The bible on Abortion

[Pantagruel]

Taken from "Freedom from religion"

"The word "abortion" does not appear in any translation of the bible!

Out of more than 600 laws of Moses, none comments on abortion. One Mosaic law about miscarriage specifically contradicts the claim that the bible is antiabortion, clearly stating that miscarriage does not involve the death of a human being. If a woman has a miscarriage as the result of a fight, the man who caused it should be fined. If the woman dies, however, the culprit must be killed:

"If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

"And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth . . ."--Ex. 21:22-25

The bible orders the death penalty for murder of a human being, but not for the expulsion of a fetus.

When Does Life Begin?

According to the bible, life begins at birth--when a baby draws its first breath. The bible defines life as "breath" in several significant passages, including the story of Adam's creation in Genesis 2 , when God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Jewish law traditionally considers that personhood begins at birth.

Desperate for a biblical basis for their beliefs, some antiabortionists cite obscure passages, usually metaphors or poetic phrasing, such as: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5 This is sexist, but does nothing other than to invoke original sin. It says nothing about abortion.

The Commandments, Moses, Jesus and Paul ignored every chance to condemn abortion. If abortion was an important concern, why didn't the bible say so?"

[FiveGoodMen]

1. The bible "says" -- or at least, means -- whatever the preachers and theologians claim it does

That's what makes it so useful.

[BigmanPigman]

2. I am leaving Freedom From Religion some money when I die.

People leave money to religious organizations, churches, etc but hardly anyone donates to this group in comparison.

"I am not afraid of burning in Hell" -as Ron Reagan Jr likes to say.

[TomSlick]

3. See. Numbers 5:11.

The passage can be read as requiring the priest to administer a potential abortifacient as a test for an allegedly unfaithful wife.

To the contrary, I read the passage as imposing a presumption of innocence against an allegation of adultery (a capitol offense under Mosaic law) since dust from the floor is not an abortifacient. Unless God intervened to establish guilt, the accused wife is exonerated. Nevertheless, if God intervened, the result is an abortion.

I have searched for years for some biblical basis for a claim that abortion is forbidden by scripture. There simply is none. As the OP notes, any reasonable reading of what I refer to as the Old Testament requires the contrary conclusion. Again, as noted in the OP, there is no reference to Jesus speaking to the issue. Similarly, Paul (an apparent misogynist) felt compelled to write against many activities of which he disapproved, said nothing about abortion. The Church has opposed abortion for centuries but there is simply no biblical basis for the prohibition.

I take a lawyer's view: Nulla poena sine lege certa - there is to be no penalty without well-defined law. I.e., if God meant to prohibit abortion, she would have said so.

[Nitram]

4. The concept of an unborn fetus being a person with rights of any kind is a modern conservative

invention.