The Sociology of Abortion

Hey guys, I like where this is going. I thought I would throw in my two cents from a specific theory in sociology that actually relates most closely with deviance, but I think it connects to poverty and abortion as well. Hirschi's Control Theory is the idea that people will do more "acceptable" behaviors as they have reason to. In regard to deviance, it states that if a person has attachments to society, has a commitment to real opportunity, has involvement, and has a belief in morality they are more likely to stay on the straight and narrow. However, if these are missing, they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors for the sake of sustaining life or even just attention. In regard to abortion, I think it seems that people that don't feel loved are more likely to be people that look for it in the wrong places, which could obviously lead to unwanted pregnancies.

I think the opportunity idea is crucial in regard to poverty and the link it has with abortion. If people believe they have something to live for, they are more likely to not engage in behaviors that put that at risk. Students that have the chance to go to college and the means to afford it, are much more likely to avoid risky behaviors from all kinds of deviance to sex (at least "safe sex") . If a person has no opportunity, they are more willing to engage these behaviors, because of a sort or "what the H" kind of attitude.

Christians that want to act as if abortion is a sin in a vacuum may look at the fourth point in control theory and say that it is simply a moral breakdown. I agree at some level, but I think there is plenty of evidence to indicate that there is more at stake. I think it could be interesting to explore the statistics closer, but I am afraid we will find that Jake and Jonny are pretty dead on.

On election day, I think Jake's thoughts about what the church should be accomplishing is important. I think far too many Christians are putting their stake in a political victory by Bush as a moral victory for the country. I am not sure I agree, for all the reasons indicated in this discussion, but also because it seems that Christians than can become lazy. Well, we voted in Bush, so now he will do what Christians need to do. I think it is quite obvious politics do not have at their heart what Jesus did...Unfortunately they never will. Christians need to look at these issues deeper than we seem to in the political realm and realize that we are called to live a life that Jesus showed us. This is not the life of political allegiances.

posted by Dusty @ 1:29 PM