THOU SHALT NOT KILL!
So sayeth the Scriptures. No exceptions, no rationalization, no justification. Categorical. Clear. A COMMANDMENT if there ever was one.
I am blessed to know a very strong, passionate, committed Christian man as a friend. We talked about abortion. We talked about abortion and rape, one of the most ugly crimes there is. My sincerely passionate Christian friend looked me straight in the eye and said:
“Crawford (he sounded confrontational), if my wife were raped and she became pregnant as a result of the rape, I would not ask her if she wanted an abortion, I WOULD ORDER HER TO GET ONE!”
I was speechless. Those of us who believe abortion is murder have heard the argument that, in the event of rape, a tragic criminal act for any woman, and certainly not ordained by God Almighty, the woman so raped and becoming pregnant should have the right to choose an abortion if she thinks that is the right thing to do. How then we ask, those of us who think in moral terms, can any good, including a new life, come from rape? Can there be any justification for the life of an unborn as a result of rape and is it not the right of a woman so raped to have the right to protect her family, reputation, future and her very own body and self by choosing an abortion? Is that not her right?
It is so easy to think in terms of what is right hypothetically or in the abstract. If it is a matter of principle, any ephemeral generalization, right and wrong is easy. But when barbaric brutality in life strikes, hits home, YOUR WIFE AND YOU, what would you do? How would you think and how would you decide? My friend, whom I love dearly, told me that he would order his wife to have an abortion. What would you do, husband, father, lover, what would you do in that event?
Then there is incest, to me even more reprehensible and disgusting than rape. Incest is rape and the worst possible kind. Any relative who takes advantage of a younger female relative, who sexually exploits her youth and weakness is the lowest of the low. That incestuous individual is reprehensible. There are tens of thousands of incest events happening every day. So, then comes the question, what would you do, father or mother, if your daughter was the victim of incest and became pregnant. What would you do? Would you allow her to have an abortion, or would you, like my friend, order your daughter to have an abortion? I would certainly hope that you would do everything possible to get the incestuous barbaric monster off the streets and comfortably settled behind bars for a very long time. So, hypothetically you could say that abortion is wrong, not permitted, even in the case of incest. But, what would you do if the victim were your daughter? What would you do? What would you do if your daughter told you that, as a result of pregnancy from incest, she were going to have an abortion with or without your permission. What would you do?
Then there is the life of the mother. Or the life of the baby. Suppose doctors said that the mother-to-be would run the risk of dying or for certain would do so in the birthing process. Would you encourage or allow her to have an abortion? Or, suppose the doctor said that the baby would be compromised and undoubtedly die at birth and the pregnancy should be aborted. What would you do? How do you make a choice between a baby and a woman? How does any woman make a choice between her life, her future and her baby at risk at birth? How does she make that incredible choice?
So, abortion is wrong, dead wrong as my friend used to tell me. But he also told me, Christian man that he was, that if his wife were raped and conceived, he would demand an abortion. These are three dilemmas, three circumstances which many Christians approach so very differently.
Virtually every Christian thinks that abortion on demand is satanic. Whether by procedure, RU-486 or any other artificial means, abortion on demand is murder. There is just simply no justification, none whatsoever for such an act. But rape, incest, or life of mother or infant, any or all of the three can produce extremely different reactions from Christians the most conservative or liberal.
Some make the argument that killing is killing and thou shalt not do it no matter how life began whether through rape, incest or love itself. That may be right. But if evil procreates, there are those who say that moral restrictions, Christian standards in traditional terms, do not apply. What do you think? Is there ever any justification, any rationale for abortion?
ROE V. WADE permitted abortions, legally, 35 years ago. Since 1973, it is estimated that there have been more than 50 million abortions. Staggering isn’t it, killing more than so many wars combined. And, it will never stop. Not with ROE V. WADE the law of the land. How I wonder can God bless America when with abortion at work, the prayer should be God help America.
So, what do you think? What do you really believe? What do you really think is right morally? And what would you do if a pregnancy as a result of rape, incest or serious medical issues faced one of your loved ones. What would you do? We know what you believe by what you do.
BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM!