Category Archives: Pro-life or Pro-choice

Life or Choice? Part 2

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Today is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, so I figure it is a great time to continue our conversation on the question on Life or Choice. As is apparent with the replies on the last post this is a heated debate with lots of emotion. The emotion on both sides of the debate is understandable but we as a society must come to a point of resolution. So let’s address a couple of issues when it comes to this question of Life and Choice.

First, we as individuals and as a society must come to a point of realizing the precious gift of life. Life isn’t something to be tossed away or neglected. Life is a gift and something that must be held as precious. It doesn’t matter how old or how young that life is, it is precious and must be treated as such. Throughout history the critical mistake of devaluing a life or lives has been repeated more times than it should. This can be seen in the Holocaust with the attempted extermination of Jews. This can be seen in the countless cases of slavery that still plagues humanity. This can be seen in racism and sexism as one group is devalued. To devalue life in the case of abortion is no different. A life is precious no matter the age, the gender, or the ethnicity.  Life is a precious gift.

Further, life is seen as precious throughout Scripture. For instance in Genesis mankind is made in the image of God (Imago Dei). Being made in the image of God isn’t something to be trivialized, but should give us a clear indicator of the preciousness of life. Scripture also teaches that it is God who has created us. In Psalm 139:13 it states, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb” (NASB).

Second, we as society must protect those who have no voice and are the most defenseless. The Bible teaches us exactly this. In the Old Testament we see over and over the care for orphans and widows. Deuteronomy 27:19 states, “‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”  Why were they to be cared for by society? Because they were the most defenseless of that day.  Today an additional group is the unborn child.  They have no say and no defense, therefore they must be protected.

Life or Choice?

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Pro-Life or Pro-Choice that is the question. Further this is a question that has resulted in much controversy, debate, and arguments. This is one of the most heated ethical, philosophical, and theological debates of the day.  So how do we answer this question and how do we respond to this question?  With this debate questions of euthanasia or assisted suicide have many of the same arguments.

One of the central questions that is argued and asked is when does life begin. Does it begin at conception or does it begin at birth or does it begin somewhere along the 9 months of pregnancy? Articles upon articles have been written about this question and judicial court battles have raged for decades about this question. Each ‘side’ parade their experts with their opinions, yet I argue that this isn’t the central question. The central question is Life or Choice.

To argue around and around about the question of when life begins is to simply justify one’s position and to make one feel better about their position. For instance, if that ‘embryo’ is not a life then we are justified to dispel of that ‘embryo’. We have justified our position by saying since it is not a life it does not matter if it is destroyed or not, besides it is just an embryo and not a living, breathing, rational person. We also make ourselves feel better by calling ‘it’ an embryo and not a life. If we were to destroy an innocent and helpless life that would make us a monster on the scale of cold-blooded killer or worse. 

So the question is Life or the Choice of Life.

On Sunday I will continue this discussion.

What do you think? Is the question of when life begins a legitimate question or just a way to  rationalize?  If you think it is a legitimate question when do you think life begins?