--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The abortion controversy is important for…" description: "\"The abortion controversy is important for what it says about our stance toward procreation and children altogether.\" — Leon Kass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg" --- # The abortion controversy is important for what it says… ![“The abortion controversy is important for what it says about our stance toward procreation and children altogether.” quote by Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg) > “The abortion controversy is important for what it says about our stance toward procreation and children altogether.” [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He links the abortion debate to broader societal values about creating and caring for future generations. **In simple terms:** Abortion reflects attitudes toward procreation and children. Key Takeaway Consider the long‑term impact of reproductive choices. Themes ethics procreation societal values Mood reflective ethical Type argumentative philosophical When to use this quote - parenting decisions - legislative debates - healthcare counseling Key Concepts human dignity family policy Questions to Reflect On - How do personal beliefs shape public policy? - What responsibilities accompany parenthood? A Different Perspective The issue is deeply personal and political. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortion Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-controversy-6155789/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Controversy Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy-important-6155790/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Procreation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procreation/) [Stance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stance/) ## Related quotes > [Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/cloning-represents-a-very-clear-powerful-and-immediate-example-in/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Your moral stance depends on what you think is being aborted. If you don't believe it to be a person but part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-mensch/your-moral-stance-depends-on-what-you-think-is-being-aborted-if-you/) [Louise Mensch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-mensch/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“My genes done gone and tricked my brain By making fucking feel so great That's how the little creeps attain Their plan to fuckin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watts/my-genes-done-gone-and-tricked-my-brain-by-making-fucking-feel-so/) [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) > [The power of procreation is spiritually significant. Misuse of this power subverts the purposes of the Father's plan and of our mortal existence. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/the-power-of-procreation-is-spiritually-significant-misuse-of-this/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Rick Santorum doesn't like sex. He doesn't like the pill. He really doesn't like condoms. He said if men are going to pull something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/rick-santorum-doesn-t-like-sex-he-doesn-t-like-the-pill-he-really/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“In my lifelong study of the scores of species of ants to be found in the tropical forests of Dal Hon, I am led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/in-my-lifelong-study-of-the-scores-of-species-of-ants-to-be-found-in/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [The conclusion, therefore, is that there are two major forces in society: love, which multiplies the species, and the nose, which subordinates it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/the-conclusion-therefore-is-that-there-are-two-major-forces-in/) [Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/) > [Scoring high in procreation, got an A studying female anatomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/scoring-high-in-procreation-got-an-a-studying-female-anatomy/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [Christianity has ever been the enemy of human love; it has forever cursed and expelled and crucified the one passion which sweetens and smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/christianity-has-ever-been-the-enemy-of-human-love-it-has-forever/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/marriage-and-conjugal-love-are-by-their-nature-ordained-toward-the/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [“There is one kind of exception: those who believe that the world is too horrible a place into which to bring children. Such people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/there-is-one-kind-of-exception-those-who-believe-that-the-world-is/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [Creating new people, by having babies, is so much a part of human life that it is rarely thought even to require a justification.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/creating-new-people-by-having-babies-is-so-much-a-part-of-human-life/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [There is a divine moment in our lives when we all become one. It's called procreation, and it is reborn, continually and forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/there-is-a-divine-moment-in-our-lives-when-we-all-become-one-it-s/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the plan of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/the-power-of-procreation-is-not-an-incidental-part-of-the-plan-it-is/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) ## More by Leon Kass > [Limits have to be set on how far one can simply use the... cleverness that we have to make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/limits-have-to-be-set-on-how-far-one-can-simply-use-the-cleverness/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The so-called right to reproduce is not an unlimited right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-so-called-right-to-reproduce-is-not-an-unlimited-right/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [I don't believe that efforts to prohibit only so-called reproductive cloning can be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/i-don-t-believe-that-efforts-to-prohibit-only-so-called-reproductive/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Many other countries have already banned human cloning, and there are efforts at the UN to make such a ban universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/many-other-countries-have-already-banned-human-cloning-and-there-are/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [We may simply not be wise enough to do some of the kinds of engineering things that people are talking about doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/we-may-simply-not-be-wise-enough-to-do-some-of-the-kinds-of/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The technical is not just the machinery. The technical is a disposition to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-technical-is-not-just-the-machinery-the-technical-is-a/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [I've been opposed to human cloning from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/i-ve-been-opposed-to-human-cloning-from-the-very-beginning/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Genetics is crude, but neuroscience goes directly to work on the brain, and the mind follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/genetics-is-crude-but-neuroscience-goes-directly-to-work-on-the-brain/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/cloning-represents-a-very-clear-powerful-and-immediate-example-in/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Human life without death would be something other than human; consciousness of mortality gives rise to out deepest longings and greatest accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/human-life-without-death-would-be-something-other-than-human/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [If you have easy self-contentment, you might have a very, very cheap source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/if-you-have-easy-self-contentment-you-might-have-a-very-very-cheap/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [It's a short step from the belief that every child should be wanted to the belief that a child exists to satisfy our wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/it-s-a-short-step-from-the-belief-that-every-child-should-be-wanted/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [My job is to provide the president with the richest possible consideration, so that he knows what is at stake in whatever decision he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/my-job-is-to-provide-the-president-with-the-richest-possible/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [In cloning, in contrast, reproduction is asexual - the cloned child is the product not of two but of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/in-cloning-in-contrast-reproduction-is-asexual-the-cloned-child-is/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [There were certain questions about the foundations of morals that advances in science all threaten to make more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/there-were-certain-questions-about-the-foundations-of-morals-that/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) [Explore all 52 Leon Kass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "The abortion controversy is important for what it says about our stance toward procreation and children altogether.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leon Kass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-abortion-controversy-is-important-for-what-it-says-about-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abortion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-abortion-controversy-is-important-for-what-it-says-about-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/leon-kass-12927_abortion_the-abortion-controversy-is-important-fo_2426594.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The abortion controversy is important for what it says about our stance toward procreation and children…” — Leon Kass", "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": "Leon Kass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The abortion controversy is important for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-abortion-controversy-is-important-for-what-it-says-about-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-abortion-controversy-is-important-for-what-it-says-about-our/#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 } } ] } ```