february
1, 2003
Fifteen Pro-Life Truths to Speak
by John Piper
- Existing fetal homicide laws make a man
guilty of manslaughter if he kills the baby in a mother's
womb (except in the case of abortion).
- Fetal surgery is performed on babies in
the womb to save them while another child the same age is
being legally destroyed.
- Babies can sometimes survive on their own
at 23 or 24 weeks, but abortion is legal beyond this limit.
- *Living on
its own is not the criterion of human personhood, as we
know from the use of respirators and dialysis.
- Size is irrelevant to human personhood,
as we know from the difference between a one-week-old and
a six-year-old.
- Developed reasoning powers are not the
criterion of personhood, as we know from the capacities
of three-month-old babies.
- Infants in the womb are human beings scientifically
by virtue of their genetic make up.
- Ultrasound has given a stunning window
on the womb that shows the unborn at eight weeks sucking
his thumb, recoiling from pricking, responding to sound.
All the organs are present, the brain is functioning, the
heart is pumping, the liver is making blood cells, the kidneys
are cleaning fluids, and there is a fingerprint. Virtually
all abortions happen later than this date.
- Justice dictates that when two legitimate
rights conflict, the limitation of rights that does the
least harm is the most just. Bearing a child for adoption
does less harm than killing him.
- Justice dictates that when either of two
people must be inconvenienced or hurt to alleviate their
united predicament, the one who bore the greater responsibility
for the predicament should bear more of the inconvenience
or hurt to alleviate it.
- Justice dictates that a person may not
coerce harm on another person by threatening voluntary harm
on themselves.
- The outcast and the disadvantaged and exploited
are to be cared for in a special way, especially those with
no voice of their own.
- What is happening in the womb is the unique
person-nurturing work of God, who alone has the right to
give and take life.
- There are countless clinics that offer
life and hope to both mother and child (and father and parents),
with care of every kind lovingly provided by people who
will meet every need they can.
- Jesus Christ can forgive all sins, and
will give all who trusts him the help they need to do everything
that life requires
editor's note: January 22 was the anniversary
of the Roe v. Wade decision. as a former proponent of the
"pro choice" movement, i know that often times rhetoric
and party affiliation decide your stance on this issue over
the issue itself.
the central issue for "pro life"
advocates is that the baby is alive and as such, the mother's
inconvenience is secondary to the baby's right to live.
pro choicers tend to downplay the argument
over whether the child is truly alive or ignore it altogether,
focusing on the issue of women's rights. much that i read
about this issue claims that pro life advocates simply desire
to see women with less rights. this is so absurd it's almost
laughable. while i would not support forced economic hardship
on women, having a woman give a child up for adoption over
having an abortion would not result in any economic hardship
or lack of choices for the future. women are hindered in no
way and the child is allowed to live. quite frankly, the child's
life would be more important than any person's convenience
anyways.
ultimately, the argument hinges upon whether
a fetus is indeed alive. for the Bible believing Christian,
there is not much room for debate. "For You formed my
inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13).
God knew us before we were born. various Scripture indicates
that God has breathed life into a child far before the second
trimester. christians who support abortion must question whether
their disgust with pro life movement is due to reasonable
objections or an involuntary emotional response.
over one million abortions are performed
in the United States alone in one year. this procedure has
become yet another way to shirk responsibility for our actions.
didn't think twice about being promiscuous? don't want to
face the consequences? well abortion is the easy way out and
no one has to know about your little mistake. but this "quick
and easy solution" happens to have lethal consequences
to the voiceless child.
in no way do i advocate violence against
abortion clinic workers or destruction of clinics, but the
carelessness with which abortion treats life cannot be ignored.
the economic or psychological hardships women might have to
endure if abortion is not an option can be averted with other
options such as adoption.
pray if you have the desire. our nation
finds it no big deal to kill millions of unborn children in
the name of pluralism and women's rights. the problem runs
deeper than mere supreme court decisions. while a change in
abortion laws and a reversal of roe v. wade would be welcomed,
this country needs much more than a change in its legislature.
america needs to be transformed from the inside out. political
activism has very real limits.
we need God to change our hearts not our
morals.
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