Posted on 12/15/2014 8:18:37 AM PST by Morgana
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Elsie I pinged you because you seem to know all things Mormon. So please do me a favor? Post their beliefs on Abortion? Thanks.
Just posted an entire thread about it...which covers among the latest statements made by the Mormon Church (2011 Deseret News)
For thread, see: The Mormon Church's official statement on abortion [rape+ incest+mom's 'health'+'defect'+prayer-ok]
Previously to 2011 (covered in thread above), Mormon Church leadership has postulated several times on abortion...with official statements coming in 1973 (reaction to Roe vs. Wade) and then again in 1983 -- and, of course, ensuing additional statements but none of which curtailed the 1983 statement, which added incest as a reason for abortion (compared to '73 statement) + the '83 statement dropped the necessity that a pregnancy caused by rape or incest produce "serious emotional trauma in the mother" before an abortion was a-ok:
1973:
"The Church opposes abortion and counsels its members not to submit to or perform an abortion except in the rare cases where, in the opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or good health of the mother is seriously endangered or where the pregnancy was caused by rape and produces serious emotional trauma in the mother. Even then it should be done only after counseling with the local presiding priesthood authority and after receiving divine confirmation through prayer."
Source: Lds.org: Policies and Procedures: Statement on Abortion: Harold B. Lee, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney (Note that Lee was the "prophet" on duty at that time, with Tanner and Marion G. Romney his two counselors forming what they call "The First Presidency")
1983:
"The Church policy statement on abortion explains under what circumstances and with what safeguards an abortion might be considered:...The only exceptions are the rare cases where, in the opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or health of the woman is in jeopardy or the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape. Even then, the woman should consider an abortion only after counseling with her husband and bishop or branch president, and receiving divine confirmation through prayer.
Source: Lds.org: Ensign magazine 30 years ago this very month (Dec 1984), citing the 1983 official Lds Church General Handbook of Instructions, pp. 77-78)
The above was basically regurgitated in a 1991 statement...https://www.lds.org/ensign/1991/03/news-of-the-church/church-issues-statement-on-abortion?lang=eng
In the thread covering the 2011 statement linked in the beginning portion of this post, I broke down ALL of these so-called abortion exceptions.
And I'll repost them on the next post here on this thread.
(1) When the perpetrator engages in incest, so he can thereby re-abuse the minor -- this time by forcing her to cover up his violent/exploitative sexual rapes by way of an abortion.
(2) When the perpetrator is a rapist, meaning the girl's (or woman's) will be violently invaded a second time, this time resulting in the death of another.
(3a) When the "health" of the mother kicks in...whatever that means given that...
...* many doctors are either open to abortion referrals -- or -- who willingly themselves dismember the fetus...
...* and, therefore, wind up flunking any basic obstetrics textbook which treats the baby as a "second patient"...
...* leaving us to consider that these so-called rogue "physicians" define "health" as broadly as Roe vs Wade did! (And for those of you who don't readily recall how broad that definition was, just know that those black-robed rogues included "economic health" as justification for abortion-on-demand!)
(3b) Furthermore, "competent physician" language used by the Mormon church in the 1970s and 1980s became obsolete once full-time abortionists and circuit-riding abortionists became the abortion "transaction" norm. For the past 25 years or so, approximately 90% of all abortions have been committed in free-standing abortion clinics -- NOT by "competent physicians" operating in either hospitals or their own private offices.
(4) Besides "ditto" above re the again-used description of "competent" physicians, why would the Mormon Church entertain the idea that physicians are "prophets" who can successfully predict with 100% certainty that a baby's birth defects WILL result in death? I've personally spoken with numerous women who were told to abort by their so-called "competent" medical personnel due to some perceived "defect" of the fetus (Latin for "young one"), only to deliver a perfectly healthy baby!
(5) Note then how the Mormon Church ushers God into the baby dismemberment business! As if God the Creator-God, after He has fearfully and wonderfully made each little one (see Psalm 139), would give suction aspirators the green light thru "prayer" to dismember His creative little ones whom Jesus warns about harming! (See Luke 17:2, for example -- and please note that the exact same Greek word there for "little ones" ...brephos is the SAME word used for the pre-born John the Baptist, who leapt in the womb upon hearing Aunt Mary's voice (Luke 1:44).
Finally, note the "feel" word used by the Mormon Church as supposedly being able to determine the Mormon gods' edicts to put to death a pre-born baby. Some mere "feeling" of a woman or girl in a perceived "crisis" is enough to put the baby to death?
God forbid!
Well thank you Colofornian! Seems like I got to go through Congress to get an answer around here!!
So why is polygamy more ingrained within Mormons to be something against than even abortion?
'Tis a complex response...and no one thing addresses it all.
But some clues exist:
(1) You can be ex-communicated for being a polygamist this side of the grave; whereas with an abortion, why, you might even have the Mormon gods giving you the prayer green-light for one! So...there's a pretty good internal motivation for establishing your standards.
(2) Externally, Mormons know that their reputation has been more formed by their polygamous 19th century and first half of the 20th century...
...than, say, their doctrine of pre-mortalism whereby supposedly other-worldly spirits await pregnancies to come down & inhabit bodies...
...hence, they are more likely to "straight-arm" polygamy as a defense of "Well, that's not who we are...anymore..." (as if their church doesn't still teach eternal polygamy for both past polygamists and those who marry more than one wife eternally in their temples)
(3) Finally, Mormonism is more of a dictatorial legalistic religion...with their general authorities & personal bishops operating as mini-dictators. So, Mormon statements have been made saying they have NOT addressed -- either pro or con -- any pro-life legislative proposals...
And, frequently, abortion is sub-sumed by many other issues. One man, one wife, HAS, however, been supported by the Mormon Church (California Proposition that passed, for example)...
So, whereas the Mormon Church hasn't been 100% paper tigers on one-man, one-woman marriage, it HAS been with abortion. Obviously, their members DO tend to notice that, ya know.
Of course, other aspects are at play in all of this...so I don't pretend this covers all Mormons...but I think it plays a part with some -- even sub-consciously
I have a better question. Why are FReepers more upset with polygamy on this thread than abortion?
Lots of reasons. They vary.
For many -- even me -- we've become desensitized to the plight of the pre-born. Just as Jesus said, "the poor will always with you," we think "abortion will always be with us."
We fail to think in terms of each pre-born being our neighbor...to us, THEY constitute an impersonal "issue."
Polygamy, with the advent of same-sex unions, is no longer simply a "historical" "issue"...but will become one of the next legalities our country embraces. So whereas too many of us pro-lifers have essentially given up treating abortion as a "hot-button issue," alternatives to one-man, one-woman marriage has become the NEW hot-button issue.
Now I am not agreeing with the position that we are to be more provoked by polygamy than abortion...merely explaining among the many reasons why.
Another reason that could be in play is that the overwhelming majority of FREEPERs are at least worldview-wise pro-life...that doesn't mean they DO things on behalf of the pre-born...but it does mean they don't see themselves as needing to be convinced to BE pro-life.
To them, many abortion discussions are like, "Why do we need to discuss a matter we all in the choir agree upon?"
On the other hand, I've had literally DOZENS and DOZENS of Freepers since 2007 -- mormons and otherwise -- who have mindset-wise considered polygamy as Biblically sanctionable and argue in favor of it.
So just as in our newspapers & TV news, it's the "hot-button" issues where side A is vs. Side B that gets more attention.
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