All the religions have taken strong and powerful positions on abortion; they trust that the issue includes intense concerns of life and death, good and bad, human connections and the nature of humanity, that make it a significant religious concern. Individuals involved in abortion are typically affected very profoundly — not just mentally but also emotionally. They frequently go to their faith for guidance and solace, for clarification of their emotions and to seek an apology or an approach to managing their sentiments of guilt.

For Christians, human life is a blessing and a gift from God which is to be treasured and protected. The Roman Catholic Church says that intentional abortion is morally wrong. It bases this principle on natural law and the written word of God. The Church says that human life starts when the egg is fertilized by a sperm. From that second a distinctive life starts. The features that differentiate us from our parents – the color of our eyes, the form of our face – are completely set down in the hereditary code that appears at that point. Each new existence that starts at this time is not a potential life but a life with potential.

Christians have consistently taken a strong view against abortion, based on their faith that every person is made in the image and resemblance of God. While some have recommended that Christianity used to be more uncomplaining about abortion, this view is not right. The historical debate did not revolve around whether abortion was correct or incorrect, but rather the degree of offense and how the Church should react to those concerned. It is in this perspective that debates about “ensoulment” and “quickening” should be seen. It should be remembered that the Christian teaching on abortion was not reliant on the “soul” being present in the child.

Early Christian texts and scholars censure direct abortion: for example the Didache, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Saint Basil. The exceptionally leading scholar, St. Augustine, while asserting Aristotle’s thought that ensoulment just happened at some point after conception (thus viewing late abortion as a more serious act of offense), still kept up the condemnation of all abortion at any time from conception onward. St. Thomas Aquinas arrived at a similar conclusion. At present abortion is opposed totally by the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and most Evangelical groups. A few Anglicans make exceptions in “hard cases”, while small groups within Anglicanism are completely pro-abortion.

In Judaism, abortion views depict mostly upon the legal and moral lessons of the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the case-by-case verdicts of responsa, and other rabbinic literature. In the modern era, furthermore, Jewish opinion on abortion has responded both to liberal perspectives of personal independence as well as Christian opposition to abortion. Generally speaking, orthodox Jews oppose abortion, with a small number of health-related exclusions.

Buddhists believe that life should not be destroyed, however, they see causing demise as ethically wrong just if the passing is caused purposely or by carelessness. Traditional Buddhism rejects abortion since it includes the purposeful annihilating of an actual existence. Buddhists consider life as beginning at conception. As per the teachings of Buddha, 5 conditions must be available to comprise an act of killing:

1. the thing murdered must be a living being.
2. The killer must know or be conscious that it is a living being.
3. The killer must have the purpose to kill it.
4. There must be an attempt to kill.
5. The living being must be killed as a result.

Buddhists are expected to take full personal responsibility for everything they do and for the results that follow. The choice to abort is thus a very personal one that needs cautious and kind exploration of the moral concerns included, and an eagerness to bear the burden of whatever happens because of the decision. The moral results of the choice will as well rely upon the thought process and goal behind the choice, and the degree of care with which it was taken.

Hindu clinical morals come from the guideline of ahimsa – of non-violence. Ahimsa – non-violence – encourages that it isn’t right not only to kill living beings but also to kill embryos. The doctrine of rebirth, which considers life as a repeating cycle of birth, death and rebirth is basic to Hindu opinion. The doctrine of reincarnation can be utilized to present a solid defense against abortion: If a fetus is aborted, the soul within it endures a significant karmic setback. It is deprived of the possibilities its prospective human existence would have offered it to receive good karma, and is returned immediately to the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation. Consequently, abortion hampers a soul’s spiritual development.

The soul and the matter which shape the fetus are considered by numerous Hindus to be joined together from conception. As per the doctrine of reincarnation a fetus is not forming into an individual, however is an individual from a beginning phase. It contains a reincarnated soul and should be dealt with properly. By the ninth month, the fetus has accomplished extremely considerable awareness. As indicated by the Garbha Upanishad, the soul remembers its past existences during the last month the fetus spends in the womb (these memories are ruined during the suffering of birth). The Mahabharata refers to a baby learning from its dad while in the womb.

The Islamic view depends on the extremely high priority the faith provides to the holiness of life. The Qur’an does not explicitly refer to abortion but offers direction on related issues. Scholars acknowledge that this guidance and teaching can appropriately be applied to abortion. Most Muslim scholars would state that a fetus in the womb is perceived and secured by Islam as a human life. The Qur’an clarifies that a fetus must not be aborted because the family fears that they won’t have the option to accommodate it – they should confide in Allah to take care of things.