Abortion the Pope and Peter Singer
Abortion is one of the most controversial issues today. It has become a questionof not only ethics, but morals. In the 1973 case of Roe v Wade the Supreme Court ruledthat a woman has the right to terminate a pregnancy by abortion within the first sixmonths of the pregnancy. However, conservative Presidents have changed the legislationenough to allow states to restrict abortion in various ways (Practical Ethics, PeterSinger). In the following paper, I will summarize the views on abortion of Pope JohnPaul II and philosopher, Peter Singer. These two men have very conflicting opinions This argument is very adamantly against abortion. It is also a religiously basedargument. He uses exerts from the Bible and other religious documents and quotes manydifferent clergymen and priests to help defend his position. He starts by explaining how you must follow the ten commandments to live agood life and have eternal life. "Jesus replied, 'If you would enter life, keep thecommandments'" (Mt 19:17). The first of these ten commandments is "You shall notkill". On the contrary, you should 'love respect and promote life' (The Gospel of Life,
Of all crimes possible, abortionand infanticide are defined as "unspeakable crimes" by the Second Vatican Council. This direct andvoluntary action will always be regarded as morally evil and can never be considered asnecessary, either as an end, or as means to a good end. The decision to have an abortion is often painful and tragic to the mother. However,"these reasons and others like them, however serious and tragic, can never justify thedeliberate killing of an innocent human being" (The Gospel of Life, Paul II). The taking of aninnocent life, especially at it's beginning or end, is gravely immoral. His whole argument shows the answer to the question of abortion "within thebounds of non-religious ethics" (Practical Ethics, Singer). This means that a fetus is not a humanuntil it leaves the mother's womb. But this 'potential life' is different from the actual life. However, an abortion does take away the fetus' potential forlife. " Astime goes on, the Church will continue to teach the undeniable value on the firstcommandment. Without such religious doctrines, quickening isnot a strong dividing line to determine that the fetus is a human. "Nothing and no none can in anyway permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, andinfant of an adult . Ultrasounds have shownthat a baby makes movements not felt by the mother as early as six weeks afterconception (Practical Ethics, Peter Singer).
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