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          “The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind. No wise man ever acquired his wisdom in any mode but this.” – John Stuart Mill.[i]  Is abortion wrong? What if the mother is in danger? We need to learn all the facts before we can decide what side we will be on for this big issue in today’s society.

Abortion is the expulsion of a fetus from the mother before it has reached the stage of viability.[ii] There are many different types of abortion a woman can choose from, ranging from a pill to a partial birth abortion.  There are four common types.

The first type is partial birth abortion. This abortion is performed in the second or third trimester (between months four and nine) of pregnancy.[iii]  The word trimester means three months.[iv] A pregnancy lasts nine months.  In this kind of abortion, the abortionist grabs the baby’s leg with forceps. Then he proceeds to pull the baby into the birth canal. The abortionist will deliver the baby’s body, feet first, all but the baby’s head. The abortionist inserts a sharp object into the back

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of the baby’s head, removes it, and inserts a vacuum tube through which the brains are sucked out. The head of the baby collapses at this point and allows the aborted baby to be delivered lifelessly.[v]

The next type of abortion is the suction aspiration method, it is also known as vacuum aspiration. In this method the fetus is dismembered (torn apart) by a vacuum machine. It is the most common surgical technique used in early pregnancy. The surgeon has to insert a plastic tube into the womb. Near the tip of the tube are sharp-edged openings which help to dismember the baby so the parts of the baby are small enough to be sucked out. The surgeon then uses the suction tube to evacuate the placenta from the womb.[vi] Vacuum aspiration accounts for around 90% of abortions, and it is used for around half of abortions performed between 13 and 19 weeks. When suction aspiration is used at 13-19 weeks, it is often necessary to use other instruments to remove or crush parts of the baby that are too large to pass through the tube. The leftovers of the baby are then put in a bottle.

The third type of abortion is dilation and curettage. A shortened name of this procedure is D&C. It is minor surgery performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center or clinic. This procedure is similar to the suction aspiration method

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with the added insertion of a hook shaped knife (curette) which cuts the baby into pieces. Then the pieces are scraped out and thrown away. [vii]

The last type of abortion I will discuss is called dilation and evacuation. Like dilation and curettage, dilation and evacuation has a shortened name, it is called D&E.  This method is used up to 18 weeks’ gestation. Instead of the loop-shaped knife used in D&C abortions, a pair of forceps is inserted into the womb to grasp part of the fetus. The teeth of the forceps twist and tear the bones of the unborn child. This process is repeated until the fetus is totally dismembered and removed. Usually the spine must be snapped and the skull crushed in order to remove them. [viii]

Human life begins at conception. A scientific textbook called Basics of Biology gives five characteristics of living things; these five criteria are found in all modern elementary scientific textbooks: 1. Living things are highly organized. 2. All living things have an ability to acquire materials and energy. 3. All living things have an ability to respond to their environment. 4. All living things have an ability to reproduce. 5. All living things have an ability to adapt. Before the mother even realizes that she is pregnant, a distinct life has formed inside of her. “To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place that a new human has come into being is

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no longer a matter of taste or opinion … it is plain experimental evidence.” – The “Father of Modern Genetics” Dr. Jerome Lejeune.[ix] Abortion is the killing of an innocent fetus. Some supporters of abortion say that the fetus is a part of the body just like a tooth or an appendix. This idea is wrong because the baby is very organized, it has the ability to attain materials and energy, and it has the ability to respond to the environment. The baby is very much its own person, it just needs the time to grow so that it can live on its own without the support of its mother. It is not part of the mother’s body.

Roe v.Wade was a United States Supreme Court case in 1973. This case kindled the already heated debate. This case paved the way for modern abortion laws.  This case challenged a Texas law that prohibited abortions except to save a woman’s life. This is where the term trimester came from. The Court divided pregnancy into thirds. Norma McCorvey was pregnant with her third child when she was recruited to be “Jane Roe,” the lead plaintiff in the Roe vs. Wade lawsuit. Ironically, she never had an abortion, but instead delivered a girl, whom she gave up for adoption. The identity of Jane Roe remained a secret to the public until the 1980s, she disclosed her real name when she wrote a book about her life titled, I Am Roe: My Life, Roe v. Wade, and Freedom of Choice in 1995. McCorvey changed her opinion in the abortion-rights cause and became a huge anti-

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abortion activist. She became a Christian in 1995, and her life is dedicated to her ministry called “Roe no More.” She is a great inspiration for a person who has made mistakes. You can still turn your life around and get on track for God.

Wade, in this court case, was the Dallas County district attorney who was enforcing the Texas abortion laws. His name is Henry Wade.  Wade is now 83 and is still practicing law in Texas.

This raises the question, “Does the woman have the right to abort?” The mother should be convicted of murder. Why is a person who kills a pregnant woman convicted of a double homicide if that same woman can have an abortion and the doctor isn’t charged for murder? The murderer should be convicted of two counts of murder, but so should the doctor be charged for murder when he performs an abortion.[x]  In the White House, it is required for pregnant visitors to register their unborn babies separately, as a human being.[xi]  If our President’s house says that an unborn baby is a human being, then why does that same president support abortion? That doesn’t make sense.  Something needs to change so that he doesn’t contradict himself, and that change needs to be making abortion illegal. This is a big issue to contradict yourself on.

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Abortion is legal in all the states in the United States. The U.S.  Constitution prevents states from prohibiting abortion, but states may put restrictions on it. Illinois has a few restrictions. That is one good thing about our state. Though Illinois has restrictions, they still allow minors to have an abortion without parental consent, so your teen-ager could be pregnant and have an abortion without you knowing about it. Illinois laws prohibit aborting a viable fetus. This is still not good because the law makers still don’t think that life begins at conception. Illinois has enacted a ban on partial birth abortion as of August 1, 2011.

“Is the baby alive?” This is a common question in today’s society. As I’ve stated before, life begins at conception. Many women do not learn that they are pregnant until they are four to five weeks along. On week 3 the baby is a group of cells, but growing very rapidly. By week 3 things are forming such as the nervous system, the pancreas, the liver, the skeleton, and muscles. By day 22 a heartbeat can be heard. You might not think that a bunch of cells are a living baby, but you can’t deny that something that has a heartbeat is alive! All this happens before the mother knows for sure that she is pregnant! It is so amazing that before a woman realizes she is pregnant, her baby is really complex. By weeks 9 and 10 the baby becomes really active. This involves kicking, and hitting.  [xii] The earliest you can have an abortion is around 5 to 6 weeks. For the skeptics, the heart has been

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beating already for 1 to 2 weeks so that is definitely murder![xiii] Abortion is wrong on every level.  Many people say that the mother has the right to “terminate” the pregnancy. They think that the unborn fetus is just another part of the body. This is false! The baby is its own human being. The mother has no right to kill the baby. If the mother didn’t want a baby then she shouldn’t have gotten pregnant in the first place.

“Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.” – Barack Obama.[xiv] Since when were babies a punishment? They are a blessing from God! They are also a wonderful miracle.

Let’s look at Scripture and see what it has to say about this subject. The first reference is Jeremiah 1:5. It states, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” This is plain and simple; even a child could understand this verse. It simply means that before we were even in our mother’s belly, Christ knew us. This implies that we are humans and we are alive. If we are alive then abortion, according to the Bible, is murder! The next reference is

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Genesis 25:22. This verse is talking about Jacob and Esau. The verse says, “And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.” Obviously by this verse it says that the babies were alive in the womb. They were twins and struggling together. That then implies that abortion is murder.

Now let’s look at what the Bible says about murder. Matthew 19:18,
 “He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt do no murder.” This is so easy to understand. If God says don’t murder, than don’t murder! We have already established that abortion is murder. So if abortion is murder and the Bible says not to murder then do you think abortion should be legal in the United States? It shouldn’t be.  Matthew 5:21, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.” The Bible is the one authority of life. If it says something once then it is fact. The Bible has said more than once that murder is wrong. The phrase in Matthew 5:21 “whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment” should scare you! If you commit an abortion, you are in danger of

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God’s judgment. Yes God is a forgiving God, but He is also a God that has the authority to judge you.

I’m not going to put words in God’s mouth, but think about this. If you have an abortion, you are killing that innocent baby. How would you like it if God just terminated you? You are a part of his creation, just as the baby is “part of the

mother.” That doesn’t really make sense. Does it?  So should you have an abortion? It is morally, spiritually, mentally, and physically wrong!

In conclusion, the only way you can form your opinion about this topic is by hearing both sides of the argument. You have been given both sides in this report. It is now time to decide. Should you support abortion even though the Bible says it is wrong? You can if you want, God gave us the wonderful power of choice, but I wouldn’t be brave enough to choose that. Abortion is wrong it is as simple as that.

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the birth is allowed to take place. There are four common types: partial birth abortion, suction aspiration, dilation and curettage (D&C), and dilation and evacuation (D&E). The last three

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are all pretty much the same in that they dismember the baby into tiny parts enough to get sucked through a tube. Partial birth abortion is the cruelest abortion there is, and it is not legal in many states. I hope that it is because of its cruelty. How could you put your baby through that? Roe v. Wade was the Supreme Court case that paved the way for abortion.  That case shouldn’t have even been thought of.  If you make mistakes in your life just look at Norma McCorvey. She made plenty of mistakes when she was younger, but she didn’t let that get her down. She held her head up high and became a Christian, and now she is doing a lot of good for the Lord. I sincerely hope that you have had enough information to form your own opinion about abortion. Just remember you have a choice!

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ENDNOTES

The Quentin Road varsity played a conference game last night against Schaumburg Christian School at home. Schaumburg came out in the first quarter and were up by six points. QR then started to play baskteball!  It just seemed like every shot was going in! Schaumburg still kept somewhat of a presence though until halftime. QR starting guard Kyle Stankus said at half time “It feels like we are winning by way more, like we are crushing them!” QR took control over the third and fourth quarters and won the game by nineteen points 62-43. It was a decisive victory for the Eagles.

The Quentin Road Varsity won the game against Hammond Baptist Highschool tonight. The score was 52-28. The Eagles came out strong in the first quarter and were on an 11-0 run. After the first five minutes, Hammond started to warm up and brought the game within two points. The Eagles didn’t take this lightly though and came out even stronger in the second quarter. Good win Eagles and keep it up for the rest of the season!

Quentin Road Eagles varsity team is going to be playing a tough game against Hammond Baptist Highschool on January 24th. This website’s editor predicts that the score will be 54-37 Quentin Road victory! GO EAGLES!!!

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