The Denial and Destruction of God's Image

Like many Western nations, Australia is in the grip of an abortion epidemic which has no sign of abating.  Recently, a midwife was called to testify before a Parliamentary Inquiry in our home state of Queensland.  I will share details of her testimony shortly.  Before I do that, it is important to establish the applicable laws in Queensland as it concerns abortion.

The Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 states that termination of pregnancy is a legal medical procedure in Queensland.  For a woman up to 22 weeks pregnant she may request a termination for any reason.  However, if a woman is more than 22 weeks pregnant, the law requires that two doctors must consider all relevant circumstances and agree the termination should be performed. The doctors must consider the medical circumstances relating to the woman and her pregnancy, including her current and future physical, psychological and social circumstances and any professional standards and guidelines that are relevant.

Returning to the aforementioned testimony, a midwife recently provided a disturbing insight into the practice of allowing babies to die after a failed abortion procedure.  This is a transcript from part of her statement:  “The process began in the morning with misoprostol given throughout the day. The process took all day, and the baby was only delivered during the early hours of a night shift where skeleton staff was on duty.  This baby moved vigorously, gasped for breath and had a palpable heart rate to make it clear this baby was alive. It was over 400 grams, but the baby was a good weight.  The parents of this baby did not desire to see or hold this baby. Midwives and doctors were left holding this little life while they continued to provide care for other women who were birthing and welcoming their babies into the world.  This baby boy fought for his life for five hours before taking his final breath. This is not an uncommon occurrence.”

As a result of the Inquiry and other campaigns initiated by the Australian Christian Lobby, a Federal Government Senator introduced an Urgency Motion in the Australian Federal Parliament with a view to gaining momentum on the introduction of legislation requiring medical care to be provided to babies born alive after an unsuccessful abortion.  Urgency Motions are permitted in situations where there is an urgent issue which a Senator wishes to bring to the attention of Parliament.  However, since Australia is also struggling with a far-left agenda which has infected its political system, it was perhaps no surprise to see the motion defeated by a vote of 18 to 32.  Perhaps somebody should remind Australian Senators of the preamble of the Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified under resolution of the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, which states: “Bearing in mind that, as indicated in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, ‘the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth’.” 

Although our modern society would point to its progressive values in allowing a woman to apply the oft-quoted mantra, “my body, my choice” this is far from a modern idea.  In fact, infanticide was legally and morally supported in the Graeco-Roman world.  For instance, in the Twelve Tables of Roman Law, Table IV Paternal Power states that: “A notably deformed child shall be killed immediately.” Likewise, the wealthy first century Roman philosopher Seneca once wrote, “We doom scabby sheep to the knife, lest they should infect our flocks. We destroy monstrous births, and we also drown our children if they are born weakly or unnaturally formed; to separate what is useless from what is sound is an act, not of anger, but of reason.”

Sadly, the reasons for infanticide some 2,000 years ago are exactly the same applied today: parental poverty, limiting the size of a family and congenital defects.  Tellingly, just as it was then, so it is today – mankind convinces himself that this is done in the name of mercy, reason and logic.  This goes to prove that the cruelty of mankind has not changed in 2,000 years.  The only thing that has changed is the method of the cruelty and the sheer volume of it.

Even more frustrating than the complete disregard for babies inside and outside the womb is the fact that the secular world uses the Word of God against us, even though they don’t believe in it.  In a 2014 Time magazine article I stumbled across, the author claimed that, “It shouldn’t matter what the Bible says about abortion.  The United States is not a theocracy.  Still, given the certitude of abortion opponents that abortion violates God’s Word, it might come as a surprise that neither the Old Testament nor the New mentions abortion—not one word.”  The author goes on to state that, “The New Testament was a second chance for God to make himself clear about abortion….But he said nothing about abortion. Neither did Saint Paul, or the other New Testament authors, or any of the later authors whose words were interpolated into the original texts.”  Sadly, this author is playing word games to justify a personal agenda.

I believe it is abundantly clear from Scripture that life begins at conception.  Yet, it appears that most people are now content to allow the medical and political class to determine what life is and when it begins.  Consensus may be the prevailing moral, medical and political guide of our age but God’s law will always take precedence, whether mankind accepts that or not.  You can ignore it, rebel against it, discredit it or deny it.  Nevertheless, God’s law is the standard by which mankind’s actions will be judged.

In closing, to any woman who has undergone an abortion, there is hope and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.  Abortion not only affects the baby, it also deeply affects the mother, leaving long-term physical and emotional scars.  This is something that abortion providers do not understand and do not wish to speak about it.  Yes, abortion is a tragedy.  But God’s gift of grace and forgiveness extended through Jesus Christ is there for all to grasp:  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).