it is completely illegal to have an abortion in El Salvador even if the women's life is at risk. A woman's uterus is also considered evidence if an abortion was suspected to have taken place, meaning they can inspect her uterus against her will for signs of an abortion. These women can then be thrown in jail for their "heinous" crime.

I fear living in a world like this where a woman does not have control over her own body. However, there are those in America who see this as an inspiration.

Damn straight NightStalker.

Wow.  I think there are a few million Catholics in the world who would disagree with you.  Catholicism is very much Christian in its more original form.  Remember, Protestant belief systems were an attempt to take religious power away from the few and give it to everyone (well, except women).  The newer belief systems are an offshoot of the original Catholic (Christian) beliefs. 

Edit: It is imprtant to note that this is an American belief (that Catholics are Christians), and I have little idea how the rest of the world sees it (though Canada and Europe agrees from what I've seen).  One only needs to look at the U.S. census record to see that the group Christian is broken down into three groups: Protestant, Catholic, other Christian.  These categories are culturally constructed within the American society and are a reflection of the beliefs of the majority of Americans (via its government) on this issue.

kazadoom, you're being hypocritical. Back when all that bloodshed held place, there was no distinction between the followers of christ. There were only christians back then. And every single one of those poor souls believed that it was okay to kill people with different religious beliefs. Saying that it was the catholics that were bloodthirsty is actually a denial of some facts. First of all, Holland. In the 15-17 century they were the followers of Luther, and as such were waging constant battles against Catholic countries. There are many historical sources describing what lutherians did to many catholic villages, so don't give me any crap that it was only the catholics that are bad.

The whole of christianity was born in blood, raised in it and, as i see it, it shall find it's end in blood as well.

This is scientifically and religiously inaccurate. A sperm has no potential to create human life unless presented with an egg. It is at the point that and egg and a sperm fuse that life is created.

An unwanted baby is an inconvenience to the mother and to those around her. It is a HUGE inconenience, possibly the biggest there is. However, at the end of the day you cannot possibly equate inconvenience with human life. Over the past fifty years people have tried to create an overwhelming number of arguments to justify abortion. Not having abortion discriminates against women, what about rape victims, what about if the baby is deformed? All of these issues are side issues.

At the end of the day the inconvenience to a mother and those around her PALES in comparison to the attrocity of murdering a human being. Rape victims deserve overwhelming sympathy, but it is not a fetus' fault it's mother was raped. That rape victim having to endure nine months of pregnancy before being able to give the child up for adoption if they don't want it is no justification for ending an innocent human being's life.

As for baby deformations and future financial cirumstances....No human being has the right to decide whether someone has enough quality of life to enjoy being alive. I work in a nursing home. I see some souls living the most pathetic existences you could envisage, but they all still want to be alive.

What I do believe is that before abortion is outlawed, much more funding must be set aside for support programs for those who are raped, underage or are forced to adopt out babies for other reasons. But none of the reasons in this thread justify taking innocent life. (Edit: The one exception is a legitimate risk to the mother's physical well-being, whereby the mother's life should take precedence unless she indicates otherwise)

As it apparently seems to matter to many people here, i will state my religious affiliation: None.

Wojitas, you are being supremely narrow-minded. You are historically inaccurate, but in the end it doesn't matter. Are you seriously suggesting that because of Crusades in the middle-ages, Christians that are alive now shouldn't be allowed to campaign to prtect human life.

Throughout Europe's history, all three of the Bible-based religions commited monumental attrocities. The Christian's had their Crusades, the Muslims had the crimes of the Ottoman Empire, and while they were largely a minority throughout the last 500 years, the Jews committed their own serious crimes.

Do not attack an individual because a form of organised religion that existed 500 years ago did a bad thing.