ABORTION: A NEW CULTURE OF DEATH

PRELUDE
The sacredness of human life still stands as a value of great importance in spite of the way it is being
manipulated today. Amidst treasures, titles, wealth and honour, human life takes precedence. This
incomparable worth of the human person is a strong conviction based on the intrinsic dignity and
value of the human person, social status notwithstanding. Quite dishearteningly, however, human life
with all its fundamental and intrinsic value to man is being seriously threatened by a culture of
death prevalent in our contemporary society.
Against the aforesaid, we shall critically treat and evaluate the truth in the morality of this particular
culture of death abortion, so as to save man from total annihilation.
DEFINITION
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy, either spontaneously or by intervention before the foetus
reaches viability.
Pazhayampallil refers to abortion as a deliberate and direct interruption of the generative process of
human life. It is the act of stopping the development of a child inside the womb, especially by a
medical operation or the spontaneous or induced expulsion from the womb of the fertilized human
foetus through contraceptive means (cf. Pastoral Guide Vol. 2).
Following the footprints of Bishop Ugorji, we assert that the culture of death encompasses all the
attitudes of seeing human life, from the materialistic, functionalistic, collectivistic and mechanistic
point of view, as an object or something that can be manipulated at any condition in time (cf. The
Memoirs of a Shepherd).
EVIL COLLABORATION
This trend in vogue portrays a sign that although people still fear it, death seems to be an accepted
solution in the face of some essential problems. If the problem is an unwanted pregnancy, the
solution seems to be elimination of the unborn, albeit innocent child. In all these cases, death is
considered as a desirable good as such, and as a solution which one can choose without any qualms
of conscience. The most controversial slogan is that a woman can kill the unborn abortion if she
feels the baby is unwanted. The proponents of this argue that a woman has a right over her body. All
these are anti-life attitudes rampart in our society today. Borrowing the words of Dr Kate Acholonu,
this culture of death is a trend of the sin of Cain, the sin of mans inhumanity to man which Thomas
Hobbes scholarly articulated in his famous maxim as homo homini lupus, that is, man is wolf to man.
This is one of the practices of the contemporary society (cf. The Earth Unchained).
Unfortunately, the most disheartening issue is the overwhelming support this culture is getting from
the society individuals, groups and states alike. We see this reflecting in the 2013 budget, where
$11m is allocated to the importation of contraceptives (condoms) in our country Nigeria. Pope
Blessed John Paul II did not mince words when he cried out that one of the most notable
characteristics and working phenomena of the culture of death is the support of public opinion of
such proposals of abortion, euthanasia, etc, and the neutral, if not protective attitude of the state
towards those practicing such crimes (Evangelium Vitae). Some nations and global economic
institutions even boldly, proudly and evilly attach legalization of anti-life policies as conditions for
granting loans and priviledges to their less-priviledged counterparts. This is neo-colonialism. It is
degrading, dehumanizing and denationalizing.
Prof. Dora Akunyili, reacting to the state of things in our polity, has openly challenged the Nigerian
Catholic politicians not only to live by the moral codes but also to preach about them. One of such
moral codes is legalized abortion. She further called on Nigerian politicians to witness to the faith
(Bigard 2011 Mission/Pastoral Weekend).
Fagothey, author of Right and Reason unequivocally discredits any culture that diminishes life. He
maintains that it is always wrong to deprive another of their life. He observed that we are today no
longer living in a world that commonly respects and judges abortion as immoral, but he averred that
abortion in its own nature is absolutely and entirely immoral and evil. In addition, he offered three
basic justifications why life is an absolute value:
1. Natural law as a source of moral guidance natural law forbids one to kill or take life.
2. After life this life should be preserved in order to benefit in the life after.
3. Gods dominion over every life you do not own your life, God does. Taking it means taking
what does not belong to you.
BASTIONS OF LIFE
Be that as it may, African Traditional Religion (ATR) and the Christian religion recognize life as
sacred, coming from the Most Sacred Being God. The Igbo culture believes in Ndu bu isi or Ndu
ka aku. For this reason, life deserves to be treated with great respect. Thus, the Magisterium of the
Church views life as one of the most prominent amidst all other rights. Medical practitioners, priests,
governments and security agencies have as their profession, the utmost safeguarding and protection
of human life.
Seeing these attacks on human life and the gruesome effects of the trends in vogue, especially our
contemporary culture of death, John Paul II posited his notion about human life and how it should be
seen. He sternly criticized those who legalized such threats to human life. He continuously
emphasized that abortion and euthanasia are crimes which no human law can legitimize. There is no
obligation in conscience to obey such laws; instead there is a grave and clear obligation to oppose
them by conscientious objection. He insists: No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can
make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God written in every
human heart, knowable by reason itself and proclaimed by the Church (Evangelium Vitae).
CONCLUSION
Thus, I re-echo my task here, which is to join, as well as invite you to join, Pope John Paul II and all
pro-lifers in activating and championing the great crusade in the support, protection and promotion
of human life. We must appreciate the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the right to life.
Human life is not a mere existence, but rather a value in itself. Life is good, precious and honourable.
It is sacred, unique, fundamental and dear, and the substratum of all other values that are. Defend,
protect, promote and safeguard it. We must live. We must also cherish and love our lives and the
lives of others, especially the defenseless. This is our slogan for this pro-life crusade against the
unwholesome trend of this culture of death abortion.
Finally, I thank the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) who after their meeting recently
condemned the allocation of $11m for condoms and other contraceptives. They denounced it as
unfair and immoral. The bishops, however, pointed out that abortion and contraceptives, which form
the basis of this anti-life mentality and aggravate the culture of death, give rise to a libertine culture
of promiscuity. They reiterate that the use of contraceptives is immoral and sinful and recommend
only natural family planning, abstinence and self-control.
PRAYER FOR LIFE AND FOR ABORTED BABIES
O Lord, the Creator of man and life itself, we thank you for the wonder of our being. As we
appreciate the gift of life from you, we pray for the conversion of all who are deliberately anti-life in
thoughts, words and deeds. We pray also for the souls of all the aborted babies and commend them to
your mercy. Grant them your eternal happiness and grant to their killers a conversion of heart. We
ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
V/ Sacred Heart of Jesus, R/ Convert all anti-lifers and have mercy on us (3x).
V/ Mary, mother of aborted babies, R/ Pray for us