Biblical Overview Of Abortion Issue

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Biblical Overview Of Abortion Issue

Some anti-women's choice advocates quote Bible verses about murder that have nothing to do with abortion.

Biological birth begins at conception. But a pig is just as much biologically alive and we don't stop eating ham!

The difference in humans is the soul God gives at BIRTH. This is clearly both the biblical Christian view and even more clearly and strongly the Jewish view. Why in the world any Christian would try and claim abortion of a soulless fetus is wrong is beyond me. But its about choice. The women's choice which of course means abortion is a legitimate, legal choice and Christians as well as Jews should support that choice. Lets see what the Bible really says about it:

The Bible often identifies life with "breath", (Gen. 2:7) suggesting that life begins at birth, not conception. This has traditionally been the view of Jewish Biblical scholars. For example Ezekiel 37:1-14 suggests this which is consistent with Genesis 2:7. Adam did not become a "living soul" until the "breath of life" entered his nostrils AFTER his body was formed. Other examples are in Joshua 10:40, 1 Kings 15:29 and many others where "breath" is treated as a synonym for "life". In biblical terms it seems clear that life begins at birth, not conception.

Ex 21:22-23 makes it quite clear that the death of fetus is not murder. When in the course of a brawl, a man knocks against a pregnant women so that she has a miscarriage but suffers no further harm (other than the death of the fetus), then the offender must pay whatever fine the woman's husband demands after assessment."

The reason for the payment for miscarriage has to do with the women being the property of her husband. In fact the husband probably had many wives or concubines. A mans status was based on the number of children he had (especially sons). Women were considered breeders, thus the widespread use of concubines, that God never spoke against but seems to have accepted just like polygamy and adultery was only wrong for a married women, never a married man.

Early first trimester abortion seems less of an evil than a man knocking a pregnant women who may have been far further along in pregnancy. This doesn't mean that abortion would have been acceptable to Hebrews since many of their laws were set up to increase fertility. But they would not have considered it murder. Today we have too many unwanted children and we have learn way too well how to be fruitful and multiple. We now need to control and reduce world population - the opposite of Hebrew times.

Even more clear is Numbers 5:21 where God shows letting the fetus die is proper as a punishment of the mother. This is clearly intentional not the accidental event in Exodus.

The only NT scripture dealing with abortion is Matthew 26:24 which suggests that it would have been better if Judas had not been born! Note the word is "BORN", not "conceived". The only way to have prevented Judas from being born would have been an abortion. Interesting that abortion is suggested as possibly good here!

Luke 1:15 says he was filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment of birth.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by His grace... seems the calling was after the separation from the womb. . Or Luke 7:28; Among those who will be born of women there shall not be a greater prophet... (KJ) supports born. Birth is the important point of being a soul, conception is simply first step if not interrupted by normal miscarriage or chosen abortion.

Jeremiah 1:5 says God knew Jeremiah "BEFORE I formed thee". Indicates life begins BEFORE conception! Of course, this whole verse is just a figure of speech indicating that God had foreknowledge that Jeremiah would be a profit just like other passages show foreknowledge was has nothing to do with the abortion issue.

Psalms 139: 13-16 is not talking about a relationship with God while in the womb. It is a poetic verse talking about how God is all knowing. It reveals that God knows all and that God made us in the womb. But God also knew us in our father's loins and even before the world was created. This has nothing to do with abortion. We all know that God knows all and that God made all things. God knew which fetuses will be born (about 50% miscarriage or otherwise die naturally) You can not twist this to mean that God is saying it is wrong to have an abortion. He would have known the fetus didn't make it and was never born.

Luke 1:41,44 has nothing to do with abortion. Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Babies leap in the womb at six months and can be viable. This is beyond the point abortions are done except in rare emergencies.

Psalms 94 likewise has nothing to do with abortion, but does have a lot to do with using the Bible to instill fear and intimidate others who disagree with you.

Note in Gen 25:22 Jacob and Esau "struggled together" in Rebekahs womb. Does this mean they also had personalities that fought before birth? Hardly. Rebekah simply experienced a lot of movement in her womb during pregnancy; later when the brother's fought each other she could look back and say that they even fought when they were in her womb.

If you think God is anti-choice, I suggest you are trying to make God what you think He should be, not what He taught. While no scripture condemns abortion, but shows its no big deal, lots of scripture talks about killing both the born and unborn.

Psalms 137:9 "Happy is he who shall seize your children and dash them against the rock." II Kings 15:16, all the pregnant women were ripped open to kill the fetus as directed by Menahem, king of Israel 748-738 BC. Numbers 31:17-18 where the virgin women are to be taken by the soldiers for themselves and all the other women and children killed. So much for not killing?

Breath = Life is the Biblical View
No matter how emotional fetus loving Christians try and twist scripture to match what they wished it said, the truth is clear: No human life (soul) till first breath at birth. This is the clear biblical view as well as the Jewish view from biblical times and today. There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that says abortion is wrong.

The fact the Bible is silent on the issue may be surprising since abortion was very common. The Bible declares the death penalty for murdering another person but not when a fetus dies since it is not equated with a human person.

In Hebrew the word nephesh means both person and breath. Only after a person is born is nephesh used. In James it was said "for just as the body without breath is dead, so faith without works is dead." Likewise, until birth there is no breath and no spirit.

The Bible does not support anti-choice views. Many Christians realize this. The Religious Coalition For Abortion Rights represents 35 mainline denominations. There phone for information is 202-543-7032. Want is such a tragedy is the number of Christians and others that care so much more for a spiritless fetus, than the women's right to exercise her choice based on HER beliefs, not those of old men in Washington and other trying to act as a pimp over a women's body and trying to justify it by twisting biblical texts.

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