Tuesday, December 7, 2010

why not spare them that?

Iago asks...

Amy2 a further question for you, since you state that you believe all babies that die before they are aware of "The Law", why are you against abortion ? Afterall if they grow up they most likely will end up in Hell. So why not spare them that ? 

I am afterall using "Real Christian" logic here.

@Iago

Your logic is reasonable. (Albeit, the wording is a bit odd, seems like part of the idea is missing: "babies that die before they are aware of 'The Law', why ..." Just seems kind of incomplete.)

But, more to the point, your logic is eminently reasonable. If we could spare babies from being condemned from hell, shouldn't we take every action that we could to prevent that? It certainly seems like we should.

Unless, of course, there is some other directive that proscribes such action. When we follow (to borrow your words) "Real Christian" logic, we discover a directive that does prohibit ending the life of an unborn human baby. We find a moral imperative given in the sixth commandment,

"You shall not murder" Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17.

This commandment can be viewed as purely concerning human relationships with one another. But it can also be viewed as having a deeper meaning, at least according to "Real Christian" logic. Man is created by God, and is created in God's image. Christians view the taking an innocent life as a direct offense against God.  

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. Genesis 9:6 (ESV)

(It would be a categorical mistake to assume that "man" here excludes unborn babies, because we know that they too are created by God, and made in God's image.)

And we also know (again, following "Real Christian" logic) that the sixth commandment was not abrogated with the New Covenant. Jesus repeats this commandment, and extends it to its fuller meaning.

So, while preventing unborn babies from being condemned to hell is desirable, and it seems like ending their lives before an age of accountability would be an appropriate action, we find that ending an unborn babies life is expressly prohibited, a violation of a direct command from God.

I hope that helps answer your question.

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