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weekender august 1 1987 p25 religion page beliefs do count in abortion question from page 24 that having theological conviction in no way invalidates my argu ment nor disqualifies my parti cipation in the debate frequently this strawman is raised by proabortionists as gardiner argues so well the claim is frequently heard that religion is irrelevant to the abortion debate that those who use theological arguments are being unscientific and that those arguments themselves are un worthy of consideration this claim is nonsense and must be energetically rebuffed each person in forming an opin ion about abortion does so in the light of his or her understanding of the nature of the universe and of the status of man same argument in other words on religious grounds my point can readily be demonstrated by two examples one the zealots of agnostic ism in hurlng their anathemas at those who would refuse a woman her right to decide are arguing on exactly the same ground as those christians who maintain the right of the fetus to survival two similarly there is no dif ference in the level of argument between the priestess of womens lib who maintains that woman is a free agent and therefore must choose the outcome of her pre gnancy and that of the christian that the woman is answerable to god for her responsibility to the fetus thirdly it is my conviction that the claim made by pro- abortionists that they are con cerned about the sanctity and dignity of human life cannot be taken seriously degradation dr d j huntingford a british professor of obstetrics and an advocate of more liberalized abortion laws is honest enough to admit that therapeutic abortion is associated to some extent with human degradation there is it seems no way around the fact that the only jus tifiable grounds for claiming to believe in the sanctity and dignity of man is belief in the biblical doc trine of man being made in the image and likeness of god the key issue for christians in this debate is the question of whether or not the scriptures teach that abortion at any stage of the pregnancy is murder christians are divided on this with some following the augusti- nian position that distinguishes between the formed and the unformed embryo and others who make no allowance for such a distinction is soul alive the argument centres around the theological question that asks when docs the infusion of the soul take place biologically it was held by the ancients that this took place when the infant stirred in the womb this quickening came to be fixed for the purpose of la w at 40 days for males and 80 days for females i todayhowever this is no lon ger accepted as a biological fact most believe there is no real dif ference between the embryo at the moment of conception and at the moment of quickening hence it argues that since life is fully present from the moment of conception then so is the soul a verse that is frequently quoted in this debate is exodus 21 2224 which reads if men strive and hurt a woman with child so that her fruit depart from her and yet no mischief follow he shall be surely punished according as the womans husband will lay upon him and he shall pay as the judges determine open to debate and if any mischief follow then thou shalt give life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot both sides use this in support of their position and one can only conclude that the interpretation and exegesis of this verse is so open to discussion that it really settles nothing in the abortion de bate other scriptures like ps 13913 jer 15 gen 2523 ps 515 clearly establish the humanity and sanctity of prenatal life though bibical teaching is scant we can conclude the unborn child is not nonhuman but is a life that is of concern to god that miscarriage due to an accident is not murder induced abortion takes life which is related to god known by him and guilty before him safeguard life in conclusion i believe that as christians we must do all in our power to safeguard that sanctity dignity value and reverence of human life on the basis of its god- given origin and christbought re demption according to the letter of scrip ture abortion is morally wrong for any reason however the spirit of the word teaches compassion and in cases of saving the motherimpregnated by rape or incest compassion should be extended if the woman involved opts for that alternative the sovereignty of god and the infallibility of scripture means that whether we likeit or not god makes what we call the perfecp and the imperfect this is a hard doctrine to accept but i think one has to agree that if god is god if god is sovereign then he is not able to make a mis take stouffville christian school is now processing student ap plications for junior kindergar ten to grade 10 for 19871988 school year bus service avail able for stouffvillemarkham unionville areas for more information please write or call stouffville christian school rr 3 claremont ontario l0h1e0 4166403297 itwo locations ssss lkgsi stouffville i monument works ltd 113 main st w stouffville ont l4a 2s5 hilltop memorials ltd 449 major mackenzie dr e allen court plaza at bayview l4c 1j9 6403643 8841393 services value for over 140 years stouffville missionary church 159 main street east 6403911 pastorrev james clubine assoc pastors douglas gray charles mashinter sunday aug 2nd 1987 945 am sunday school hour 1100 am morning worship pas tor clubine speaking communion service 630 pm evening service pastor clubine wednesday 630 pm youth to knox church 730 pm adult prayer bi ble study youre always welcome at the missionary church come to church mccormack memorial church pastor rev w gawa 945 am blake tufford 1100 am 700 pm graham butcher august 1014th vacation bible school 4733543 vivian rd nursery supervision and junior church provided aurora rd memorial christian church sun aug 2nd 1987 pastor calvin stone mainstouffer 10 am sunday school 11 am morning worship wed 730 pm prayer meeting bloomingtox christian gospel church sun aug 2nd 1987 rev bryan coker 945 am sunday school 1100 am morning worship wed 800 pm bible study st marks catholic church 345 glad park ave stouffville 6406665 sunday mass schedule saturday 5 pm sunday 830 am and 1030 am stjames presbyterian church 101 main ste 6403151 minister rev herb gale sunday aug 2nd 1987 10 am morning worship nursery supervision and junior church provided jesus a e bethel assembly s pentecostal hwy 48 north of hwy 47 ringwood rev howard minaker call 6405555 lords day 945 am christian education 1100 am morning worship 700 pm evening service saturday 730 pm coffee house all roads lead to bethel jesus is the only way to heaven stouffville baptist church a fellowship church 76 main st west sun aug 2nd 1987 pastor m burger 950 am sunday school all ages nursery available 1100 am morning worship 650 pm warm fellowship service wednesday 800 pm prayer meeting at church dvbs aug 1014 645 pm for information call 6402911 a warm welcome at every service springvale baptist church gormleyslouftville rd at kennedy rd pastor rev robt flcmming asst pastor mark rodgers 8875651 945 am bible school 1 1 00 am rev barry duguid from melrose baptist church 600 pm evening service pastor mark rodgers wed 700 pm adult prayer bible study fri 700 pm youth alive nursery program available heise hill brethren in christ church gormley ontario rev marlin k ressler pastor phone 8875489 sunday aug 2nd 1987 christian education hour 1000 am worship service 1100 am evening service 700 pm wednesday aug 5th missions prayer hour 745 pm your are welcome at heise hill stouffville united church 34 church stn 6401163 sun aug 2nd 1987 share sunday 10 am service at st united church the anglican parish of christ church 254 sunset blvd rev paul d scuse 6401461 sun aug 2nd 1987 800 1000 am holy communion guest preacher the rev barbara rhodes chaplain at the hospital for sick children louffuilk peritecotal chuich 460 main st stouffville ont 6405696 945 am christian education 11 am morning worship 600 pm evening rally rev craig f pitts wideman mennonite church hwy 48north of major mackenzie phone 6401227 pastor james r shantz sun aug 2nd 1987 945 am sunday school 11 am morning worship 630 pm outdoor evening service in the church parking lot with the blucgrass gospelaires baker hill baptist church on hwy 48 2 mi north of hwy 47 pastor dana struve 950 sunday school 1100 am morning worship wednesday 800 pm prayer bible study ser vices at the oldhams all are welcome