A moral condundrum

The other day I read a newspaper report of the tragic case of a 9 year old Brazilian girl who was raped by her step-father which resulted in the girl getting pregnant with twins. Two medical doctors looking after the girl decided that it would be better for the physical and mental health of the girl that she had an abortion. Both of the doctors and the family of the girl were catholic, and the Catholic Church has a strict teaching against abortion and on learning of what happened, Archibishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho excommunicated both of the doctors as well as the family of the girl. The family member whose selfish and repugnant act had resulted in the girl getting pregnant, as well as no doubt causing severe psychological and emotional trauma was not excommunicated. According to the Cardinal quoted in the report the reason for excommunicating the doctors and the family members while not excommunicating the girl’s abuser was that the killing of the unborn twins was a much greater sin than the rape of the girl.

The case raises a number of thorny moral dilemmas for conservative Christians, most notably is whether an abortion unacceptable in all cases. Is the life of the unborn so sacred that the health and well being of an innocent child like the nine year old in this case must take second place? For though she was physically is capable of conceiving, is she emotionally able to cope with an unplanned pregnancy at so young an age on top of the trauma she suffered from the rape. And is she physically able to carry the twins to full term without putting her own health or even life at risk.

It is my view that the emotional and physical health of the girl takes precedence. Therefore I would support the actions of the Doctors and the family of the girl against the teachings of the church.

The second dilemma is how to deal with the perpetrator of the abuse. At the heart of Christianity is the idea of unmerited forgiveness. All have sinned and come short of God's standard but through the atonement all can be forgiven. But how is possible to reconcile forgiveness with an act that involved a violation of trust at its most basic level. As adults we need to protect our children. At the same time as Christians we are called to forgive all offenses, no matter how serious and repugnant.

The question I have is is it really possible to forgive in a case such as this. I know that I would find forgiveness in this situation difficult, if not impossible.