Abortion or adoption?

I would like to comment on an article in The Sunday Post (April 20) titled Single mom juggles job and home to support son. I think Ade Juniarti is a courageous woman. But I also think her way of thinking is wrong.

First, from a religious point of view you should not have sexual intercourse with someone who is not your husband. And if you live in a society where religion and traditions are valued, you are obligated whether you like it or not to live by the terms and conditions of that society. The unmarried pregnant woman might be insulted or mocked by society and they may even consider her cheap or disgusting. If she can't face to bear that attitude or if she can't provide for the unborn child, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Second, if a woman is pregnant she should marry or have an abortion. I think it is wrong for a non-married pregnant woman to keep the baby because some religious person told you to do so. Since you have committed a sin, you only have one option and that is to have an abortion.

It is better to have an abortion than give the child up for adoption. If no one adopts the child, the child will end up in a foster home, and that child might or might not turn out to be a juvenile delinquent. It would be very sad if the child given up for adoption landed in a foster home and ended up a criminal rejected by society.

If you say abortion is a sin then you're a hypocrite, especially if you're against abortion on religious grounds or because it's inhuman. I would like to ask those against abortion: Are you willing to raise the children if the mothers won't? Do you have enough money to take care of them all? The obvious answer is no. Then why are you against abortion?

I wonder why people who are against abortion make it such a big deal. Who is more evil, the one who has an abortion or the one who is against it? Isn't the real issue what is best for the individual?

If the unmarried woman decides to keep the child she should think about her economic ability to raise the child, and whether she is strong enough to carry the burden. Money is very important concerning this issue and nobody in this world, not even a preacher, would say otherwise. Of course love is also important, but ever since Adam and Eve committed a sin, sin has become synonymous with love. But whether you have an abortion or not God will eventually forgive you.

Any comments on my view can be faxed to 5493391.

MEI

Jakarta