...women die.

You don’t get to argue, based on your religion, what gets left out.

If it helps you, let me assure you that no perfect full-term Gerber Babies are being aborted.

Incidentally, in a democracy your religion is not the only one, and it is not the only yardstick for secular laws, which are ethically based. You are free to practice your religion, as I am to practice mine. (If you don't believe in abortion, by all means don’t have one.)

My Goddess encourages thoughtful decision-making, freedom of conscience, and the full range of women’s necessary medical care. I would never force someone who didn’t want an abortion to have one, no matter how stupid I thought that decision might be (there are women with life-threatening medical conditions who defy medical advice and continue a pregnancy, knowing it could kill them and leave their other children orphaned — but it’s not my decision).

Other religions in this country also encourage thoughtful decision-making and freedom of conscience. The basic Buddhist tenet of ahimsa has been used to query Buddhist sages about the issue of abortion — and the answer has been that a woman’s life must also be considered under that rubric, and that she needs to be able to decide for herself what will cause harm to her.

If you want other examples, know that there are quite a few sects of America’s Jewish and Christian communities that are pro-choice, and I can name them.

Peace.

Hekate