My Religion, My Choice
How abortion bans thwart religious freedom
I will preface this by saying that I am not Jewish or a scholar of Jewish law.
Abortion bans in various states have gone into effect in various states after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It is no secret that this decision will endanger many people’s lives with desperate turns to back-alley clinics, unproven methods circulating around the Internet, and suicide. Not only that, but the children born from forced pregnancies will likely face a life of abuse and neglect. These are all foreseeable consequences of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but the one I don’t see others talk about is how abortion bans directly violate religious liberty.
Abortion bans would essentially prevent Jewish people from practicing their religion. Under traditional Jewish law, abortion is not only permitted, but commanded in certain cases. For example, Sanhedrin 72b considers any fetus that endangers the carrying parent’s life a “pursuer”. However, after the baby’s head emerges during the birthing process, they are considered human. In the former case, abortion is religiously mandated. Without being able to access abortion, Jewish people will not be able to practice their religion.
Even for abortion bans that supposedly make exceptions for maternal danger, keep in mind that doctors…
