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Marriage and Family Life: The EarlyYears

procedure.Thoughitisuncommon,itis

possibletocausescarringintheuterusor

weakenthecervix(theentrancetothe

uterus)resultinginsubsequentpregnancy

problems(Pruthi,2007).More

controversialthanabortionislate-termor

partial-birthabortionswhichare

performedaftertheageof viability(theage

atwhichababycouldsurviveoutsidethe

womb). Late-termabortionshavebeen

bannedin36statesand13statesban

abortionsafteracertainnumberof weeks,

usually24(GuttmacherInstitute,2009).

We can read about God’s relationship

with the unborn throughout the Old and

New Testament.For instance:“...I,the

LORD,made you,and I will not forget you”

(Isaiah 44:24).“I knew you before I

formed you in your mother’s womb.

Before you were born I set you apart and

appointed you as my prophet to the

nations”(Jeremiah 1:5).“You made all the

delicate,inner parts of my body and knit

me together in my mother’s womb”

(Psalm 139:13).“But even before I was

born,God chose me and called me by his

marvelous grace...”(Galatians 1:15).

Knowing the Scriptures,as Christians,

we can still struggle with how to respond

to the abortion issue.We may have our

answers down pat until it becomes a

personal issue,such as when a close friend

or loved one experiences an unwanted

pregnancy that would devastate her

current life,or is told she is carrying a

severely deformed child.Then maybe we

aren’t quite so sure of our answers.

BasedonasermonbyHamilton,a

youngPresbyterianpastor,therearethree

thingswemustkeepinmindasweform

ourChristianresponsetoabortion(2003).

One,theGospelfavorswomenand

children.Jesustreatedwomenasthinking

people,worthyof respect,despitethefact

thatitwascontrarytothecultureof the

SIDEBAR6.2
When Is It Really A Baby?

Acoupleofyearsago,aCanadiangoosedecided
to nest outside our office door. At that time,
though plentiful in the area, Canadian Geese
were on the endangered list and so were
protected by law.As soon as she laid an egg,she
became vicious with anyone coming or going
outoftheoffice.Shewouldleavethenestandfly
into people on the sidewalk entrance with such
force that in addition to scaring them to death,
would leave large bruises anyplace she was able
tostrikewithherpowerfulbill.Becausethiswas
anofficeandpeopleneededtocomeandgo,the
Department of Natural Resources was called.
The response of the DNR? The egg is protected
under the law and anyone tampering with or
disturbingthateggcouldbeprosecuted.Youcan
moveagoosebeforeshelaysanegg,butoncethe
eggislaid,it isprotectedfrom removal.
I have questioned since that time how we as
humans can view a newly laid goose egg as a
goose, with all the same rights and protection,
yet we as humans grapple with when a baby is
reallyababy.Isitatconception?whentheheart
beginstobeataround5weeks?orwhenthebaby
could survive outside the mother’s uterus?
Sometimes I just don’t understand human
logic.—A confusedprivatepracticetherapist