In recent months, legal battles over abortion are rampant in several states across the United States. Earlier this week, lawsuits and restrictions were announced. But as abortion cases rise, it also sparks a debate whether morality is relative.
For years, abortion remains to be one of the most controversial issues the society is facing. And there are always two sides of the argument - pro-life vs. pro-liberty. According to "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist" authors Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek, the abortion controversy "exists because each side defends what they think is an absolute moral value - protecting life and allowing liberty."
The authors explained that if the unborn were not human beings, the pro-liberty value should be enforced in the law. But if the unborn are human beings, the pro- life value should be legislated. The reason? The authors said a person's right to life overtakes another person's right to individual liberty.
There are a lot of doubts when it comes to the beginning of life but Geisler and Turek stressed that people should give more emphasis on protecting life. The authors added the moral disagreement in abortion is not because "morality is relative or because the moral law isn't clear."
The moral debate on abortion exists because some people are overturning the Moral Law to justify what they want to do. With that said, it's safe to assume that the authors' observation suggested that abortion support is "more a matter of the will than of the mind."
Meanwhile, legal battles over abortion in the United States continues amid several lawsuits and restrictions were announced, NPR reports. But The Economist notes that bans and restrictions do not work to make abortion rarer instead, what is reportedly needed are superior birth control methods.
In Greece, abortion is considered a common form of birth control. A Greek civil servant even said that abortion is an "absolute necessity."
In a study published in the medical journal The Lancet, at least 56 million abortions are carried out annually all over the world. The number suggests that abortion is ending a quarter of all pregnancies. Even though abortion is reduced in most developing and rich countries, it is rising in Latin America and some parts of Africa and Asia.
In the United States, many pro-life politicians believe that the solution to high abortion rates is to make it illegal or hardly inaccessible. President-elect Donald Trump, now a pro-life supporter, even made a promise to appoint a conservative to America's Supreme Court.
Many religious leaders also criticize against abortion. Despite the fact that Pope Francis slightly softened the Catholic Church's stance last month, abortion is still a grave sin.
As the pro-life and pro-liberty debate continues, it seems to be an undeniable reality that bans and restrictions do little to reduce the rising abortion rates. The reason? Many women will do what it takes to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, even though it means risking their own lives.
Abortion has also become a common trend in countries where it is banned or allowed only to save a woman's life as it is in nations where it is provided on demand, as per The Economist. So, what is your own personal take on abortion? Please share your thoughts below.
