If Babies Go To Heaven, Why Not Abort Them All

[Adrift]

We see this objection come up all the time in debates and discussions where we're dealing with the sanctification of those without the ability to reason, whether it be the unborn, children under a certain age, or the developmentally challenged. To many of us this a ridiculous suggestion, but I believe that the question does have a measure of force to it. From a godless perspective, it may make a logical, if absurd, sense for the theist to condone the abortion of children in order to save them ultimately.

John Piper has a decent, six reason response


I think his points 1 4, and 6 are his strongest, and by themselves offer a great rebuttal. Someone in another thread mentioned that the unborn would not be able to obtain rewards in this life in heaven if they were/are prematurely killed, and while this sort of goes with Piper's point 5, I don't think by itself it is a very good argument. It puts into the mind of the skeptic that Christianity is purely rewards based, which offers ammunition to the common skeptical view that Christianity is nothing but a carrot and stick religion. Rather, we should be emphasizing the innate divine sanctity and preciousness of those created in God's image, and the fact that we have no right to play God.

Okay, that's all I had. If others have more to offer I'd love to see it. Thanks!

[Christianbookworm]

Can we point out that you really don't want to kill a child because you will then be in very big trouble with God. It would be better to have a milestone tied around your neck and hurled into the sea.

[Cow Poke]

Great job, Adrift.

[Adrift]

Can we point out that you really don't want to kill a child because you will then be in very big trouble with God. It would be better to have a milestone tied around your neck and hurled into the sea.

Yes, I think that is a good reason to add, though its weakness is that it also ties into the idea that Christians are motivated primarily through reward and consequence. It probably works best when we add it to things like "all life is unique and precious", and "we have no right to play God".

[KingsGambit]

Another thing I'd add is the idea that babies automatically go to heaven is a pretty big assumption. We can't be sure. I don't believe that babies go right to hell but the fact is the Bible doesn't outright say the opposite, either. For all we know, maybe they get an opportunity to be preached to sort of like what 1 Peter 4:6 says.

Either way, even if for some reason somebody didn't buy all the other reasons not to abort babies... it would be terrible to make such a decision based on an assumption we're not even sure about.

[Cow Poke]

Another thing I'd add is the idea that babies automatically go to heaven is a pretty big assumption.

I started to add that earlier - though I don't think it's a "big" assumption, there is, indeed, no scripture I know of that we can point to as a "thus sayeth the Lord....".

[Adrift]

Just wanted to add Sparko's thoughts from another thread. I think they fall neatly into category 5, but it's very well said so bears repeating:

Murder is bad. Even if your victim goes to heaven. You cut out the rest of their entire life, everything good or bad they could have done. Possibly their children, and descendants for all time. Canceled every contact they could have had with hundreds and thousands of people. Stopped all of the good they could have brought to the world. Could that person have become President? Cured Cancer? Been the father of the person who first steps foot on Mars? People don't exist in isolation, they affect the rest of society good or bad, so when you murder someone you are not snipping a single thread, but an entire web of connections.

Human life is precious. We don't exist just to go to heaven. We exist to care and love for one another, to do good. God wants us to help and love others, here and now. Otherwise he would just make us drop dead the moment we become Christians and poof us into heaven.

So no, abortion is not "good" because the children go to heaven. They never even had a chance at life.

[Adrift]

Another thing I'd add is the idea that babies automatically go to heaven is a pretty big assumption. We can't be sure. I don't believe that babies go right to hell but the fact is the Bible doesn't outright say the opposite, either. For all we know, maybe they get an opportunity to be preached to sort of like what 1 Peter 4:6 says.

Either way, even if for some reason somebody didn't buy all the other reasons not to abort babies... it would be terrible to make such a decision based on an assumption we're not even sure about.

That is a very good point.

[mossrose]

I frankly don't think it matters what arguments we make, no matter how sound. The unbelieving will not be swayed unless the Holy Spirit is working in them for salvation.

[Christianbookworm]

Yes, I think that is a good reason to add, though its weakness is that it also ties into the idea that Christians are motivated primarily through reward and consequence. It probably works best when we add it to things like "all life is unique and precious", and "we have no right to play God".

Of course. I was trying to imply that if someone were sick enough to say that killing babies was a good idea, that said person must have a punishment based morality and only appealing to God's judgement would work.

[Adrift]

I frankly don't think it matters what arguments we make, no matter how sound. The unbelieving will not be swayed unless the Holy Spirit is working in them for salvation.

Perhaps, but I think that's really a debate about the efficacy of apologetics as a whole. I think there are a range of skeptics out there. Some simply attempting to undermine Christianity no matter what, and have their minds made up. But some who are sincerely confused and searching, and want to make some head sense of that tug of the Holy Spirit they feel in their heart. At any rate, 1 Peter 3 tells us to always be prepared to offer an answer to all who may ask about the hope that we posses.

[Sparko]

CBW is right. for every baby "saved" by aborting, the person doing the abortion (and doctor) are committing murder, which will send them to hell.

[KingsGambit]

I don't think that non-Christians are impervious to pro-life arguments in general. Just look at how many atheist or agnostic pro-life posters we've had on here over the years.

[Adrift]

Of course. I was trying to imply that if someone were sick enough to say that killing babies was a good idea, that said person must have a punishment based morality and only appealing to God's judgement would work.

Oh, okay.

[bling]