Letter Shows Religious Community’s Diverse Views on Abortion | Policy

According to a study by PewResearch.org, 53% of people who attend religious services at least once a week think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and 71% of people who pray daily believe that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. case.

Of those who think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, only 18% say they use their religion as a source of guidance on what is right and wrong.

That’s why it may come as a surprise to some that nearly 400 religious and lay leaders from across the state have written and/or signed a letter to Governor Eric Holcomb and the Indiana General Assembly stating that the ban abortion infringes on Hoosiers’ religious freedom and bodily autonomy. The letter is hand-delivered and emailed to Holcomb and the 150 Indiana lawmakers.

The multi-confessional collective that signed this letter is made up of Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Hindus and Buddhists.

The group expressed in the letter that the Constitution guarantees religious freedom and that religions view reproductive issues differently.

“For example, the premise that human life begins at conception or that an embryo must enjoy legal protection is not a universally accepted principle. Those who hold this belief have every right to do so, but Indiana should not privilege any particular Christian belief above other religious beliefs by codifying it into law,” the group writes.

“Doing so violates the separation of church and state and deprives other believers – who understand conception, reproduction, pregnancy and autonomy differently – of the freedom to make these decisions in accordance with their fundamental religious beliefs. .”

A member of the group stressed the importance of bringing together as many people from different religious faiths to form this message.

“We send a powerful message to our governor and our legislators that this is a matter of religious freedom – a freedom that should not be restricted by state laws that favor one religious perspective over others,” he said. said Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth El Zedeck in Indianapolis and co-founder of Women4Change Indiana.

Although the multi-faith collective claims this is a religious issue, members of the group have written that it goes beyond religion and robs a woman of her bodily autonomy.

“It is important to note that reproductive health care is a particularly sensitive and private issue and one that uniquely affects women’s ability to be equal citizens, to make choices in their and their families’ best interests, and to determine how , when and why to use their God-given talents,” the group writes.

The band doesn’t want to be the only voice heard, however.

“We urge our legislature to listen not only to what this group of religious leaders and lay people have to say, but also to their constituents in all parts of the state who believe abortion must remain legal,” the Reverend said. John Van Nuys of Wabash Avenue. Crawfordsville Presbyterian Church.