Can a Christian Accept Abortion?

This post contains an argument which I presently believe to be both correct and outrageous. How can that be? Read on.

Sometimes I am confronted with the question, "Can a person be a good Christian and not be opposed to abortion?" Or, to phrase it differently, "Can a Christian be true to his faith and also defend a woman's right to control her own body?"

To understand the question, you must be aware that mainstream Christian orthodoxy holds that we are persons in the sight of God while yet within our mothers' wombs and are still (to all appearances) "unformed substance." If that is true, it must follow that to willfully destroy such a one is to kill a human person.

That being said, it must also be acknowledged that taking the life of another human being is not always murder. There are many circumstances when doing this is justified. So, it does NOT automatically follow that abortion equals murder. The question becomes, "Is the abortion justified?"

Consider the following presuppositions. They are based on conservative evangelical Christian perspectives.

1) Though "born in sin" children are in a state of grace until they reach a capacity (sometimes referred to as the "age of accountability") when they can respond to the salvation given through Jesus Christ.

2) All persons who fail to accept salvation given through Jesus Christ are doomed to spend eternity in hell.

3) More people are going to hell than will be going to heaven.

4) All who die before reaching the age of accountability are taken to heaven.

If one accepts these presuppositions (and they are embraced by nearly all evangelical Christians), then the following conclusions must also be true.

1) Aborted babies never have the chance to reach the age of accountability.

2) Aborted babies go to heaven.

3) If they had lived, the majority of aborted babies would have gone to hell.

It is certainly unchristian to desire more people to go to hell. However, when one takes these premises to their extreme conclusions, one could justify abortion. One could also use the same logic to justify widespread infanticide. Fortunately, something within us says this is wrong. It is so contrary to our God given instincts that we draw the line there.

I said at the beginning, this was an outrageous argument. I also believe it is based upon precepts which are correct.

I am not saying that Christians everywhere should be satisfied that abortion is okay. What I am suggesting is that from an eternal perspective, abortion is not the catastrophe some would make it out to be. It is acceptable to just let the issue alone.

That's my two cents.

Wade Houston
September 2, 2007