What the GOP Gets Wrong About Abortion

Here’s a common talking point among some Republicans: “I’m against abortion in all cases except rape, incest, and the life of the mother.”

At first, this position seems reasonable. Those three scenarios are horrible and cause unimaginable pain for the mother and her family.

But is it really compassionate to keep abortion legal in these cases? Let’s think this through.

Why is abortion wrong?
Most pro-lifers claim that abortion is wrong because it kills an innocent human life. But if the child is innocent and human, he or she remains such even in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. That means it is still wrong to kill the child. You should absolutely punish the rapist, but why make the child an additional victim of the crime?

Abortion always provides women with a false solution.
Rape and incest gravely damage a woman on every level of her being. She needs healing. If there’s one thing the research has shown, it’s that abortion NEVER brings healing. It only damages a woman more. Check out these videos from Lila Rose’s Live Action to learn about the immense pain women suffer.

What about the life of the mother?
This is probably the toughest case. However, abortion isn’t always the only solution to a life-threatening situation for the mother. A doctor may recommend it, but there are often alternatives.

Some people bring up ectopic pregnancies. That’s when the fertilized egg attaches itself outside of the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. This can kill the child and threaten the mother’s life.

Doctors usually remove the section of the fallopian tube where the embryo attached. This indirectly leads to the embryo’s death and saves the mother. The death of the child is not intended; it’s the unfortunate result of removing parts of the mother to save her life. The Catholic Church does not call this procedure an abortion (unless it’s intended to harm the child).

Many Republicans permit abortions in these three cases to avoid looking extreme. But truth is truth and it is better to preach the simple truth: ALL human life is sacred, from conception to natural death.

Let’s hold our elected leaders accountable to this principle.