The Founding Fathers of our "one nation under God" made a confession of faith in the Declaration of Independence July 4, in the year of our Lord 1776. They stated, "we hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness..." This statement about our Creator giving humankind life, simply echoes Genesis 1:27, which states, "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." After the flood, God gave His law to mankind (Genesis 9). One of the commandments was concerning life. God said, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man" (Genesis 9:6). In giving the Law of Moses to Israel, God stated in the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13). The New Testament teaches that the Christian's body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:15-20). Abortion, as practiced by "pro-Choice" is the taking of human life!
There are a number of scientific corollaries connected with abortion that the average person is ignorant. Abortion is reported as the fifth leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. However, most abortion deaths within a week of surgery are caused by hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia and not reported as connected with abortion. A government sponsored study in Finland (1997) found women who underwent an abortion "were 60 percent more likely to die of natural causes, seven times more likely to die of suicide, four times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents, and 14 times more likely to die from homicide." It is said the risk of breast cancer almost doubles after one abortion. Abortion damage can complicate future pregnancies and is said to be the leading cause of handicaps among newborns.
The traditional American moral standards are based on God's Word. Like Israel of old, we have strayed from the only true and living God. We too must heed the prophets God has sent to His people. As Isaiah expressed it, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight (Isaiah 5:20-21)!" Let us heed the admonition of Jeremiah, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls (Jeremiah 6:16)."
Dale I. Royal, Elk City, OK
