ehw@hounx.UUCP (E.WEST) (10/31/84)
The Bible contains numerous references to the unborn child as a living human being. David writes in the Psalms that God knew him even in his mother's womb ...etc.. In Deuteronomy, the civil punishment in Israel for injuring a pregnant woman such that the unborn child would die is death. Inside the body of Elizabeth, as recorded in the gospel of Luke, the child (John) jumped with joy upon meeting Mary, the mother of Jesus. Many, many references are made to the human person, having all of the qualities of human life, being created at the moment of conception. Now let's reason this thing out. How would you like it if you were going to be born and were .....terminated? The waiting list for people wanting to adopt children in New Jersey is about five years long.
susan@vaxwaller.UUCP (Susan Finkelman) (11/02/84)
> In Deuteronomy, the civil punishment in Israel for > injuring a pregnant woman such that the unborn > child would die is death. I am unable to find the above reference. However, the following from Exodus does not imply the personhood of the fetus: If when men come to blows, they hurt a woman who is pregnant and she suffers a miscarriage, though she does not die of it, the man responsible must pay the compensation demanded of him by the woman's master; he shall hand over after arbitration. But should she die, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stroke for stroke. (the Jerusalem Bible, Ex21:22-25)