Fuck the Catholic Church.

[BrettA]

Excommunication would be the biggest "blessing" that poor girl and mother could ever receive. I hate the woo and those who force it upon others more and more each day.

Hallelujah Sister! Testify!

+1

Unfortunately I missed out on the punishment beatings, humiliations and shame.

I didn't. I did, fortunately, miss out on the rape.
There was a case in Brazil, some years ago, of a five-year-old girl being pregnant. She was forced to carry to term. The doctor who handled the case wrote a book about it. Unfortunately, I don't read Portuguese.

"Forced' as in pressured, surely... No legal 'forcing', I'd hope(?)

[Red Katie]

She was five. She was forced. By the adults in her life, with the urging of the church.

[BrettA]

She was five. She was forced. By the adults in her life, with the urging of the church.

Sorry... somehow missed the 'five' as relates to the girl - my mind put it in as five years ago... That's really, really repugnant!

[Red Katie]

I looked it up. The five-year-old was Peruvian. 1939.

[JimC]

The catholic church is very much a house divided, and there are large numbers of liberal catholics who would disagree strongly with the fanatical conservatives.

[Animavore]

Yeah. Like most churches.

[Red Katie]

http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/medina.asp

The Snopes article, complete with photographs of the pregnant 5-year-old.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

[mistermack]

She was five. She was forced. By the adults in her life, with the urging of the church.

By that logic, if she'd had an abortion, that would have also been forced.

Obviously it's wrong to have sex with a child. Whether it was right or wrong for her not to have an abortion is not so clear-cut.
Who should make the decision isn't clear-cut either, as nobody seems to know how she got pregnant, so without any evidence of being responsible, or neglect, I would say it has to be the parents and doctors who would decide.
.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

She was five. She was forced. By the adults in her life, with the urging of the church.

By that logic, if she'd had an abortion, that would have also been forced.

Obviously it's wrong to have sex with a child. Whether it was right or wrong for her not to have an abortion is not so clear-cut.
Who should make the decision isn't clear-cut either, as nobody seems to know how she got pregnant, so without any evidence of being responsible, or neglect, I would say it has to be the parents and doctors who would decide.
.

You're not sure whether or not a five year old girl should carry a baby to term?

[mistermack]

You're not sure whether or not a five year old girl should carry a baby to term?

If it was my five-year-old, I would decide on abortion.
But I wouldn't force my opinion on anyone else.

The girl had the baby, it survived healthily and lived to a normal adulthood, and the little girl lived through it ok. (apparently).

This is not a tragic outcome, by my reckoning.
.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You're not sure whether or not a five year old girl should carry a baby to term?

If it was my five-year-old, I would decide on abortion.
But I wouldn't force my opinion on anyone else.

The girl had the baby, it survived healthily and lived to a normal adulthood, and the little girl lived through it ok. (apparently).

This is not a tragic outcome, by my reckoning.
.

Where to begin when the beginning should have begun years ago?

[Trolldor]

She was five. She was forced. By the adults in her life, with the urging of the church.

By that logic, if she'd had an abortion, that would have also been forced.

Obviously it's wrong to have sex with a child. Whether it was right or wrong for her not to have an abortion is not so clear-cut.
Who should make the decision isn't clear-cut either, as nobody seems to know how she got pregnant, so without any evidence of being responsible, or neglect, I would say it has to be the parents and doctors who would decide.
.

You're not sure whether or not a five year old girl should carry a baby to term?

I believe it's very clear cut.

Even presuming this happened today, the medical risk would simply be too large. Either the mother or child would lose their life, and most likely both. In this case, you have a duty to protect the life of the mother.

[mistermack]

I believe it's very clear cut.

Even presuming this happened today, the medical risk would simply be too large. Either the mother or child would lose their life, and most likely both. In this case, you have a duty to protect the life of the mother.

It's clear cut, if the EVIDENCE is clear cut. I would have said the same, before I read this. I actually have doubts about this case, even though it's presented as fact.
But if it's true, it's evidence that it wouldn't be as dangerous as you might imagine. In a modern hospital, it wouldn't be as dangerous as it was in 1939.
You'd have to examine a number of cases, and their outcomes, to declare that it was likely to kill the girl.
.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I believe it's very clear cut.

Even presuming this happened today, the medical risk would simply be too large. Either the mother or child would lose their life, and most likely both. In this case, you have a duty to protect the life of the mother.

It's clear cut, if the EVIDENCE is clear cut. I would have said the same, before I read this. I actually have doubts about this case, even though it's presented as fact.
But if it's true, it's evidence that it wouldn't be as dangerous as you might imagine. In a modern hospital, it wouldn't be as dangerous as it was in 1939.
You'd have to examine a number of cases, and their outcomes, to declare that it was likely to kill the girl.
.

You need MORE evidence to determine if a five year old girl should have a baby?