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But What About Victims of Rape and Incest? Sep 30 2008
"You shall not murder." - Exodus 20:13
Even some dedicated pro-lifers discuss exceptions to their stand against abortion. For instance, what about an unwed teenager who is raped? Or a victim of incest? Surely abortion needs to be considered then, doesn't it? While we certainly need to show great compassion and caring for anyone in that difficult dilemma, we also must recognize that we can never remedy one sin by committing another sin. Two wrongs never make a right.
For one thing, abortion is just not a solution to the problem; it only compounds the horror. Even if the child is aborted, the horrible psychological consequences remain. As Christians, we must go beyond stopping the abortion, we must also focus on the victims' other needs. Adoption is certainly important, but so is providing the mother with financial assistance, child-care options, health care, job training, and most of all - ongoing Christian counseling to help her deal with this horrible sin.
Even these services will not completely remove the devastation caused by rape. But abortion solves nothing; in fact it only adds to the victim's inner turmoil. No matter how horrific is an evil against man, God can always bring good out of that life situation when we seek to do things His way. Christianity is for life and victory over death.
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5 Comments
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Yes, report it NevermindIt is never right to abort a child, but I san understandwhy some people feel that there are situations that warrent it. I am sure it is very difficult to carry a child that was conceived by rape or incest, but that still doesn't change the fact that the life in question has a right to live. If the parent feels that they cannot raise the child, then let the child be adopted. You never know what great things that child can accomplish.
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Yes, report it NevermindThese types of arguments for abortion miss the real root of the issue. There are two important questions to ask someone. First, do you believe the unborn is a human person from the moment of conception? If they answer no, or they are not sure, then I would like to know what it is that they think the woman is carrying. The second question: Do you believe that every person has intrinsic value? If you can get them to agree to both of these premises, they cannot in good conscience think that a woman has the right to kill her unborn child.
As far as reasons like rape and incest, I like a tactic that Greg Koukl uses. He calls it "Trotting out the toddler". In other words, would a woman have a right to kill her 1 year old baby if she thinks, "every time I look at my child it reminds me of the man who did this". No, because it would obviously be murder. If you put things in that perspective, it helps to shed light on the "choice" a woman is really making.
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Yes, report it NevermindGod is in the business of taking the broken fragments of life left over from evil and violent acts and making something good come out from them. Human life is God's highest creation and if it can be recognized as a gift under any circumstances it seems we humans would be on the right track. Only God knows the vastness of the goodness He intends from the life conceived through such evil acts.
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Yes, report it NevermindI can't begin to imagine the strength it would take a woman to carry a baby that was concieved during a rape. But women have done it. Thousands of them. Sometimes doing the right thing is incredibly difficult. Good thing we can trust God's strength to get us through those times.
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Yes, report it NevermindAgain, credit to RFTH for taking on an explosive issue with Christian love. Almost 2 years ago my 19 year old unwed daughter found out how unreliable "birth control" pills really are. Having been raised in a Christian family, she never even considered abortion although many who "cared for her" encouraged that option. Today, we have a beautiful precious 7 month oldgrandson. It is not easy for anyone, but the blessing he brings outweighs any "inconvenience" we all share. The father is still involved with his son, but whether he and my daughter marry is going to be up to them. Either way, the child will be raised with love and hopefully he will grow up to serve and please God. As for rape and incest; I cannot even imagine the agony of that situation. I do know that James Robinson, a major theologian in Texas, who has changed many lives and has been spiritual counsel to Presidents is the product of a rape. If you don't know his story, you might find it very inspirational. He wrote a book called "The Absolutes".