My Right to Choose

My Right to Choose

Don’t Take My Right to Choose!

Since 1973, a mother’s right to terminate a pregnancy in the United States has been protected by law.  Many Christians believe the Roe v. Wade decision should be overturned. But should Christians expect everyone, even unbelievers, to be pro-life?

The Bible teaches that every life, even in the womb is precious: “Thou has covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:13-14). But what do we say to people do not share this belief?

The question comes down to one’s view of morality. Is morality formed by the consensus of the majority, or is morality superimposed from a higher authority?

You may have heard that Wikipedia.org has suffered “friendly” sabotage from time to time, by those who artificially introduced content on certain pages that did not square with reality (i.e. existence of pink elephants). This tampering illustrates the fact that if consensus is allowed to determine morality, results can fluctuate with votes not truth. That is not only true of the web; it is true in real life. Just because 51% agree that stealing is now permissible would not make it right, nor would it reduce my angst if my neighbor took something from my garage. Lest you think my examples ridiculous, there have been cultures that practiced stealing as a way of life.[1]

No, the belief in morality is the belief in constants/universals that apply to all people in all places. One such universal is the belief in the dignity of every human life. Our country was founded on such a belief. Thomas Jefferson wrote that our independence was based on the fact that every person has the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It is this fundamental belief that led to the elimination of slavery. And it is this belief that should lead to the end of abortion. Every life should be entitled to the freedoms protected by the Constitution. Civilized cultures have always championed life, not because of consensus, but because it is right. Call it what you will, but a developing, growing fetus is a life inside the womb, no different from a seed which contains the life of a full-grown plant within itself.

The Roe v. Wade decision put the life of the unborn outside the protection of the Constitution, which was the same rational that was used to protect slavery in this country before the Emancipation Proclamation.  No person’s freedom (i.e. a mother’s) should infringe or usurp the freedom of another. This is precisely what abortion does and this is why it is wrong in a moral society, regardless of one’s religious profession. Protecting life at every stage is the right thing in a moral society.

[1] Otto Koning in the Pineapple Story documents that a tribe in Papua New Guinea did not have a rule against stealing.

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