Seton Hill University students were invited to discuss abortion during a Coffee Talk on Nov. 1 hosted by the Respect Life Club. The event, titled ‘Is God Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?’ addressed the controversial topic in more ways than one.
Dr. Maryellen Schroeder, a physician at Penn Plum Family Medicine in Pittsburgh and mother of four, gave a presentation on how her views on the subject and its surrounding controversies changed throughout the course of her career.
Schroeder presented abundant medical and statistical research to support her pro-life view on abortion. She also placed a focal point on the importance of informed consent in regards to abortion—information that she says many health authorities and researchers don’t give to women.
“People don’t have time to dig,” Schroeder said. “If it’s important to you, perhaps you should make the time.”
To emphasize her point, Schroeder included a graphic video that showed how abortions are done.
At the end of the evening, ‘Is God Pro-life or Pro-Choice?’ had become a discussion of what women aren’t told about abortion, rather than a debate about God’s stance on abortion.
“[I want them to have] a better understanding of medical truths rather than media-hyped truths,” Schroeder said.
Schroeder then moved the focus from health issues with abortion to health issues with contraceptives, raising much debate all around.
‘Is God Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?’ promoted discussion from the audience, which consisted of half pro-life and half pro-choice members.
“There are so many more issues at hand when you’re mingling with abortion,” said Alexander Bruce, a junior who attended the event. “It was a group effort and [both sides] held the discussion well.”
Respect Life Club president and senior Jessica Orlowski said that her aim was to bring a common and controversial issue to the club’s Coffee Talk to stir up a good debate.
“It’s important to be informed,” Orlowski said.