Abortion

Why is it people should be against the idea of abortion? Why is it Christians should be in the forefront of the pro-life movement? What is wrong with abortion in the first place? What is more important, personal convenience or the life of an unborn child? What does scripture have to say about unborn life? If abortion is banned, what next? What about women who have had abortions? Is abortion that big of a deal? These are some questions I hope to answer in this note. I seek to answer these as not only a reference for other people but for myself. I do not only want to give religious answers (though I am obviously biased in this situation) but secular answers which would influence the non-believer.

Is abortion really that big of a problem? Yes. Many people in our culture seem to be unaware of just how prevalent abortion is within our nation and the world. One source states nearly half of all pregnancies to American women are unintended; four in 10 of these end in abortion. About half of American women have experienced an unintended pregnancy, and at current rates more than one-third (35%) will have had an abortion by age 45. 67% have never married and sadly 78% report a religious affiliation. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as “Born-again/Evangelical”.

Another source states 1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient). These statistics means the vast majority of abortions are merely done out of convenience rather than medical need.

Nauseous yet? Here are more statistics. In 2004, the highest number of reported legal induced abortions occurred in Florida (91,710), NYC (91,673), and Texas (74,801). Twenty-two percent of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion. 47% of women who have abortions had at least one previous abortion. 40% of minors having an abortion report that neither of their parents knew about the abortion.

Ok, that just states there a lot of abortions but that doesn’t mean it is wrong. Let me give a scriptural reason for abortion being morally wrong. According to Abort 73, “There are a number of examples where Scripture uses the exact same words to describe babies before birth and babies after birth. In Genesis 25:22 we read, ‘The children struggled together within her,’ speaking of the twins in Rebekah’s womb. The word children is the ordinary word used for children (or sons) outside the womb. Luke 1:41 tells us that “when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb”. This is the same word for babe (brephos) that is used in Luke 2:12 and 16 for the baby Jesus and in Luke 18:15 for infants. Even more significant than the word usage is the description of what this unborn child did. John the Baptist, still in the womb, leapt for joy in recognition of the presence of Christ, who was also still in the womb. This is an in-utero prophecy of the arrival of Christ, and that is an astounding reality. “

Isaiah 49:1b states, “Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.” God has a plan for our lives before we are born, does that not mean we are important from the moment of conception? Not enough scriptural evidence of God loving us before birth? Jeremiah 1:5a says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”

God is the creator of life and is the only one who should be allowed to end life (capital punishment excluded, topic for another day ). Isaiah 139:13 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” These are only a few passages pertaining to the issue of abortion and just these few gets the point across.

John Piper once said, “To attack the human being in the womb and kill him or her is to assault God. God is making the child. God is weaving a unique image of his divine glory with the purpose of imaging forth that glory in the world. Killing the child is an attack on God’s glory and is treason against the Ruler of the universe. So, fundamentally and most importantly, abortion is about God because children are made by God in the image of God for the glory of God.”

Piper also once said abortion “is the sacrificing of our sons and daughters to demons. And someday we will see this. And we will be as amazed that it could have endured so long as we are that the enslavement of Africans lasted as long as it did. The issue is just as clear as that one was. And we are just as blind today as they were then. The big difference is that the babies can’t run away. The underground railroad is entirely dependent on you, not them.”

One of the 10 commandments is that of you shall not murder as mentioned in Exodus 20:13. Murder here includes the life of an unborn child. Some who are “pro-choice” as they like to be called say this is not really a child in the womb but simply a piece of unintelligible meat no different than an animal. This is completely untrue not only biblically as already mentioned but biologically.

Here is a great source which shows just how unique the child is even at the moment of conception. One excerpt states, “Conception: Of the 200,000,000 sperm that try to penetrate the mother’s egg cell, only one succeeds. At that very moment, a new and unique individual is formed. All of the inherited features of this new person are already set – whether it’s a boy or girl, the color of the eyes, the color of the hair, the dimples of the cheeks and the cleft of the chin. He or she is smaller than a grain of sugar, but the instructions are present for all that this person will ever become. The first cell soon divides in two. Each of these new cells divides again and again as they travel toward the womb in search of a protected place to grow.” I considered showing pictures of undeveloped aborted children to stress this point further but I can’t bare to even see them. Also, I prefer to not have emotion be the basis for my arguments against abortion.

Even those who are naturalistic in their beliefs believe in survival of the fittest. Abortion simply does not make sense in that regards either as wouldn’t the purpose for a species be to preserve itself? If that is the case then wouldn’t the moral right be to continue the lives of humanity? Abortion is the opposite of that and is wrong according to evolutionary beliefs.

Biblical and biological reasons for abortion being wrong have been presented so now for legal reasons. Why is it that it is okay for a mother to kill her unborn child but if she is killed, it is considered a double homicide? Or how about if a person hits a pregnant woman that is also considered murder in the eyes of the court system? Why is it a mother and doctor can kill the child without legal consequences? Is there not a contradiction here? Why is it naturalistic beliefs such as this contradict one another?

Many women have also lost their children by natural means before birth. If the unborn is not human like abortionists say then why should the mother be upset about this? It’s not like she can’t have another after all. Maybe a fetus is something more than an animal. A fetus is a child in the making and should not be executed prematurely.

Is abortion just a convenience for people? According to the statistics listed in the beginning, apparently so for the vast majority. One of the reasons people have abortions at such a high rate is simply because many do not want to take responsibility for their actions. With every action there is a reaction. This statement works not only in science but every day life. If one thinks themselves not mature enough to raise children then that individual must realize the consequences of sexual promiscuity and not run from those consequences. If one does not like the possible consequences then do not cause them, in other words practice abstinence (which Christians should be practicing anyway…).

Abortion is a huge issue but there is one thing that would significantly decrease the number of abortions, decrease in non-marital sexual activity. Very evident is this logic but sadly many people will not sacrifice their pleasure for what is morally right (both abstinence and being pro-life). Even more fundamental to the problem with abortion is the fallen nature of humanity. Humanists, many naturalists, and others with disagree with the depravity of man argument, but this is indeed the overarching issue at hand.

What can a person do to help the pro-life movement? A major way is to adopt children. If a woman is unable to care for a child then adoption needs to be a choice. Abortion shouldn’t be the only option a woman has. Not only does this help minister to the suffering women in these situations but it gives couples the opportunity raise a child of their own if they are unable. Even couples who are able to have children of their own should adopt if only to minister to these hurting women.

Many people are all supportive of the pro-life movement but they forget about the women hurting in these situations. They need help from the church and anyone who will give that help. They need love. This love and help for these women can never be forgotten as the child is not the only one who suffers. Churches and secular organizations need to do everything in their power to help these women who have had abortions and those who decide to raise these children. My heart breaks for those who have ever had to make this decision, whatever path they have chosen.

I will leave you with this passage from Psalm 82:3-4, “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”