"So they prefer to go on about a foetus, which has no functioning,
thinking, feeling brain. Which is little more then a clump of cells.
Which the mother should decide...."
you might want to ask Melissa Ohden this question, her medical records show 'Saline Abortion that was unsuccessful' read her story with an open mind....

Shrode: There are currently about 7 billion human beings on the planet. The human species is not about to go extinct because of abortion.In fact it is increasing every day.

Such unprecendented human numbers are the primary cause of species extinction, past present and future. And of all of our environmental problems.

Plus if you think babies and children were treated kindly in days past then why not check out the work of Lloyd deMause whose work is available at http://psychohistory.com

Childhood has been an unrelenting brutalized horror in most times and places.
And still is in most parts of the world

Yabby you said: “Sheesh, so the free press did not just fall for the activities of a paid for lobby group, which seemingly has a clear agenda to influence public policy?”

Excuse me. Their agenda is to save lives just as the anti-slavery movement (also founded by Christians) had an agenda. Apparently, only whales and butterflies are worth saving in your world Yabby.

You’re missing the point, the media is always reporting on leftwing lobby groups (even at prolife events). Did you read the article? Moreover, the ABC is not free, but a taxpayer funded operation that needs to provide balance, to the taxpayers that keep it alive.

*Excuse me. Their agenda is to save lives just as the anti-slavery movement (also founded by Christians) had an agenda.*

Sorry, history buff, but that one will not work for you.

Firstly slaves were thinking, feeling, aware people, a foetus is
no such thing. Just like an acorn is not an oak tree.

Potential people yes, but so are the ova and billions of sperms,
flushed down our toilets, every single minute.

Secondy, back in the days of slavery, most people were Xtians and
most of them kept slaves. AFAIK neither the Koran nor the bible
tells us that slavery is evil. Can you quote the verse?

If you are a history buff, then you should know a bit about history,
not try to distort it to suit your agenda.

For just a moment, can we forget about the morality issue and focus on the practical reality?

Ok, so lets imagine the pro-life lobby groups have their way. What precisely is the goal?

I'm going to assume that it's to have abortion made illegal. If that is not the goal, and the goal is merely to affect cultural change and encourage people to enter more stable, committed relationships and avoid abortions, then more power to you. Go for it.

If however, the goal is indeed to have it made illegal, then let us consider this outcome for a moment.

Laws are applied universally. Whilst we can take into account circumstance, we aren't allowed to make judgements on people's life choices. That can become an issue in sentencing, but not on guilt or innocence.
So whilst judges have been known to consider tragic circumstances when passing sentence, that's not an issue of guilt or innocence.

Now, lets imagine that abortion is now illegal.

"Hooray" you think. We saved the *babies*. However, abortions have existed for thousands of years. Having a baby represents a great deal of pain (granted, as does an abortion at times but if caught early, much less than giving birth).

Many women who don't want children, are not going to go through with it. Many of them will attempt to procure abortions illegally. There will be more that don't, but I'll get to that.

So - illegal abortions. The fact that it's illegal means that there is no oversight. No standards. Also, the poorer you are, the poorer the quality.

Continued:

So the worst case scenario: poor, desperate women, possibly fearing violent repercussions from spouses (or fathers), if it is determined that they are pregnant find themselves undergoing dangerous procedures. If caught, they then find themselves appearing before a court and now having a criminal record.

If I was a juror I'd have to excuse myself from the case, because there's no way in hell I'd lump some woman with that even if they were clearly guilty.

Granted, that's the worse case scenario.

Another scenario - well paid people finding safe abortions, yet still facing the possibility of conviction - for making a very difficult choice. A choice that has been decided by people with totally different moral and political beliefs.

Then, there is the final possibility: the woman goes ahead and gives birth. They don't want this child. They have been forced to lie on a table, undergo extreme pain and give birth anyway.

In any other circumstance, forcing someone to undergo pain is rightly considered assault.

This is the reality here. The only way this can be morally justified is when you decide that these woman don't deserve to have the choice, because they had sex.

Considering that women today enjoy more rights than those in the 1940s, very few would accept this view of women's rights and responsibilities.

And damn right that is too.

Which doesn't even scratch the surface of the fact that a foetus isn't a baby. One day, it may be. But a child isn't an adult, and a teenager isn't a pensioner.

And foetuses are indeed different. They can't breathe yet, just like a toddler can't drive a car.

And, they are still part of their mother's body.

Mother's body.

Let me just say that phrase again:

"Mother's body."

Case closed.