#392 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Friday July 1)
Good morning,
WHY SHOULD ONE RELIGIOUS VIEW PREVAIL OVER OTHERS?
I believe the restriction of abortion rights is founded in religious dogma first and judicial analysis second. To the Catholic Church and a number of Protestant movements, abortion is the killing of a human being. That said, a majority of American Christians support abortion rights with reasonable restrictions. So do most Jews and Muslims, whose faiths generally support abortion rights.
To those who believe a fetus, or even a fertilized egg, is a human being, I respect their point of view. But it is a point of view grounded in their religious belief and not in the prevailing view of society or our history. Some believe a fetus is imbued with a soul at some point in the pregnancy. Some believe it occurs at conception. None of these views is conclusively “right” or “wrong.”
My religion has a belief regarding the sanctity of a woman’s body and the preeminence of that body over an unborn fetus. My religion does not share the view that the soul enters the body early in development. To not find the right of a woman to control her own body violates the precepts of my religion and other religions and, I believe, imposes the religious view of some over the views of others.
These are wickedly difficult issues. That said, one need only read the first clause of the First Amendment for guidance: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” It would seem that the characterization of the life growing inside a woman is a question of religious conviction and not of political determination. To apply the rules of another religion upon the practitioners of so many other religions is an establishment issue. I believe the denial of a right to abortion should be challenged under the establishment clause (there already is a case in Florida making this claim). Sadly, under this Court, a favorable result does not seem likely.
To understand the heartfelt, analytical and deeply spiritual views of two great faiths, I offer their words, as they speak more clearly than I can on the religious and moral stances of their faiths. The first is a moving and empathetic piece on the recent decision, coming from the clergy of Stephen Wise Temple. I couldn’t be prouder to be a member of this congregation and to be part of my Jewish tradition. The second is from the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
A JEWISH POINT OF VIEW
“‘Be fruitful and multiply.’
—Genesis 1:28
From the earliest words of the Torah, our tradition understands reproduction as a sacred act. All of us who have been—or yearn to be—parents know that it is a process imbued with joy, holiness, and anxiety. We have, many of us, sat in waiting rooms; we have received good news and devastating news, we have walked away with ultrasound pictures to add to baby books, and we have faced decisions we never thought we would need to make.
For thousands of years, however, our tradition has understood that the decision was ours to make, in conversation with our healthcare providers. While there are gradations and nuance, Jewish law is overwhelmingly clear on abortion: It is permitted in most cases; it is required in some. Jewish legal experts have—and will—disagree on when and why abortion is permitted, but our texts are explicit in saying that we prioritize a person’s life—including their physical and mental well-being—over a potential life.
Today, through its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned almost 50 years of reproductive justice, reversing the precedent set in 1973 by Roe v. Wade and triggering laws that will effectively ban legal abortion altogether in more than 20 states. Many of these laws will ban abortions performed after six weeks even in cases of rape or incest. These changes will affect tens of millions of people around the country who may have to cross state lines to seek reproductive health care, if they are even able to do so. Moreover, lack of access to reproductive care will predominantly affect Black and brown women and families, and those who already struggle economically. Make no mistake: Some of those affected will be Jewish women, who are not only losing their access to reproductive care, but also their freedom to make choices consistent with their religious values.
Today was a devastating blow to anyone who believes in the right to choose; it is also a devastating blow to those of us who live in this country as a religious minority, and who suddenly find the teachings of our tradition and the counsel of our clergy to be at odds with our nation’s highest court.
Both our own Reform Movement as well as our Conservative colleagues have been outspoken about supporting women’s rights and reproductive justice even before 1973. This issue is core to our deeply held principles of equality and personal autonomy.
As painful as this moment is, we know that our task is not to give in to despair but rather to raise our voices and take action…”
A MUSLIM VIEW
From the Muslim Public Affairs Council…
“The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the right for women to get an abortion. This decision is perilous to women across the nation.
Islamic scholar and constitutional law professor Asifa Quraishi-Landes states that there are a diversity of views on abortion in Islamic law. They include: Abortion is permissible through the first 120 days of pregnancy; abortion is permissible but discouraged up to 40 (some say 80) days after conception; and abortion is prohibited unless there is a compelling reason such as risk to the life or health of the mother (an exception that exists in every Islamic legal school, regardless of the timing).
At this time, it is our collective responsibility to determine what is in the best interest of our society, or what is regarded in Islamic jurisprudence as al Maslahah.
This decision bears larger consequences than settling a pro-life versus pro-choice debate; it is an infringement on our core Islamic values which hold the health and life of the female as a crucial factor during this decision making. Today’s Supreme Court decision is a step towards eroding the rights of Americans to serve a religious ideology. MPAC is on the side of safeguarding a woman’s health and leaving the personal decision on abortion up to her and her doctor.
According to Nadiah Mohajir of HEART, which works on reproductive rights, “Abortion was a matter between pregnant people and their providers and the state did not get involved, religious authority did not get involved. It’s important for us to reclaim that history.”
This is the time for us to amplify the voices of our Muslim sisters and uplift their viewpoints on this issue.”
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry says, “We as a church have tried carefully to be responsive both to the moral value of women having the right to determine their healthcare choices as well as the moral value of all life. Today’s decision institutionalizes inequality because women with access to resources will be able to exercise their moral judgment in ways that women without the same resources will not.”
The Church’s official pronouncement says:
“Since 1976, The Episcopal Church has maintained its “unequivocal opposition to any legislation on the part of the national or state governments which would abridge or deny the right of individuals to reach informed decisions [about the termination of pregnancy] and to act upon them.” We uphold the conscience rights of pregnant women and other pregnant persons to determine whether they want to continue a pregnancy. The Episcopal Church views reproductive rights as ‘an integral part of a woman’s struggle to assert her dignity and worth as a human being.’”
Some religious points of view apparently have greater sway in this nation than do others.
Have a great day,
Glenn
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