The subject of abortion brings up a covey of words or terms that need to be understood alike. The word "abort" itself is used to stop a planned operation or in our context birth. I believe the medical term for a miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. Interestingly enough "abort" comes to us from the Latin word aboririmeaning to miscarry. Infanticide is the killing (or murder -- self-defense somehow does not seem to fit) of an infant. Two Bible examples of infanticide come to mind. The first was Pharaoh in the time of Moses (Exodus 1-2). The second was King Herod's effort to murder Jesus (Matt 2:16). Although infanticide was sometimes practiced by the ancients (the founders of Rome come to mind), it was not practiced except as an offering (usually the firstborn) to the gods and was specifically prohibited by Jehovah (Lev 18:21; 20:2). There is a good deal of evidence that infanticide is often practiced today when an aborted fetus fails to die as planned. Abort or abortion is not mentioned in either the Old or New Testaments because it was not practiced!
Speaking of fetus, the term is used to dehumanize the unborn child. The mother (to be politically correct -- the future mother) is told the fetus is not a human being. It is like a tumor or a cancer -- it is her body -- it is her choice! It is not pointed out that this inanimate fetus feels pain as it struggles to escape death. It is not pointed out this cancer has its own DNA. It is not pointed out the mother is only half of the parenthood. The father has no say in the abortion. However, if the mother chooses to refuse the offered abortion, the father must support that with which he has no choice. Is this really just, is this really fair? They dare not show the mother a sonogram of the unborn infant lest she cancel the planned abortion.
The word "pregnant" refers to a child developing in the uterus or womb. It too comes to us from the Latin combining "before" and "be born." In this area, we use "miscarriage" as nature's way of handling a serious handicap and "stillborn" when death is better than life.
NOTE: For those interested in the truth about those who push abortion as a carefree way to handle population control, we suggest the movie, The Unplanned. It is the story of a former Abortion Clinic Director and her conversion from Pro Choice to Pro Life.
Dale I. Royal
