moral question

by rwagoner 40 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rwagoner

  just read a thread about a child born with two heads and read some, well meaning but disturbing posts...

  Here is the question:

  You and your spouse are expecting...a test is available that will reveal if your unborn child may have a physical disability...

  Do you take the test ?

  If the results were positive should the pregnancy be terminated ?

  What is your decision based on ?

  Can people with disabilities lead "productive" lives ?

  **Now the next question is unpleasant but is meant to make people think and is NOT meant to be racist at all !

  What if race was a random characteristic at birth.....should parents be allowed to make the same choice ?

  RandyW
• 

  stillajwexelder

  mmm not an easy one - but I do not believe in abortion so the choice is easy really
• 

  Valis

  This might also help discuss this qustion, because it has plenty of legal and ethical ramificationas as well...tough one to answer, as it is hard to reason it into the are where all three circles share a space.

  
• 

  rwagoner

  Thanks Valis, good point.

  I would be happy to hear/discuss anyone's thoughts on the moral, legal or ethical issues of the questions....

  RandyW
• 

  BrendaCloutier

  Yes, good point Valis.

  Ok, yes, I would take the tests to be prepared for whatever might be. The severity of the issue would influence my choice. Knowing in advance that I might have a mongoloid child will help me adapt my outlook and prepare for that child.

  I would not end a pregnancy for gender. I think that's what you meant rwagoner, not race. I would not end a pregnancy for race, either. I don't know about rape. That is a very traumatic issue and totally up to the woman.

  I would end a pregnancy if the child had the probability of a short painful low-quality life. Spinal bifida, and other diseases fall into this class. No moral or ethical problems for me with that. It would be a very emotional decision. And I would mourn, as I mourned a miscarriage of a pregnancy I wasn't sure I wanted.

  I think first world countries with our advanced medicine value life too much in too many ways, and don't take into consideration quality of life. Prolonging life or bringing an ill child into this world that will be a serious burdon on the family and society is a selfish act.

  Hugs

  Brenda
• 

  rwagoner

  bttt

  No more thoughts ?
• 

  blondie

  How accurate is the test????

  I know of 5 different couples that were told their child would be severely disabled; and on each occasion the child proved to be without defect when born.

  What bothers me more is the testing for gender and couples ending pregnancies because it was a girl.

  Blondie (glad she will never have to make such a decision)
• 

  rwagoner

  for the sake of discussion lets say it is accurate.....
• 

  the_classicist

  What's the difference between this and eugenics? If we allow babies to be aborted because of physical or mental dysabilities, how does this make us any better than the Nazis?
• 

  rwagoner

  First off...thanks to all who posted to this point

  I must admit to a little bias on the issue as I am a wheelchair user with a birth defect. I am also. professionally an expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - a civil rights law for people with disabilities here in the USA.

  As a father of two wonderful (non-disabled) children I can respect parents wanting a "perfect, healthy child". But as someone with a disability myself I get scared when people start saying "burden on their family" or "burden on society". The problem is we don't know, until someone is born and begins to grow, just how productive they will be. I know lots of people with disabilities who work, have families and are very active and I also know many non-disabled people who are lazy, shiftless and non-productive.

  As someone who has severe pain every day, no one want to subject a child to that but should we put our stereotypes and often misguided beliefs on what someone will be able to do...or what makes someone productive ?

  Steven Hawking comes to mind....one of the great minds of our day but severely disabled by any standards.

  If I had been born in the nazi era I would have been killed for being what they called a "worthless eater" and "unfit to live" because I would be a burden on society. I have a tattoo on my arm with 3 red crosses and the word kruppel which reflects what my medical chart would have read to signify that I was to be killed for simply being "a cripple".

  I agree with classicist that the modern ability to eliminate an unborn child simply because they have a disability is no better than the nazi eugenics. That is why I added the question of race....

  If race was a random birth factor would it be acceptable to eliminate a child of another race simplly because the parents thought they would have a difficult life experience or were not a perfect match with the family...of course not.

  Why then is it acceptable to do that with an unborn child with a disability ?

  Just my opinion but I do have a personal experience here that most would not. Something to think about.

  RandyW