ABORTION: THERE IS NOTHING ...

... written between the lines of Scripture; yet, to hear some, you'd think that's the only place you can find God's word ... any of it!

The NYT published "Scholars look between lines for Bible's abortion stance" to prove my point.

Flip to the back of any of the fancy, leather-bound Bibles that are so common in evangelical churches these days, and chances are there is an index. Called a concordance, it offers a list of specific words mentioned in the Bible and where they are referenced in the text.

Those who turn to their concordance for guidance about abortion will not find the word at all.

What? Is that not the stupidist statement concerning the bible you've ever heard. Tell me ...

• Since nearly half of the churches in the USA have a hard time keeping things in the black, where are these "evangelical churches" who have these "fancy, leather-bound Bibles that are so common." I have to assume the individual who wrote that snarky comment is not a regular at his local church.
• The fact that the concordance of any bible doesn't mention a "specific" word is not a priori evidence that it is not mentioned in the bible ... but I'll agree abortion is not in the bible. Neither is marijuana, smoking, trinity, rapture, or nuclear fusion. However, three doctrinal positions are deduced in context by allusion to the subject using other language, two are not!

"I can't take you to text that says, 'Don't commit abortion,"' said Michael Gorman, a professor of New Testament and early church history and dean of the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore. "It just doesn't exist."

I don't know Gorman, but he evidently has not learned about giving interviews to the NYT.

Gorman, who calls himself an evangelical, cites the early church's opposition to abortion and broader themes that suffuse the Scriptures, rather than specific verses: "There's an impetus in the Bible toward the protection of the innocent, protection for the weak, respect for life, respect for God's creation."

I take it the reporter's intent was to cast doubt on the biblical support for the pro-life position. Instead of stealth, I for one would appreciate more open attacks.

One anti-abortion group, Michigan Christians for Life, sells bumper stickers with "Deuteronomy 30:19."

I am as anti-abortion as they come, but taking Scripture out of its context is, as they say, just a pretext no matter whose side you're on.

Life, all life has value because God created it in His image ... no one really needs more than that to understand this issue. It really boils down to a debate between those with a worldview that includes a Creator and those whose worldview does not!

Abortion; Bible; Christian; Evangelical; Pro-Choice; Pro-life; Scripture;