Podcast Episodes 1 – Abortion

Welcome to Relinquish Podcast. In our first episode, we cover the controversial topic of Abortion. Join us as we look and discuss the fundamental beliefs and values of each side of the issue. Our goal is to bring people together through disagreement. Thank you for listening.

Episode 1 Show Notes

Abortion

“If the unborn is not a human person, no justification for abortion is necessary. However, if the unborn is a human person, no justification for abortion is adequate.” – Greg Koukl

I think this succinctly articulates the two opposing beliefs within the abortion topic.

The root of the debate centers around the questions of: What is the unborn? What rights does it have or not have? What are my rights regarding the unborn?

In this episode, we break down this controversial topic into two main opposing views: Pro-Choice and Pro Life. We use this vernacular as these terms are most often used to describe themselves.

Pro-Life Resource:

Pro-Life Organizations:

National Right to Life – https://www.nrlc.org

Pro Life Action League – https://prolifeaction.org

Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Centers

These organizations can help women find Pregnancy Resource Centers around the country

National Life Center Help Line
Phone: 800-848-LOVE
Website: NationalLifeCenter.com

Option Line
Phone: 800-395-HELP
Website: PregnancyCenters.org

Pro-Choice Organizations:

NARAL – https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/

Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/

Pro-Choice

The Pro-Choice side is rooted in three main beliefs:

Abortion is okay to stop an unwanted pregnancy for various reasons.
- Rape or Incest
- Too many children, or not the right time for children
- Diminished quality of life for the child
- Pressure from society, culture, parents, or father of the child.
Access to legal abortion is necessary to protect the lives of women who would get them illegally or perform them upon themselves, as abortions performed incorrectly can be fatal.
As a result of the first two, women should be allowed the freedom to get abortions because prohibiting them from doing so violates their rights to privacy, life (1^st, 4^th, 9^th, and 14^th amendments), reproductive choice, and access to health care.

The Values I see behind these beliefs are:

Value for life
Value of body autonomy
Value for women’s rights
Value for a particular quality of life

Pro-Life

The Pro-Life side is rooted in three main beliefs:

The unborn child is a human being with the right to life from the moment of conception. Ending that life in any stage of development is morally wrong.
There is no moral justification for ending the life of a child in the womb just as there is no moral justification for ending the life of a child outside of the womb.
Pregnancy is an inevitable outcome to sexual intercourse since even contraception methods are never 100% preventative. Therefore, the choice to have sex has the inherent risk of pregnancy. Ending the life of a child should not be a means to avoid that responsibility or consequence of an action taken willfully.

The Values I see behind these beliefs are: