To answer the very strange question, no - no prayers. It’s not like I advertised it - nobody knew.
Fetus? Embryo?
Some people understood the question, some quite clearly, some didn’t, some people expressed anger (sorry), some were dismissive. That was not the intent but thank you for the feedback.
Prayer seems to be something that must be formal to some people requiring a church group or perhaps a priest to do it, or at least one person posting here - I didn’t expect that. To me a prayer is what we do sending out intentions or wishes and does not require a formal group or structure (my belief is the prayer is usually hindered when done by a formal group, much better from the heart of the person). Something like ‘praying’ that you hope that soul finds it’s way would be a prayer for the well being of the soul of the child.
Definition 2a
So how would anyone know if someone present had ‘hoped the soul found its way’ in their private thoughts?
Yes, I have offered (and been taken up on) leading a prayer for the spirit of an aborted fetus - both before and after the fact.
Which is kind of weird, really, because I don’t think fetuses *have *souls or spirits at the legally abortable age, exactly. I had my daughter at 23 weeks, and spent three and a half months in the NICU watching her and other babies’ spirits sort of flit about around the body and incarnate briefly and then exit again (going to Goddess knows where) until they finally came and stayed for good around 35 gestational weeks (which is solidly “viable” without extra medical intervention).
But I do think that, in a normal pregnancy, those souls sometimes flit around the mother until they’re ready to go into the fetus for good, and - most importantly - some mothers believe the fetus has a soul. I’m not going to argue. Whether the spirit is incarnate, discarnate, or fiction, I don’t see any harm in giving it a gentle “thanks, but no thanks, come back another time or find a woman ready to welcome you”. Even if it’s of no matter to the fetus, it’s comforting to the mother (again, with consent or on request. I would NEVER pray for the fetus of a woman who doesn’t want me to. That’s violence on a level that’s anathema on my Path.)
Since I believe in reincarnation, abortion is of very little spiritual importance to me. We all get as many do-overs as we need. Sometimes our task is to let our Mothers have their experience and Lessons without actually incarnating ourselves.
From the Oxford English dictionary:
Definition of child in English:
noun (plural childrenˈCHildrən)
1A young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority.
Example sentences Synonyms
1.1A son or daughter of any age.
Example sentences
1.2An immature or irresponsible person: she’s such a child!
1.3A person who has little or no experience in a particular area: he’s a child in financial matters
1.4 (children) The descendants of a family or people: the children of Abraham
1.5 (child of) A person or thing influenced by a specified environment: a child of the sixties OPEC was in a sense a child of the Cold War
In response to the OP, the human being whose welfare is at issue during an abortion is the woman patient involved. Relatives or staff who wish to do so may pray or not. One hopes that if they feel the need to do so out loud that they respect the privacy of others around them.
No prayers as far as I know. I am not Christian or Catholic and do not worry terribly about its soul, especially since I don’t believe in such a thing. Anyway a kindly god - and I want no other - wouldn’t penalize an unborn baby because of its parents’ actions.
Who would be offering up prayer during the abortion-the doctor? Does one bring in their priest for such a thing? Is it a group event? Does anyone ever recall someone bringing up an abortion when the Reverend asks if there are any recent losses to pray for?
(my bolding) Did this “watching” require X-ray specs, or being in a state of extreme exhaustion, or are you just being humorous?
When I was young, my family was extremely activist and we regularly picketed “abortion clinics” and prayed for hours (in my case, and I believe in my mother’s case, quite sincerely and fervently) for everyone involved, including what I would have then called the unborn children.
I try very hard to be atheist now, but I still have leanings towards the spiritual. I have a philosophical path very similar to WhyNot’s comment above, and my memories of what I did (there and in other places) as a child are very painful for me.
I thought I was “ministering” to people and helping show them a better way, and I was actually hurting them with my actions (or at least, not being the least bit helpful).
Now I fervently hope that I wasn’t also spiritually hurting them as well.
If someone is getting an abortion and feels like they need to perform intercession or restitution for the soul of the aborted fetus, I feel very sorry for them and what had to be a very difficult choice. Otherwise, I feel like the whole issue is none of my business.
Nope, I meant just what I posted.
When I was a kid I accompanied a friend and paid for her abortion. I had exactly enough cash on me. I probably prayed there were no unforeseen expenses.
Aren’t there anti-abortion believers praying for all of the unborn abortees? They claim they do so I’m sure at least one is, therefore all the abortees must be covered.
Why offer a prayer to something that doesn’t exist for something that never achieved consciousness?
A disingenuous question. Whether you or I or anyone like it or not, there are people Out There who believe God does exist, and that a simple cluster of cells has consciousness, and sometimes those people get abortions. In cases where those requirements are met, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that someone involved would toss a prayer god’s way.
When the unborn start praying for me we can discuss it.
Well, I’ll just answer with the same degree of specificity with which the question was phrased.
Nope.
No. No prayers were said for either embryo.
Jesus’ name may have been uttered, or maybe his dad’s, when the need was discovered. Ironically along with a recitation of the act itself which caused the whole situation. But no–no appeals were made to a higher power for any spiritual matters.