Why do fundamentalists think that abortion is considered "murder"?

Question

One of the most common arguments about abortion comes from the Ten Commandments, where we are told "Thou Shalt Not Kill." But this begs the question of "kill what?" Does this commandment mean we cannot kill anything, even a fly? No. It means we should not kill another human being. Of course, the Fundamentalist believes a pre-born fetus is the same as a full-term human being. God, however, does not. In Exodus 21:22-25 we read that if a man accidentally kills a pregnant woman, that man should be condemned for committing murder. However, if he only kills the fetus - that is, if she miscarries - he is not condemned for murder. Clearly, then, God does not consider the pre-born fetus as being the same as a human being, in which case the Commandment of "Thou Shalt Not Kill (a human)" does not apply.

Actually insideoutsock, you are wrong. The Bible is not meant to be altered regardless of the time period. In Revelation 22:18, we read that anyone who adds to the Bible will be condemned. Calling abortion a sin is adding to the Bible. Calling smoking a sin is adding to the Bible. Calling premarital sex a sin is adding to the Bible. And, though we would disagree, even calling slavery a sin is adding to the Bible.

And Stephanie B, this is from the King James Version.

Answer 1

It's all based on willful ignorance and a lack of education. When people choose to base their lives on superstition and talk to invisible sky giants, then they are simply not sane. There's no real reason for anti-choice people to believe a blatocyst is the same as a human being, yet they believe it anyway.

These are the same people who believe that sperm is also a human being, so every time a guy beats off he is committing genocide.

Answer 2

Actually, there is no commandment that says "Thou shalt not kill" -- it is "Thou shalt not murder." Anyone who knows anything about the Abrahamic religions knows that they have no problem whatsoever with killing.

The problem with abortion is that there is a question about if and when a fetus gets a soul and also when the fetus becomes human. Catholics, for example, feel that the fetus gets a soul at conception. There may be religious people who do not feel that a fetus gets a soul at conception.

An atheist feels that there is no soul -- but faces a different question. That is, if the fetus is human at conception, or when it becomes viable. He may well feel that it is human at conception -- and should be against abortion if he believes that to be true.

The biggest problem here is that none of us can give an answer based on anything other than our beliefs. Reasonable men will argue over the morality of abortion.

I am an agnostic. I happen to believe that abortion is immoral. I also believe that abortion should be kept legal. There are lots of things that I think are immoral. I think that preaching on TV and asking for money is immoral. I think that cheating on your spouse is immoral. I think that what we are doing with prisoners in Guantanimo is immoral. But just because I think that these acts are immoral doesn't mean that I think they should be illegal.

So -- what do we do about abortions? The way to eliminate abortions is through education -- not legislation. I'm not talking about preaching abstinence (because I don't think that premarital sex is immoral) -- I am talking about teaching young people how to avoid becoming pregnant.

Answer 3

The question you need to ask yourself is "When does life begin?"
Most medical doctors (even those who are not "fundamentalists") agree that life begins at the moment of conception. You may consider me a fundamentalist (I don't really care what label you place on me) but I do not believe that "a pre-born fetus is the same as a full-term human being" any more than I believe a 20-year-old man is the same as an 80-year-old man.

If you don't believe that a human life starts at conception, when does it start? When the heart can be seen beating? When the fetus starts moving? When facial features are discernible?

By the way, here is the text of Exodus 21:22-25: If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for furn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Answer 4

Ten commandment the words used in the original and all other books written buy intelligent people is the thou shalt not lie in Waite and commit murder (criminal homicide) too plan to kill for selfish reasons (profit,gain,hatred,)basically for any reason other then accidental or self preservation a threat to your life. Not your convenience or for what people might say or can I feed the child there are plenty of people that would that why we have well fair but if you don,t get enough because you first have to buy drugs or some other excuse you gave up your right to chose when you opened your legs face it if you abort a healthy fetus and your life is not at threat from the birth due to complication resulting from sead birth not after effects.

Answer 5

hello:}
while i do not 'care"for abortion ,i myself believe that the soul does not come into a fetus/child till a few hours before or after birth ,a small window .
i believe that most religions think it is a living soul at the moment of conception .
do we REALLY know ???
the fact of the matter is that if the fetus is left alone not aborted well the POTENTIAL for a soul to come in is of course there .
so is this murder or simply not allowing a soul to come into physical flesh .
i do think in some ways abortion is a lot like suicide in that a PERSON through free will and perhaps misguided information or mental anguish makes these choices .
but i have always said we as humans make errors and this is why we are on this negative planet to learn different lessons through our own negative choices or errors.
it isn't up to us to judge or condemn that is within the persons own soul and they will have to work through it .
anyway just some thoughts .
Peggy :}:}

Answer 6

The verses you are talking about are in the old testament. "Old things have passed away: Behold, all has become new." In the new testament, Jesus says that the new law is to Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself. Do you think that Abortion qualifies as loving God or loving people? God knows and loves every human being before he or she is even created, so if we murder a person that God has plans for even before he is born, I don't think God will be happy with us. We live in a world so blind of morals and virture, and we've convinced ourselves that many wrong things are okay, but it doesn't make it any less wrong.

Answer 7

Those laws don't really apply today, do they? I'm sure most fundamentalists will disagree with the way Exodus judges the killing of slaves as well, furthermore, Jesus would also disagree, judging from his teachings.

Your argument is a straw man. Not very many fundamentalists believe that we should base our legal system exactly as proclaimed in Exodus.

Answer 8

Abortion is an interruption of the process of life no matter what anyone interprets from any written text. Therefore it is murder, there is no "gray area" about it.

More importantly, you consider that killing has some level of acceptability. That, to me, suggests that you are fundamentalist in your thinking about taking life. Killing is killing, again, no "gray area" about it.

If a woman's life is considered to be in danger due to her pregnancy, then it is understandable. If I ruled on the subject, any other scenario would be considered a "contraceptive abortion" and the price would be permanent sterilization and significant incarceration.

Answer 9

because life begins at conception since God said that he knew us before we were even born. Also, my bible does not have the (a human) part. you must have put footnotes where they don't belong. Also, you have to remember that he accidentally killed the woman. So he wasn't trying to kill her in the first place. Accident gives us a totally different meaning then on purpose.

Answer 10

Abortion is MURDER you are just in denial and if you want to rant then go somewhere else we don't want 2 hear it. Abortion is killing an innocent human being,end of discussion.

Answer 11

What Bible did you get that from? Don't try to justify what you know is wrong. Basically what it comes down to is that we don't know when that spirit enters the body, whether at conception or later. I personally wouldn't want to risk it being murder.