quarta-feira, 23 de abril de 2008

"A way of life"

Introduction


1 The reality of abortion


1.1 The humanity of the unborn


1.1.1 The continuous process of development ......................................................3


1.1.2 The mother: supporting the child but never the same person ......................3


1.1.3 Human development from conception to birth ..............................................3


1.1.4 Foetal sentience/pain......................................................................................5


1.1.5 Foetal memory ................................................................................................6


1.1.6 Premature births..............................................................................................7


1.1.7 Care for the unborn ........................................................................................8


1.2 Abortion facts and figures


1.2.1 Abortion techniques......................................................................................11


1.2.2 Abortion statistics: the tragic facts ..............................................................12


1.3 Attacks on the early embryo


1.3.1 Birth control and abortion ............................................................................17


1.3.2 In vitro fertilisation ........................................................................................20


1.3.3 Embryo experimentation ..............................................................................21


1.3.4 Human cloning..............................................................................................22


1.3.5 The case for ethical alternatives ..................................................................24


1.4 Fatal discrimination


1.4.1 Handicap ......................................................................................................27


1.4.2 Pre-natal screening ......................................................................................28


1.4.3 Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis ..............................................................29


1.4.4 Eugenics and abortion ..................................................................................30


1.4.5 The continuing threat of eugenics ................................................................31


1.5 Examination of pro-abortion arguments

1.5.1 The unwanted child ......................................................................................33


1.5.2 Back-street abortion ....................................................................................34


1.5.3 Exporting the problem ..................................................................................35


1.5.4 Child abuse ..................................................................................................35


1.5.5 Abortion as medical treatment......................................................................35


1.5.6 Rape and sexual abuse ................................................................................36


1.5.7 The opponents of abortion ..........................................................................37


2 Religious and philosophical perspectives

2.1 Religious perspectives


2.1.1 From early times until AD 1000 ....................................................................41


2.1.2 The Roman Catholic position ......................................................................42


2.1.3 Other pro-life Christians................................................................................43


2.1.4 Equivocal or pro-abortion Christians ............................................................44


2.1.5 Jews and Muslims ........................................................................................45


2.1.6 Other religions ..............................................................................................46


2.1.7 Atheists and agnostics for life ......................................................................47


2.2 The dogma of choice


2.2.1 The rhetoric of choice ..................................................................................49


2.2.2 The fallacy of choice ....................................................................................50


2.2.3 Feminist critiques of choice ..........................................................................50


2.2.4 The truth about choice..................................................................................51


3 Legal and political situation


3.1 Legal situation


3.1.1 History of abortion law..................................................................................55


3.1.2 Current legal situation in Great Britain..........................................................56


3.1.3 Current legal situation in Northern Ireland....................................................57


3.1.4 Current legal situation in the Irish Republic..................................................58


3.1.5 Other legal issues ........................................................................................59


3.2 Political situation


3.2.1 Position of the UK government ....................................................................61


3.2.2 Positions of Northern Ireland’s political parties ............................................62


3.2.3 Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly ........................................................63


3.2.4 State of the debate ......................................................................................63


3.2.5 The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission........................................64


4 Abortion in the world today


4.1 The international establishment


4.1.1 The United Nations ......................................................................................69


4.1.2 United Nations conferences ........................................................................70


4.1.3 Manipulative use of language ......................................................................70


4.1.4 United Nations bodies ..................................................................................71


4.1.5 Other international pressures........................................................................72


4.1.6 International population control ....................................................................73


4.2 Culture of death in the UK


4.2.1 Creeping abortionism....................................................................................77


4.2.2 Brook advisory centres ................................................................................78


4.2.3 Pro-abortion sex education ..........................................................................79


4.2.4 Pro-abortion charities ..................................................................................80


4.3 Abortion on the global scale


4.3.1 History of abortion practice ..........................................................................83


4.3.2 Worldwide abortion law and practice ..........................................................84


4.3.3 The United States of America ......................................................................85


4.3.4 Recent developments ..................................................................................86


5 Consequences of abortion


5.1 Health dangers


5.1.1 Immediate physical health dangers ..............................................................91


5.1.2 Long-term physical health dangers ..............................................................92


5.1.3 Mental health dangers ..................................................................................93


5.2 The emotional aftermath


5.2.1 Guilt and denial ............................................................................................95


5.2.2 The toll on fathers ........................................................................................96


5.2.3 The toll on others ..........................................................................................96


5.3 Consequences on society


5.3.1 Lack of respect for the unborn ....................................................................99


5.3.2 A culture of promiscuity ..............................................................................100


5.3.3 Breakdown of the family ............................................................................101


5.3.4 The under-population crisis ........................................................................102


5.4 Progression to euthanasia


5.4.1 Link between abortion and euthanasia ......................................................105


5.4.2 The basics of euthanasia ............................................................................106


5.4.3 Euthanasia in the UK ..................................................................................106


5.4.4 The government’s proposals ......................................................................107


6 Affirming life in all its fullness

6.1 Pro-life successes


6.1.1 Examples of success ..................................................................................111


6.1.2 Grounds for optimism ................................................................................112


6.2 Human rights and the common good


6.2.1 The acknowledged value of each person ..................................................115


6.2.2 Philosophical basis of laws protecting human rights ................................115


6.2.3 Modern statements of human rights ..........................................................116


6.2.4 Origins of human rights ..............................................................................116


6.3 Bills of rights


6.3.1 Definitions ..................................................................................................117


6.3.2 International scrutiny and limitations ..........................................................117


6.3.3 About bills of rights ....................................................................................118


6.4 Abortion, women, children and the law


6.4.1 Basis for a pro-life bill of rights for Northern Ireland ..................................119


6.4.1 Proposed draft clause for the bill of rights ................................................120


Appendices


Appendix 1 Teenage pregnancy in Northern Ireland:
a response to a government consultation ..................................................123

Appendix 2 Muddying the waters:
SPUC comments on The Twilight Zone (1993) ..........................................129

Appendix 3 SPUC’s aims and achievements in the UK ................................................137


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