The book “Freakonomics” includes a statistical argument that shows that in areas where abortion rates increase, the crime rate drops twenty years later. Authors speculate mothers abort the individuals most likely to engage in crime.
The argument is unprovable, in part because the anecdotal evidence is all dead. Because abortion is more accessible to women in higher socioeconomic groups, economic growth could explain both increased abortion and reduced crime.
But it raises an interesting question: is there ever a societal advantage to legalized abortion?
In this regard, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein provides the anecdotal evidence “Freakonomics” authors lack. After the death of his father and older brother due to cancer, Saddam’s depressed mother considered getting an abortion, but was talked out of it by a couple who’d taken her in. After Saddam was born, his still-depressed mother abandoned him, leaving him in the care of his uncle, returning several years later with Saddam’s abusive stepfather. Some experts have attributed Saddam’s tyrannical behavior to this early abandonment and abuse.
In effect, our pro-life president did what he preaches Saddam’s mother didn’t have the choice to do: he aborted Saddam Hussein. But imagine how different life in America and Iraq would be today had Saddam’s mother gone through with her abortion, and that precious little life not been saved. Imagine how many innocent lives have been lost because Saddam’s mother didn’t get an abortion.
Several years ago, I researched the history of abortion and discovered something interesting. Contrary to the belief of many Christians, the use of abortifacients existed in biblical times. The Assyrians, who led the Hebrews into the Babylonian Captivity, impaled women for the crime. Hippocrates addressed abortion. A Christianized Roman Empire took steps to outlaw the practice.
A moral and ethical issue throughout history, biblical authors never addressed abortion. Why?
Because opposing abortion negates the Gospel. By elevating temporal life over eternal life, being born over being born again, pro-life rhetoric undermines both Christ’s New Testament message and the Old Testament faith of Abraham and Isaac. Biblical authors would have saved fetuses only to abort the Judeo-Christian faith.
The argument is unprovable, in part because the anecdotal evidence is all dead. Because abortion is more accessible to women in higher socioeconomic groups, economic growth could explain both increased abortion and reduced crime.
But it raises an interesting question: is there ever a societal advantage to legalized abortion?
In this regard, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein provides the anecdotal evidence “Freakonomics” authors lack. After the death of his father and older brother due to cancer, Saddam’s depressed mother considered getting an abortion, but was talked out of it by a couple who’d taken her in. After Saddam was born, his still-depressed mother abandoned him, leaving him in the care of his uncle, returning several years later with Saddam’s abusive stepfather. Some experts have attributed Saddam’s tyrannical behavior to this early abandonment and abuse.
In effect, our pro-life president did what he preaches Saddam’s mother didn’t have the choice to do: he aborted Saddam Hussein. But imagine how different life in America and Iraq would be today had Saddam’s mother gone through with her abortion, and that precious little life not been saved. Imagine how many innocent lives have been lost because Saddam’s mother didn’t get an abortion.
Several years ago, I researched the history of abortion and discovered something interesting. Contrary to the belief of many Christians, the use of abortifacients existed in biblical times. The Assyrians, who led the Hebrews into the Babylonian Captivity, impaled women for the crime. Hippocrates addressed abortion. A Christianized Roman Empire took steps to outlaw the practice.
A moral and ethical issue throughout history, biblical authors never addressed abortion. Why?
Because opposing abortion negates the Gospel. By elevating temporal life over eternal life, being born over being born again, pro-life rhetoric undermines both Christ’s New Testament message and the Old Testament faith of Abraham and Isaac. Biblical authors would have saved fetuses only to abort the Judeo-Christian faith.
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