ISSUES - Abortion
| Abortion, the deliberate killing of a distinctly new human being
in any stage of development is a denial of the child’s inherent
right to life and human dignity. No distortion of basic human
rights or use of euphemistic expressions can ever justify the
killing of an innocent preborn child. The right to life movement
is the greatest human rights struggle on earth. Pro-abortion activists twist and manipulate provisions of treaties and declarations to cloak the horrific act of abortion and market abortion as a human right, as a woman’s right, as choice, as women’s empowerment, as health care and as a way to reduce maternal mortality. All in an attempt to disguise the fact that abortion is a pernicious form of child abuse and violence against children. The phrase “safe abortion” is the ultimate oxymoron. All abortion—legal or illegal—is unsafe for children and hurts women physically and psychologically. Medical data strongly suggests that induced abortion significantly raises the risk of premature and low birth weight children born to women who have earlier undergone abortion. Studies increasingly demonstrate that induced abortion is a risk factor for breast cancer, especially for young women. It can lead to serious psychological disorders and long term feelings of depression, guilt and grief. Abortion methods—child dismemberment, forced premature expulsion from the womb, chemical poisoning or deliberate starvation (one of the chemicals in RU486 denies nourishment to an unborn child)—can never be accepted as benign, compassionate or safe. Abortion hurts many fathers—rendered powerless to defend their own offspring—and negatively affects siblings and grandparents. Abortion negatively impacts society. Excluding right to life protections for some cheapens life for all; euthanasia and assisted suicide follow the same utilitarian path as abortion. Parliamentarians who believe in the intrinsic value of human life can—and we believe must—boldly and prudently use their strategic positions to advance a deep and abiding respect in law for the dignity of all members of the family—especially preborn children whose lives are at risk from the violence of induced abortion. The fight for life is at a critical tipping point in many countries. PNCI supports pro-life laws and policies to restrict abortion and where abortion is legal supports the interim efforts by lawmakers to enact legislation to protect life to the maximum extent possible. PNCI advocates for measures to inform women of the development of the preborn child and the potential physical and psychological risks of abortion and supports legislation to enact parental consent provisions. PNCI supports enactment of laws to protect conscience rights, to deny public funding of abortion, promote adoption as an alternative to abortion, and provide tangible assistance to women facing unexpected pregnancies. Links:Gospel of Life Ministries |
