--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you feel strongly about people having…" description: "\"If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png" --- # If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't… ![“If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png) > “If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you oppose abortion, you should not become pregnant; personal consistency matters. **In simple terms:** Opponents should align actions with beliefs. Key Takeaway Align personal choices with convictions. Themes ethics consistency abortion Mood thoughtful challenging Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political debate - personal decision - public discourse Key Concepts personal responsibility political stance Questions to Reflect On - Can you always act consistently with beliefs? - What factors affect personal decisions? A Different Perspective Complex personal circumstances may limit choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one. But we are a country - USA - that likes to be punitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having-abortions-don-t-have-one-but/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [If the Fed had a war on abortion like its war on poverty or war on drugs, within five years men would be having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/if-the-fed-had-a-war-on-abortion-like-its-war-on-poverty-or-war-on/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Here is the trap you are in… And it's not my trap—I haven't trapped you. Because abortions are illegal, women who need and want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/here-is-the-trap-you-are-in-and-it-s-not-my-trap-i-haven-t-trapped/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I am still a Catholic. I still believe life begins at conception. That is consistent with my Catholic beliefs. And I believe we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-baumgartner/i-am-still-a-catholic-i-still-believe-life-begins-at-conception-that/) [Michael Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-baumgartner/) > [Donald Trump said women should be punished, that there should be some form of punishment for women who obtain abortions. And I could just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/donald-trump-said-women-should-be-punished-that-there-should-be-some/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [President Donald Trump's decision to ban American aid to all organisations that in any way advocate women's right to abortions is very unfortunate. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-lovin/president-donald-trump-s-decision-to-ban-american-aid-to-all/) [Isabella Lovin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-lovin/) > [I think men should be able to veto women's abortions if they're willing to care for the child after it's born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/i-think-men-should-be-able-to-veto-women-s-abortions-if-they-re/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [Curses on the law! Most of my fellow citizens are the sorry consequences of uncommitted abortions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/curses-on-the-law-most-of-my-fellow-citizens-are-the-sorry/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [“There are no “good” abortions and “bad” abortions, there are only pregnant people who want them and pregnant people who don’t, pregnant people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/there-are-no-good-abortions-and-bad-abortions-there-are-only-pregnant/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [I really hate the term 'pro life' as if women who have abortions are against life all together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-really-hate-the-term-pro-life-as-if-women-who-have-abortions-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Outlaw all abortions; err on the side of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/outlaw-all-abortions-err-on-the-side-of-life/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [Planned Parenthood does some very good work. But I would defund as long as they're doing abortions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/planned-parenthood-does-some-very-good-work-but-i-would-defund-as/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Democrats will say the money they give to Planned Parenthood does not go to abortions. That the money they give to Planned Parenthood only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/democrats-will-say-the-money-they-give-to-planned-parenthood-does-not/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [I am much more interested in the reality that, no matter what laws are in place, abortions will happen. Once someone decides and realizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-am-much-more-interested-in-the-reality-that-no-matter-what-laws-are/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [We also need to make sure women can be in charge of their reproductive health. We can't defund places like Planned Parenthood, where women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/we-also-need-to-make-sure-women-can-be-in-charge-of-their/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) Madison Badesheim > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“David Bereit, Founder of Forty Days for Life, points out that any abortion clinic in America should have a sign in its window that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/david-bereit-founder-of-forty-days-for-life-points-out-that-any/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm a pro-life candidate because I believe that science is proving us right every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-m-a-pro-life-candidate-because-i-believe-that-science-is-proving-us/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion…has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-noticed-that-everyone-who-is-for-abortion-has-been-born/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [“The Vatican won't prosecute pedophile priests but I decide I'm not ready for motherhood and it's condemnation for me? These are the same people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-renee-taylor/the-vatican-won-t-prosecute-pedophile-priests-but-i-decide-i-m-not/) Sonya Renee Taylor > [Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/pro-lifers-have-long-been-castigated-for-bringing-private-values-into/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [I am 100 percent pro-life and have been my whole life. That means I am opposed to abortion at any stage of pregnancy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hawley/i-am-100-percent-pro-life-and-have-been-my-whole-life-that-means-i-am/) [Josh Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hawley/) > [Any woman should have the right to a safe and legal abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-ford/any-woman-should-have-the-right-to-a-safe-and-legal-abortion/) [Betty Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-ford/) > [“For Republicans, life begins at conception but ends at birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/for-republicans-life-begins-at-conception-but-ends-at-birth/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [I think fundamentally, the real power behind the anti-choice movement in regard to abortion and the opposition to the rights of LGBT Americans is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-w-lynn/i-think-fundamentally-the-real-power-behind-the-anti-choice-movement/) [Barry W. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having-abortions-don-t-have-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abortion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having-abortions-don-t-have-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/john-irving-337_abortion_if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having_3077117.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you feel strongly about people having abortions, don't have one.” — John Irving", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you feel strongly about people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having-abortions-don-t-have-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/if-you-feel-strongly-about-people-having-abortions-don-t-have-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```