Heartbeat bills are springing up across the country. How should Christians respond? Please take the time to read this is excellent challenge and critique. - Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas
Heartbeat bills have been springing up all over the country and are being celebrated by pro-lifers. I appreciate the intentions of those who are promoting these, BUT - here are six quick problems with these bills:
1) The bills will be struck down by a Federal judge. Without the will to enforce these bills and defy a lawless judiciary it is an effort in futility. Pro-life groups will still raise money, knowing the bill is going nowhere and not going to save a single life.
2) Pro-abortion Republicans can support such a bill and get a pro-life endorsement, knowing full well the bill will never actually be implemented. This makes it more difficult to get such pro-abortion Republicans out of office as they now have a "strong pro-life" voting record.
3) The bills are filled with exceptions and rest upon the discretion of the doctor to "find" a heartbeat. Will the abortion industry self- regulate?
4) The penalty for performing an abortion on a baby with a heartbeat is usually far less than murdering a post born human being. This is not equal justice but a dehumanization of preborn babies.
5) If these bills were to pass and actually be enforced there would yet remain a legal abortion industry. Abortion would continue, babies would not be fully and legally protected, justice would not be served. Why not pass a bill giving babies equal protection from the moment their life actually starts, at conception?
6) These bills further miseducate the public as to when human life begins. Does a baby obtain value once there is a detectable heartbeat? Is it ok to kill them if they were conceived in rape? No wonder the public is confused when the standard bearers are putting out such confusing and contradictory rhetoric.
I think most of the people supporting these heartbeat bills are good folks, many are brothers and sisters in Christ. And I would certainly rejoice if thousands of babies lives could be saved through such a bill.
But we need to consider if we are delaying the total criminalization of abortion and full legal protection of all human beings, thus causing the death of millions of more little ones, by supporting morally and intellectually inconsistent bills like this?
Heartbeat bills have been springing up all over the country and are being celebrated by pro-lifers. I appreciate the intentions of those who are promoting these, BUT - here are six quick problems with these bills:
1) The bills will be struck down by a Federal judge. Without the will to enforce these bills and defy a lawless judiciary it is an effort in futility. Pro-life groups will still raise money, knowing the bill is going nowhere and not going to save a single life.
2) Pro-abortion Republicans can support such a bill and get a pro-life endorsement, knowing full well the bill will never actually be implemented. This makes it more difficult to get such pro-abortion Republicans out of office as they now have a "strong pro-life" voting record.
3) The bills are filled with exceptions and rest upon the discretion of the doctor to "find" a heartbeat. Will the abortion industry self- regulate?
4) The penalty for performing an abortion on a baby with a heartbeat is usually far less than murdering a post born human being. This is not equal justice but a dehumanization of preborn babies.
5) If these bills were to pass and actually be enforced there would yet remain a legal abortion industry. Abortion would continue, babies would not be fully and legally protected, justice would not be served. Why not pass a bill giving babies equal protection from the moment their life actually starts, at conception?
6) These bills further miseducate the public as to when human life begins. Does a baby obtain value once there is a detectable heartbeat? Is it ok to kill them if they were conceived in rape? No wonder the public is confused when the standard bearers are putting out such confusing and contradictory rhetoric.
I think most of the people supporting these heartbeat bills are good folks, many are brothers and sisters in Christ. And I would certainly rejoice if thousands of babies lives could be saved through such a bill.
But we need to consider if we are delaying the total criminalization of abortion and full legal protection of all human beings, thus causing the death of millions of more little ones, by supporting morally and intellectually inconsistent bills like this?
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