Defining the Problem
The problem revolves around Alabama’s latest abortion bill, which punishes abortion, providing doctors with lifetime sentencing (“Abortion laws in the US,” 2019). The citizens of the state already lack infrastructure and access to the procedure, and the legislation makes the problem even more challenging. One of the focal points of the bill is the punishment aspect of medical professionals with harsh measures, which makes them more reluctant to operate the abortion.
May
Biblical Guidelines and Principles
The biblical principles on inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and happiness, dictate that they must be protected (Fischer, 1996). In the case of natural laws, a person has needs, which are eating, drinking, sleeping, and procreating (“Ethics,” n.d.). Therefore, there needs to be a separation between Church and State and the distinction between Crime and Sin (Fischer, 1996). Sphere sovereignty claims that each area has its own responsibilities and competence (Harvey, 2016). Thus, the bill promotes life but hinders liberty, happiness, and procreation. Although abortion is a sin, currently, the doctors are involved in a non-criminal sinful act. The Book of Exodus 22-23 states: “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely, but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Exodus 22-23). Thus, there punishment should monetary rather than jailing the perpetrator.
Constitutional Guidelines for Federal and State Involvement
The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution has a point on the fundamental right for privacy, which is based on a woman’s freedom to decide whether she wants to undergo the procedure. However, the document also protects a person’s opportunity to live and prosper, which means that a child might be deprived of his or her rights.
Can
Political Feasibility
There is a high level of controversy in public regarding the abortion. Pro-choice activists claim that a woman’s right to liberty is more important than an unborn child’s right to live. The pro-life group states that abortion is comparable with murder because a child is deprived of his or her right to live. The legislation is designed to discourage the procedures, but it can also be highly strict towards medical specialists due to life sentencing measures.
Financial Feasibility
The financial aspect of the matter can also have a significant impact on doctors because imprisoning them will incur major costs. It is well-known that training a medical professional takes substantial sums of money and time, and thus, such sentencing can lead to major losses within the state’s medical sphere.
Practical Feasibility
The practical feasibility of the legislation is manifested in the fact that such a ban will not stop abortions but rather make them dangerous for women and doctors involved. The main reason is the increased rate of injuries and deaths due to pregnancy-related complications (“Abortion laws in the US,” 2019). The instances of motherless children can rise significantly due to the unavailability of abortion-based clinical settings.
Should
On the basis of the May and Can analysis, one can conclude that abortion is a sin, but it is not evident if it is a crime. The Bible itself recommends fining people for their involvement in premature birth, and abortion is not designed to deal with a serious injury to a woman. It is a highly debatable and complex issue whether an unborn child has the rights and whether they outweigh a woman’s liberty. However, it is evident that such legislation should not be implemented because it targets doctors. Imprisoning them for life will incur major financial losses and increase pregnancy-related complications and deaths.
References
Abortion laws in the US – 10 things you need to know. (2019). Amnesty International.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). Crossway Bibles.
Ethics. (n.d.). The City University of New York.
Fischer, K. J. (1996). Biblical principles of history & government [PDF document]. Web.
Harvey, T. (2016). Sphere sovereignty, civil society and the pursuit of holistic transformation in Asia. Transformation, 33(1), 50-64.