This is an anniversary year for the disastrous Roe vs.. Wade decision. Since it is also an election year, the rhetoric seems to be magnified. Even though our laws and common sense tell us that an unborn life is still a life, we continue to sacrifice doing the correct thing on the altar of convenience.
Let's look at some facts. In our legal system, if a drunk driver strikes and kills a pregnant woman, he or she will be charged and convicted of a double homicide.
The precedence set by such decision is a recognition that a life in the womb is considered a viable human life and reckless conduct on the part of another that results in the cession of that unborn life is in fact involuntary manslaughter.
Yet this same law gives women the right to end that same life under the guise that until actual birth, it is not a life at all. This is a logical and legal inconsistency.
Of course there is the standard argument that a woman has the right to control what happens in her own body. This argument is fallacious on so many levels. While it seems to work in this one area of the human reproductive life, try that argument in other areas. "It's my body, I have the right to fill it with illegal drugs if I want." That argument will not stand up in court and we all know it.
Now, one may try to argue that I'm comparing apples with oranges here.
We all know that drug and alcohol abuse ends up affecting other lives than just the person claiming the right to destroy their own bodies with these substances. Drug addicts many times turn to crime to support their habits.
Alcoholics who drink and drive kill more people on our highways each year than have been killed in the last three wars combined. That's the proverbial apple.
The proverbial orange is that women who decide on an abortion hurt no one. The argument that, "I have the right to do with my own body what I wish," even if we grant that contention, the argument falls short because in the long run their decision to abort does affect another. It is not the woman who is losing her life by that decision; it is an unborn, innocent child. This argument of personal right over one's own body might be considered valid by some, but when the deed is done, the "right" that was exercised ends the right of another human being altogether. It's like the story of the chicken and the pig. "The pig and the chicken were on their way to breakfast, trying to decide what to have. When chicken said, Let's have ham and eggs. The pig then replied, That's fine for you, it's a small donation on your part, but it's a total sacrifice for me."
That's pretty much what the "my body, my right" argument is. It may be even a difficult sacrifice on the woman's part, but it is still a total sacrifice on the baby's part. Even in ancient Israel the viability of the unborn child was recognized (See Exodus 21:22-23).
Some, reading this column may have already had an abortion. What about you? I cannot know the emotional agony and pain you may have gone through.
I cannot know the desperation you may have felt when you made that difficult decision. I can't feel your pain, but I know one who can. I know that God still loves you and he can and will forgive you if you will turn to him.
Perhaps you are reading this article and you even now are struggling with a decision to keep or abort your baby. I want you to know there are people in the community who care for you and want to help you.
Rockdale County Crisis Pregnancy Center is a wonderful resource that we enjoy in our local area. They can help. You are not alone.
Dr. John Pearrell is pastor of Gateway Community Church. Write him in care of the church at 11677 Brown Bridge Road Covington, GA, 30016. Send e-mail to john.pearrell@gatewaycommunity.org
