What may very well be a possibly overwhelming majority of Christians stand by the idea that abortion is a sin. Many go much further than that, calling it murder and a crime against God. However, no theological argument is really very good without some grounds in the Holy Texts being argued within. Therefore, pro-lifers have strenuously searched for verses to be construed as anti-abortion. Here are some of the more popular ones:
1)
Genesis 9:5-7, NIV
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made man.
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.
2)
3)
Psalms 139:13-14, NIV
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
There are a number of other, less used verses, such as “Blood is life” etcetera. However, all of these minor verses can be debunked by taking a quick look at these major verses in context of the Bible and debunking them.
1) The first verse quoted has two arguments in it. First is the “don’t shed a man’s blood, or by man shall your blood be shed” argument. This can be easily debunked by looking at the laws created by God in the books of Deuteronomy, Exodus, or Leviticus. In verses such as Exodus 21:22-25, we can clearly see that not only is a fetus not considered “man”, but the punishment for accidental miscarriage is merely a fine. A fetus is property!
Exodus 21:22-25, NIV
If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely, but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
The second argument in those verses is that we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, and abortion doesn’t do that. However, that was directed at Noah and his family after the flood. We can see in the New Testament that, as Paul says, virginity is okay, despite the fact that staying a virgin is not being fruitful and multiplying.
2) The verse “Thou shall not kill” was quoted from the KJV for a reason. Most other modern translations don’t have that error. The correct translation, as seen in the NIV, is “Thou shall not
murder” (emphasis added). As we can see, again referring to the Jewish law, the punishment for murder is always death. However, the punishment for killing a fetus is a fine. Those two punishments aren’t quite the same.
3) The knitting verses, both in Psalms and similar ones in Job, are an extremely popular Biblical ammunition for pro-lifers. However, they fail to take into account something: the soul. It is obvious through natural miscarriages as well as several Bible verses that the fetus does not have a soul. Adam’s creation was not complete until God breathed into him and gave him a soul. In Ezekiel, the same thing occurs in a vision he has.
Ezekiel 37:9, NIV
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’"
The bones needed breath to live. There are a number of verses that show God using miscarriage as punishment, and allowing the Jews to kill infants in wars. Also, Jewish law stated that a baby was not even considered a person until at least 30 days of survival.
Rabbi Balfour Brickner, National Director of the Commission on Interfaith Activities
Jewish law is quite clear in its statement that an embryo is not reckoned a viable living thing (in Hebrew, bar kayama) until thirty days after its birth. One is not allowed to observe the Laws of Mourning for an expelled fetus. As a matter of fact, these Laws are not applicable for a child who does not survive until his thirtieth day.
Knowing these things, that God consistently does not consider a fetus a person throughout the entirety of the Old Testament (which is to be noted the only place pro-lifers tend to get their verses), and that breath is required for the soul, we can safely say that being pro-choice is not a grievous sin in the eyes of God. And if a pro-lifer ever gives you major troubles about your beliefs, this verse is a great way to make them stay quiet.
2 Timothy 2:23-24, NIV
Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
