Well, there may be some drawbacks in Internet discussion, but it does give a chance to mull things over and explore them.

I guess I have to say there IS a difference for me on the subject of abortion, because I know many reasonable, decent people who do not agree with me that abortion is wrong. But I still think it's wrong, that it's taking a life - and I feel compelled to do what I can to prevent that. If it's something as serious as taking a life, I don't think I can just sit back and watch it happen. On the other hand, as far as I can determine, most women who have abortions, do so in good faith, believing that what they have decided to do is the right thing. Therefore, I think I need to find a different approach, something different from the hard-line approach that attempts to force women not to have abortions. The Catholic Church doesn't agree with me (yet), but I think preventing unwanted pregnancies by birth control is the most effective way to prevent abortion. Sex education can be a big help. Prenatal care and assistance in adoption can help, too - but birth control, responsible family planning, is the big one.

I know a lot of Catholic lay people who can't agree with me on this. If I talk like this in certain circles, I can get myself hit on the head with picket signs and called all sorts of names and reported to the bishop and such. Interestingly, I know a lot of Catholic priests and nuns who would agree with me. I think there are two reasons for that:

1. Priests and nuns have usually had a higher level of training in moral theology and ethics than lay Catholics, and they understand the "grey areas" of moral decisions.
2. Secondly, most priests and nuns have had direct contact with women who have had to make a decision to have or not have an abortion, so they may have a more realistic view of the complexity of the decision.

So, with eight years of seminary education and a lifetime of church work behind me, that's where I am on the issue - I think abortion is wrong and I want to see the number of abortions reduced as much as possible, but I understand and sympathize with the decisions of women who have chosen to have abortions. I think there's a middle ground, and I think that's what we as a society need to seek out.

-Joe-

Oh, and Bill, would you or would you not concede that while abortion may be necessary in some situations, it is never really a wonderful thing - and it would be worthwhile to reduce the number of abortions?