Abortion Rights
The question of a woman's "right to choose" or an unborn child's right to live is by no means a new discussion. tertullian, a second century Christian apologist penned,
To prohibit the birth of a child is only a faster way to murder; it makes little difference whether one destroys a life already born or prevents it from coming to birth. It is a human being, who is to be a human being, for the whole fruit is already present in the seed.(1)
In a society where abortion was legal and accepted, Tertullian and other writers (see article of 06.20.2004) affirmed the sanctity of life. Abortion advocates, whether those of antiquity of our contemporaries, attempting to dehumanize the unborn child. According to them, a child is not being murdered, a fetus or pregnancy is being aborted.
As mentioned not many weeks ago (10.05.2008, "Make A Virtuous Vote"), issues such as abortion ought to be the primary concern of Christians when it comes to political decisions. Unfortunately, a minority conservative government in Canada is unlikely to make progress in stopping the murder of approximately 100,000 unborn children in our country annually. 23% of all children conceived in Canada are killed before they are born. (2)
In 2003, there were 42,000,000+ unborn children murdered worldwise.(3) Consider that the entire population of Canada is 33,000,000. If the 33,000,000 citizens of Canada were killed within a year, it would be condemned as genocide, and the perpetrators would doubtless be held accountable on an international scale. Yet, the killing of 42,000,000 innocent children over the course of a year is deemed woman's "right to choose".
In the recent US Presidential election, abortion was a topic of interest. Sadly, an Obama victory means more and more unborn children will be put to death; their right to live being violated by the falsely claimed right of a woman to choose. Consider a statement made by the soon to be President of the United States of America at a town hall meeting in Johnstown, PA:
I've got two daughters, nine years old and six years old. I'm going to teach them, first of all about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby.(4)
(1) Tertullian, Apology 9 (via tertullian.org)
(2) Statistics Canada, (Induced Abortion Statistics, 2005)
(3) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion
(4) cbn.com/cbnnews/348569.aspx
“23% of all children conceived in Canada are killed before they are born.”
What a reprobate thought for a man to have of the fruit of his own body! He just called his own grandchild a "punishment"! Certainly, a baby might be unexpected, untimely, and by some, sadly, unwanted - but a punishment?
What will Mr. Obama teach his girls about "values and morals"> that if you deem a pregnancy to be inconvenient, it is OK to murder the child who is completely dependent upon you? What form of morality is that? It sounds like something straigh from the devil's play book. His Roman counterparts of Tertullian's day had so much respect for the sanctity of life, that they also taught that suicide was an honourable end to one's life. When one begins to subscribe to the devil's "values and morals", it is a slippery slope in the wrong direction, from which nothing good will come.
Friend, hear what God says about the unborn child:
Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? (Job 31:15)
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13)
As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ...indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (Luke 1:41, 44)
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Answering The Atheist
The Atheist's Complaint:
If God likes you, will everyone else like you too? Proverbs 16:7 says that if God likes you, so will your enemies, but 2 Timothy 3:12 says that if you are faithful to God, you will be persecuted. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The best place for us to begin might be to consider what a proverb is. Merriam-Webster defines a "proverb" as:
a brief popular epigram or maxim;
adage; byword. (merriam-webster.com)
The proverbs are generic truths about life and living. However, to take a proverbial statement as a linear equation that results in every single case (ie. do this, and this WILL result) is a misuse of the proverbs.
Not all enemies are based upon religious conviction and division. Characteristics such as pride, stubbornness, self-will, etc. will often eary us enemies. However, if we have set aside our own ways, and are walking according to the path of God, then it is quite likely that through our change of character, we may be able to gain peace with those whom we formerly had conflict. This is especially so, since God's way commands that we put others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4) and that we live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18).
These kinds of attitudes will help to secure the friendship of those whom we formerly were at odds with. The apostle Paul wrote about our conduct and the desired result in his letter to the Romans. His words are perhaps a good expansion on what Solomon was saying in Proverbs 16:7:
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ...Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves... Therefore, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink...' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14, 17-21).
Such action will not turn every enemy into a friend, but it will affect several. On the other hand, as Paul indicates in the other verse put forth by the questioner, "All who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12). Some, who were not an enemy before we began following the Lord's way, will become an enemy because we started to do so. Jesus says that some will experience this among their own families because of the choice to follow the gospel (Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 12:52-53).
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.