This article was originally posted in May of 2022. It is being reposted as a reminder of the failures and evils of the "pro-life" establishment.
If you read this blog space regularly, you know that we have often mentioned modern evangelicalism's propensity to employ "nuance" and "winsomeness" in the culture in a perverted attempt to provide witness to those who are without Christ. You know that it is an effort to gain the favor of the world and you also know that it won't work because "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9. A condition such as this (desperately sick) requires transformation, not mere "tweaks" or "adjustments". Clarity and forthrightness are essential for proper diagnosis and healing treatment to occur.
So, cue evangelicalism once again.
Louisiana state representative, Danny McCormick (R), introduced HB813, known as the "Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act". Essentially, the bill, which did not pass, would have provided protection for life, beginning at conception, by banning abortion in the state and offering the legal status of personhood to the fertilized egg. This means that anyone who participates in ending that life would be subject to the laws of the State of Louisiana concerning murder. Of this bill, McCormick said "This is a thorny political question, but we all know that it is actually very simple. Abortion is murder."
To the Bible believer, it is very easy to arrive at this conclusion. We see the following:
Exodus 20:13 - "You shall not murder".
Exodus 21:22-25 - “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."
Ezekiel 18:20 - "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."
But I don't expect the godless to adhere to God's law. I understand why the bill did not pass. What I don't understand is why seventy, yes (70), pro-life organizations (including the March for Life, National Right-to Life, the Arkansas Right-to-Life and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC) wrote an open letter to all state legislators opposing the bill! Their reasoning is that mothers should not be criminalized for the murder of their child because they, too, are victims.
You may read the entire letter and see its signatories HERE . Some quotes from it -
"Women are victims of abortion and require our compassion and support as well as ready access to counseling and social services in the days, weeks, months, and years following an abortion."
"As national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women, and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that we do not support any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women and we stand firmly opposed to include such penalties in legislation."
"We will continue to oppose legislative and policy initiatives that criminalize women who seek abortions, and we will continue to work for initiatives that protect unborn children and policies that provide and strengthen life-affirming resources for abortion-vulnerable women."
"We call upon all pro-life legislators to stand with us. We ask you to continue to act with love and compassion toward abortion-vulnerable women. We urge you to reject any measure that seeks to criminalize women who have abortions."
So, even if a law is passed making abortion illegal and recognizing fertilized eggs as humans, the women who defy the law and take the life of their child should not be subject to criminal penalty? Friends, this is senseless! With reasoning such as this, no one is ever guilty of any crime because everyone is a victim in some form. Many have grown up without proper instruction, which was no fault of their own, so their crimes should not be attributed to them? Lord, help us! This bears semblance to the theft laws in San Francisco, which is now the "Shoplifter's Paradise". What is the point of a law if there are no penalties for breaking it? What, exactly are we fighting for, then?
This is entirely wrong! It is doubtless that mothers are victims of godlessness in a society that has long preached that this behavior is to be tolerated, even celebrated, but mothers who take the life of their child are not innocent. They are guilty. Guilty of the murder of a life that God has created and given to them to nurture. There is no other position that can be taken if we are to be consistent with what Scripture teaches! Could there be extenuating circumstances that factor in? Certainly! This is why we have a justice system...to bring to trial and then to assess guilt and punishment in proper proportion to the offence. But we cannot call these people innocent. Why? Because God does not call them innocent.
Folks, we cannot claim a "higher knowledge" than what He possesses nor can we call "love and compassion" what He calls hatred and deceitfulness. This approach gives a perception of righteousness, but is, in fact, an attempt to be god.
What these women need is the truth. The gospel. They need to hear - “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?" (Ezekiel 18:21-23). This is the answer! This is their healing! This is the Good News!
But we have decided not to tell them that. We have decided that, as Rep. McCormick said, this issue is too "thorny". We have decided that we cannot speak to these matters because we don't understand the complexity. We have decided that our sense of justice is more loving than God's. We have, in effect, decided that the gospel of Jesus alone is just not quite enough to save these ladies. We have added to it and have invited judgment upon ourselves (Revelation 22:18-19).
May God grant us repentance!
Pastor Jeremy |
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