himself. I am not Evangelical, and I do I have any issue with anyone who is.

It is not my mission though, and if it is your I respect that.

I just see things a bit differently. I still believe it is not for me to forgive, it is for God. If he wants that woman to have forgiveness from a Christian, he will direct her to you, or to someone who is capable of giving her the shoulder and forgiveness.

If he needs or wants her to hear what I have to say, he will direct her to me.

[kidd]

I've known three women that have admitted to having an abortion. One of them had frequent "nightmares" where she would meet the child that she aborted. In these dreams, the child had a name (the same one every time - I forgot the name, but I think it was a girl) and was old enough to talk. The child would do things like take her mother to the playground by the hand and show her what the other children at the playground were doing, or tell the mother "its ok mom, I know what trouble you were in. I forgive you."

All three of them went to funeral services for their child. One of them (Nicole Taylor) is an outspoken opponent of abortion and has published her testimony several times (one of them appeared on the Free Republic).

[CyberAnt]

The best bumper sticker I ever saw:

SMILE .. YOUR MOTHER CHOSE LIFE!

I guess if you're the guy driving the car looking at that bumper sticker .. it might have a great impact. If their mother would not have chosen life .. they wouldn't be driving a car at that moment looking at that bumper sticker.

[Ladysmith]

Well, just in case God has something else in mind and you do meet a post-abortive woman who needs help, how about letting her know Crisis Pregnancy Centers are ministries that can help her find answers and healing from her past. They're listed as Abortion Alternatives in the yellow pages.

Take care.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I hope she will cross my path before she kills her child.

Then I will be able to give her guidance, after that her soul is for God to work on ,and the people who are capable of that kind of work.

I am not one of them, God has given me gifts in other areas. But I will pass the info on to people who may use it.

[Hildy]

Yes, here I am again. For every sad story there is another that isn't sad. I'm just putting some reality into this hotbed discussion.

[Integrityrocks]

I had an abortion many years ago. Lots of circumstantial excuses, but no "right" reason. I am willing to bet that most of the women in NYC "ARE" walking around with PTSD and rather than dealing with the real issue, they have been convinced by their fast-lane, "I am #1" friends that their behavioral problems, ie, depression, drinking, partying, sexual permissiveness, are a "normal" side affect to the pressures of big-city living. "Everybody deals with life that way." It is a lie that they have bought. Many will commit suicide and many sit alone when no one is watching and wonder why they feel something in their life is seriously wrong. Speaking from someone who's been there, abortion can't be explained away from the heart, no matter how many good excuses their were at the time.

[jwh_Denver]

I have a question for everyone. Is there any reasonable time period that abortion would be morally acceptable?

I used to be pro abortion until I found out about partial birth abortions and was enraged that people in this nation could be so barbaric. Then I started to think what your question says. I haven't come up with an answer yet but right now I will not accept that abortion is wrong all the time. Things not brought up in the other posts did not take into account the mental conditions, health conditions, screwing cousins, rape, etc of the "future" mother. It's very simple to make this issue black or white. The weight of this issue I believe has some gray areas.

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[CSM]

I can't buy into the health reasons argument. My bro was supposed to be born with some dabilitating health problem. Instead, he was born as healthy as could be. I have heard to many stories like that and in each case the doctors were recommending abortion. Sometimes I think the medical profession in general promotes abortion.

The other situations would be great cases for adoption. I just can't see killing any person. The person in the womb didn't play a part in the sick crime rape, yet we want that person to pay the ultimate price of death......I just can't see sentencing someone to death for a crime they absolutely could not have participated in.

[DennisR]

All I can say to that is 1010.

[DennisR]

All I can say to that is "1010".

[jwh_Denver]

I can't buy into the health reasons argument.

I was referring to the mother but your point is well taken.
But I think you're seeing this issue too simply.

[CSM]

"I was referring to the mother but your point is well taken."

How do we assign value to lives, so that men end up deciding if the mother or the baby lives? What is the deciding factor that would justify killing the person in the womb rather than allowing the person with the womb to die? I understand those are difficult questions and I sympathize with anyone in that situation, however I think it is a situation where nature should take its course.

"But I think you're seeing this issue too simply."

That is the only way to approach this. I read the articles and debates that were directed to me and I learned a great deal. I would suggest that you read the article referenced by Solson above. It is a very well written, logical and reasoned discussion of both sides of the issue. If we don't look at it simply, then we will never win. If we concede to "grey areas" then the debate will forever burn!

[GrandEagle]

Is there any reasonable time period that abortion would be morally acceptable?
There is a fellow Freeper (MHGinTN) who has researched and documented in laymen’s terms the biological processes involved in the steps from fertilization to life outside the womb.
Basically, from the moment the egg and sperm unite and have the complete chromosome set, there is nothing else that this union can be but a unique human baby. It has all the information that it will ever have and in just a very few days it has all of the cell types that it will ever have. It simply needs the same thing afforded a baby outside the womb - nourishment, care, and time to grow up.

[CSM]

Thanks. That is good information. I don't know anything about biology!