Re: The Abortion of God's temple

Gary Collins (etlgycs@etl.ericsson.se)
Thu, 12 Feb 1998 07:24:59 GMT

Yes, I would say that none of us has the right to "play God," to decide when
a human life is not worthy to be lived. Maybe the biblical statement that
"the life is in the blood" is relevant here, in which case the age would be
very early indeed, less than two weeks, if my memory serves me right (I could
check up on that). And the closely associated statement that God will demand
accounting for any blood that is shed. My personal conviction is that an
individual is essentially formed from the point of fertilisation (though
obviously not a _conscious_ individual at that point. Any point chosen from
then on is, in my opinion, arbitrary, since as Scott has said, we don't know
the instant when life is breathed into us by God. Some may argue that it should
be the time of implantation, but do we have even that right, to deny the
fertilised ovum (blastocyst, or whatever) the chance to implant?

/Gary

> From evolution-owner-etlgycs=etlxdmx.ericsson.se@udomo2.calvin.edu Wed Feb 11 23:08:46 1998
> Delivered-To: evolution@udomo2.calvin.edu
> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 11:36:14 -0800 (PST)
> From: E G M <e_g_m@yahoo.com>
> Subject: The Abortion of God's temple
> To: evo <evolution@calvin.edu>
> Mime-Version: 1.0
>
>
> I like Scott's conclusion below. I'll like to add some biblical
> support. Given that there are many that would like to define when a
> human life begins so that abortion, among other perversities, could
> be performed with the blessing of the religious, we should bear in
> mind one of the teachings of Paul -- our bodies are the temple of the
> Holy Spirit. If we indeed appreciate the doctrine of our physical
> bodies as temples of God, I would then submit that justifying abortion
> becomes impossible at least in the case of a Christian woman.
> Furthermore, a theology of "our bodies as temples of God" would have
> further impact on the life of the unborn and even of an embryo, or, do
> we have the audacity to destroy the future temples of God? The
> mistery of Christ in us should be sufficient to respect all human life.
>
> EDUARD0 G. M0R0S
>
> -------------------------------------
> How I would apply this distinction to this discussion is to assert
> that the "soul" probably does not exist until brain activity begins,
> whereas the "Image of God" kind of unique human qualities which Brian
> refers to below might be better described as 'spirit'--the unique
> life breathed into us by God to allow fellowship with Him. I do not
> know when this event occurs, nor do I believe that science can answer
> that question. (For that matter, Scripture is essentially silent as
> well!) I am content, however, to leave the matter in His Sovereign
> hands, and to err in the direction of protecting the sanctity of ALL
> human life--born and unborn, rich and poor, saved and unsaved,
> regardless of national origin or relative epidermal pigmentation.
> Scott
>
> ==
>
> EGM
> "in ipso enim vivimus et movemur et sumus sicut"
>
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