Does Scripture specifically condemn abortin?

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A caller to CAL today asked guest Dr. Delgado where the Bible specifially condemns abortion.

After some dancing around both Delgado and host Coffin said the Bible didn’t specifically condemn it but that the word Trinity is not in the Bible and all Christians believe in the Trinity.

I found that a weak argument and was surprised the bible doesn’t address the abortion issue. I had alays assumed it did.

Can someone confirm or rebut what was said on CAL - that the Bible does not specifically condemn or prohibit abortion?
 
Yes, it specifically condemns abortion via the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not kill.
 
There are no speed limits in the bible, but we follow them. Does everything have to be written?
 
po18guy said:
Not a thing about writing bad checks, either, but that’s against the law.
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Yes, speeding and writing bad checks are both against the law. However, abortion is currently not in the US. Could there be a reason for that based on moral and religious differences regarding abortion, which are not applicable to writing bad checks?
 
It reminds me of A Few Good Men in the scene where the lawyer (played by Tom Cruise) asks a Marine Officer (played by Kiefer Sutherland) where it says in the code/book how to get to the cafeteria. “So you mean you actually do things that aren’t mentioned in the book?” (paraphrasing).
 
meltzerboy said:
Yes, speeding and writing bad checks are both against the law. However, abortion is currently not in the US. Could there be a reason for that based on moral and religious differences regarding abortion, which are not applicable to writing bad checks?
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Not sure I understand what you mean meltzerboy. For instance, it’s pretty clear homosexuality (as a sexual practice) is condemned in the Scriptures, yet it’s perfectly legal in many countries, the legal realm is distinct from the moral/religious realm, sometimes they nicely intersect, though.
 
Robertanthony said:
Not sure I understand what you mean meltzerboy. For instance, it’s pretty clear homosexuality (as a sexual practice) is condemned in the Scriptures, yet it’s perfectly legal in many countries, the legal realm is distinct from the moral/religious realm, sometimes they nicely intersect, though.
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Female homosexuality is nowhere explicitly condemned in the Hebrew Bible. Even Orthodox Jews must admit that Torah does NOT condemn lesbianism. Male homosexuality is called an abomination, which is a considerably stronger condemnation than the actual Hebrew word from which it is derived. Moreover, according to Judaism the primary purpose of (heterosexual) marriage is companionship rather than procreation. Therefore, there is wiggle room for debate, at least in Judaism, on the morality of homosexual practice as well.
 
meltzerboy said:
Female homosexuality is nowhere explicitly condemned in the Hebrew Bible.
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The New Testament condemns it though (Romans 1:26), so I think that’s why “Robertanthony” mentioned homosexuality as a whole, as opposed to just “male homosexuality.”
meltzerboy said:
Even Orthodox Jews must admit that Torah does NOT condemn lesbianism.
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Are Lesbian acts a sin in Judaism though?
 
Tobias2 said:
A caller to CAL today asked guest Dr. Delgado where the Bible specifially condemns abortion.

After some dancing around both Delgado and host Coffin said the Bible didn’t specifically condemn it but that the word Trinity is not in the Bible and all Christians believe in the Trinity.

I found that a weak argument and was surprised the bible doesn’t address the abortion issue. I had alays assumed it did.

Can someone confirm or rebut what was said on CAL - that the Bible does not specifically condemn or prohibit abortion?
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It is specifically condemned in the Didache: “Thou shalt not procure an abortion or commit infanticide”.

The Didache is 1st Century Jerusalem document, reflecting the teaching of 12 Apostles. It has the authority of Scripture- but was not included in the Canon because it is more of a Church directive.

The Didache reflects the teachings and practices Jerusalem Christians, under the leadership of James. It is safe to assume that it reflect the teachings of Jesus more closely than things like the Letters of Paul.

There can be no doubt that abortion was prevalent in 1st Century Jerusalem, and the community of Apostles prohibited it.

As others have pointed out- the sixth commandment also applies. The Old Testament makes many references to show that life was understood as beginning at conception.
 
followingtheway said:
The New Testament condemns it though (Romans 1:26), so I think that’s why “Robertanthony” mentioned homosexuality as a whole, as opposed to just “male homosexuality.”

Are Lesbian acts a sin in Judaism though?
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Not to derail this thread, the short answer to your question is yes for Orthodox Judaism, no for Reform Judaism, and maybe for Conservative Judaism.

I understand Robertanthony’s point. My own point is that such complex issues as abortion and homosexuality are preferably discussed within the context of differing moral and religious viewpoints, even on a Catholic Forum.
 
One of the ten commandments is, thou shall not kill.
What is someone said it is all-right to kill your daughter Sue, because the Bible does not specifically forbid killing your daughter Sue? The Bible forbids someone from killing their own daughter by forbidding murder. And similarly it forbids someone from killing their unborn daughter–or son–by saying you shall not kill.
 
Scripture itself doesn’t explicity refer to abortion. The Didache does, however. It is also a first century church document. It explicity refers to and condems abortion and infanticide. Hope this helps!
 
meltzerboy said:
Yes, speeding and writing bad checks are both against the law. However, abortion is currently not in the US. Could there be a reason for that based on moral and religious differences regarding abortion, which are not applicable to writing bad checks?
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Let us never conflate law with morality.
 
Specifically the bible doesn’t address abortion but it is important to point out that when it comes to the bible you need to address issues in the WHOLE context on the bible, not look for one particular verse. What the bible does have is a verse in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose” from which you can easily understand that God gives live to the unborn child. Also, you have Luke 1:41, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby jumped in her womb. Both verses let us know that the bible recognizes the unborn child as being alive. If you get that together with the sixth commandmenth, thou shall not kill, then abortion is wrong.
You need to remember the default rule, if a conduct is not especifically written in the bible but contradicts the content of the bible, then it is morally unacceptable. Someone mention forgery with checks which is not in the bible, this falls within the same default rule: in forgery, you are lying, and you are using a trick to deprive someone of property, the Commandments say don’t steal and the bible constantly mentions that we need to be truth, therefore forgery contradicts the content of the bible making it a sin. Same thing with abortion, contradicts the content of the bible therefore is a sin.
 
Explicit condemnation or not, abortion is certainly contrary to the “be fruitful and multiply” spirit of the Old Testament, which regarded childlessness as a curse and having children and grandchildren as a blessing.
 
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