.. to be appalled by this news about Jacob Rees-Mogg on GMB today

I quoted what was said in the news, and I quoted - we are NOT NOW a Christian country

I don't know what you mean when you say "we are a Christian country".

I think you could probably pick ten people who would describe themselves as Christians and each would have their personal interpretation of what Christianity means and how they should conduct themselves. As has been demonstrated on here, some people who say they are Christians do not agree with Rees-Mogg.

Sorry, didn't mean to post twice.

True Day6, but has was announced this week, we are not now a Christian country

I respect Rees-Mogg and Fallon for their honesty .

Everyone is entitled to their point of view but I think that even if someone personally opposes abortion and would not have one themselves, it isn't right that they should seek to impose that belief on another person.

The Catholic church does not have a very good track record in caring for women who have unwanted pregnancies, and to force someone who is pregnant as a result of rape, or who is very young and at physical and emotional risk in continuing a pregnancy is, I feel, totally wrong.

Everyone is entitled to their point of view but I think that even if someone personally opposes abortion and would not have one themselves, it isn't right that they should seek to impose that belief on another person.

The Catholic church does not have a very good track record in caring for women who have unwanted pregnancies, and to force someone who is pregnant as a result of rape, or who is very young and at physical and emotional risk in continuing a pregnancy is, I feel, totally wrong.

It's career suicide really.

It's the nature of the way we live. His interview is hot news everywhere.

However, there will be many who share Rees Mogg's views, given most of Europe is Catholic. Not only that, homosexuality and abortion are topics that concern many faiths. The basic tenets of most world religions have something to say about same sex love and the sanctity of life.

The pressure applied to Tim Fallon, who had the integrity to stand by his beliefs, have now been applied to JRM.

I find it so sad that the media can apply such pressure. The out-pouring of condemnation implies we should have an identical moral code and that thinking outside of the prescribed box on certain issues is horrific. It's frightening.

I don't agree with Rees Mogg's views, but I believe he has the right to hold them and I admire most people who have the courage to state their convictions. He is going to be vilified by the press and public opinion. Already he's been condemned and disparaged online. Much of what I am reading is anti JRM.

I find it quite sad, and worrying that a man of faith can be destroyed in this way.

I cannot be the only one to wonder if we'd be having the same conversation if the person in public office stating their beliefs was for example, Muslim? Would he be defended or condemned for holding them? Christian-bashing seems fairly wide-spread and I quite object to that.

Will a person of faith, any faith, have to remain quiet about their beliefs if they want a successful career ?

Beware the killer interviews.

Surely no one believes Rees Mogg hopes to be party leader when he has probably angered millions of women (grin)

Imperfect, ? X

Annie well in the end l did not have to, thank goodness. X

What child are people speaking of?
There is no child. There's a parcstic clump of cells when a majority of women decide to abort.

That's what people need to separate.

Abortion is never a form a contraception. By the time the pregnancy is there conception has happened!

And even if a woman ha she 50 abortions. Who else does it affect? Is it really anyone else's business?

I agree with whitewave for the same reasons. I don't think abortion should be used as a form of contraception though.

Trisher, I think those who support pro life are doing so for the child yes?

Imperfect, I am so sorry you had to make that choice . I am not anti abortion, I said in an earlier post, i respect the views of pro and anti, it is such an individual thing. But to leap from Rees-Mogg saying he is anti to claims he wants abortions only for the wealthy was rediculous . I cannot imagine how I would have coped if faced with your decision, must have been heartbreaking x

Tell me where in the Bible JESUS said abortion is wrong. Or homosexuality come to that. I dont count the OT or St Paul as they were just written by people long ago with their own opinions.

I am very firmly pro choice.

Having worked in special needs education and see the devastation this can cause to parent and child, I would always vote for choice.

Yes Annie- "Every child a wanted child" not a child a woman is forced to bear because of the law, religion or any other body or organisation. My body, my choice.
We have contraception, including the morning after pill and abortion all ways of women limiting their fertility. There is no difference.
I looked at that Labour Life group by the way. It has absolutely no info on it. It's only 'news' seeming to be that they support Charlie Gard having a chance of treatment. I looked at the Facebook page as well, 100 followers.
It is unimaginable that anyone would think they should have the right to decide what happens to another woman's body.

Annie, I understand you were answering point for point. I always have found this debate very troubling.

When I was pregnant with DD2, we had a scan scare at 12 weeks. There was some sort of cyst on her brain that pointed towards the possibility of multiple handicap and severe brain damage.

I had a very difficult 6 week wait for a second scan. During that time, I experienced all sorts of shades of grief. How could I end a life - my religious beliefs suggested I could not? But how could I manage a severely handicapped child alongside raising 3 other children and fully support H in ministry.? Most of all, was it fair to the child to bring it into the world? Thankfully, at 18 weeks, we had the all clear, the cyst had dispersed - in those early days of scans, it seems they had to report 'concerns' even of they were not sure what they were seeing!

I have never forgotten that time. I have never forgotten feeling there was no possible 'good outcome'. Had she been handicapped (I have a nephew who is) this would have been so hard on us all - a 'life sentence' for us as parents.

Ultimately, if I had decided to have an abortion, it would have been for the child itself, to avoid it suffering and I do not think I should have been made to fear the wrath of God, or be made to feel I had 'fallen short' in some way if that had been my decision. At that time I figured 'God will understand and take that unborn child to himself.'

No abortion is good. Sometimes circumstances are dire I am pro-choice for others - and I think those who press for religious arguments to deny that choice do need to ask themselves why.

Imperfect, I only quoted scripture in reply to a quote.

playing devils advocate - should the golden rule of compassion not apply to the unborn child?

Anniebach, yes, scripture tells us that God knows and loves the unborn child and this has been of great comfort to many who have lost a child. But this is not 'proof' in itself that abortion is always wrong.

I am pro-life in the best pf circumstances. However, where there is pain, abuse, trauma, brokenness and/or the possibility of a life /lives terribly burdened by handicap or ill health, where ethical clarity / guidance falls short - and much of our ethics rest on Christian principles - then shouldn't loving compassion be the golden rule?

It is hysteria, the man was asked a question , gave a reply and now it seems he is to change the law, no vote, just a swirl of his pen, ridiculous

He isn't going to get Boris Johnsons support is he ? His mistress was quite honest about his support when she had their child aborted

its not hysteria ,just people talking about a man who is stuck in a different era

labourlifegroup.co.uk/

I do know that Paddyann, I lived three doors from a woman whose husband tried to abort , she died and he went to prison.

Hell bells, is Rees-Mogg about to head a dictatorship? This is just hysteria now. If the man said he was vegan would this mean a law against eating meat would be brought in?

but even when it was illegal Annie the well off could get abortions ,uusually disguised as a D and C for period problems,its well documented.Theres no evidence that the same wouldn't happen agian if abortions were illegal