As if merely being the daughter of Bill and Hill didn’t bring enough negative attention into her life, Chelsea Clinton seems determined to continually open mouth and insert foot. The former first daughter recently spoke adamantly in favor of legal abortion while making some ridiculous arguments in the process.
Chelsea Clinton declared an end to legal abortion both unconscionable and unchristian. Sorry, Chelsea, but you understand this issue about as well as your mom does the 2016 election.
Unconscionable
“When I think about all of the statistics that are painful – what women are confronting today in our country and what even more women confronted pre-Roe and how many women died and how many more women were maimed because of unsafe abortion practices, we just can’t go back to that. That’s unconscionable to me.”
There’s nothing wrong with feeling compassion for people who suffer. However, this very common “pro-choice” argument ignores one simple truth of human existence: We have free will, but every choice we make comes with its own set of consequences. Some of those are good; many are not.
Pregnancy is not a choice. It’s a consequence. Having sex is a choice – one which quite often results in pregnancy. And just as pregnancy is a possible consequence anytime a man and woman have intercourse, so too are severe injury and even death the possible consequences of DIY abortions. Is it sad that women suffer because of attempted abortions that have gone horribly awry? Of course. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are all liable to the natural consequences of our actions.
Unchristian
“I’m sure that this will unleash another wave of hate in my direction, but as a deeply religious person, it’s also unchristian.”
There are a number of scriptures that people like to present as arguments against abortion, but many have other possible meanings. There is one, however, that makes it quite clear whether or not an unborn child is considered a living human being in the eyes of God – and both sides like to use it.
The left loves misrepresenting this particular passage from Exodus. In 2012, Dr. Rick Lowery, Ph.D., misused it – as well as a few other passages – to make the argument that God doesn’t consider the unborn to be living people.
His HuffPost bio describes him as a “Writer, Biblical scholar, Disciples of Christ Minister.” I’m not sure what it takes to be considered a “Biblical scholar,” but apparently an understanding of scripture isn’t necessary. Here’s how he presented the passage:
“Exodus 21:22-25 describes a case where a pregnant woman jumps into a fight between her husband and another man and suffers injuries that cause her to miscarry. Injuries to the woman prompt the normal penalties for harming another human being: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. Killing the woman is murder, a capital crime.
The miscarriage is treated differently, however — as property loss, not murder. The assailant must pay a fine to the husband. The law of a life for a life does not apply. The fetus is important, but it’s not human life in the same way the pregnant woman is.”
Like most leftists – including Chelsea Clinton, apparently – he has it entirely backward. Here’s what the Bible actually says on the matter:
“(22) 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.
(23) And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
(24) Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
(25) Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
That’s the King James Version; many modern translations, such as the popular English Standard Version, describe fruit departing and mischief occurring in more contemporary language:
“(22) When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine.
(23) But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life,
(24) eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
(25) burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Please note, Chelsea Clinton et al., a few points:
- This entire example falls under the “Laws about murder and strife” section. Property law doesn’t begin until chapter 22.
- The woman’s husband doesn’t have to be one of the fighters, and the injuries to the woman don’t have to be intentional. She can be hit accidentally, and it’s treated just as seriously as if they attacked her deliberately.
- Even if the child is born prematurely and no harm is otherwise done, the woman’s husband gets to fine whoever hit her, up to whatever amount he wants that a judge wouldn’t find unreasonable.
- If the baby suffers any injury, it is to be returned in kind to the man who hit her. If the baby dies, he is to be put to death.
This isn’t about a voluntary abortion or a deliberate attack on the woman. This is an extreme “rare case” example used in much the same way abortion proponents use the rape and incest argument – but to make the opposite point. There are also variables that seem to have been intentionally neglected. The two men may be related to her in some way – or not. The fight could drift to her unintentionally – or she could jump in to stop the two men. The point is that it doesn’t matter why the woman is hit and gives birth prematurely; the punishments are the same.
Unborn children are alive enough to God that if a man accidentally causes a miscarriage in his foolishness, it should cost him his life. What, then, should be the punishment for voluntary abortion?
Redemption
Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the law, paying the blood debt required of sin. He took all the sins of the world upon himself. The price has been paid; we merely have to believe that and accept it.
This means that no living person capable of thought is beyond redemption – no matter what they’ve done. Even murder can be forgiven. That’s a tough pill for many Christians to swallow, but it’s scriptural. Moses beat a man to death in a fit of rage. David lusted after another man’s wife, so he had the man killed and took her for himself. Paul had a hand in the murder of countless Christians. Whether he carried them out or not, he was involved in executions while persecuting early Christians. Yet all three were forgiven – and even called into service by God!
Abortion, as heinous as it is, can be forgiven, though it must still be recognized as sin – as murder. It is allowing and excusing abortion that is both unconscionable and unchristian.
