Wordfull Wednesday - Election topics

This weeks topic for Wordfull Wednesday at Chocolate on my Cranium is based on the US election topics of interest, we had to choose one of the following:

Abortion,Economy,Education,Immigration, Marriage (just between one man and one woman or should gays be allowed to marry?),War (Iraq, Afghanistan, or war in general)

Nice topics hey??? NOT! Phew.. a little heavy for this blog but I have chosen one of the most controversial to talk about ;)

Ethically I am opposed to abortion, but I also uphold a womans right to choose...however quoting from this article I read tonight "A woman's choice for her own body does not include the right to deprive a baby life"

Does this make me a fence sitter??

My mother was 4 months pregnant with me when she was in a serious car accident. My father died (even though his injuries were minor, my mother being in worse shape) and my mother hospitalised with back injuries. My mother had spinal and hip surgery while they pushed the womb to the side. She was told to have an abortion as I would probably have been disabled due to the lack of oxygen I had many times during her recovery. She chose not to. And I am here today. (and theres nothing wrong with me :) *twitch twitch* (maybe this explains my behaviours :) Given my personal brush with abortion I would have to say I am pro-life :)

What a cute baby I was.

When I was having my second child, there were some cysts on her brain that came up on the ultrasound... Being ushered into the genetists office was one of the scariest moments of my life, that it was a marker of Down Syndrome. While I was crying, they said that the other two markers were not present, so it was very unlikely, and that did it matter to me, would I have an abortion? I said no I wouldn't and they said well then this test doesnt matter and we will work with you what may happen. It can be hard to be strong, and in my case nothing came of it, but I surprised myself in my resolve.

Whether a country chooses to make abortion legal or illegal I think there are many other factors that impact on the womans choice. If people want an abortion they will find a way legal or not.

The factors that I think make a large impact are these:

Society embracing family values more. As people are shown that family is more important than money or work they might value life more.

The cost of living is high in Australia so many people might put off having kids or have abortions as they may fall pregnant at a time they feel is not convienient. Knowing that you can live and raise a family by being frugal and careful with money is important to be taught to people. I live in an expensive city/suburb on a very low income and have 3 children. It can be done.

Work places embracing family life. Many people work insane hours so a pregancy might not be in their favour. When the work place respects families, and the hours necessary to put into them, people will value life/pregancy more. My husband is asked what he does after work. He says he has 3 small daughters he needs to spend time with. His previous employer would always ask him to work nights, visit extra clients until well in the evening, he always had to decline as his time with his family (and that of being a bishop at the time) was important to him. When work is child friendly (ie more jobs during school hours, time off to be with sick children, daycare available at place of work, so you can visit child during the day etc etc) then changes will occur.


More high profile for adoption versus abortion. Having friends who would like to adopt some children, I can see the agony they experience in so desperately wanting a child, while millions of pregancies around the world are being terminated. To them this is another hit in the heart. They could provide a loving home for a child who is being terminated through abortion.

More stability through promoting marriage. Those people who are in a loving committed relationship may feel more prepared to provide a child a loving home and family. When people don't have that they may doubt there abilty to provide for a child.

Many abortions may happen as parents know the child has a severe disability. If we wish parents to be strong to deal with these difficulties then society needs to embrace disabilities - that differences in people make as a better society. That if we can care for the weak and vulnerable we are better people. That amazing parents who look after high needs children 24/7 need assistance. They need money to pay for expensive health care, helpers so they can rest and have some personal time. Marriage counselling to help those whose marriages come under stress from spending so much time caring for a disabled child. Someone to help them for as long and as much as they need. Friends to offer a helping hand, babysitting etc. We need to not shy away from those who are different who need our help.

Of course the church I attend promotes abstinance from sex before marriage. If this were followed more closely the need for abortion would decrease.

Thanks for following my wordfull wednesday. These points are obviously hard to achieve in our society, but there is no harm in trying. And of course there are genuine reasons for abortion some times, so please keep that in mind if you have had to face that in your life, I mean no offence.

**I picked up the Ensign Magazine fresh out of the post box 10 hours after I wrote this post and found this talk by Elder Russell M Nelson who says it oh so more elegantly than me, even covering some similar points