What 6 American Religious Subgroups Think About Abortion
Protesters with opposite messages stand side-by-side at the March for Life rally in 2017. Creative Commons photo.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey on Friday, ruling that there is no constitutional right to abortion.
The ruling comes after nearly 50 years of protections for the procedure based on the 1973 ruling in Roe that there is a constitutional right to privacy that extends to pregnant women choosing to have an abortion. The ruling in Casey, now overturned, had guaranteed that states cannot impose undue burdens on pregnant women seeking abortions.
The top court’s decision will lead to partial or total bans on abortion in about half of U.S. states.
“The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,” the ruling states.
The decision was expected, in line with a leaked draft majority opinion published by Politico.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” wrote Associate Justice Samuel Alito in the ruling. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
The landmark abortion case has for decades been a major political flashpoint in the U.S. and has prompted many religious groups to speak up and defend their beliefs about the rights of women and the unborn.
Outside of the loudest voices on abortion, including evangelicals and Catholics, here is a list of six religious groups and their views on the issue of abortion:
The end of suffering and abortion in Buddhism
Death is traditionally a significant topic in the Buddhist faith. The early teachings of the Buddha emphasize the idea that death is inevitable. Buddhists, particularly in Tibetan Buddhism, must remain mindful of death and live as if every moment counts. The ultimate goal in Buddhism is to achieve Nirvana, which includes ignoring fleshly desires to end suffering. Not all Buddhists aim for this ultimate goal. The extent of each teaching is for the individual to decide and create their own paths to fulfillment. However, to reach Nirvana, one must refrain from killing living creatures, which includes abortion. As a result, a portion of Buddhists believes that life should not be destroyed due to the preciousness of the opportunities that a human birth presents.
“Buddhism believes in rebirth and teaches that individual human life begins at conception,” said Damien Keown, a professor of Buddhist ethics at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and a chair professor at Geumgang University in South Korea. “The new being, bearing the karmic identity of a recently deceased individual, is therefore as entitled to the same moral respect as an adult human being.”
For Buddhists, stopping the fetus’s life before it is given a chance to live on earth deprives the fetus of the opportunities of earthly existence, good karma and spiritual progress. Rather, the fetus is returned immediately to the cycle of reincarnation. For this reason, abortion is considered to generate bad karma for not only the fetus but also the mother and the abortionist.
Regardless, according to a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center, 82% of Buddhist adults in the U.S. agree that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. In the purely spiritual sense, Buddhist teachings reject abortion because of the deliberate destruction of a precious life. However, the teachings do not only apply spiritually but also in practical, everyday life.
Soraj Hongladarom, a professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, differentiates the spiritual and mundane in his book “Buddhism and Abortion”:
In order to live relatively peacefully in a particular concrete social setting, perhaps abortion needs to be allowed. This does not mean that Buddhism allows abortion, but it means that, in the specific social circumstances that we find ourselves in, abortion performed by medical professionals in a modern and hygienic setting may be needed. On the one hand, this goes against the purely spiritual teaching of Buddhism, but on the other hand, it is also in accordance with the tendency of Buddhism to leave social issues to the people to decide within certain limits. If they think that some form of abortion is best for a particular type of society, one that they prefer, then so long as this does not violate the very basic orientation of Buddhism itself it is up to them to do so while still being good Buddhists. The challenge certainly lies in how to reconcile the two.
A way to take the spiritual into account involves taking responsibility for actions and having a willingness to carry the burden of the consequences that follow. As a faith that values human life, saving the life of the mother or a severely handicapped child from suffering is considered a decision made with compassion.
Orthodox Judaism: at the crossroads of pro-choice and pro-life
Upon hearing the news concerning the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade, Orthodox Jews are neither overjoyed nor saddened.
“As people of faith, we see life as a precious gift granted to us and maintained within us by God,” the Orthodox Union wrote in a statement released in May. “Jewish law places paramount value on choosing life and mandates — not as a right but as a responsibility — safeguarding our own lives and the lives of others by behaving healthily and securely, doing everything in our power to save lives, and refraining from endangering others.”
Still, choosing life does not imply standing against abortion as a whole. According to Pew Research Center, around 83% of Jews believe that abortion should be legal in most cases. Judaism does not support absolute bans on abortion. Part of protecting lives mentioned in the statement involves permission to “access abortion in lifesaving situations.”
“This concern for even potential life extends to the unborn fetus and to the terminally ill,” said the Orthodox Union.
According to the National Council of Jewish Women, Judaism teaches that the protection of existing life is a priority at all stages of pregnancy.
The NCJW is a progressive organization that claims to work toward social justice through Jewish values to protect women, children and families. The NCJW advocates for reproductive freedom and emphasizes that abortion is a form of health care only when required to save the life of the pregnant individual endangered by the pregnancy. For this reason, abortion on demand goes against “halachic” views — Jewish law supplementary to Scripture.
Rabbinic teaching states that life does not begin at conception. According to the Talmud, the fetus is considered “mere water” before 40 days of gestation. After 40 days, the fetus is classified as “subhuman” and as a physical part of the pregnant body with no independent rights. The fetus is then a human with a life of its own once it is born and takes its first breath of oxygen. With the definition of life for the unborn, it is not possible to murder a fetus.
Regardless, Orthodox Judaism chooses to protect the potential life of a human child if the situation allows. If there is no harm to the fetus or the mother, then there is no reason to terminate the pregnancy.
The Satanic Temple’s religious abortion ritual
The Satanic Temple is a religious organization not to be mistaken with the Church of Satan. This religious organization aims to separate religion and the supernatural, superstition and the existence of Satan. As a religion subject to science and not a supernatural deity, the group is united by a sense of identity, culture, community and shared values. Satanists recite the statement “Thyself is thy master” and use Satan as a symbol that defends personal sovereignty and rejects tyrannical authority. Therefore, the right to abortion is important for Satanists to advocate for.
TST believes that first-trimester abortions on demand should be legal and available to all. In early 2020, TST announced its Religious Abortion Ritual, a ceremony rooted in satanic beliefs. According to its website, the purpose of the abortion ritual is for TST members to receive exemptions from “enduring medically unnecessary and unscientific regulations when seeking to terminate their pregnancy.” Examples of legal requirements that go against the ritual include compulsory counseling, reading material, listening to the fetal heartbeat, medically unnecessary sonograms and compulsory burial or cremation of fetal remains.
During the ritual, TST members will recite the third and fifth of the Seven Tenets and a personal affirmation. The religious group follows a set of Seven Fundamental Tenets that encompass the Satanist worldview and serve as guidelines for each members’ actions.
The third tenet states that “one’s body is inviolable and subject to one’s own will alone.” The fifth states that “beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world and one should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.”
While reciting the statements before the procedure and the affirmation after, patients are advised to look at their reflection in the mirror. This practice allows them to remember their personhood and their responsibility to themself.
“The intent of the full ritual is to empower and to allow the patient to feel confident in their choice,” said Jane Essex, spokesperson for the Satanic Temple’s Religious Reproductive Rights Campaign.
Bodily autonomy is a central pillar of TST’s mission. So the Religious Abortion Ritual helps affirm such autonomy and free will. The personal affirmation “By my body, my blood, by my will it is done” is recited at every satanic abortion.
Abortion and the potential loss of Latter-day Saints church membership
The birth of a child is a blessing and gift from God according to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Human life born into a loving and nurturing family is central to God’s purposes for humanity. Latter-day Saints refer to the first commandment God gave to Adam and Eve found in Genesis 1:28: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” And in Doctrine and Covenants 59:6, the Lord declares, “Thou shall not … kill, nor do anything like unto it.” For these reasons, abortion is considered “one of the most revolting and sinful practices in this day.”
Latter-day Saints teach that the blessing of a child should not be terminated for selfish reasons. If a couple should perform, encourage, pay for or arrange an abortion, they will receive church discipline or may lose their membership. The church instructs its members that easy access to abortion leads people down a path of sexual immorality. However, sexual relations have set limitations.
“Sexual relations within marriage are not only for the purpose of procreation, but also a means of expressing love and strengthening emotional and spiritual ties between husband and wife,” as stated on the topic of birth control.
On the other hand, the LDS Church believes that few exceptions would allow for an abortion. When the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, the health of the mother is in serious danger or the fetus is in no condition to survive beyond birth, a pregnant woman may have an abortion. Once these instances are made known, the individual must receive counseling with the local presiding priesthood authority and can only follow through with the procedure after receiving divine confirmation through prayer.
There are specific cases in which individuals are not justified in having an abortion. If a child is conceived out of wedlock, the mother and father are advised to get married and “work toward establishing an eternal family relationship.” When a union is impossible, the church says the best course of action is to place the child up for adoption.
If an individual does receive an abortion without confirmation through prayer and not for justifiable reasons, there may be room for repentance and forgiveness.
“As the matter stands today, no definite statement has been made by the Lord one way or another regarding the crime of abortion,” read a statement by David O. McKay, president of the church, along with his counselors. “So far as is known, he has not listed it alongside the crime of the unpardonable sin and shedding of innocent human blood. That he has not done so would suggest that it is not in that class of crime and therefore that it will be amenable to the laws of repentance and forgiveness.”
In light of the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade, the church took the opportunity to remind members of its position in the matter. However, the church opts to distance itself from partnering with anti-abortion movements or advocating alongside conservative evangelical and Catholic groups.
Regardless, the church will continually abide by the statement that abortion is a revolting sin, and at least 70% of all members agree.
In Islam, Allah will provide for your family
According to Islamic law, the fetus is considered a potential human until 120 days after conception. The Hadith, Islam’s source of religious law and moral guidance, teaches that this moment is when the process of ensoulment occurs — the moment in which the soul enters the fetus. It is the presence of a soul that constitutes an essential part of being human.
The Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari No. 3036 explains the stages of conception: “Each one of you is constituted in the womb of the mother for forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then God sends an angel who is ordered to write your things. He is ordered to write down his deeds, his livelihood, the date of his death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then the soul is breathed into him.”
The Quran also explains, “Certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a drop of sperm, firmly fixed. Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood, and of that clot, We made an embryo; then We made out of that lump, bones, and clothed the bones with flesh. Then We developed another creation out of it. So blessed is God, the best of Creators.”
While human life does not begin at conception for Muslims, the termination of a pregnancy is forbidden at any stage. As stated in the Qu’an, “Do not kill the soul which God has forbidden except for the requirements of justice” (Al-An’am 8:151), and “Do not kill your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin” (Al-Isra 15:31).
However, there are exceptions, such as medical justification, including the threat of harm to the mother and the presence of fetal anomalies that are incompatible with life. For this reason, in America, about half of Muslims believe that abortion should be legal in most cases.
“If it is not for a good excuse that is a health reason, Islam considers abortion as taking a life,” said Imam Jalloh from the Islamic Cultural Center of New York. “God said, do not kill your children because you are afraid of being poor or you might not be able to feed them. We are the ones who are feeding you and providing for you. Some people may not realize you are killing children. Killing an innocent life is a severe crime to the extent that Allah equalizes the killing of one soul to the killing of entire nations. He who kills one soul is like he kills the entire humanity. It is not a simple crime.”
Abortion is a sin, and like any sin in Islam, there is a chance for forgiveness. Repentance is immediately obligatory for every sin, major or minor. The Quran says, “Turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.”
“If abortion is without an acceptable excuse, it is a sin and crime for taking innocent life,” said Jalloh. “Is there any repentance? Yes, there is. The door of repentance, in Islam, is open always. As long as you are alive and willing to fill the condition of repentance.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe there is no justification in killing the unborn
There is a distinct difference between abortion and miscarriage. A miscarriage is considered an accidental and unavoidable interruption of pregnancy. However, according to the leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, deliberately inducing an abortion by artificial means for the sole purpose of avoiding the birth of an unwanted child is an act of high crime in the sight of God.
Witnesses teach that in Exodus, Moses’ law protects the life of the unborn. At the time, Jehovah said if a fight should break out between men and a pregnant woman and the outcome is fatal to either the woman or the child, “then you must give a soul for a soul.” While capital punishment is not the consequence of abortion for Witnesses today, this verse emphasizes the seriousness of protecting the unborn.
“The viable embryo in the uterus IS a human individual, and therefore destroying it, is a violation of the sixth commandment,” said Dr. Jacob Glenn in his book “The Bible and Modern Medicine.” The sixth commandment is “Thou shalt not kill.”
Within the context of marriage, the “fruitage of the womb is a blessing of Jehovah.” In the past, Witnesses discouraged members from marrying or having children. However, in 1951, the governing body changed its position and now approves of marriages, using Scripture to determine the nature of marriage and having children.
For Witnesses, life begins at conception, and Jehovah views the life of the child as precious in the early stages of pregnancy. The Bible states, “You (Jehovah) kept me screened off in the belly of my mother. … Your eyes saw even the embryo of me, and in your book, all its parts were down in writing.”
Abortion is not permitted even when the mother’s life is in danger or birth defects seem likely. Witnesses are warned that medical opinions can be wrong. Even for the possibility of harm to the mother or child, it is never justifiable to kill the unborn. In the end, abortion is an excuse for sexual immorality. The motivation to have an abortion is selfish because the individual does not want the responsibility of the child that comes with sexual intercourse.
In a statement to the BBC, the religious group said, “If a baptized Witness makes a practice of breaking the Bible’s moral code, and does not given evidence of stopping the practice, he or she will be shunned or disfellowshipped. … When it comes to shunning, Witnesses take their instructions from the Bible and on this subject the Bible clearly states, ‘Remove the wicked man from amongst yourselves.’”
Myrian Garcia is a student at The King’s College majoring in Journalism, Culture and Society. She is participating in the New York City Semester in Journalism Program, where she previously interned at the daily amNY.