Abortion

Legal murder for the one you could love?

God made only mankind in His image. We are uniquely singled out bearing the image of God above any other creature. Mankind is the sole object of Christ's redemptive love. Christ went to the trouble of dying for our transgressions against God by becoming a human first. He went through the process of being put in a womb and being there for nine months like any other, then born under the human conditions (without sin). Certainly The pre-existent Son of God was a person, and he was a person in the womb; for the angel said to Mary you are with child.

God said to Noah “Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.” (Gen. 9:6) God points out that man is unique he is worth more than animals.

Since I'm writing this article from a biblical perspective the bible is my source of authority. Putting this aside for the moment,  there are some logical questions that beg answers. The question one needs to ask even if one does not believe in God, Is a fetus a human being starting at its early stage of its development, from its conception? Is it a human life from its beginning? Even the word fetus is Latin for little one or offspring.

When one destroys a fetus ( human life ) they assume a moral decision that only God can make. God gives the highest value and sanctity to human life and does not take lightly the shedding of innocent blood.

The terms “embryo' and “fetus” have become scientific terms to describe the developmental stages of human life. They were never meant to suggest that they are anything other than human life. Others use these terms to have them describe non human life.

Abortion denies a child all that you already possess. You went through the same process except you made it out alive from the womb. Should we deny them (or anyone) the same right.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in our nation's Declaration of Independence, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. This right is related to “life.” Life was the first right mentioned. Life was basic because life is necessary in order for someone to pursue their happiness as well as any other rights. Thomas Jefferson also wrote, “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.” So the pursuit of liberty should not override the right to life.

From the moment of conception a fetus is a human being. Consciousness has nothing to do with the nature that makes one a person. A person can be knocked unconscious and still be a human being. When a person falls  asleep he does not cease to be a human life?

When someone decides they will discard a child as only tissue they are devaluing  human life. If we consider the fetus to be non-human, then we have depreciated the value of human life.  If we can decide death for someone unable to decide themselves, whose to say this can’t be expanded to other areas. Without a sense of the moral worth of human life, we become like animals acting in violence. Were going back to the law of the jungle, where only the strong survive. But it is more of an expression of humanity to help those who are weak or defenseless, this is what separates humans from the animal kingdom.

If you lose respect for life you lose respect for humanity. All mankind is made in the image of God and has the potential to reflect and demonstrate his nature. All of societies breakdowns, the crime, the murders, thefts are all outgrowths of not having respect for what God has given. These relate to his standards he installed in humans hearts. Our conscience has been frozen by self infatuation.

Faye Wattleton gives a honest statement here, “I think we have deluded ourselves into believing that people don't know that abortion is killing. So any pretense that abortion is not killing is a signal of our ambivalence, a signal that we cannot say yes, it kills a fetus, but it is the woman's body, and therefore ultimately her choice” (Faye Wattleton, past president of PPFA, Ms., May/June 1997). To kill something, anything is to admit it has life. Since humans only conceive humans and not frogs or some “thing” that is called an it, we should perceive this as an intentional murder if someone knows the facts and goes ahead anyway. However Planned Parenthood believes “The fetus becomes a baby at birth.” What a miracle the baby goes from not being a human species to becoming human all in the matter of minutes from a change of location of being in the mother to being outside. I guess this proves the theory of evolution.

Who can play God and determine that at a certain point in a child’s development in the womb it is not a human being? Within a matter of days, the embryo has begun to exhibit growth. And where there is growth there is life. The fact is that life is present from the moment of conception,  scientific evidence proves that human life exists in the fetus from that point on. To say that a fetus can “die” implies that there had to be life in the first place. There are those who have survived abortion from 4 months proving they are not just thing that had to develop to become human but was from their inception a human being. The mother's ability to carry the developing child in the womb proves that the child is alive from conception, it is fed to be kept alive. The fetus develops a protective hormone preventing the mother’s body from rejecting it as foreign tissue. It is another life not its Mom, she carries it, just as she cares for the child outside the womb when its born. The child would not survive with neglect outside the womb just as it would inside the womb.

A baby gets hungry and eats in the mothers womb, it exercises by kicking and moving around. It is dependent on the one who is carrying him to protect it from harm. When someone punches a woman who is pregnant and the baby dies, that’s called murder. Why is that? If we can have the permission to yank it out and destroy them indiscriminately. Is it only the permission of the mother that makes it right. Murder is murder. We warn pregnant mothers of drinking and doing drugs that affect the development of the child. We have child abuse charges for mothers drinking or doing drugs which affect the pre-born child as well as afterward.

Imagine a child asking her mother about her being pregnant, "Mommy can someone kill it, the mother responds no they can’t, only I can make that decision with my body. What is the mother teaching the child when she says this, what will the child think when she grows up. What if she asked her mom why she didn’t kill her. Of course pro-abortionists do not think in terms of killing a baby because it’s a fetus and its not really a person yet. But they do have to admit its living and it is just alive outside the body as it was inside. The baby is only considered tissue when a woman doesn’t want it, otherwise it is called a child.

Science has pinpointed when life begins with the chronology of the embryos development. When the egg is fertilized, life happens. The cellular development begins, the DNA code is all there. At the inception all ones personal characteristics are determined, the sex of the child, its intelligence, its hair and eye color. Everything has been determined at fertilization by the baby's genetic code in the 46 human chromosomes! In one week it attaches to the wall of the womb. In 14 days the mother is affected and stops her menstrual period. In 14 days the brain waves begin. 17 days after the conception the child develops it’s own blood cells. The placenta has developed and it is a new life, not part of Mom but dependent on her! Doctors tell us that from 17 days on, nothing new is added to that child except for food and liquid and time to grow! At 3 weeks the baby's heart had begun to beat and pump blood, this is another heart other than its moms. The baby's blood type is often different from the mother's blood type!  At 20 days the entire nervous system has been laid down. At 28 days there are 40 pairs of muscles developing along the trunk of that life to become the arms and the legs. And at 30 days the blood is flowing through a cardio-vascular system, the ear and nasal development has begun. At 40 days the energy output of the heart is 20% of that of an adult. The skeleton is complete in 42 days and the reflexes are present. At 43 days, we can actually measure the brain-waves of that child on a EEG to prove it is a individual thinking human being! In 2 ½ months the body is completely formed with fingers and fingerprints showing it is an individual, toes, arms etc. All organ systems are functioning. The baby has a skeletal structure, nerves, and circulation. In 10-11 weeks the baby can breathe amniotic fluid and urinate. By the 9th and 13th week the little child is able to send and receive pain messages, they squint and swallow, it can retract it’s tongue, it sucks it’s thumb, and it inhales and exhales. It is then a perfectly formed little human being! This person is completely unique having never existed before and will never exist again in the course of human history. It has the potential to live 70-90 years and make its contribution to mankind. As the bumper sticker reads, If its just not a baby than your not pregnant.

“I do not believe there is any question when biological human life begins. It is at conception… To say that it begins at any other time is biological nonsense” (Andre Helleger, M.D. GeorgeTown University Hospital).

We hear that a woman has a right over her own body and that is true. But the body forming in her is not her body. The cells, chromosones and genes are all different, sometimes it is a different sex. Abortion is not about a women’s rights but a baby’s rights, innocents that have no say. Someone who is unable to protect itself from those who do things for wrong or selfish motive’s. I have yet to meet anyone that has said they would have been better off aborted than enjoy their life. No one thinks back about themselves in the womb and says they were not a human after they were born, at least no one who is rational.

“My mother did not want a 17^th child. So she decided to get rid of me before I was born. Then a marvelous thing happened. My aunt dissuaded her, and so I was permitted to be born. Think of it! I was a miracle! (Arthur Rubenstein, Pianist). This is only one example of hundreds and thousands of stories of those with talent and gave the world a contribution we may never have heard of. How many of the 40 million we have committed to death in America alone that could have been leaders and contributor's’  to society and to God's glory. We are aborting Americans our own people. This is no different than fighting a war on foreign soil. The only difference is the location, it is on American soil and the battle is fought inside a mother. If she can be convinced in her mind to give up this child she carries, the enemy of life wins. It Doesn't matter whether its bullets, gas or some other way. The means of getting to the end is what counts. Death is death whether someone is 6 days, 6 weeks, 5 months, 1 year or 80 years. The Gallup poll from February 28, 1991 -82 % were not aware that the Roe vs. Wade legislation  made abortion legal throughout the full nine months of pregnancy.

The whole issue has become a mass of misinformation fed to the public by the liberal wing of society.

Dr. Bernard Nathanson was one of the primary leaders of the pro-abortion movement He co-founder of the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws. He has admitted that he and other members of the pro-abortion position intentionally lied about facts concerning abortion. He has changed his position and become pro-life wanting to rectify the situation he  helped cause. Here is a quote from a changed position, “Immunological studies have demonstrated beyond cavil that when a pregnancy implants itself into the wall of the uterus at the eighth day following conception the defense mechanisms of the body, principally the white blood cells, sense that this creature now settling down ... is an intruder, an alien, and must be expelled. Therefore an intense immunological attack is mounted on the pregnancy . . . and through an ingenious and extraordinarily efficient defense system the unborn child succeeds in repelling the attack ... Even in the most minute microscopic scale the body has trained itself, or somehow in some inchoate way, knows how to recognize self from nonself”
(Bernard Nathanson, The Abortion Papers: Inside the Abortion Mentality, p.150. 1983).

To be called anti abortion is a misnomer, we are pro life. People whose position is pro choice come against those whose position is  pro life. The pro-life position is not against choice, but against murder. The pro choice position is nothing else but a freedom to choose to kill an innocent baby, rarely is it freedom to choose life. It may present itself like this but the facts show what there position actually is. A woman does have the right to make her own decisions, she did when she had sex. What a woman does not have is right to dispense with her child because her current held view is that it will bring ruination or a unpleasant change in her life. Why does it bother pro choice advocates if someone is shown the facts and then changes her mind about having an abortion? Are they not PRO CHOICE? There position is not a freedom to choose life but to choose for an abortion. Choice falls most often on the opposite end of life, which is death!

Which kills more war or abortion?

With 1.5 million babies killed before birth each year this number is higher in one year than all American deaths since the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and 11, the Korean War, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf Wars combined. The Revolutionary War - 25,324, Civil War- 498,332 , WW I -116,708, WW II -407,316 Korean War- 54,246, Vietnam War -58,151.   

 In fact there has been a billion people throughout the world aborted. This means 20% of the worlds population has been removed.

We can now say that abortion is the leading cause of death. Its not cancer (550,000), not heart disease (700,000), not Aids (HIV infection and AIDS are now the sixth leading cause of death among young persons aged 15 to 24 years). Not car accidents (40,000 a year), not suicides (30,000), not homicides (25,000). All of these are tragedies and each one is a human being. If we are going to stop those who practice things that can harm themselves or kill others through education and legislation, we have no choice but to do the same for abortion.

Today we fine people $500 for destroying the egg of a bald eagle, this is an unborn eagle. Thousand’s will protest medical research on animals, save the whales, save the trees, save our oceans. Yet we are destroying the very next generation that could enjoy it. We fine people that destroy the environment and endangered species, but we as humans may soon be put on the endangered species list ourselves if we keep the pace of abortion going. Look at how many creatures were eliminated, that had them land on the endangered species list.

We now have legislation to be harvesting pre-born for spare parts for others and we still call them non- human! But who really is the non-human? 63 % of Americans  oppose the use of federal funding of research using tissue from aborted human fetuses  (Wirthlin, January 22, 1992).

There are at least 40 couples waiting to adopt for every child, this 2 million waiting to adopt a child and give it the love that the mother would not. There is no such thing as an unwanted baby, it may be unwanted by its own mother but there are many who would love to cherish the child. There are not more than 50,000 babies a year up for adoption according to William Pierce the director of the national committee for adoption. No baby should be punished by death for someone's mistake of  getting pregnant or of being a victim of rape. No matter how terrible an experience it was, why punish an innocent child for the evil someone else did? The fact is only 1% of women say they became pregnant by rape or incest.

There are many children born whose mom were raped and given the chance grew up and became wonderful people. Gospel singer Ethel Waters brought hope to millions through her singing. James Robinson who has a ministry to the starving and destitute people of Africa and other countries. Many more have been a blessing to people, Christian or not. So pregnancy by rape is no excuse to abort.

The kind of love a parent has for their baby reflects their understanding of  God's love to them, as well as the relationships in their own family. Because we live in a time of biblical illiteracy people do not know how precious life really is, and what God's requirements for sex are. There was a time when parents loved their own and they would give their own life for their baby, instead they are sacrificed to the God of pleasure to avoid any inconvenience. Statistics show from 51%- 63% of abortions are to the unmarried, which shows that those who get in this predicament are having sex outside of marriage. Because there is no commitment the child becomes unwanted.  Unmarried women are 6 times more likely than married women to have an abortion. The reason is clear there is no understanding of commitment or respect. Abortion is the ultimate an act of narcissism.

The Bible addresses those who live life by their fallen nature. In Galatians 5:19 Paul describes numerous facets of the way sin is exhibited. One of them is fornication/ immorality. This description is found 5 times in Paul's writings and is first on each list each time.(1 Cor.6:9; Col.3:5.) In the Greek and Roman societies this practice was prevalent, just as it is today. Christianity had introduced a new concept, chastity, purity. That a Christian's body is the temple of  the Lord ( the Holy Spirit) and that he empowers people to live in purity not as the heathens that didn't believe there was a God or like the Pagans that had perverted religious practices.

Those who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy unable to cope with any stress, take their babies life convinced of the turmoil it will cause.  No one would consider this on their own initiative until modern times. Because it goes against human nature! But from a culture shift of misinformation, mothers consider this operation as an alternative. The baby is the one who suffers the punishment, and the pregnant would be mom will suffer the consequences later.

Almost all abortions are performed for non therapeutic reasons, it is for convenience for social and economic reasons. Almost 1.3 million abortions done in a year because the woman did not want to be pregnant at that particular time. The following reasons are often given: a baby would interfere with their work, school, or other responsibilities (75%) they cannot afford to have a child at the time (66%). I want to avoid single parenthood (51%). They do not want to be a single parent or have problems in the relationship with their husband or partner (50%) I'm not ready for the responsibility (31%) I don't want others to know I was having premarital sex (31%).  (from ALAN GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE SURVEY)

Nearly 30% the abortions are performed on teenagers, an average age is 14 years old or older without the parent consent (some as young as 10). A pregnant woman under the emotional stress (be it being pregnant or family pressure) can easily be persuaded to remove her child through an abortion.

The United States has the highest teenage pregnancy rate among developed countries. Approximately 1 million teenagers become pregnant each year. The state of Hawaii is one of 4 states that one needs parental consent before the age of 14, it is 16 for the rest of the country. Amazingly one needs to be 18 years old to get a tattoo or their ears pierced. Abortion is a serious operation and yet it is treated less serious than what one wants to wear on their body. This is about a human life, not decorations!

55% of the abortions done are under 25. The abortion rate - the number of abortions for every 1,000 women of childbearing age - is highest for 18 to 19-year-olds: 56 per 1,000 compared to 26 per 1,000 for all women ages 15-44 in 1992.

In 1991 there were more babies aborted than were born alive, what a sad statistic. The very purpose in medicine is to save life, not destroy it. The Hippocratic oath represents the conscience of decent people through the centuries. 98% of abortions in America take place because of social reasons, only 2% for medical reasons that threaten the life of the mother or child.

What if the mother’s life is in danger? Dr. Everett Koop, Surgeon General, said, “In 36 years of medical practice, I have never encountered such a case!” So it is very rare. People look for excuses to justify their own actions which has nothing to do with it. With this excuse, it opens the flood-gate to every other excuse imaginable!

Remember the girl who was 17 and aborted her newborn child by throwing it out. But if she went to a clinic and had the money for an abortion it would have yielded the same result. Why did she commit a crime and the abortion doctors are not committing a crime; it was her choice wasn't it? (there are several stories like this).

Planned Parenthoods perspective on  babies “[B]abies are not sweet little things. They wet and dirty themselves, they get sick, they're very expensive to take care.” (The Perils of Puberty, Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, 1974). So are older people and even the handicapped are they next to be discarded as tissue? 

20 years later they have not changed their view “Babies are loud, smelly and expensive. Unless you want one.” (Planned Parenthood of Minnesota/South Dakota, newspaper ad, Burnsville/Lakeville San Current, October 16, 1996). What if someone convinced your mom not to have one? Hmm.

We need to realize they don’t only want abortion made legal but morally accepted. 

Interesting that Hitler wrote in Mein Kamp p.305 Jews are a parasite in the body of nations.” Similarly  Babies are a “a parasite in the woman’s body” (Abortion practice Wraren Hern, p.14-15).

God's View in the Bible

The Greek word for a child is breposs, this word is used for the newborn children who were slaughtered by Pharaoh. Then the same word is used in Luke 1:41,44 to describe the pre-born baby in the womb. “ Luke 2:12, Lk.216; 18:15; 2 Tim. 3:15;  Acts 7:19, 1 Pet. 2:2 - an unborn child, an embryo, a fetus - a new-born child, an infant, a baby .”(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Word

Scripture states that the 'life' is in the  blood. God does not see a difference between the pre-born and the born! They are all children to him.

Ps. 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” If someone can wait nine months this child would only become a blessing to them or someone else.

Job 10:10-12 “...You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again?  Did you not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese,  Clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews?   You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit.”

These verses tell us that God is actively, intimately involved with the Pre-born Job! Sustaining his life, weaving together his bones and muscles and all the intricacies of the human body. It tells us that both the material and the immaterial are a process by God! Notice he says you clothed me with skin. There is a human Spirit inside our body and each one is made unique and is precious to God and a gift. God does not form non-human persons in the womb, they are just as much a child in the womb as they are afterward. There is no biological change after the child exits its mother.

Psalm 139: 1-6: “ O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me! Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar .Thou searchest out my path and my lying down,  and art acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, Lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. “Here the scripture tells us God knows each one before they speak he knows them intimately. “ O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me.” Thou discernest my thoughts from afar” this is a working knowledge of this personal identity we call a fetus.

Psalm 139:13-16: This refers to the fetus before birth “For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works, Thou knowest me right well;  my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret,  intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,  when as yet there was none of them.” God knows the end from the beginning, before he even starts creating he knows everything of what will be given life. “Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance.” This he is referring to the embryo. “

Isa. 44:24: “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself.”

Exod. 4:11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?” Child who is deformed, handicapped is looked upon as Gods creation just like any other human. Essentially it is God who allows life, unfortunately because of our fallen state and the wrong things we do, it can affect the development of a child, but is God who allows that same child to be born.

Isa. 45:9-11:”Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'? Woe to him who says to his father, 'What are you begetting?' Or to the woman, 'What have you brought forth?'“ Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.”

Isa. 64:8: “But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. We are the clay he is the potter.” If God is the giver of live then who are we to decide when to take it, especially when it is being developed in what should be a safe place , the womb.

Exod. 23:7: “Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.” To abort a baby is to kill an innocent.

Prov. 6:16-19 “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,  A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

Prov. 15:3: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” God knows the intent of the heart, especially on those who are quick to spill blood. God says “All those who love death hate Me.”

Isa. 5:20-21: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

Israel faced similar practices when they departed from the Lords ways.     

Isa. 59:7: “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.   The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.   Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; we look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness.” Today's standard it is right to do wrong in numerous areas. People try to rationalize the darkness as it being light.

When Israel fell into idolatry sacrificed their babies to false gods.  (Gr. Demonoi, demons). Israel was sacrificing their babies just as we are today. All the medical reasons for abortion amount to a very small percentage. It is a superstitious practice of pagans to sacrifice their children for a better crops for the next year or to be successful or for convenience and pleasure. Can good come from doing evil?  Not anymore than it did in times past!

1 Cor. 3:17 “ If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” God is able to repay those who do harm to others and he completely fair and just in his judgments.

God makes no exceptions on the basis that a person has not been born (Exo. 21:22-25). There is no distinction between the old and young on this matter. In the age of the unborn, there is no suggestion that the killing of the innocent one is justified at an early time.

Paul writes Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, Paul recognized that it was God who planned his life even from his inception, it was for his creators glory.

We were Predestined for good works. Eph.2:10 God has a plan he wants each of us to accomplish according to his will.

So Scripture is clear about the personhood as the unborn child. A pregnancy is a blessings a precious life. And murder is committed when a child is killed inside or outside the womb, both are equally wrong as well as evil. God is the God of the living, he promotes life, he is the giver of life. The devil has come to kill, steal and destroy, exactly what occurs in an abortion. He kills the innocent, he steals the happiness both the child and the mother can have and destroys Gods plan for the child and often the mothers relationship to her husband and children later on.

The Ancient Days and the early Church Writers

Solomon said  in Eccl. 1:9-10 That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

Abortion is not anything new it is mentioned in the Old Testament and the early Church writers had the same issues living under Rome's government that we have today. You can hear the very same words and phrases that are being argued today.

170 AD Mark Felix “There are some women among you who by drinking special potions extinguish the life of the future human in their very bowels, thus committing murder before they even give birth.” (Mark Felix, Christian Lawyer, Octavius chap. 30)

177 AD Athenagoras “What man of sound mind, therefore, will affirm, while such is our character, that we are murderers? . . . When we say that those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder, and will have to give an account to God for the abortion, on what principle should we commit murder? For it does not belong to the same person to regard the very fetus in the womb as a created being, and therefore an object of God's care, and when it has passed into life, to kill it; and not to expose an infant, because those who expose them are chargeable with child-murder, and on the other hand, when it has been reared to destroy it” (A Plea for the Christians 35, Embassy chap. 5)

210 AD Tertullian “Among surgeons' tools there is a certain instrument, which is formed with a nicely-adjusted flexible frame for opening the uterus first of all and keeping it open; it is further furnished with an annular blade, by means of which the limbs [of the child] within the womb are dissected with anxious but unfaltering care; its last appendage being a blunted or covered hook, wherewith the entire fetus is extracted by a violent delivery… They give it, from its infanticide function, the name of embruosphaktes, [meaning] “the slayer of the infant,” which of course was alive. . . .” [The doctors who performed abortions] all knew well enough that a living being had been conceived, and [they] pitied this most luckless infant state, which had first to be put to death, to escape being tortured alive” (The Soul 25)

210 AD Tertullian “In our case, a murder being once for all forbidden, we may not destroy even the fetus in the womb, while as yet the human being derives blood from the other parts of the body for its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter whether you take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to birth. That is a man which is going to be one; you have the fruit already in its seed” (Apology 9:8)

228 AD Hippolytus “Women who were reputed to be believers began to take drugs to render themselves sterile, and to bind themselves tightly so as to expel what was being conceived, since they would not, on account of relatives and excess wealth, want to have a child by a slave or by any insignificant person. See, then, into what great impiety that lawless one has proceeded, by teaching adultery and murder at the same time!” (Refutation of All Heresies).

Flavius Josephus a Jewish historian-”The law, moreover enjoins us to bring up all our offspring, and forbids women to cause abortion of what is begotten, or to destroy it afterward; and if any woman appears to have so done, she will be a murderer of her child, by destroying a living creature, and diminishing humankind.” ( The Works of Josephus, Flavius Josephus Against Apion, Book II)

Anti-Abortion Activists

I need to say this after speaking against the other side. Those who claim to come from a Bibles perspective and do harm are not representatives of the truth of God.

We are not under the Old Testament law, which was a theocratic government for Israel. No one should take God's law or man's law into their own hands. And those who hurt people or kill them, have become just like those who they claim they are purging. This is simply terrorism, and it is not sanctified by doing in the Lord's name, it actually puts you in the place of God as you judge another human.

We are to love the people and not the practices. God loved us while we were still sinners, and sinning includes all things contrary to God. Certainly there are some sins with greater consequences and punishment, but we should let God decide that, lest we become judges and also be judged by him.

God is the ultimate giver and taker of life, and if one does such a thing when they are not personally threatened they have become a murderer as well. If they do not repent they will actually spend their eternity with the others they are trying to stop. Christ's teaching is not to return evil for evil or revile for revile. God will decide this. As Jesus said, as you measure so it will be measured unto you. For even Job writes Job 31:29-30 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted myself up when evil found him  (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for a curse on his soul).” Job kept himself from speaking evil towards those practicing evil.

Those who claim to represent Christ and do harm in this way are even worse off than those who work in a clinic. For they do not know what they are doing, as unbelievers. But you as a believer know better. This is no different than the inquisitions that forced people to convert.

One Scripture that is used to endorse judgment is Numbers 35:30-31   “Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.  'Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.” This is a sword that cuts both ways, if one uses this on a doctor who performs abortions it certainly can be applied to them as well. This is not a liberty to be Gods vigilante. This is OT law which was given to Israel which as a nation was a theocracy, we in America are not a theocracy. You can't make yourself a theocratic government. Israel was chosen by God to be under his rule. If a community of Christians want to live under God’s standards (like the Amish) they can choose to do so. But we cannot enforce others to do so or implement the penalties on them. However this should not stop us from telling them what God has to say about it.

The New Testament defines how we are to interact with others. Matt. 5:44-48  “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,   “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.    ”For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (PERFECT means without flaw or error; a state of completion, mature.)

Paul quotes Jesus (in Mt.22) as well as the Old Testament  in Rom. 13:9-10: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”   Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Those who claim to enforce Gods law and inflict harm on others are actually breaking it. To Jesus our neighbors were unbelievers as well as believers.