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Vivian Vague
And as you say, it's another topic in itself, so let's move on for now. What about emergency situations?

Jack Practicvs
What about emergency situations?

Vivian Vague
Well, what if there's a situation where the child is lost or might be lost?

Jack Practicvs
That's tragic no doubt, but how does that justify abortion as we know it?

Vivian Vague
I suppose it is a bit different to the abortion-on-demand mentality. Still, let's examine it.

Jack Practicvs
Ok. Start from the beginning. Doctors should do no harm, right?

Vivian Vague
Yeah.

Jack Practicvs
So a situation arises where both the mother and the unborn child are in great danger. Who do you save?

Vivian Vague
Well that depends.

Jack Practicvs
I am being general.

Vivian Vague
I don't know, you tell me.

Jack Practicvs
Wouldn't you want to save both?

Vivian Vague
Yes, go on.

Jack Practicvs
Suppose that the chances in trying to save both are so bad that you would end up losing both and the chances are much better to just save the mother. And if you try to just save the child anyway, you risk losing both. Who do you save?

Vivian Vague
Well, I think you should still try to save both but lean towards saving the mother.

Jack Practicvs
Ok. Now, suppose it was the other way round; that the chances are much better for saving the baby alone.

Vivian Vague
I guess you would try to save both but definitely lean towards saving the child.

Jack Practicvs
Here's the difficult one, suppose you could not save both and the chances for saving either the mother or child are equal. Who do you save?

Vivian Vague
I don't know.

Jack Practicvs
Even if you decide to save the mother alone and sacrifice the child, it is still incidental given the circumstances. None of this justifies abortions as we know it.

Vivian Vague
Fair enough. Still, who would you pick though?

Jack Practicvs
In principle, the child.

Vivian Vague
But the child hasn't been born yet and the mother is already, well, born.

Jack Practicvs
You're attaching the wrong sentiment to birth again. The child has a right to live as much as the mother. At least in this case, where the chances are equal, the child takes preference.

Vivian Vague
Why?

Jack Practicvs
Because the child is an innocent. A Christian mother can be saved, she is baptized already and may even have a chance to receive the Sacrament one last time. The child is not yet baptized and has a right to be born. While this may be a small comfort, a mother who sacrifices herself to save the unborn child is a martyr. Remember, Our Lord and His Mother sacrificed Themselves to give Birth to the Church.

Vivian Vague
I can see that and maybe I could even do that. But it's easier for you to say, you're not a woman.

Jack Practicvs
On the contrary, emotionally, I would want to save the mother. If it was my wife, I would rather lose the child who I don't know and save my wife. After all, she is my wife. But the principle is the principle. I just hope I never have to be in that situation.

Vivian Vague
I suppose if you were to be a loving husband, you would have to be concerned about the eternal destiny of your wife and the unborn child.

Jack Practicvs
And my own too.

Vivian Vague
Well, there is one last example more severe than any covered so far.

Jack Practicvs
Let me guess: pregnancy as a result of rape.

To be continued...