1- So what? Why are the alternatives any better?
2- I have. My mother and sister and several of my friends have had abortions and none of them regret it. and what about my point about all the women who have babies and regret it?
3- You are missing the point. Life is cheap. We kill plants and animals all the time these things are alive. Life itself is not sacred. You are talking about human life (which is quite rightly sacred). A baby is human life a fetus is NOT. You also need to ask youself why human life is special? It is because of the speacial properties that human life exhibits. (conciousness, intelligence, self wareness)
4- It is rational to believe that God does not exist. I can demonstrate this in many ways. Of course as a rational human being I concede that I could be wrong but currently evidence would indicate that God does not exist.We should therefore act as if he does not. To act as if he does is simply not rational - until he reveals himself or something life that.

"The problems people have with the issue of abortion stem from some basic misconceptions about the "sacred" nature of life, about fetuses, about babies and about human beings.
The pro "life" stance basically boils down to this
Life is sacred
Human life is especially sacred
Fetuses are human life

Therefore abortion is wrong."

So, life is sacred. Yet humans are the main cause of death of life on this planet already. Animals and Plants are life. What makes us different then animals and planets? We have a mind, that is it. So, since psychology does not know what gives us our mind, we can not tell when a fetus is to the level of having the rights as all of us. Once Psychology figures out what makes us have minds, that is when there can be a limit. Otherwise, killing a fetus is like killing a deer or tree for food and wood.

__________________
Do not believe out of fear, or for the fact you grew up in a religon. Believe what your heart tells you is right.
-C. Payette

I completely agree.
Conciousness and intelligence are the important things that distinguish us from other life. If these properties are displayed be fetuses then fine protect them as you would humans. BUT they are not. So treat them like plants.

This topic made me feel sick. MAYBE, just maybe, it's wrong because you're killing a baby?

What has happened to the world's morals?

This is exactly the type of misconception I'm talking about. You are not killing a baby. A baby is an entirely different object with different properties to a fetus. Once this is understood it becomes clear why abortion is perfectly acceptable.
So once again babys and fetus are different things. They are related but only in the same way as sperm and eggs are related to babies. To substitute one for the other is not a valid move. You can't make the move

premise 1 - its wrong to kill babies (correct)
premise 2 - fetuses are babies (wrong)
Conclusion - its wrong to kill fetuses

Premise to is simply not correct.

Let just look at why fetuses are not babies

Properties of babies:
Capabable of indapendant life
Can feel pain
Can react to many complex stimuli
Are self aware
Can comunicate
Can see
Can feel.
Are concious
Are sentient

Properies of fetus:
NOT capable of indapendent life
Can't feel pain
Not self aware
Can't communicate
Are not concuious
Are not sentient

So they have completely different properties because they are completely different object and therefore they have completely different rules governing their treatment.

As to what has happend to the world morals?
Well they have moved on as our understanding has increased. ONly those stuck on the religious dogmas spouted in out of date books cling to the archane moral systems that subjegate woman and prevent abortion. Free youselves from the shackels of religion and the world will be a far far better place.

hah! say what you want, my friend. You are rationalizing just like everyone else in this wonderful world

I don't care if the baby is alive.... It doesnt matter if the baby is alive yet! With abortion you are destroying the potential of a person's life, and that's cold blood murder.

Finally... I love my religion, like nothing else. I know of it's truth, and nothing will ever break that knowledge thank you.

So presumably by this logic you are against contraception, masturbation and allowing a woman to have period. Because in all these things a potential human life is destroyed.

You don't know of the truth of your religion you have faith. Faith and knowledge are not the same thing. In fact it could be suggested that they are mutually exclusive concepts.
If your faith dicates that you should be against abortion, then fine. BUT people without faith like myself should not be bound by the rules you impose on yourself. Your beliefs are irrational and you are entitled to them but to impose irrational beliefs on someone else is utterly unfair, unjust and simply un democratic.

If you can reason in an effective way as to why abortion is wrong and demonstrate why it is wrong then you do have the right to impose this on others. This is what laws should be based upon. Reasoned debate as to what is best for the greater good. But the only acceptable moves in a rational debate are ones that are based on reason (by definition). So any premises and concepts need to be justfied. Any conclusions need to be reached through the process deductive or inductive reasoning. So God is not allowed in this reasoned debate (unless of course you can do what no theologian has ever been able to do and demonstrate that God does indeed exist).

This was the point I was making about Christian morals. They are stuck in the past. Your coments about nothing being able to break your "knowledge" (really this shuld be faith) in your religion are very telling. By your own admision these will not change. Even in the light of reasoned debate that in actual fact abortion means more people will be happy, that it will aleviate suffering you will not change your mind. You will stick to you guns regardless of the suffering these ideas may cause - simply because you adhere to a dogma. Now thats fine and dandy if you want to live YOUR life like that. But please don't impose your dogmas on me. I have no need for them.

I've been reading many of these threads on abortion, and found it interesting that while everyone "knows" what to do, no one has had any first person experience with it.

I found out three days ago I am pregnant. I am 26, will be enrolled in the fall at a prestigious school for graduate courses, in a stable relationship for 2 1/2 years. We have no money. We are working on fixing our financial bleakness, but we are barely treading water as it is.

Birth control doesn't always work, despite deliberate action and thoughtful consideration.

I have never wanted children. My parents were abusive, their parents were abusive. I'm not cut out to be a mother.

He is not interested in having children. To have a child right now would be the ruin of three lives.

I'm not capable of adoption. Our mistake is our responsibility and I will not turn over a life to another to raise. There are too many children already in the world without food, family, and shelter. I see children frequently abused by their parents. I will not add to the cycle of poverty and abuse.

My abortion is scheduled for Monday. I'm not happy about it. I've never cried so much in my life. I'm terrified. I take comfort in knowing that it is the best decision for me.

I'm posting because I am interested in reading about people and learning abou them. Maybe I will help someone open their mind, maybe I will help change someone's perspective.

"Properties of babies:
Capabable of indapendant life
Can feel pain
Can react to many complex stimuli
Are self aware
Can comunicate
Can see
Can feel.
Are concious
Are sentient

Properies of fetus:
NOT capable of indapendent life
Can't feel pain
Not self aware
Can't communicate
Are not concuious
Are not sentient"

FYI m8 a fetus can feel pain and self-awareness starts from a few months old to a few years old. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!

"I'm not capable of adoption."
Better that then kill your own child!

"I see children frequently abused by their parents. I will not add to the cycle of poverty and abuse."
It's nice that you have given us your perspective on the issue, please let me explain mine. My mother was 16 and my father wanted her to get an abortion. My parents, the one's who raise me, are the best in the world! I go to a great private high school, I live in a nice house, and I am, to be modest, fairly bright.

...my point is this, not all kids given up for adoption end up with abusive parents or scrounging around for food in dumpsters.

"I take comfort in knowing that it is the best decision for me."
Thank God my mother wasn't that selfish!!! I hope your happy...

Even though I do not know you, I wish you good luck, and for this wound to heal with time.