Abortion: an operation or other invention to end a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus from the womb; as stated by the Encarta World English Dictionary. Abortion is a controversial topic in today's society and I believe that each individual (depending on the circumstance) has the right to choose. Some people have a hard time distinguishing the difference between pro-choice and pro-life, and there is a large difference. Pro-choice is advocating open legal access to voluntary abortion. Pro-life is in favor of bringing the human fetus to full term, especially by campaigning against open access to abortion and against experimentation on embryos.
             What makes abortion so controversial in today's society? Abortion is so controversial because they are many varying viewpoints that come from a wide variety of sources. The biggest issue with abortion is determining when an embryo or fetus becomes a human being. Some argue that the fetus becomes a human being at the time of conception while others argue that the fetus does not become a human being until after birth. One of the strongest anti-abortion sources is the Christian faith, specifically the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is strongly against abortion; so much that abortion is put on the same level as murder and viewed as a mortal sin. The church believes that the fetus becomes a human being at the time of conception. The church agrees with geneticists that once a sperm and ovum unite forming an embryo consisting of 46 chromosomes, the fetus is a human being. Those arguing against conception as the conversion into being a human being, say that because the fetus does not have intelligence or free will it is not considered a human being. Even the church says that characteristics of a human being include having intelligence and free will. If sources can't even agree on when a person is declared a human being, how can we properly address whether or not ab...