An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus/embryo, resulting in a death. It Can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or it can be induced.
In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Some countries are secular, but they let the churches interfere. In Brazil, for example, the abortion is a crime, unless in the fetus/embryo may cause the death of the mother, in other words, a risk of death for the mother, in cases of rape too.
In the whole world, there are people against and favor; the main positions are the pro-choice position, which argues in favor of access to abortion, and the pro-life position, which argues against access to abortion.
Opinions of abortion may be described as being a combination of beliefs on its morality, and beliefs on the responsibility, ethical scope, and proper extent of governmental authorities in public policy. Religious ethics also has an influence upon both personal opinion and the greater debate over abortion.
In my opinion, the problem is when the religious ethics interfere and has an influence upon personal opinion and the great debate over abortions. The religion is very important for the human, but I think in cases like this the approval of the priest or minister isn’t necessary. Every case is a different case. I believe that people can choose what they wanted, of course that it is important to have some laws in cases like abortion, analyzing the case and if it is necessary to do, or many women will do the illegal or legal abortion in clinics not so reliable.
Finally, we have to have good doctors, clinics. Of course all of this is far from being done, especially in Brazil, but it is the right procedure.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Smoking law - Vanesa (U3)
Nowadays, it seems that smoke-free law is one of the most discussed questions. The law forbids people to smoke in internal enviroments and harm a person who might be near them and would inhale the smoke.
As I understand it, the main question is where your freedom ends and the other person's rights begin. A lot of people argue that the law is unfair because it is against the right of freedom, but as I said, one's freedom ends when it starts damaging another one's freedom and rights.
Actually, I also think that everyone must have the right of choice, it's true. But in an indoor place, you can't choose or avoid inhaling the smoke.In this way, the law is a very good way to ensure that a smoker will be perfectly conscious to go out of the place and damage only his/her own health. After all, the law wouldn't be necessary if people did simple things that are simply their duty, like avoiding smoking in indoor places or next to a nonsmoker.
Finally, by increasing cigarette taxes, avoiding advertisement of this product or limiting their use in public places are necessary measures in order to encourage people to stop smoking. Sometimes a law like that works like an efficient way of education that becomes a very important habit, as what occured with car's safety belt law.
As I understand it, the main question is where your freedom ends and the other person's rights begin. A lot of people argue that the law is unfair because it is against the right of freedom, but as I said, one's freedom ends when it starts damaging another one's freedom and rights.
Actually, I also think that everyone must have the right of choice, it's true. But in an indoor place, you can't choose or avoid inhaling the smoke.In this way, the law is a very good way to ensure that a smoker will be perfectly conscious to go out of the place and damage only his/her own health. After all, the law wouldn't be necessary if people did simple things that are simply their duty, like avoiding smoking in indoor places or next to a nonsmoker.
Finally, by increasing cigarette taxes, avoiding advertisement of this product or limiting their use in public places are necessary measures in order to encourage people to stop smoking. Sometimes a law like that works like an efficient way of education that becomes a very important habit, as what occured with car's safety belt law.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Gay adoption by Cristian (U3)
If you ask me I don’t know what to say, because for me it isn’t natural to have “two fathers” or “two mothers”. Another thing is that,> how do you explain to your son or daughter that you like people of your same sex?
The point I’m trying to make is that in our society it’s difficult to accept gay adoption, because in our mind we have the image that we have to have one father and one mother, not “two fathers” or “two mothers”.
If you want my opinion, all is relative, I mean, if you show me that a child growing in that environment is happier than one growing in an orphanage he or she will grow without traumas, I'll accept it..
What really worries me is that the child thinks that it would be normal to have “two fathers” or “two mothers”, I think it isn’t natural but at the same I prefer a child with “two fathers” or “two mothers” in a house with clothes, food and love than a child living on the street without those things.
The point I’m trying to make is that in our society it’s difficult to accept gay adoption, because in our mind we have the image that we have to have one father and one mother, not “two fathers” or “two mothers”.
If you want my opinion, all is relative, I mean, if you show me that a child growing in that environment is happier than one growing in an orphanage he or she will grow without traumas, I'll accept it..
What really worries me is that the child thinks that it would be normal to have “two fathers” or “two mothers”, I think it isn’t natural but at the same I prefer a child with “two fathers” or “two mothers” in a house with clothes, food and love than a child living on the street without those things.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The polemical case of abortion by Walter Dos Santos (U3)
Abortion is one of the most controversial and tragic dilemmas of human beings in our times. The problem is: how to conciliate the responsibility for the protection of the prenatal human life and the preservation of the personal liberty of women? It's not enough simply adhering to one or another position and then condemning the people who disagree with us. In my opinion, if any problematic area needs balance and good sense, abortion is one of them.
First of all, I mean abortion as any action aimed at the termination of a pregnancy already established and as the last resource to be sought by a woman or a couple. As a Bible believer, I understand that the real must be distinguished from the ideal. Human life in general and prenatal human life in particular is a gift of God, who has made human beings in His image and requires preservation and respect for this gift. For this, abortions for reasons of birth control, gender selection, or convenience are to be seen in the same level of as a premeditated murder of a child or adult people. In order to avoid this option, attitudes like strengthening family relationships, assuring the rights of citizenship, educating both men and women concerning responsible sexuality and family planning should be emphasized by instances like family, churches, school and mass media. Simple initiatives and principles like these could promote a better climate for discussion of the consequences and needs of a decision like abortion.
Well, this is the ideal. Likewise, we have the real world where abortion should be performed for serious and unfortunate reasons that not merely an undesired or inconvenient pregnancy. Women and couples may face exceptional circumstances such as significant threats to the pregnant woman's life, serious danger to her health, severe congenital defects diagnosed in the fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. To be contrary to the option of abortion in these cases, to be honest, means to impose on the involved people a bigger and more intense suffering than she or they could bear. Obviously, the final decision whether to end the pregnancy or not should be made by the woman and couple involved in these situations, after medical consultation and personal reflection. Any attempts to induce or to dissuade a woman to remain pregnant or to end pregnancy in such cases should be rejected.
Tough concepts like above were exposed by me, I suppose that an abortion might be accomplished by a woman or a couple without she or they realizing the moral consequences of her/their choices. As a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian, I radically support that no condemnation or prejudice must be directed to these people. Instead, the message of infinite love and forgiveness of God unto all of us can and need be extended to them. You can support high patterns of moral conduct without negleting high patterns of acceptance and caring love. Furthermore, I believe that Christians should not impose their morality upon society by force or legislation, especially in two cases: if society is composed by a majority of non Christians or if the so-called Christian majority doesn't support the official position of their religious leaders.
First of all, I mean abortion as any action aimed at the termination of a pregnancy already established and as the last resource to be sought by a woman or a couple. As a Bible believer, I understand that the real must be distinguished from the ideal. Human life in general and prenatal human life in particular is a gift of God, who has made human beings in His image and requires preservation and respect for this gift. For this, abortions for reasons of birth control, gender selection, or convenience are to be seen in the same level of as a premeditated murder of a child or adult people. In order to avoid this option, attitudes like strengthening family relationships, assuring the rights of citizenship, educating both men and women concerning responsible sexuality and family planning should be emphasized by instances like family, churches, school and mass media. Simple initiatives and principles like these could promote a better climate for discussion of the consequences and needs of a decision like abortion.
Well, this is the ideal. Likewise, we have the real world where abortion should be performed for serious and unfortunate reasons that not merely an undesired or inconvenient pregnancy. Women and couples may face exceptional circumstances such as significant threats to the pregnant woman's life, serious danger to her health, severe congenital defects diagnosed in the fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. To be contrary to the option of abortion in these cases, to be honest, means to impose on the involved people a bigger and more intense suffering than she or they could bear. Obviously, the final decision whether to end the pregnancy or not should be made by the woman and couple involved in these situations, after medical consultation and personal reflection. Any attempts to induce or to dissuade a woman to remain pregnant or to end pregnancy in such cases should be rejected.
Tough concepts like above were exposed by me, I suppose that an abortion might be accomplished by a woman or a couple without she or they realizing the moral consequences of her/their choices. As a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian, I radically support that no condemnation or prejudice must be directed to these people. Instead, the message of infinite love and forgiveness of God unto all of us can and need be extended to them. You can support high patterns of moral conduct without negleting high patterns of acceptance and caring love. Furthermore, I believe that Christians should not impose their morality upon society by force or legislation, especially in two cases: if society is composed by a majority of non Christians or if the so-called Christian majority doesn't support the official position of their religious leaders.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Smoking law prohibition by Caio (U3)
In my opinion, this new smoking law in São Paulo is the greatest thing ever. I can't think about anything better than going out at night and not coming back home smelling like an ashtray.
Generally speaking, the only people complaining about this law are a few smokers, because even some of them realize that blowing smoke at other people isn't a nice thing. Not that they want to blow smoke at our faces, but they do that indirectly when they smoke. You can't control the wind and the air circulation in closed environments.
Some pubs may dislike this idea, because they my lose customers, but smokers will certainly think about a way to smoke. The most common solution that I saw was people going out of the pubs for five or ten minutes just to smoke.
To be honest, I'm not against smoking, but please, if you want to smoke, do it very far away from me, because I'll never get used to the smell of cigarettes. And as far as I know, almost every non-smoker doesn't like their smell either, and think almost the same thing about them as I do.
Generally speaking, the only people complaining about this law are a few smokers, because even some of them realize that blowing smoke at other people isn't a nice thing. Not that they want to blow smoke at our faces, but they do that indirectly when they smoke. You can't control the wind and the air circulation in closed environments.
Some pubs may dislike this idea, because they my lose customers, but smokers will certainly think about a way to smoke. The most common solution that I saw was people going out of the pubs for five or ten minutes just to smoke.
To be honest, I'm not against smoking, but please, if you want to smoke, do it very far away from me, because I'll never get used to the smell of cigarettes. And as far as I know, almost every non-smoker doesn't like their smell either, and think almost the same thing about them as I do.
Abortion: a crime or a right? by Mariana (U3)
Last year a controversy began in order to discuss if abortion is or isn’t a crime. Currently, in Brazil abortion is a crime, except in two situations: rape and life-threatening maternity. Some people argue defending abortion as a crime because they believe that life begins at the moment of the child’s conception. In this way, an abortion will be a murder. In contrast, other people think that the murder is not the point. They believe that abortion is a women’s right, and also say that women are able to decide when and how to have a child.
In my opinion, abortion should be prohibited because I believe that the right of a child's life is above the woman’s, once the child has no way to choose and didn’t ask for that situation. Therefore, the exceptions have to be established in cases of rape and life threatening maternity.
To be honest, I think that this discussion is far from an end. I always think of the other side of this discussion and sometimes agree, but I still think that life is an inalienable right for both the child and the woman.
In my opinion, abortion should be prohibited because I believe that the right of a child's life is above the woman’s, once the child has no way to choose and didn’t ask for that situation. Therefore, the exceptions have to be established in cases of rape and life threatening maternity.
To be honest, I think that this discussion is far from an end. I always think of the other side of this discussion and sometimes agree, but I still think that life is an inalienable right for both the child and the woman.
Capital Punishment by Sergio (U3)
This is a polemic topic. If you ask me, I don’t have a solid position about it. I suppose Capital Punishment isn’t the biggest problem, the trial is more important than that. If you don’t have a trial without differences between rich and poor people you can’t defend Capital Punishment. In my opinion, it isn’t the solution to the crimes in our society. As far as I’m concerned, if we have the Capital Punishment, who is punished are the poorest people, so, it’s not correct. As I understand it, it will be more a problem than a solution.
However, it could be a good idea if you agree this will be an example to others not to do the same crime. To tell you the truth, if someone killed my mother or my sisters, maybe I would wish this guy had to be killed too. The point I’m trying to make is: it’s very difficult for those who lost a friend or a member of his family. So, it’s really a difficult topic to discuss.
However, it could be a good idea if you agree this will be an example to others not to do the same crime. To tell you the truth, if someone killed my mother or my sisters, maybe I would wish this guy had to be killed too. The point I’m trying to make is: it’s very difficult for those who lost a friend or a member of his family. So, it’s really a difficult topic to discuss.
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