After reading this article, I feel I need to share some of my personal views on the subject.
I read Elder Packards talk today and thought about what he said in regards of the 'tolerance trap'. There are moral absolutes, no matter what society might try to tell us. Period. After reading his talk, I came across this article:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/04/10/philadelphia-abortion-clinic-horror-column/2072577/
The only time I think abortion could be called into question is in the case of rape/incest, or if the mothers life is in danger. That decision can only be made through serious prayer and fasting. Other than that it is just wrong.
Let me share how my life has been impacted by the choice to not abort. My mom was adopted into an absolutely amazing family. They are good people who love the Lord and who gave her everything a child needs to have their best chance. Her birth mother was a Senior in college when she got pregnant with my mom and was not married. I'm sure there were many embarrassing, painful, and difficult moments that she went through in her decision to keep the baby. She very easily could have taken the easier route and had an abortion. However, If she had made that decision, my wonderful mom would never been born. Literally generations have been blessed by her decision to give my mom to my wonderful grandparents.
Now that I have my little Jax, it makes me so sad to think of the other little babies who could be here but are not. It makes me sad when I see friends trying so hard to have babies, but being infertile. It makes me sad when I see amazing neighbors who have to wait years to be able to adopt.
My sister tried to help one of her schoolmates who had gotten pregnant to not abort the baby. She didn't carry through with what she said she felt was the right decision and went ahead and had an abortion.
The issue with her is that she was seeing 'in the box'--meaning that she only saw one option and wasn't willing to see other possibilities (Leadership & Self Deception, Arbinger Institute). If she understood that there were ways to not only make the right decision--by not having an abortion--but also realized that she could have an adoption, still go to school and live her life, things would have been different.
These are Heavenly Father's children. They are not our own. We have our agency, or our ability to choose. The mother's decision was made at conception. Should the baby not have their own agency and the chance to live?
