Snippet #3--Ongoing Conversation
On aborted babies being the only case of truly innocent lives being taken--
Simply put, I don't believe that passage through the birth canal, or through an incision in the uterine/abdominal wall is the process by which individuals acquire a sinful nature or the capacity to sin. What they receive instead by that process is entrance into a new physical environment which they experience initially as a blast of cold air, and air in their lungs.
As I see it, a sinful nature is acquired when a spirit begins to inhabit a body. That spirit needs redemption, whether or not the person grows to maturity. In this sense, pre-born babies are not alone on a different side of a great innocent/guilty divide than everyone else. All who have spirit-inhabited bodies are guilty. Original sin, Adamic nature, born in sin are common terms used to refer to this. So the "innocents" you identify as such are not really innocent in all respects. Redemption for such "guilty" innocents, however, I believe was secured by Christ's death and resurrection.
In another sense, all pre-born babies, young children, and mentally limited adults are innocent. The capacity to deliberately act sinfully is acquired with cognition--and involves the ability to learn, know, and choose. At some point, when cognitive capacity develops sufficiently, these innocents appear again on the guilty side of the innocent/guilty divide if they do not personally receive Christ through the New Birth. But until that happens, all these people are together in the same "innocent" group. In other words, here also, pre-born babies are not in a class by themselves.
It seems to me that you (H---) have tried to "demonize" abortion beyond other ways of killing people, which coincidentally or otherwise, is exactly what I see in certain political persuasions. It's what I initially addressed in the "Pro-Life Position" post.
Why does any Christian go through contortions to fit into that political "box?" That box is not necessarily a Christian-shaped box, and Christians risk becoming permanently deformed if they stay there long enough to take on the shape of the box. Transformation is much better--putting on Christ and taking on His shape.
Simply put, I don't believe that passage through the birth canal, or through an incision in the uterine/abdominal wall is the process by which individuals acquire a sinful nature or the capacity to sin. What they receive instead by that process is entrance into a new physical environment which they experience initially as a blast of cold air, and air in their lungs.
As I see it, a sinful nature is acquired when a spirit begins to inhabit a body. That spirit needs redemption, whether or not the person grows to maturity. In this sense, pre-born babies are not alone on a different side of a great innocent/guilty divide than everyone else. All who have spirit-inhabited bodies are guilty. Original sin, Adamic nature, born in sin are common terms used to refer to this. So the "innocents" you identify as such are not really innocent in all respects. Redemption for such "guilty" innocents, however, I believe was secured by Christ's death and resurrection.
In another sense, all pre-born babies, young children, and mentally limited adults are innocent. The capacity to deliberately act sinfully is acquired with cognition--and involves the ability to learn, know, and choose. At some point, when cognitive capacity develops sufficiently, these innocents appear again on the guilty side of the innocent/guilty divide if they do not personally receive Christ through the New Birth. But until that happens, all these people are together in the same "innocent" group. In other words, here also, pre-born babies are not in a class by themselves.
It seems to me that you (H---) have tried to "demonize" abortion beyond other ways of killing people, which coincidentally or otherwise, is exactly what I see in certain political persuasions. It's what I initially addressed in the "Pro-Life Position" post.
Why does any Christian go through contortions to fit into that political "box?" That box is not necessarily a Christian-shaped box, and Christians risk becoming permanently deformed if they stay there long enough to take on the shape of the box. Transformation is much better--putting on Christ and taking on His shape.
posted by Mrs. I at
4:15 PM
4 Comments:
You know, my name isn't a bad word that you need to star it out. ;-)
By
Anonymous, at 11/12/2008
Of course not. Just letting you be your own identity arbiter, with as much or as little publicity as you desire.
By
Mrs. I, at 11/12/2008
Since my name appears in full in the comments...
By
Anonymous, at 11/12/2008
Right, but you did that, not I. However, if you're OK with my using your name, I'll probably make it simple and do so.
By
Mrs. I, at 11/12/2008
Post a Comment
<< Home