The How revised

I am pro life. There are numerous events and circumstances that shaped my opinion. I will first begin by saying that I was not always of this belief. I spent two and a half years of high school constantly struggling against the values I grew up with. My parents and I would argue every night over dinner about religion and friends. However, I was still forced to attend church with my family every Sunday night, even though I claimed agnosticism. This rebellion continued on to the topic of abortion and my stance on it. Both my parents, but especially my mom, are believers in the pro-life cause. This issue came up several times when my parents and I would talk, but only now when I go home and have another great discussion do I actually realize that they were right the entire time. This rebellious phase quickly changed into acceptance and trust in my parents and their beliefs. The base of my stance on abortion comes from three distinct sources: the Catholic Church, my best friend Sara, and my parents and the community in which I live.

I am a Catholic and agree with the stance my church takes on abortion. I do not blindly follow all of the Catholic Church’s opinions or take everything it says as honest and true. I am dedicated to my faith and feel strongly about being known as a person of faith. Therefore, it is important to be educated on the church’s viewpoints. I will research their stance and then make an educated decision on whether or not I am in accordance with the church’s view.

During my junior year in high school, my best friend and her boyfriend made a few bad decisions and she got pregnant. Her initial reaction was one of anger, blame, and turmoil. She debated over whether or not she should get an abortion and decided that she should. She came to me after making her decision, as she did not want to upset me. I will never forget that day when she told me that she had an abortion. At the time I did not have a strong opinion on the subject. I thought abortion was wrong, however, in certain situations it was necessary. After that day, my opinion changed dramatically. The guilt and remorse that still haunts my best friend to this day has led me to the conclusion of supporting life. She was too afraid to ask anyone close to her for advice, especially her parents, thus resorting to drastic measures. My friend is no longer the strong, carefree girl I once knew. I cannot imagine how many other girls have gone through this exact situation and have become overly cautious.

My family and the community that I have grown up in is very conservative. At some point, most children, including myself, rebel from their parents’ beliefs. However, my parents and my social background have influenced my beliefs. I have grown up in a family where both my parents are strong conservatives. In addition to being one of four girls in my family, my mom finds it necessary to tell remind us, on a weekly basis, about the dangers and moral implications of abortion. This was hard for me to accept at first and I was also rebelling against my parents. I needed to experience life on my own and be able to make my own decisions about things before I realized that my parents were right.

I believe that most people make the same decision and share the same viewpoints as their family, friends, and the surrounding community. It is very easy to just follow the ways of your parents or an older mentor. I agreed with my friends who had strong opinion on certain subjects, just because I was unsure of myself. However, the end of my high school career enabled me to see past those loud voices and come to decisions on my own. My church, my friends, and my parents on many subjects influence me.