Gary Nelson: How does abortion ever square up with ‘Thou shall not kill’?

Re “My faith calls me to support Planned Parenthood” (Page 9A, June 7): I think all of us instinctively know the difference between right and wrong. Some call this “natural law” and even atheists can agree to at least seven of the Ten Commandments, one of which is “Thou shall not kill.”

When someone, even a reverend, quotes a Bible verse to prove a point, you would do well to stand back and see if the argument squares with simple common sense. Is the quote being used as a proof-text to imply a biblical authority for one’s personal preference?

I have looked and have found no place in the Bible where one can argue that God supports abortion. Moses warned the Israelites to stay clear of the pagans who offered their babies in sacrifice to the god Molech seeking safety and economic success. Of course, they did this out of fear and without faith in God, and that same fear still exists in many Christians today.

You can’t put a smiley face on the brutality we are talking about. Everyone is a victim, and the frightened mother clearly needs our support and love in a time of crisis. In the end, wouldn’t justice be better served by a real Christian response?

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Gary Nelson: How does abortion ever square up with ‘Thou shall not kill’?."