A Christian response to the Abortion Legislation Bill

As I’m writing this (Wednesday) I’m acutely aware that the first reading of the Abortion Legislation Bill is happening .  This bill plans to remove abortion from the Crimes Act and make it a health issue. That sounds acceptable in many ways. After all, according to the Abortion Supervisory Committee, roughly 30% of women will have an abortion in their lifetime. This means that in NZ abortions have been going ahead and bypassing the Law anyway.

However, as Christians we should have some serious concerns as to what this new legislation is opening up. Until 20 weeks of pregnancy women will be able to self-refer to an abortion clinic. Abortion will be treated like any other health issue. In other words, abortion will be readily available just because being pregnant is “inconvenient” or “embarrassing.” How is that a “health issue?” In fact, in my experience, most women who have abortions, Christian or otherwise, grieve that decision later in life. In NZ 80% of abortions are surgical procedures, and not medical (just taking a pill). This procedure is traumatic.

More importantly though, what voice does the unborn child have? A foetus has a heart beat at 6 weeks; they are an alive human being. The proposed bill gives the unborn child the same status as an appendix or tonsils.

Labour MP Andrew Little calls the new proposals “modernising” the abortion laws. As Christians we know that Christ is the one who gives and takes life, and the church should therefore be pro-life. Surely a Bill could be constructed that allows abortions for rape victims or sexual abuse victims, but is much more considered when it comes to a woman demanding her individual “rights”. Have your say. Go to familyfirst.org.nz to find out more.
To those women who have had an abortion in our midst, remember that God forgives a repentant heart.

He doesn’t want you to live in guilt, but neither does He want you to treat an abortion as insignificant.