“Having an abortion is as wrong as contracting an assassin,” says Pope Francis.
Pope Francis’ handwritten letter has gone viral on social media, sparking a debate. According to the letter, Pope believes that having an abortion is as horrendous crime as paying a murderer.
“How come is it fair to kill a human to solve your problem,” the letter reads.
Pope Francis wrote the letter on November 22 to support the group of women activists running an anti-abortion campaign. Several women from Buenos Aires marched on the streets against the law that legalized abortion. Pope Francis rendered his full support to them and said the nation is proud to have women like them.
Alberto Fernandez, the president of Argentina, proposed a law in earlier November that legalizes abortion.
The legislature justified the decision saying it will lessen the maternal death rate due to illegal abortions. According to ABC News, In Argentina, abortion is legal only if a woman gets pregnant from rape or the pregnancy threatens her health.
This is not the first time that Pope Francis has used harsh words for women inducing abortion. He had earlier compared abortion to the holocaust. In 2019 he attended a Vatican-sponsored anti-abortion conference where he said, “Is there any justification of hiring a hitman to resolve a problem?”
According to stats, around 350 thousand illegal abortions are performed in Argentina every year- some say even more than this.
Pope Francis holds a rigorous opinion on this matter, and he said that abortion violates the rights, respect, and dignity of the unborn. However, he has a merciful approach toward women who realize their mistakes and seek forgiveness.
Many women are happy with the pope’s statement, but there is a group of feminists offended by the remarks. “Who is he to tell women that what are we supposed to do with our bodies,” a woman wrote.