abstinence and abortion?

Question

I'm doing research for ap us on conservative vs. liberal views on important bipartisan issues. Just curious, why do people advocate abstinence (when, at large, it doesn't work) and are anti-abortion at the same time. Don't they realize if you teach teens about condoms and sex ed, the number of unwanted pregnancies will decrease greatly, and therefore the number of abortions performed? Republican and Liberal views wanted, please.

Answer 1

88% of True Love Waits signers "do it anyway".



Although I agree with religious conservatives who want to challenge the youth to delay sexual activity for a while, I totally disagree with their message that a condom is a provision for sin. I send my Christian friends to the website below which debunks the whole thing against premarital sex in the Bible. That way they have no excuse not to support comprehensive sex education.

Answer 2

I believe the main difference is that contraception and abstinence are about prevention and abortion is about destruction. When using proper contraception or abstaining you are taking responsibility for your actions beforehand and aside from religious arguments is always acceptable. But each abortion is unique, sometimes it is justifiable other times not so much. Cases like rape or when the foetus or mother won't survive the pregnancy are what most people would accept as tragic and understandable for an abortion to take place. But there are also cases where someone was too lazy too use contraception and can't be bothered with a child so just want rid of it, which aren't that justifiable in a society where giving a child up for adoption is a possibility. There are also in-between cases eg very young people who made a mistake.

Answer 3

I consider myself to be liberal, so obviously I don't necessarily advocate abstinence. I'm pro-choice, but not "pro-abortion". Under certain circumstances, a pregnant woman should be given the choice to have an abortion. The only reason that I believe conservatives support abstinence is because it is against their morals to have sex before marriage. Even worse than the conservatives are the school systems that teach abstinence-only sex education. If conservative families would stop trying to push their morals on everyone else, safe sex would be more widely practiced. It's also funny to me that conservatives are pro-life, yet will quickly judge any pregnant female without a ring. I'm sure if the pro-life conservatives would mind their own business, abortion rates would also decrease.

Answer 4

You can atleast try to pretend that you can see the way other people think, or your homework assignment is going to be a dismal failure



I don't see why these are mutualy exclusive, why one can't teach abstinence and Birth Control...



The Pro-life crowd who wants to teach Abstinence only is a very vocal minority.



However, teaching kids that getting an abortion is like going to the dentist is probably the biggest problem most Pro-Life people have with the idea of teaching Contraception



You mean when you go out and teach kids that getting an abortion is OK, they will have less instances of pregnancies going to term then kids who have been taught Abortion is illegal? Shocking...

Answer 5

I think an entire class to teach about sex and condoms is wasteful. Class time is too precious. A simple hand out like the informational pamphlets that are given out at a doctor's office is all that is needed, and it would also end the controversy that is generated by those not so stable teachers that often end up in charge of the classes and who inject their personal morality into the class, from encouraging abstinence with the use of prayer to encouraging students to try a homosexual experience as a form of exploring their sexuality.



If they are too uneducated to read and understand a simple pamphlet then have the class devoted to extra assistance in learning to read, and the pamphlet can be one of the materials used.

Answer 6

I agree in a sense, stop the unwanted/unexpected pregnancy, you will reduce abortions by a lot.



However, pregnancy is only one of the issues of teen sex. Emotional damage can be done if people have sex before they are ready. STDs, condoms don't stop people from contracting all STDs. Women seeking older men to replace the father they never had...addiction to sex itself. Throw in alcohol and other drug use, and the fact that teen brains are still developing.... teens make bad decisions.



You can preach abstinence, and at the same time give them all the information they need to be protected.

Answer 7

I'm with you. I don't understand how this is even an argument anymore.



The countries with the lowest abortion rates in the world have liberal sex ed policies. I forget what state it was, but the one with the lowest teen pregnancy rate refuses federal money for abstinence only sex ed.



Its not just speculation at this point, its a fact, abstinence doesn't work, you can't talk teenagers out of being Horney, its just stupid.

Answer 8

Abstinence works 100%. It is taught along with everything else. Teens and everybody else are taught about sex and the consequences. If you don't take your birth-control pill, what do you think might happen? Same thing as if you are educated on abstinence but chose not to use it. Mostly Ignorance and selfishness cause unwanted pregnancies.



Edit:

Each year, about two percent of women aged 15-44 have an abortion; 47% of them have had at least one previous abortion.

Are you saying you don't think these people know how babies are made?

Answer 9

I am pro-life and I completely agree that teaching abstinence is a waste of time and money. There needs to be more focus on preventing pregnancy and making birth control options available,as well as information and assistance with planning for adoption.



There are a few pro-lifers out there that give the rest of us a bad name and so there are a lot of common misconceptions out there. Also,I don't consider myself loyal to one party though I lean a lot more to the right.

Answer 10

Peyton is at it again.



I think that those who support abstinence would be hypocrites if they shifted their support to regular sex ed. Those people truly believe that premarital sex is a sin, and if they just went around handing out condoms rather than telling the kids what they believe then they will have betrayed their beliefs. These issues are really irreconcilable with the opposition.

Answer 11

Sorry to disillusion you, but your conclusions are wrong. There are more unwanted pregnancies now then there were years ago when there was no sex education in schools. The ironic thing is--birth control is everywhere and available to everyone, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Every woman has a choice with her body--abstain from sex or use birth control. Seems simple enough, but there are still way too many unwanted pregnancies. We have become a shallow, selfish, lazy people who are only concerned with pursuing our pleasures regardless of the price that has to be paid by someone else.



As someone whose child was born premature and fought so hard for my child's life, I am sickened by those who would willingly kill their own child, especially those who would be older than mine was when he was born. It does not surprise me to hear daily of parents killing, torturing, drowning, abusing their own children. We have shown that we do not value them as human beings at all. Very sad...

Answer 12

Most conservatives are naive and think that if you tell a teen "don't have sex", they will listen. They don't. It's MORE AFFECTIVE to teach them to wait, BUT ALSO teach them about protecting themselves. Conservative are against non-procreative sex outside of marriage and think EVERYONE ELSE should adhere to their ignorant view.

Answer 13

Everything you said is correct and backed up by facts but the religious right doesn't want people that aren't married to have sex and are against abortion for any reason. They base their beliefs on religious reasons and never use common sense. Obviously there is no need for me to list my liberal views as you already have.

Answer 14

If sex ed worked, then why are there so many teen pregnancies? Condoms are only 90%+ effective. Abstinence is 100% effective.



If I gave you a gun with 10 chambers in it, and one bullet, would you take a chance and pull the trigger?



If you knew there was a 1 in 10 chance that having sex with some guy would tie you down the rest of your life, or cause you to have a procedure that would haunt you the rest of your life, would you sleep with him?



Edit: After reading your edited comments, I don't think this debate will go anywhere, for you, personally. You claim to be doing research. However, you already have made up your mind on the results. Therefore, you either aren't actually doing research; or you want someone who's "conservative" to agree with you, so you can input your already decided results.



Talking those who believe abstinence is best into believing condoms are a cure-all, is like trying to convince a rebellious teenager that he/she should behave responsibly. It ain't gonna happen. Condoms are not going to stop anything, if Tommy Luscious doesn't like using them, and Jenna Infatuated is too hot and bothered to try to make him. It has nothing to do with being religious, for me; and everything about being responsible and safe, and common sense. Not to mention that you might one day meet the man of your dreams, tell him you have , and he says "see ya!" That has nothing to do with him being shallow. It has everything to do with him looking at you as "damaged goods".



If you are hot and horny, masterbate. Dream of finding the guy who you will want to spend the rest of your life with, and giving all of yourself to him on your wedding night. You'll be a lot happier person, in the long run. Or, have fun, take a chance, roll the dice, pull the trigger. You could get lucky and have no regrets. On the other hand...



Sex is an act of responsibility. Teenagers don't have the emotions, finances, or desire to pay the piper when something happens, and that fear becomes reality. A lot of adults don't either. But as long as they can pay their own bills, that's not really anyone's problem but theirs.



BTW... I have a nephew and niece who are birth control babies; and my wife is a birth control baby. It does happen.

Answer 15

Tell me, how many virgins in this world have become impregnated? One: Mary with Jesus 2000 years ago.



Abstinence DOES work, just not everyone abstains from having sex.

And teens aren't the largest perpetrators of abortion: that honor goes to women in the 18-27 age range.



Should prevention be taught? Yes, but to kids in high school. And parents need to take personal responsibility as well. They need to give their kids "the talk" when they deem it's necessary; for me, it was sixth grade.



I'm a pro-life conservative, because I believe that one shouldn't use abortion as a form of birth control. Abortion kills the consequence of the action, and that's not right.

Answer 16

i agree that if your against abortion then you should teach them about condoms and the pill and everything like that. but its because the church says you should wait till your married so alot of people think they told their children they'll listen so they don't bother to talk to their children about sex and all that stuff .

Answer 17

Number of abortions lowest in a long time, who says abstinence isn't working?

Answer 18

Both thoise "issues" aRE KNOWN AS "HOT BUTTON ISSUES". The GOP knows that as long as they keep those issues up on a stick to shake at the voters, NOTHING ELSE will be heard over the yelling !

Answer 19

"Don't they realize if you teach teens about condoms and sex ed, the number of unwanted pregnancies will decrease greatly, and therefore the number of abortions performed?"........you would think.

Answer 20

Well of course that's the case but conservatives want everyone to live by the bible, which is totally inpractical. notice that the majority or teen pregnancies are in religious catholic families, great examples on that new show "16 and pregnant" on MTV.

Answer 21

Agreed. Anyone who is TRULY against aborttion needs to support widespread sexual education, the only know way to prevent it. Legal restrictions and abstinence-only education have not only been shown to be useless, but they have actually shown to INCREASE the amount of abortions.

Answer 22

Can you name me one person who ever got pregnant while practicing abstinence? Do people have so little self control and respect for themselves (and the unborn) that they find abstinence "impractical"? Can you name me even one teen that does not know what a condom is and what it is used for?