Balancing the Abortion Debate

      The abortion debate has been largely polarized and confrontational over the years. And many in the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice camps are out of touch with what the other side really believes. For instance, not many pro-choice people support promiscuity, or abortion as the first option to deal with it. And not many pro-life people feel that you should totally disregard the plight and condition of the pregnant mother. Plus, there is more than one main issue. There is the debate over the human status of the fetus, and the extent to which the government should interfere in people's choices.

     A complex issue like this cannot be boiled down to a simple battle of "us versus them". There is much common ground, which if cultivated, will defuse much of the battle and greatly help those stuck in the middle, the pregnant women in difficult dilemmas, and subsequently those in the womb.

The Bigger Picture

     Often, when two groups cannot agree, there is a bigger whole, a bigger picture, that some of them are not seeing. This website explores this issue and suggests tools for opening our hearts, minds and vision to a better future for us and those who are still to be born. Here are some "What if ...?"s that we may not be seeing, to help us explore this subject:

What if ...

1. What if ... it were not financial circumstances, logistics or reluctance to care for children that led most women to the abortion clinic, but lack of support among those closest to them, like parents or boyfriends? According to the book Real Choices: Listening to Women; Looking for Alternatives to Abortion by Frederica Mathewes-Green, this is the case. See more on this in the "Beyond Debating and Taking Action" section below.

2. What if ... we were mostly operating at 10 percent (or less) of our normal potential, not just brain capacity, but everything, including self-control? What if all the geniuses and great people through history were just being "normal", and we have allowed ourselves to be drawn down into our lower animal nature and sexual addictions by society, including the advertising and entertainment media? If this is so (and there is mounting evidence) and we came up higher, rising above our inordinate desires for sexual indulgence, much of the abortion issue would disappear. For more thoughts on sexual balance,

3. What if ... we were all part of a much bigger whole that we were out of touch with, that had the solutions we needed and that needed us to manifest through? This may seem far out, but it is a concept with many variations that is starting to catch on, for instance in the book Presence by Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, and Flowers. (Depicted on the right.) Among other things, it helps us break free from our self-limiting habits of judging and stereotyping people and issues, so we can tune into a better solution for all.

4. What if ... we have a soul, and our soul started integrating with our body in the womb? Some of the material covering this issue is Wanting To Be Born by Dr N. Duffy (Depicted on the left) and Nurturing Your Baby's Soul by E. C. Prophet and 10,001 by Ralph Dickson Yaney. (Depicted on the right.)

 My personal view on this aspect and on the abortion debate can be found in the poem "Timing Needed for Pro-Choice" on the abortion poem page. 

5. What if ... some people and websites are correct in their beliefs that reincarnation is a major factor in the abortion debate, and that each soul who is conceived needs to come through that mother to help them balance mutual "karma" and fulfill a specific mission? I have no proof of this. I'm just saying "What if ...". If they are right, we've missed a pretty big boat. The website  www.soulchoice.org  takes this subject up further.

6. What if ... ... ...

     I could go on, but I think you get the idea. There is much we do not know in this world. We do not even fully have a handle on the common cold, never mind on life and death issues. It is usually better to play it safe, seek balance with humility and try to find the common ground between our differences. Then act out of love by taking action where we know it counts.

      The abortion debate issue is not always what it seems. According to the book Real Choices - Listening to Women; Looking for Alternatives to Abortion by Frederica Mathewes-Green, it was not financial circumstances, logistics or reluctance to care for children that led most women to the abortion clinic, but pressure or lack of support for the pregnancy among those closest to them, like parents or boyfriend. Even though not all surveys on abortion agree, this is still a major factor, and it helps us to focus on helping and supporting pregnant women, and subsequently the unborn, instead of focusing on intellectual or political abortion arguments.

Things you can do to help:

• Tell your friends, communities and social groups about this and other helpful websites.
  
  
• Consider reading the book referred to above, Real Choices, and others on the subject. Real Choices also has many recommendations at the end of it to act on.
  
  
• One easy and immediate way you can help, if you believe in prayer, is to make a commitment to pray fervently and regularly for the proper support for pregnant women who are feeling pressured to have an abortion. And of course for the many children in the womb. (Prayer is not that common today as it used to be. So the biggest unemployment problem today is probably in Heaven, with legions of angels waiting around for our calls.)
  
  
• Check out the Resources page for more options to get involved.

Why do the majority of women who have abortions decide to do so?
Is it because they feel they are a free, liberated woman who has a right to decide what happens with their body? No, not the majority. That is part of the Pro-Choice movement's idea. Is it because they don't consider the foetus to be human, and are too selfish to endure having a child. No. That may be the view of some in the Pro-Life movement. Who has actually sat down with a large number of women and listened intently as to why they had an abortion? One person who did so is ....

Would you like to express your opinion? When this website grows enough with traffic and funding, we will be able to have a fully funtional, interactive forum for you to add to the discussion.

• All of the photos (over 150) from the Inspiring Photos website. To view the site,
  
  
• The entire "Helping Perspectives" collection of 76 poems from the Inspirational Poems website.
  To view the site,

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