The two accompanying articles are obviously not intended to be comprehensive treatments of the whole topic of abortion. They are prominent in my mind because they are based on a talk I was asked to give and a perspective I thought deserved a hard look.

For the Pro-Lifer, am I saying that the only reason abortion is wrong is because people feel badly about it afterwards? Emphatically no! Because that would mean that with proper therapy, and perhaps medication, the feelings could be changed and it would "become right." Instead, I am calling attention to the depth of suffering that is already present, so that the deceived victims of abortion will be approached gently and offered the only source of real healing.

For the Pro-Choicer, am I trying to impose some personal standard of morality on an unwilling public? Hardly, because I am trying to show that the most common response in the hearts of those who try to solve their problems with an abortion -- that of longstanding grief -- gives credence to the idea that there indeed is an underlying absolute that has been violated. If the goal of the abortion provider is to enhance the wellbeing of the woman, it is an utter failure. And if merely responding to personal autonomy, abortion is a cruel hoax, for the one who decides does so uninformed, or even misinformed, with little or no anticipation of the long term consequences.