Abortion

[Rhiannon]

This is where the Catholic Church starts to argue philosophy about 'ensoulment' and the question of where individuality begins. The position has changed since Thomas Aquinas. Most of these arguments have been developed by men, and I think that when it comes to laying down the law about such things, this is the time that men, and Catholic priests in particular, should shut the fuck up. Any comments I make here are otherwise offered with a degree of diffidence.

Yes, my feelings at the time were for wanted (although not necessarily planned) pregnancies. At a different time and in different circumstances it may well not have seemed that way to me but it's not something I've ever had to face. God knows though it's hard enough for the women who do have to go through it without anyone pointing the finger.

[Bubbles]

She was prosecuted at 21 and given a one year suspended sentence, but she aborted aged 19.  It was her housemates who shopped her and I suppose they may not have been 'friends' but I do not know what they hoped to achieve.  I would have thought, even those who are against abortion, wouldn't report someone to the police.  That is totally lacking in any kindness.

I hope we don't hear of anything like that happening again.

This is old news now, but this is the very sad one I read about.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20321741

 

[Brownie]

That is a horrific story Rose.  It beggars belief that a young, probably quite healthy, woman has to die because of a religious ideology.  Also the baby's heart beat stopped about two days before the lady died so an abortion could have been carried out anyway, it wouldn't really have been an abortion as the child was dead so where is the logic?  There is none. I know there must have been more to it in view of her septicaemia but on the face of it, the poor woman was neglected and allowed to die unnecessarily.  The family were probably well off enough to have been able to travel over here but it must have been too late in the pregnancy for that.   So sad, not something her husband and family would get over in a hurry.