Abortion And Sikhism

[njjassa]

There have been many hot debates regarding the issue of abortion in many religions and societies. Would you scrutinize the issue positively or negatively under the lens of sikhism?

[lost generation]

Abortion is not justifyed in Sikhism. But my own personal view is if a womans health is in danger or if she is victim of geniune rape then abortion can be allowed. Other than that I dont see any valid justification for killing a baby, because that what it basically is having seen footage and pics of aborted babies/foetus.

[njjassa]

how about psychological and mental effect of the abortion.....?

[Khalsa4ever]

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

I think this issue, like literally every single issue that comes up as a debate does not have an answer to YES or NO, but something in the middle.

It would seem to me that since waheguru's jot is within every creature, plant or animal, rock or planetoid, that this comes down to a similar issue as to why sikhs (in general) don't eat meat: because its wrong to induce pain if it can be prevented (ie: by eating something without a central nervous system, like plants or fungi).

Similarly, we lose diploid cells by the millions each day, as its sloughed off our skin, our GI tract, but we don't see that as an issue. Potentially each of these cells contains the material to form another human being, just the same as a fertilized egg would, especially early on when its just a simple packed collection of cells.

However, the fetus does begin to develop a central nervous system: it can begin to simulate reflexes at 8.5 weeks of gestation, no earlier. This means that after this point, it may have the ability to feel pain... and before this point, it does not.

So I would argue that those 1/3 of abortions performed before 8.5 weeks are arguably ok in sikhi, because it does not induce pain for the fetus.

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

[njjassa]

so u would basically conclude that biologically determined contexts are much easier to follow in solving the issue ....but yea i think its plausible to think like that because i can see both sikhism and biological factors being related in the issue

[Khalsa4ever]

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

Well the way I see it, Sikhi and science are the same thing... God made our universe and our biology. So no matter which way we approach the issue, we should get the same answer

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

[njjassa]

yeap... thas the central approach for everything in the universe i guess... but still the issue remains heck of a controversy which is largely debated and discussed overall......

[Tarrandeep Kaur]

In the UK it is legal for termination to be carried out up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

''At 24 weeks the baby becomes legally viable and if the baby was born now it would have a reasonable chance of survival outside the womb in an intensive care unit.

At 24 weeks the baby will now be able to kick and may well have a sleep and wake cycle you can notice. it may get hiccups brought on by her primitive chest movements, which she makes to practice her breathing techniques. The baby will now measure more than the width of a magazine.''

Is this just, its legal to abort a baby at 24 weeks, where basicallly it has a chance of surviving outside the womb. This is murder.

In the case of rape, then the victim should take the abortion pill, (or whatever its called) as soon as they can. Actually they should take the morning after pill if possible. Theres no need to wait for such a long time when the baby has grown so much. I think the law is stupid, 24 weeks is legal to abort a baby??? Absolutely stupid.

[Jangal Da]

In the UK it is legal for termination to be carried out up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

''At 24 weeks the baby becomes legally viable and if the baby was born now it would have a reasonable chance of survival outside the womb in an intensive care unit.

At 24 weeks the baby will now be able to kick and may well have a sleep and wake cycle you can notice. it may get hiccups brought on by her primitive chest movements, which she makes to practice her breathing techniques. The baby will now measure more than the width of a magazine.''

Is this just, its legal to abort a baby at 24 weeks, where basicallly it has a chance of surviving outside the womb. This is murder.

In the case of rape, then the victim should take the abortion pill, (or whatever its called) as soon as they can. Actually they should take the morning after pill if possible. Theres no need to wait for such a long time when the baby has grown so much. I think the law is stupid, 24 weeks is legal to abort a baby??? Absolutely stupid.

At 24 weeks survival outside of the womb is only viable with intensive, modern neonatal support and even then, there may be long term perinatal consequences whereby the chances of the baby surviving into adulthood are very slim.

Sikhi does not comment about abortion specifically, but it does have a lot to say about female infantoecide - a disgusting and abhorrant practice that is still a problem amongst many Punjabis today.

I would go along with the ethical stance that abortion is permitted if serious mental or physical harm to the mother or unborn child was the reasoning and that medical associations decide the cut off.

[Singhstah]

ਅਸੰਖ ਗਲਵਢ ਹਤਿਆ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥

Asaʼnkẖ galvadẖ haṯi­ā kamāhi.

Countless cut-throats and ruthless killers.

ਅਸੰਖ ਪਾਪੀ ਪਾਪੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥

Asaʼnkẖ pāpī pāp kar jāhi.

Countless sinners who keep on sinning.