Of Fallen Kings and Redefining Humanity

I'm one of those religious people who tries to learn from the Scriptures and apply it to today. Weird huh? So, let's talk about a Scripture story.

David. You remember him, good guy. He took out Goliath with a sling and a stone. He was anointed by a prophet of God to be the king over the United Tribes of Israel. Usually when you think of David you think of his defeat of the giant. But, I also think alot can be learned from his downfall.

What did David do that caused his downfall? Most people would cite his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. Reading about the circumstances that led to that sin one can certainly see several things David could have done differently. For heavens sake if you see the woman bathing, have some decency and get off the roof. But, I digress. David committed adultery. But, I believe that there is a pathway back into the good graces of God. It is called repentance. David could have chosen to own up to his sin and start on the pathway to true and cleansing repentance.

But, David did something worse. Bathsheba ended up pregnant. David tried to cover it up unsuccessfully. He then essentially resorted to murder. He had Bathsheba's husband Uriah strategically placed in battle so that he would be killed during the fight. And that shall we say is the rest of the story. David resorted to having an innocent person killed, so he would not have to take responsibility for his previous actions. This destroyed him. He suffered the consequences of it for the rest of his life.

I submit that this story has quite to do with one of the great social ills of our age, the accepted and defended practice of abortion. Abortion as it is practiced now is the killing of an innocent being in order to avoid the consequence and responsibility of previous actions.

If and when we do get rid of the practice I believe that 150 years later society will look back at the practice with the same repugnancy and disgust that we look back on slavery now.

Why bring up slavery? Well, I see some similarities. Those who continued to promote this evil practice rationalized it in several ways. One of the particularly eye-opening ways was in the redefinition of humanity. A slave was considered 1/3 of a person. Basically slaves were not viewed as a viable human being so they could be treated however anyone would like. That is completely offensive and disgusting, but it was a social reality.

Pro-choice activists refer to babies in the womb as fetuses, not viable humans. This provides rationale for their being treated in whatever way a person chooses. It provides for a person to rationalize denying a tiny human life in order to, as David did, absolve themselves of responsibility for previous actions.

Many pro-choice activists tout the necessity for abortion for health reasons or in response to rape and incest. I agree abortion may be an appropriate choice in those circumstances. However, looking at the majority of the excuses of abortion medical necessity and rape or incest are an exceedingly small percentage. No, the vast majority do as David they try to escape consequences and responsibility. However, just as it did with David those actions stay with a person for the rest of their life.

I've heard the argument before asking if pro-lifers would be willing to take responsibility for all the children of unwanted pregnancies. That is such an ignorant argument. One who brings that up is completely ignoring how many parents there are who desperately want to adopt. These "unwanted" children are anything but.

In my work as a counselor this has been something I have unfortunately come across. The pain of an abortion procedure is not merely physical, the emotional ramifications are large and lasting.

There is no rationale or justification that can be abided in the matter. Choose life. The consequences of that choice? peace and good conscious.