Riiiight ... so you'd allow abortion right up to birth if the woman decided so?
Thank you, you have demonstrated exactly what is wrong with the phrase about the woman's right to choose.


Not really relevant to the issue but, for the sake of response, I agree.


True but, ethics come into it and many people's ethics are informed/influenced by religion.
Even as an atheist myself, I have to admit they must have the right to voice their ethics, distorted as I find them to be.

Technically speaking, no woman has entirely that right even now, since doctor's consent must be given in order to permit a legal abortion even at the earliest stage.



I agree entirely on this.

But in a secular state laws ought not to be framed on religious basis. The only large group of people I know of who want abortion abolished are people who take a particular religious rather than ethical view. In that sense I don't think its right to say their ethics are influenced by their religion because they aren't expressing an ethical view but a religious one.

Isn't it more the case (as with gay marriage and whatnot) that these people have a view, then they look (very selectively) for scripture to justify their views, rather than the other way around. I mean, you don't see these same people campaigning to ban shellfish or mixed-fibre clothing, do you?

Granted you wouldn't make law purely on the basis of what it says in a holy book but I'm not sure how you could avoid/prevent a person's religious views influencing their ethical outlook.


Whilst I wouldn't claim that to be the case universally, I do believe it is very often as you say.
Indeed, how many times have we seen it on this very forum where people can't back up their unthinking prejudice with a real reason.