How do you deal with religious objections to abortion ?

[Youcanttaketheskyfromme]

I recently had a conversation with someone who I didn't realise doesn't agree with abortion.

I should probably have realised as they are quite religious - married young, didn't live together before marriage, attend church and do charity work quite often.

Anyway it was a civil conversation and I pretty much said that I don't believe that a. A collection of cells is a human/a life/whatever and that b. The welfare of the woman or girl is always the priority as far as I'm concerned.

Why do you need to deal with it?? People are entitled to their opinion. Don't agree with abortion? Fine - don't have one.

I asked how people would have taken the conversation.

I'm interested in the views of other feminists in the subject.

That's what this board is for.

I wouldn't engage-it's no-one else's business is it?

I wouldn't bother trying to deal with it. People's religious views are usually very strongly and privately held, unless they're harming anyone I'd let it go.

Well no I suppose it is not. It genuinely did just arise in conversation.

Neither of us was "fishing".

In all honestly it made me wonder about what else this person disapproves/ disagrees of in relation to the things I believe and way I lead my life. For example I have many gay friends and I wonder now how they feel about that too.

Obviously it doesn't matter but I have a lot of contact with them and like them very much but we are very different.

I am Catholic but pro choice. Have been pro choice since my teens. My view is - the choice I might make for religious reasons might be different to the choice another woman might make but I have no right to tell her how to choose. Anyone with an ounce of empathy knows that this can be a desperately tricky situation for a woman and preaching is the last thing she needs.
I don’t really engage with other Catholics on it but I don’t get involved in any Life/SPUC stuff.

I'm pro-choice but I emphasise CHOICE I don't think I should enforce my views on this on anyone else. It's when people hold an opinion on abortion (and other issues) and expect others to hold the same opinions.

I couldn't personally have an abortion unless the embryo/foetus's/baby's life was at high risk. But I've supported friends who've had abortions inc going with them to appointments.

Not for religious reasons but for me life begins at conception, I also won't use coil for this reason.

I've also encountered people on mn and in real life who've been dismissive of my feelings regarding my miscarriages, especially the first as it was early. I've been told 'it wasn't really a baby' 'you weren't really pregnant' which I found very upsetting.

But I'm also a survivor of csa and although not a rape victim myself I completely understand and support victims of rape opting for abortion, also abortion for personal/financial/relationship reasons.

I struggle with late abortions for non-medical reasons as past 14 weeks there's a cns in place and pain is inflicted on the foetus which I don't like.

I think that too many offensive and outdated views get a pass using the "religion" card. Abrahamic religions are founded on ideas of female inferiority and fear of/ desire to control women's bodies and sexuality.

Why should I, as a woman, have any respect for views that are based on misogynistic superstitious beliefs?

Sorry meant to say in conversations with those that don't share my views and particularly those who NEVER agree with abortion and try to enforce those views in others I will argue it's none of their business what others do.

I REALLY get angry with men holding such views as they will never experience pregnancy and difficulties and emotions related to an unplanned, forced or otherwise difficult pregnancy.

I think Thedodgy you have managed to articulate my issue.

However in his case I not certain the person involved holds these views for those reasons. But they might.

As you say so many people do hide behind a belief system and then use it to bash women. It's difficult to know for certain that someone is NOT doing this.

If it is relevant this person is a man and I work with them in a voluntary capacity.

I'm a Christian and also don't believe in abortion. I have friends who've had abortions. They don't home the same beliefs as me so I don't expect them to live as I do and it's certainly not my place to judge. I also have gay friends... Again, not my place to judge. My job as a Christian is to love others. People who have different beliefs/lifestyles can be friends s long as there's mutual respect... And humour.

I'd probably say 'well, don't have one then'. What they do is their business, what I do is mine.

I don't think They are Catholic but I'm not certain.

I think/hope they are more of a Alexkate type in their world view - something about sins and forgiveness rings a bell from previous conversations.

But I was a little surprised - it was more of a "I don't agree with it" rather than..I don't know just that they don't like it.

I am Christian. I do believe a foetus has a soul but then I also believe that no one could take that decision lightly and so do not judge the mother, I empathise . I dont express my views because I don't want to upset anyone in "real life". People tend to take it that you are radical in you hint at believing in souls in utero, I'm not, its just my own belief.

I would avoid the conversation with religious people. Just dont even bother. It wont end well, and they will not change their views without giving up their faith

I do normally steer well clear of such things but on this occasion it did just arise.

I think id tell them that I was quite strongly pro-choice, and that we had probably best just agree to respect each others different beliefs and leave it

You are wrong to assume that "you should have realised"...

"I should probably have realised as they are quite religious - married young, didn't live together before marriage, attend church and do charity work quite often."

That's an outdated stereotype.

All the above are true for me too, and I am staunchly feminist and pro-choice.

I'm hopeful that was the message I got across.

It's not really though is it ?

Many many many religious people object to abortion.

You might not but many still do. It is still the teaching of the Catholic Church. And many others,

*pro-choice I mean. An embryo is just cells.

With respect? They believe that a feotus is alive and you think that it is not. Unless you are capable of having a metaphysical discussion on what constitutes life (which I doubt) there isn't anything that can be said on that score. You could talk about when a baby is matured enough to survive outside the womb/have sense of feeling etc but it really is all conjecture. On the second point of prioritising the needs of the woman over the unborn child you would either have to pull out statistics about abortion and crime rates (a bit of a weak argument) or pull out relative suffering (what is the suffering of a sentient woman versus that of a semi-conscious feotus). The only rational position is to concede that what qualifies as a life is a very subjective measure instead focusing the need to balance the interests of the woman against the baby/future person. An argument about what is life, for the vast majority of the population, is nothing more than an assertion of belief.

Ask them if they eat meat?