Required Reading

First up, "Horatio the Unicorn" by Jim Behrle. You'll laugh so much, you'll weep. Or vice versa.

Then, read this Open Letter to Religious Leaders on Abortion as a Moral Decision (pdf document). This is one of the most reasonable defenses of a woman's right to choose I've read in some time. Early in the document is the radical notion that women are mature moral agents who are capable of making the decision as to whether abortion is the ethical and moral choice for their unique situation.

The next bullet point is also note-worthy: the life of the mother must take precedence over the life of the fetus. This is accord with my long held belief that abortion is a question of the potential life of the infant versus the actual life of the mother.

According to the news release, this document was

Developed at a colloquium of theologians sponsored by the Religious Institute and funded by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the Open Letter addresses such current issues as fetal rights, adolescent access to services, and provider conscience clauses. It has been signed by leading theologians and ordained clergy from a diverse range of religious perspectives including the American Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of the Brethren, Jewish, Presbyterian, United Methodist, and Unitarian Universalist faiths

Go read. Have your hopes raised that there is some sanity, even in the religious community.