For starters, I am fundamentally against abortion. That being said, I am also fundamentally against making abortion illegal in the sense that most in the pro-life movement would like it.
What RAZD has done here with his excellent essay has, I believe, provided a door to a solution to one of the most black and white problems in the political and moral arena today. While there really is little middle ground on the abortion issue there does seem to be some solutions that would cater both to a wide variety of moralities while preserving personal freedom. Let me clarify.
The Pro-Life movement would now have a stable base from which to get reasonable restrictions on partial birth abortions. The Pro-Choice movement would have secured the undeniable right to choose an early term abortion as well as the morning after pill and other contraceptives. Both would have their rationale grounded in objectivity rather than the tug-o-war moral mud wrestling that is going on currently.
By defining "personness" in some kind of objective way it empowers those on both sides of the issue to take a more or less permanent piece out of the proverbial pie of social influence. Even if they both still envy not having the whole pie it is making a compromise out of a situation where seemingly none could exist before.
My opinion is that the type of thinking displayed by RAZD is extremely enlightened and we need more of it in this world.
As for riverrat, I can completely feel where you are coming from on a moral level. My personal moral belief is that abortion is a sin on the exact same level as murder, lying, stealing, etc. The only difference I think is that as both a Christian and an American I cannot support legislating my morality. I feel it would weaken both the principles Christ taught and the freedom that comes with being an American. The only thing the pro-life movement has accompilshed so far is painting a picture of Christians as theocratic zealots trying to destroy the fabric of America.
My mother, raised Southern Baptist, was assaulted by protesters while walking to her Grandmother's house which happened to be across the street from a planned parenthood clinic. Here she was, a firm believer that abortion is wrong and a sister in Christ, being called a slut, whore, murderer, among other colorful names just because she dared to walk near a reproductive health clinic. Where in the madness of this movement is the love of Christ being displayed?
If the goal is trying to save children's lives then why not tread a path that actually may reduce the number of abortions rather than one that damages both the cause and the image of Christ. Preventing 100% of abortions is a pipe-dream that will never come to pass. Even if it is made against the law all it will serve to do is push abortion underground and cause more suffering to women and children in dispair. We need to be supporting reproductive services so that, God forbid, an abortion must occur that it is done safely and accompanied by the professional council of a doctor who can explain the dangers and other caveats.
The work of Christ is done by trying hard to be like Him and always in His council. It is not done by vulgarity, violence, harrassment, and fanaticism.
By the way, for a fun second-term drinking game, chug a beer every time you hear the phrase, "...contentious but futile protest vote by democrats." By the time Jeb Bush is elected president you will be so wasted you wont even notice the war in Syria.
-- Jon Stewart, The Daily Show
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