Last Update: October 4, 2024
Note: This sets forth my personal view of the abortion issue as of the date of last update. This view is rooted in my belief that human life begins at conception and that baby’s life should be saved except in the case of a severely abnormal pregnancy.
Summary: Indeed we are called to liberty (free will) but let none use or advocate or condone the use of that liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Galatians 5:13). Abortion should be prohibited except for: (1) rape under limited conditions, (2) incest under limited conditions, (3) severe threat to end the physical life of the mother; this does not include mental/psychological, emotional, age, or socio-economic life factors, (4) severe threat to functionality of a major bodily organ of the mother, and (5) a severely deformed baby that life is not reasonably expected to continue outside the womb.
Definition of abortion: An intentional act to cause the death of a baby in the womb or to severely injury the baby so as to necessitate an abortive action. Acts to increase the probability of a live birth or to remove a dead or dying fetus or an ectopic (implantation and growth outside the uterus abnormality) pregnancy shall not be deemed an abortion for purposes of illegal acts.
Key Biblical Concept for Christians (and others) Regarding the Abortion Issue:
In Exodus 11:1-6 God says that the first born of every Egyptian will be killed at midnight. Yet, not a child of the children of Israel will be touched (Exodus 11:7). Similarly, in Numbers 31:17 with respect to avenging the children of Israel regarding their enemy the Midianites (Numbers 31:1-2), Moses instructs the killing of male children (” males of the little ones”) and non-virgin women. In 2 Samuel 12:13-14 God kills David and Bathsheba child of adultery. Note that God permits humans to kill babies of their enemies but not of Israel. Of course, God gives himself the authority to kill children of Israel. This means that under certain circumstances God permits killing of children.
With respect to Exodus 11 and Numbers 31 cited above, that occurred before Christ and the New Covenant. We know that God’s standard before Christ differs from God’s standard under Christ. Both standards are to be considered righteous. However, God has determined to replace the old way with the new way. The new way is to love your enemies not hate them so as to kill them but rather to extend adequate grace to them. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that according to God’s current standard under the New Covenant people who commit rape and incest are not to be considered enemies to the extent that innocent babies they produce should be killed. This means the provisions of Exodus 11 and Numbers 31 cited above do not apply to the issue of abortion
The Bible holds the life of the baby in the womb precious to the point that if a man strikes the woman and causes harm or death to the baby corresponding punishment even unto death shall be given to the man (Exodus 21:22-23, 24-25) who causes the babies injury or even death.
I do not advocate for or support physical harm to anyone getting an abortion or anyone supporting an abortion including medical and legal authorities. Be mindful that inclusion herein of the Exodus 21 reference is in no way intended to be used by a private citizen to advocate for or cause physical harm to an abortionist unless such provisions are established as the law of the land through proper process at the state and/or national level.
The abortion issue requires us to decide under what conditions do we as a nation/society want to allow the killing of children and at what point in the existence of a child we want to allow killing of a child, if any.
Herein I will use the terminology “abnormal pregnancy” for conditions under which an abortion might be allowed.
The following abnormal pregnancies are defined for which we as a nation must decide if they are sufficient reason for abortion:
- Rape
- Incest
- Threat to end mother’s physical life as a self defense measure
- Threat to severely damage one of more functions of the mother’s major bodily organs as a self defense measure
- Threat of a severely deformed baby not reasonably expected to live outside the womb even if available medical technology is used
So then the questions before us are:
- Do we as a society consider rape and incest valid reasons for an abortion and if so at what point in the pregnancy do we no longer consider rape and incest a valid reason for abortion?
- Do we consider a pregnancy that threatens to end the physical life of the woman sufficient reason for an abortion? Note I said physical life. Social, age, financial/economic, emotional, mental/psychological and other factors not of a physical life nature do not qualify for abortion consideration.
- Do we consider a pregnancy that threatens the functionality of a major bodily organ of the woman sufficient reason for an abortion? And if so, what are those major bodily organs and their functionality?
- Do we consider a pregnancy that threatens to result in a severely deformed baby not likely to live outside the womb even with available technology sufficient reason for an abortion? And if so, what do we define as a severe deformity?
- For each of those items what is the earliest and latest at which a decision for an abortion should be made?
An abortionist and participating parent(s) in the absence of a clear and compelling properly validated godly reason for the abortion harms unto death the baby in the womb. Psychological and socio-economic reasons are not godly valid reasons. If the parents do not possess the finances including insurance to sufficiently care for the baby then the government should cover the cost or adoption should be considered. In other words, money shall not be a factor
The “it’s my body” slogan is pure selfish spiritually and intellectually dishonest evil. As Jesus says unto the woman caught in the act of adultery. Neither do I condemn you but go and sin no more. That includes repenting from supporting non-life threatening “it’s my body” attitude based abortions!
Parental and Legal Guardian Involvement Requirement: If the pregnant woman is less than 18 years of age or is otherwise legally incompetent then a parent or legal guardian shall be required to sign off on an abortion. This provision shall not apply to emancipated minors who are otherwise legally competent. This provision shall not apply in the case of a medical emergency. The matter may be brought before the court for decision when parental or guardian competence in this matter is questionable.
Arbitrary abortions should be legally forbidden in our laws as all law should be righteous (Romans 13:1-7). Such abortions like all sin is worthy/important to repent from being mindful of God’s offer of forgiveness (Matthew 3:8-10, 1 John 1:9). In the case of abortions occurring due to conception during biblical fornication or adultery that is adding sin to sin.
The biblical husband/male is the head of the wife/female principle certainly disallows the government (or any person or group) position that the woman is the sole determiner of non-life-threatening abortions.
I support abortions only for the abnormal pregnancy conditions listed above.
Under the principle that a person who commits rape and/or incest may be designated an enemy of the nation/society (Exodus 11:1-7; Exodus 31:17; Deuteronomy 22:25-27), rape and incest may be morally deemed a sufficient reason to take an innocent’s baby’s life if the female so chooses under the limited conditions set below. Moreover, the female should be made aware there are those who may be willing to adopt the baby.
For rape and incest abortions, a framework for limited conditions are set below based on the 2019 Fetal Development Chart available here, as taken from the Virginia Department of Health website. I define minors as persons less than 18 years of age.
a. For both adult and minor, rape must be reasonably legally affirmed prior to the 6th week of pregnancy.
b. For both adult and minor, incest must be reasonably legally affirmed prior to the 6th week of pregnancy.
c. With respect to rape and incest, a sufficient measure of proof is to be required since a woman could claim rape by an unknown person when in fact there has been consensual sex with an unrevealed person. A person is less likely to claim incest if incest has not occurred. A sufficient measure of proof shall also be required for incest cases.
d. With respect to incest and rape, reportedly a DNA test while still pregnant could be used as early as 8-10 weeks to validate a claim. This is greater than the 6th week standard given above. Therefore the DNA test may be use for prosecution purposes. However it may not be used to approve abortions for pregnancies simply based on rape and incest that have achieved the 6th weeks milestone. If technology advances so as a DNA test can be done prior to the 6th week then that DNA test may be used to validate a rape and/or incestuous act has occurred.
With respect to self defense measures, this applies if there is reasonable medical expectation that the baby can be neither birthed nor otherwise safely removed alive without causing loss of mother’s physical life or severe damage to mother ‘s physical health so as to substantially impair a major bodily function through physical disorder, illness, or injury, e.g., causing her to be permanently bedridden.
With respect to baby deformity, this applies if the baby body is so severely damaged and unrepairable that the baby should not be expected to naturally live outside the womb once the umbilical cord is severed and medical technology is not advanced so as to be reasonably expected to sufficiently correct the damage. If the parents do not possess the finances including insurance for such medical technology, then the government should cover the cost. In other words, money shall not be a factor.
Again, the woman’s doctor should be able to determine if an abortion is needed to save the physical life of the mother. However, determination of whether abortion is needed to avoid major bodily injury should be determined by a state approved medical board before an abortion is authorized. State legislatures should not be constitutionally prevented from regulating abortions especially given the rapid changing in medical technologies that aid in maximizing both the mother and baby health.
Abortions should take place in a government regulated hospital or government regulated emergency center not in an abortion specialty clinic which means abortion specialty clinics should not exist. Abortions should not take place in physician’s office or clinic, or free-standing birthing centers or other facilities not serving as general purpose hospitals and emergency centers.
Human life begins at conception. A new creation exists when the sperm meets the egg, at least at the moment a pregnancy is detectable. Conception establishes the existence of a baby child regardless of the technical/medical/scientific terms assigned during various stages of the baby child’s development. This is clearly set forth in Psalm 139:16 which says: “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Here substance refers to the body, unperfect to embryonic stage of development, members to body parts such as arms and legs and continuance to the progressive development after conception. Note that God recorded the existence of the human before even one recognizable human body part (member) was formed.
With regards to the abortion issue, a baby is totally innocent and therefore is to be protected from others. A baby is not the property of the parents to be done with as they please (Galatians 5:13). One of the important tasks of government is to protect the weak against the strong through equitable opportunity. The person in the womb deserves that protection.
There are those that say if arbitrary abortions are illegalized then mothers will turn to “backroom” dangerous abortion places or methods to obtain abortions and risk the mother dying from unsafe abortive acts. Well to them I ask! Do we decriminalize a person’s use of illegal drugs such as cocaine for non-medical purposes because some overdose on such drugs in “backrooms” or other secret places? Do we provide a safe place for people to use cocaine to get high and have doctors there in case they overdose? Of course not! Abortion is no different. With respect to abortion as a part of healthcare benefits, healthcare is about saving lives not taking lives; any healthcare policy should be rooted in the saving lives principle.
What about those who wanted to have a good time but did not intend to get pregnant, no matter the age? Well, those who voluntarily have sex that results in pregnancy should press through the pleasure-pain of raising a child just as they pressed through the pleasure and maybe also pain of that sexual encounter. Families and churches should be bold enough to preach/teach accountability and responsibility. Society should hold them to such.
The following Roe V. Wade specific information was written in 2016 prior to the June 24, 2022 rightful overturn of Roe V. Wade. I include it for historical reasons.
Begin Pre Roe V. Wade Overturn
Generally, in the United States legal community, including the Supreme Court, there is what is called Roe’s three-part “essential holding” in reference to Roe vs. Wade 1973 US Supreme Court decision: First, a woman has the right to choose to have an abortion before fetal viability and to obtain it without undue interference from the State. Second, the State has the power to restrict abortions after viability, if the law contains exceptions for pregnancies endangering the woman’s life or health. And third, the State has legitimate interests from the pregnancy’s outset in protecting the health of the woman and the life of the human fetus (not a dog or cat, etc.) that becomes a child with visible human form/attributes if allowed to live.
First observe that Roe vs. Wade does not deal with nature’s abortive results such as miscarriages or unintentional abortive results on the part of the mother. These are sometimes called spontaneous abortions. Roe vs. Wade was about Person A knowingly and intentionally causing the abortion of a child in the body of Person B. I don’t even think self-abortions are legal under Roe vs. Wade.
Assuming that there is agreement on the definition of viability, the second and third essential holdings are consistent with godly principles relating to the abortion issues provided life and health refers to physical life and physical health of the mother and viability is properly determined. This is due to the right to self defense. Indeed, phycological/mental, emotional, age, and socio-economic life/health are not sufficient reasons for allowing abortion as these do not qualify as physical life/health factors. Rape and incest are exceptions to the physical life/health requirement. Furthermore, viability must be defined as the ability of the baby to live outside the womb and that determination of ability is at a minimum made by more than one independent medical authorities under normal circumstances.
Moreover, if the baby can be birthed naturally or otherwise removed through C-Section or other means and there should be reasonable medical expectation that the baby will survive even if medical technology is initially needed to assist the baby’s outside the womb development then the baby shall be deemed to have viability; this provision does not apply if there is reasonable medical expectation that the baby can be neither birthed nor otherwise safely removed without causing loss of mother’s physical life or severe damage to mother ‘s physical health, e.g., causing her to be permanently bedridden. Bedridden gives me pause given that paralyzed people live but still it is something that law should leave up to the mother I believe.
However, the first essential holding is in direct violation of a number of godly/biblical principles. The first essential holding confers more rights to a woman than God confers upon her. Indeed, it violates the first principle of family which is that man is the head of woman, husband is the head of wife. Thus, the first holding essentially says the father of the child has no say whatsoever over the abortion even in the absence of any compelling medical reason. In other words the first holding says if the woman does not want the baby then she may dispose of it and it is her decision and her decision alone. This is unsound doctrine and is a case where a little leaven leavens the whole lump of family destruction and societal decay into moral depravity. A little sin grows however slowly or however quickly into greater and greater sin in our individual and collective lives. Yes, it is the woman’s body holding the baby. But the man helped put the baby there. More importantly, it is the baby’s body that society should protect against selfish adults and even non-adults. The argument that it’s the woman’s body and so she should be able to do with it what she wants lacks spiritual, intellectual, and legal integrity concerning pregnancy. Of course to abortionist and supporters the unborn is not seemingly human enough or not human at all.
The first essential holding also inherently discards the recognition that sinfulness of humanity will cause some to abort a baby out of convenience and selfishness. This is the same convenience and selfishness based sin that causes a man to rob and kill another person for money. There is no moral difference. Therefore, the first so called essential holding is morally evil and is not essential to a proper basis for abortion.
End Pre Roe V. Wade Overturn
Abortion is a medical procedure certainly. But at its core it is a moral, psychological, and socio-economic issue. The only time an abortion should be considered is when the physical life or physical health of the mother is clearly in severe danger as that would be a case of self-defense. But statistics show that most abortions are rooted in adult conflict and/or money issues. Neither adult conflict or lack of money are righteous or even natural reasons to abort; they are satanic/evil reasons. Humans and governments find money to do everything else they should do so let it be for the babies in the womb. Let faith in God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob in Jesus name prevail over fear of lack. It is intuitively obvious as to the reason people get abortions. Most of those reasons are selfish. The morning after pill recognizes that truth.
Some say that even in a self defense claim the woman should have the faith to not abort. For me it is not a question of faith but a question of self defense and good old fashion common sense. It is the same common sense that Jesus used against the devil in Matthew 4:5-7 when the devil asked Jesus to jump off the pinnacle because Jesus knows God will send angels to catch him. But Jesus said to him Thou shalt not tempt the Lord they God. But if the mother wanted to risk her life to save the baby then I hold as a general rule she should be able to in law and the law should not force her to abort the baby. The reason is self defense is always a personal choice as it directly affects one’s own life against harm by a guilty party though unintentional guilt in this case. On the other hand, arbitrary abortions directly affects an innocent baby’s life.
In conclusion the following moral principles should be core basis for all legal and moral decisions regarding the issue of abortion:
It is godly reasonable to take another person’s life if one’s physical life or physical health is severely threatened. Therefore aborting a baby is justifiable as a last resort when the mother’s physical life or physical health is severely threatened as determined by one or both of the parents and at least two duly authorized and independent medical doctors that specialize in the mother’s medical ailment. In the case of an emergency room incident (or equivalent incident) only one such doctor is required when the mother’s physical life or physical health is clearly in severe danger and time is of the essence such that there is no time to obtain an independent’s doctor’s diagnosis. If the mother is a minor (i.e., under 18 years of age), then one or both parents or legal guardian of the minor shall make all required decisions on behalf of the minor. This principle extends to a minor who is the father. This is because godly principles establish that minors are responsibility of parents and are not sufficiently mature to make such major decisions. Minors have no privacy rights as long as they are minors. The aforementioned emergency circumstances shall apply to minors also.
The above condition is the only condition in which abortion should be legalized. No other abortions are morally justifiable and therefore should not be legally sanctioned. There are people who would adopt the child if unwanted by both parents. Laws should protect the unborn against arbitrary abortions since human sinfulness/weakness will lead many to abort unwanted babies; this is true of even those who are Christians.
I did a study on abortion in which I looked at both prochoice (www.prochoice.org) and prolife (www.nrlc.org) references. An objective analysis of both prochoice and prolife given reasons for abortion will bring you to the same conclusion. Indeed, aborting for monetary purpose is selfish and frivolous although prochoice don’t see it as such. Most abortions are not because the mother’s life is physically in danger. They simply don’t want to deal with the child and/or child’s father. It is just common sense that this is the predominant reason. These sources are listed in the References section below. An interesting historical factsheet may be found at National Right to Life Article – Reasons People Get Abortions
For 2015, according to the CDC abortions by non-Hispanic white women and non-Hispanic black women were 36.9% and 36%, respectively.
For 2021, according to the CDC abortions by non-Hispanic white women, non-Hispanic black women, Hispanic women, and non-Hispanic women otherwise were 30.2%, 41.5%, 21.8% and 6.5%, respectively.
Thus, overall there is statistical equity between whites and blacks in general. However, for 2015 when we look at the critical transitional ages of 15-44 years old, statistical inequity arises as for that age group we have non-Hispanic white women having 6.8 abortions per 1000 live births and non-Hispanic black women having 25.1 abortions per live birth. So it seems at the more stable mature ages of 45+ white and black women abort at a statistically equitable rate. However, it is problematic that at the lower vulnerable ages, there is a four (4) factor statistical inequity.
Update August 2024:
US Supreme Court Standing Ruling Regarding Medication Abortions – June 2024
Fetal Development Chart by State of Virginia — March 2019
How far into the pregnancy can you use the abortion pill? — FDA recommends up to 10 weeks safely but some say longer. Based on the above fetus development chart my preference is that it not be approved for use past the end of the fifth week; that is, use should only take place less than the sixth week of pregnancy. Medical abortions should be used only in case of a qualifying medical condition. It should not be used to promote the support sexual promiscuity.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) Federal Government MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia PDF
IVF involves taking a females eggs and a male’s sperm and allowing fertilization to occur outside the womb. Fertilized eggs can be implanted into the woman after 5-7 days or frozen after 5-7 days for implantation years later. IVF should be used where there is a medical condition that prevents natural baby making. IVF should not be used to support delaying of having a baby while one engages in sexual promiscuity and/or career making. Family making should follow nature not artificiality.
Update July 20, 2024:
For 2020, according to the CDC abortions by non-Hispanic white women, non-Hispanic black women, Hispanic women, and non-Hispanic women otherwise were 32.7%, 39.2%, 21.1% and 7.0%, respectively.
For 2021, according to the CDC abortions by non-Hispanic white women, non-Hispanic black women, Hispanic women, and non-Hispanic women otherwise were 30.2%, 41.5%, 21.8% and 6.5%, respectively.
What the data says about abortion in the U.S. — By Pew Research dated March 25, 2024
Update May 5, 2024:
Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024
This amendment cancels the Arkansas Heartbeat Act which disallows abortions for “it’s my body” reasons once a baby heartbeat is detectable which normally occurs around 5.5 to 6 weeks after conception. This amendment allow abortions for “it’s my body” reasons up to 18-20 weeks (4.5 to 5 months) after conception. This amendment also cancels state legislatures rights to reasonably regulate abortions; this is a very dangerous and unreasonable provision. This amendment has other flaws but should be disapproved just for the 18-20 week factor and the cancelation of state legislatures authorities to regulate abortions.
Update December 2023:
Texas Supreme Court Denies Woman (Kate Cox) An Abortion for Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome)
State of Mississippi Info Sheet on Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome)
Update July 24, 2022:
On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling rightly overturning Roe v. Wade. Now the battle is at the state level.
Update August 10, 2021:
The US Supreme Court has scheduled to hear a case sometime during its October 2021 – September 2022 term involving the State of Mississippi which could end up overturning the Roe vs Wade decision of 1973. The State of Mississippi is apparently asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade.
The State of Mississippi Legal Brief states: “Overruling Roe and Casey makes resolution of this case straightforward. The Mississippi law here prohibits abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation, with exceptions for medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality. That law rationally furthers valid interests in protecting unborn life, women’s health, and the medical profession’s integrity. It is therefore constitutional. If this Court does not overrule Roe and Casey’s heightened-scrutiny regime outright, it should at minimum hold that there is no pre-viability barrier to state prohibitions on abortion and uphold Mississippi’s law. The court of appeals’ judgment affirming a permanent injunction of the State’s law should be reversed.”
I would rather the law prohibit abortion earlier than 15 weeks gestation and indeed at the point of conception except in those cases where the mother’s physical (not socio-economic) life is clearly in imminent danger of death. For me, the issue of severe fetal abnormality is applicable only when such abnormality clearly endangers the mother’s physical life to the point of imminent death of the mother; otherwise let the fetus either live or die naturally, No socio-economic consideration is applicable even in the case of fetal abnormality less integrity demands socio-economics be applicable when the fetus is normal. However, the Mississippi law 15 weeks prohibition is better than 16+ weeks prohibition.
State of Mississippi vs Jackson Women Health Organization, et al, References: (This is essentially about moving abortion decision back to the people (Federal vs States Rights); abortion access will probably depend on Red vs Blue States.
The State of Mississippi Legal Brief Dated July 22, 2021
US Supreme Court Docket Files for Case 19-1392 – The State of Mississippi vs Jackson WHO
State of Mississippi Supreme Court Oral Arguments Transcript
Government References:
CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2020
Source for CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2020
CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2018
Source for CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2018
CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2015
Source for CDC Abortion Surveillance Statistics for 2015
Legal References:
Supreme Court Decision – Roe v. Wade of 1973
Supreme Court Decision on Partial Birth Abortions Act
Freedom of Choice Act (Proposed) – Is bad proposed legislation that does not fix what’s wrong with abortion legislation but instead potentially moves it further into unsound doctrine. Encourage congress to not pass this act but to instead fix what’s wrong with the abortion laws.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Military Abortion Case of 1970
Other References:
When Does a Fetus Feel Pain? NIH WebMD
Few Rape and Incest Abortions – According to a USA Today 2019 Article as one would expect rape and incest account for relatively few abortions in the universe of abortions. This article estimates rape to be about 1% and incest to be about .5%. Of course, statistics are not precise; but, they provide a reasonable approximation as to what is probably going on.
Incest and Abortion — Added August 4, 2024
Pro-Choice Article of Women Who Have Abortions
The link is to a copy of info I took off the prochoice website earlier located at https://prochoice.org/education-and-advocacy/about-abortion/abortion-facts/. When one day confirming the link on 9/27/2020 on their website I noticed that they have redone their website and the document is no longer located where it was. Whether it is still there somewhere I don’t know. I may later look at their site to see.
But I have learned to make a copy of such info as I know organizations redo their sites and delete and/or move things around all the time. The document is based on data captured somewhere between 2000 and 2012 when I first looked at it. I am confident the information conclusions of that document is current as human nature has not changed. Again, common sense tells us that. Indeed, I don’t readily see anything stating otherwise on their current website.
Under the section entitled “MYTH: Women have abortions for selfish or frivolous reasons”, the article proudly says: “The decision to have an abortion is rarely simple. Most women base their decision on several factors, the most common being lack of money and/or unreadiness to start or expand their families due to existing responsibilities.” Those are selfish and frivolous (childish, flimsy) reasons and have nothing to do with the mother physical life being in imminent danger. Those reasons are about her mental and socio-economic life which to me do not qualify according to biblical principles (e.g.,1 Tim 6:10). So then, a very small percentage of abortions are for reasons where the mother’s physical life is in imminent danger. Even the abortion advocates admit. Of course, common sense tells us that first and foremost.
Reasons for Divorce – 2013 Survey
National Right to Life Article – Reasons People Get Abortions Saved PDF (in case link to left is broken)
New York State Reproductive Health Act (S2796)
New York Catholics Comments on New York S2796
State of Mississippi Info Sheet on Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome)
Supreme Court Refuses to Block Texas Abortion Restrictions in 2021