How to Answer 6 Things Pro-Choice Latter-day Saints Say About the Church's Position on Abortion and the Law

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OPINION By Jessica Spackman, President, Latter-day Saints for Life

What Did the Church Say?

On October 8, 2024, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day States released a statement on the Church Newsroom titled “Church Reiterates Positions on Political Neutrality, Civil Discourse, and Abortion.” Here’s what it said about abortion:

"With respect to several current U.S. state ballot initiatives relative to abortion and sanctity for life, the Church affirms that its position on abortion remains unchanged. “As states work to enact laws related to abortion, Church members may appropriately choose to participate in efforts to protect life and to preserve religious liberty.”

What does this mean for members of the Church?

Consistent Church Doctrine and Policy

The statement the Church released didn’t state anything new. The Church Newsroom statement on abortion had already long declared that “members may appropriately choose to participate in efforts to protect life”, but the track record goes much deeper than that. Over 300 Church sources across scripture, general conference, the General Handbook, and more all teach about abortion directly or teach the core doctrines that help us understand why it is a grave sin.

Specifically, the Church has also been consistent about the role of government and voters regarding abortion. Here are a few examples:

• “For the wrath of God is provoked by governments that… legalize abortion” - Russell M Nelson “Lessons from Eve,” General Conference, October 1987

• “One cause of the diminishing birthrate is the practice of abortion. Worldwide, there are estimated to be more than 40 million abortions per year. Many laws permit or even promote abortion, but to us this is a great evil.” Dallin H. Oaks, “Protect the Children”, October 2012

• “The growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us. Certainly our Heavenly Father is distressed with the increasing inroads among his children of such insidious sins as … abortions...” Spencer W Kimball, April 1979

• “Many in developing nations unknowingly ascribe their lack of prosperity to overpopulation… They live in squalor, oblivious to the divine teaching—stated in the scriptures not once, but thirty-four times—that people will prosper in the land only if they obey the commandments of God.” Russell M. Nelson “Reverence for Life” April 1985

Responding to Comments

Armed with an understanding of the words of the prophets and the doctrines of Jesus Christ, we want to respond to some of the reactions to this statement.

1. There are many political issues besides abortion to consider when voting

No candidate or party will align 100% with all of your beliefs, values, and preferred policies. The Church has consistently encouraged members to prayerfully choose candidates who align with our values. That said, a candidate’s stance on abortion is a serious matter. 73 million babies die each year in the world through elective abortion, 1 million of which are in the US. Few human rights violations are so championed or rampant in the world today, and Latter-day Saint voters should weigh abortion heavily in the balance as they select candidates.

2. States are proposing strict restrictions that do not align with the Church’s position on abortion

The Church Handbook, states:

The Lord commanded, “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:6). The Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience. Members must not submit to, perform, arrange for, pay for, consent to, or encourage an abortion. The only possible exceptions are when:

• Pregnancy resulted from forcible rape or incest.

• A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy.

• A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

Even these exceptions do not automatically justify abortion. Abortion is a most serious matter. It should be considered only after the persons responsible have received confirmation through prayer. Members may counsel with their bishops as part of this process. … A membership council may be necessary if a member submits to, performs, arranges for, pays for, consents to, or encourages an abortion (see 32.6.2.5).

With this context, I’d like to add two points to consider:

Nowhere in the Church policy does it say that members must vote to legally protect abortion in these exceptional cases. What is important to remember is what President Nelson said (cited above): “For the wrath of God is provoked by governments that… legalize abortion.”

There has been widespread misinformation about some of these state abortion laws (e.g., the Amber Thurman story). Most pro-life laws include protections similar to those in the Church allows. When in doubt, research the actual text of the laws. (Here’s a place to get started.)

3. The Church says abortion is not murder

Yes, the Church Handbook does not define “murder” to include abortion, and leadership protocol is different for interviewees who have participated in murder vs. abortion. President Nelson also said: “So far as is known, the Lord does not regard this transgression as murder. And ‘as far as has been revealed, a person may repent and be forgiven for the sin of abortion."

But both sources also cite Doctrine & Covenants 59:6, which states: “Thou shalt not… kill, nor do anything like unto it.” Abortion may not be murder, but it’s either killing or very close to it.

4. If you’re pro-life then what about gun control, paid maternity leave, free healthcare, paid childcare, etc

Classic whataboutism. Of course, we care about the lives and livelihoods of born people! And it’s okay to be more concerned about the loss of 73 million innocent babies per year than about policies that will have a lesser impact.

5. Why not lower unwanted pregnancy rates through free contraceptives and more sex ed?

This is a common argument from Planned Parenthood, which makes money off of both contraceptives and abortions (funny how that works). According to Planned Parenthood’s data machine, the Guttmacher Institute, about 50% of people who have abortions were using contraception. Plus, there are concerns that sex ed can normalize sexual promiscuity at alarmingly young ages.

When speaking to a Latter-day Saint audience, the bigger questions are: Do you understand and know our doctrine? Do you believe in the nature of God’s laws, including chastity? Do you know we believe in families, marriage, and multiplying and replenishing the earth? Even if some forms of contraception and/or sex ed help reduce abortion, that doesn’t mean we can ignore the innocent

6. It’s not for you to decide what other people can do

I’ll let President Nelson take this one:

"When the controversies about abortion are debated, individual right of choice' is invoked as though it were the one supreme virtue. That could only be true if but one person was involved. The rights of any one individual do not allow the rights of another individual to be abused. In or out of marriage, abortion is not solely an individual matter. Terminating the life of a developing baby involves two individuals with separate bodies, brains, and hearts. A woman’s choice for her own body does not include the right to deprive her baby of life—and a lifetime of choices that her child would make.

As Latter-day Saints, we should stand up for choice—the right choice—not simply for choice as a method."

Russell M. Nelson, “Abortion: An Assault on the Defenseless,” Ensign, October 2008

You can read more on this topic on our FAQs page

What To Do Now?

First of all, 10 states are considering major ballot initiatives that would drastically decrease legal protection for preborn children—some even adding a “right to abortion” to the state constitution. If you live in the following states, consider getting involved: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota.

And join us! Sign this pledge and become a Latter-day Saint for Life. This is an opportunity for you to declare your testimony, commit to living it, and become part of a community of saints striving to follow Christ by protecting preborn life.

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