Transcript Gene Genies - Ministry of Truth

Abortion
Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship
20 November 2006
Beginning of Life Issues
Abortion
 Contraception
 Artificial reproduction
 Designer babies
 Embryo research
 Cloning
 Gene therapy

Abortion contradictions

The healthcare system has departments of
fetal medicine, while also providing facilities
and staff to perform abortions

The law allows abortion for abnormalities
right up to term, but many babies born after
only 23 weeks of pregnancy now survive

We encourage people to consider adoption,
but abortion is so widely accepted and
available that there are few babies to adopt
Abortion contradictions

We pass equal opportunity laws but work
hard to ensure that babies with disabilities
are screened out before birth

At the same time as we are reducing the
status of life before birth, medical technology
is literally changing our view of the fetus
Abortion in the UK – The facts

UK law permits abortion of healthy babies up to
24 weeks

Babies suspected of having a disability can be
aborted up to birth

6,231,033 babies have been aborted since the
Abortion Act 1967 became law

More than 200,000 babies are aborted in Britain
each year; one in every four pregnancies
How many is 6,231,033?

More than 10% of the entire UK population

More than the combined populations of
Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cambridge,
Cardiff, Chester, Derby, Edinburgh, Leeds,
Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastleupon-Tyne, Northampton, Nottingham,
Oxford, Sheffield

5 times the UK casualties in two World Wars
More specifically…

Early abortion figures have tripled since 1967 and
continue to rise

More than 600 babies are aborted every day

More than 3,000 a year are killed after 20 weeks

Disabled babies can be aborted up to birth

More than 450 babies were aborted in 2004 for
having Downs Syndrome
Abortion worldwide

55 million abortions per year

Major demographic changes with falling
birth-rates in Eastern Europe/ Former
USSR

Major changes in sex ratios in
India/China
95% of abortions occur between…

Seven weeks
… and 20 weeks

Half way through
pregnancy

Four weeks short
of viability
Why are abortions done?
95% of abortions are performed on Ground C, which
exempts a doctor from prosecution for performing
an abortion (before the 24th week) if:
‘…continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk,
greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of
injury to the physical or mental health of the
pregnant woman…’
Public opinion is changing

Nine out of ten MPs want the abortion law to
be under CONTINUOUS review in light of
advances in medical science

63% of MPs support a reduction in the sixmonth upper age limit

Nearly two-thirds of the public want the sixmonth upper age limit reduced now
Public opinion is changing

More than three-quarters of women support a
reduction in the six-month upper age limit

Public opinion poll finds that 81% of those
who expressed an opinion believe that ways
should be found of reducing the 200,000
abortions performed each year in Britain

Even some in the abortion industry accept
that change must happen
Why is public opinion changing?

Developments in medical science have increased our
understanding of how babies develop in the womb

The abortion of a baby at 28 weeks for cleft palate
shocked the nation

Newspapers and TV have revealed the abuse of teenagers
by a cash-driven abortion industry

Stories of abortion survivors in the media
Why is public opinion changing?

Questions are regularly raised in Parliament
concerning abortion clinics that harm women
with bad practice

Increasingly, evidence reveals that many
women suffer from depression after abortion

Extensive research shows that after abortion
a mother has an increased likelihood of
subsequent premature births
Late Abortion

100 late abortions per
year since 1991

Recent case at 26 weeks
for cleft palate

Joanna Jepson

Down’s Syndrome
Human development

Six weeks

Twelve weeks

Eighteen weeks
Life before birth on the media

Prof Stuart Campbell’s
ultrasounds

Front page news

Walking in the womb

Yawning on video
Abortion survivors

Stories of botched
abortions

Stories of babies born
alive after abortion

Gianna Jessen
History of abortion

Practised in most societies at some level
for many centuries

Legalised abortion on a massive scale a
20th century phenomenon
Hippocratic Oath
‘I will give no deadly
medicine to anyone
if asked nor suggest
such counsel’; nor in
like manner will I
give a woman a
pessary to produce
abortion’
Declaration of Geneva

I will maintain the utmost respect for human
life from the time of conception, even under
threat, I will not use my medical knowledge
contrary to the laws of humanity;

I will maintain the utmost respect for human
life from its beginning even under threat and
I will not use my medical knowledge contrary
to the laws of humanity;
(Changes 1948-1994)
International Code of Medical Ethics

A doctor must always bear in mind the
obligation of preserving human life from
conception. (1949)

A doctor must always bear in mind the
obligation of preserving human life.
(1983)
The Declaration of Oslo (1970)
There is a 'diversity of attitudes towards the life of
the unborn child'
'Where the law allows therapeutic abortion to be
performed... and this is not against the policy of
the national medical association' then abortion
'should be performed' in circumstances 'where the
vital interests of the mother conflict with those of
the unborn child'.
This declaration lays the framework for doctors to
perform abortions if their 'individual conviction and
conscience' allowed it and the law and the national
medical association were not in disagreement.
Changing Abortion Policy 1948-2000

'I will not give to a woman a pessary to
produce abortion.' Hippocratic Oath

'I will maintain the utmost respect for human
life from the time of conception even against
threat...' The Declaration of Geneva (1948)

'The spirit of the Hippocratic Oath can be
affirmed by the profession. It enjoins... the
duty of caring, the greatest crime being
destruction in the co-operation of life by
murder, suicide and abortion' BMA Statement
(1947)
Changing Abortion Policy 1948-2000

The child deserves 'legal protection before as well as
after birth'. The UN Declaration of the Rights of the
Child (1959)

'Therapeutic abortion' (may be performed in
circumstances) 'where the vital interests of the
mother conflict with those of the unborn child'.
Declaration of Oslo (1970)

'I will maintain the utmost respect for human life from
its beginning...' The Declaration of Geneva (amended
1983)

'Abortion is a basic health care need.' RCOG (2000)
Philosophical Shift C17-C20

Theism
– Humans are created and morals are revealed

Deism
– Humans are created and morals are discovered

Atheism
– Humans have evolved and morals are discovered

Existentialism
– Humans have evolved and morals are chosen
Christian Principles

The Sanctity of Life - Human beings are made
in the image of God (Genesis 1:27, 9:6, Exodus
20:13) – abortion involves killing a human being

Marriage is the proper context for sex (Genesis
2:24) – 82% of abortions result from sex outside
marriage

The strong should make sacrifices for the
weak (John 13:34-45; Galatians 6:2) – abortion
is an abuse of the weak by the strong
Sanctity of Life

No discrimination on the basis of sex, race, social
standing (Gal 3:28) and age (Mt 19:14)

Protection for the vulnerable: poor (Pr 22:22-23), widows
and orphans (Ex 22:22-24), aliens (Ex 22:21),
handicapped (Lv 19:14), slaves (Ex 21:2-6) and elderly
(Lv 19:32)

Life before birth (Is 49:1; Je 1:5; Jb 10:8-9, 18-19; Gn
25:22-23; Ps 22:9,10, 51:5, 71:6, 119:73; Ec 11:5; Is
44:2,34; Ho 12:3; Mt 1:18; Lk 1:15, 41-44)

Over 60 references to ‘conception’
Psalm 139:13-16
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Exodus 21:22-25
22 If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she
gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the
offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband
demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious
injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth
for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn,
wound for wound, bruise for bruise (NIV)
22If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her
fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall
be surely punished, according as the woman's husband
will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges
determine (KJV)
The sixth commandment


‘You shall not murder’ (Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17; Mt 19:18;
Rom 13:9)
‘Murder’ (Hb ratsach; Gk phoneuo)

‘The intentional killing of an innocent human being’
(Ex 21:12-14; Lv 24:17-21; Nu 35:16-31; Dt 19:4-13)

Distinguished from the killing of ‘guilty’ human beings
in Holy War (Dt 20:10-18), capital punishment (over
20 offences) and self-defence (Ex 22:2,3)
Secular Principles

Quality of life - Taking human life is justified if it is of low
quality and constitutes a burden to others

Autonomy - The right to exercise sexual and reproductive
freedom and make moral choices according to our own
personal values

Compassion – The avoidance of suffering

Relativism – Each person can choose their own values
Christian responses

Quality of life – Human life is precious by virtue of being

Autonomy – We are not free to make choices which

Compassion – abortion is a actually potent cause of

Relativism – There are universally recognised values, like
human and regardless of its quality. The strong should
protect the weak
violate the reasonable freedoms of others
suffering for both mother and baby
sexual purity and the sanctity of life, which all should
respect
The key question
What is the unborn
child worth and what
circumstances justify
it being killed?
Arguments against abortion

Isn't the fetus only a potential human being?

How can a non-sentient being have value?

Don't women have a right to choose?

Won't refusing abortion simply mean that
women and children suffer?
Arguments against abortion

Surely we can't return to the days of back
street abortionists and abortion tourism?

What about abortion for rape?

What about abortion for fetal handicap?

What about abortion to save the life of the
mother?
Isn’t the fetus only a potential
human being?

Isn’t it rather a human being with potential –
or a potential adult?

The fetus is both human and alive and
therefore a human being

The key question is what value we give that
being
How can a non-sentient being have value?

Human value is not based on human
characteristics such as consciousness,
awareness, age, size or ability to
communicate but simply on being human

To kill a child in the womb is to discriminate
on the basis of non-morally relevant
characteristics like age, location or degree of
consciousness
Don't women have a right to
choose?

Autonomy has limits and we cannot
make choices which limit the reasonable
freedoms of others

The fetus is not part of a woman’s body
but a genetically distinct human being
Won't refusing abortion simply
mean that women suffer?

Women who abort are 3.5 times more likely to die within the
year than women who have normal births; this includes deaths
from suicide (seven times), accidents (4x) and natural causes
(1.6x) (Finnish study 1987-1994)

Mental illness is a contraindication to abortion (Royal College of
Psychiatrists) and depression and psychiatric admissions are
higher after abortion than normal birth

There is an acknowledged link between abortion of the first
pregnancy and breast cancer (Brind, 2005)

Abortion increases the risk of subsequent pelvic infection and
infertility
Post-abortion syndrome
Much more common if previous mental illness,
religious background and ambiguity about
abortion.
‘Abortion does not end all the problems; it often just
exchanges one set for another’ (Francis Schaeffer)
Won’t refusing abortion simply mean the
children suffer through abuse and deprivation?

Most abused children come from wanted pregnancies

The incidence of child abuse has doubled since the
Abortion Act came into force

Most unwanted pregnancies, if not aborted, result in
wanted children.

Adoption is always an option and there is lots of
support for unmarried mothers
Surely we can't return to the days of back
street abortionists and abortion tourism?

Claims of thousands of deaths before the 1967 Abortion Act
were wildly exaggerated

Most ‘back-street’ abortions before the Abortion Act were
performed by doctors

UK maternal deaths from abortion had fallen to less than 20
per year by the time of the Abortion Act

In Poland following a 1993 change in the law abortions fell
dramatically from 180,000 a year to 150 without any
increase in maternal deaths
What about abortion for rape?

Rape is an extremely serious crime but…

Pregnancy following rape is extremely rare and far less
than 1% of abortions are performed following alleged rape

Rape sacrifices a second innocent victim (Should the baby
die for the crime of its father?)

In the only major study of pregnant rape victims ever
done, 75 to 85% chose against abortion
What about abortion for fetal handicap?

Fetal handicap accounts for far less than 1%
of all UK abortions

It now extends to viable children with
remediable conditions (eg cleft palate)

Over 450 Down’s syndrome children (over
half the total) are now aborted annually

Why do we tolerate destruction of children
with special needs before but not after birth?
What about abortion to save the
life of the mother?

Only 0.013% of UK abortions are performed 'to save the
life of the mother'

there are no medical circumstances justifying direct
abortion, that is, no circumstances in which the life of the
mother may only be saved by directly terminating the life
of her unborn child'. (Irish obstetricians, 1992)

Of 21 maternal deaths among 74,317 pregnancies at the
National Maternity Hospital in Dublin from 1970-1979,
abortion wouldn't have saved the mother's life in a single
case
The middle way (John 8:1-11)

Prevention of unplanned pregnancy

Legal protection for the baby

Care for the mother (CARE Centres Network)

Promotion of adoption
Legal protection for the baby

Dangers of making things worse (1991)

Problems with a change solely aimed at
bringing down upper limit

Impossibility of an all or nothing
approach (Poland and South Dakota)
Bringing about legal change

Broad coalitions (Alive and Kicking)

Prime focus on changing public opinion

Specific legal interventions (upper limit for handicap,
separating psych and physical indications, accurate
recording of complications)

Changing medical opinion – guidance of RCOG and
RCPsych on psychological effects of abortion and
resuscitation guidelines
Specific opportunities
 Private
 40th
members’ ballot
anniversary of Abortion Act
October 2007
Alive and Kicking

A powerful alliance of nine organisations
CARE
Christian Medical Fellowship
Comment on Reproductive Ethics
Evangelical Alliance
Guild of Catholic Doctors
Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship
LIFE
ProLife Alliance
Student LifeNet
Alive and Kicking

Aims and goals
Our near-term objective is to halve the
yearly abortions from 200,000 to 100,000
per year
Alive and Kicking Aims









An immediate, substantial reduction in the upper age limit
for abortion.
Eliminating discriminatory abortion of disabled babies up to
birth.
Proper enforcement of the abortion law as originally
intended.
A prohibition of abortions for social convenience.
A Charter of Informed Consent drawn up to ensure women
are made aware of medical and psychological risks
associated with abortion.
A cooling-off period between diagnosis of pregnancy and
access to abortion.
Provision of compassionate alternatives to abortion
Increasing support for families with disabled children
Guaranteed regular reviews of the abortion law.
Useful addresses

CARE Centres Network
(www.careconfidential.com)

Alive and Kicking

Christian Medical Fellowship
(www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org)
(www.cmf.org.uk)

Elliott Institute
(afterabortion.org)