Life

Protecting the unborn: all is not lost

It's been a bad week for the unborn and it's a long, difficult road to restore their value and protection in society. Thankfully, Christians show no sign of bowing out.

Public opinion was regrettably swept aside this past week to clear the way for the creation of animal-human embryos, fatherless children through IVF and so-called “saviour siblings”. Christians who raised legitimate ethical - and scientific – concerns were simply sidelined by the Government, scientists and the media and caricatured as nothing more than uncaring religious fundamentalists.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As a number of Christian and pro-life campaigners pointed out in recent days, countless women go through abortion only to feel tortured with guilt over what they have done. They need our care, and women contemplating abortion need to be informed of the compassionate alternatives, like adoption or going ahead with the pregnancy, and to feel supported in carrying through those decisions.

Furthermore, it is precisely because Christians care so much about the most vulnerable in society – the unborn child – that they continue to campaign for their respect and protection.

This may seem laughable to people who regard the embryo as nothing more than a lifeless ball of skin and about as human as an ant or greenfly. Christians, however, believe that all life - especially human life, no matter how tiny - was created by God, in His image, as a blessing and a gift to the world. It is no surprise, therefore, that Christians feel deeply pained that such fragile life is being disregarded, devalued and, ultimately, destroyed with ever increasing ease.

It is particularly alarming that the ‘fundamentalist’ label has been pinned to a number of very normal Christians for little more than disagreeing with the established view. It is worth mentioning that the concerns of Christians for the unborn child – and indeed other aspects of the HFE Bill - mirror the concerns of many people in Britain who are not necessarily Christian.

It is right to question science’s apparent unfettered right of way. The green light for animal-human embryos is a case in point, demonstrating all too clearly that the science of today is becoming dangerously detached from ethical standards. In an era that knows no bounds in science or elsewhere, there has never been a greater need to ensure that ‘possible’ does not become interchangeable with ‘permissible’.

As R David Muir, Public Policy Executive Director at the Evangelical Alliance, put it this week: “Just because science can do something doesn’t mean that it should, and when rights begin to be more associated with adult preferences than protection of the weak and vulnerable, then we should be concerned about the consequences for society.”

He continues: “The drive for human improvement must not be allowed to trump the need to protect against harm and it is worrying to note the prevalence today of uncertainty and inconsistency relating to where ethical boundaries should be drawn, or indeed whether there should be any ethical boundaries at all.

• Imprisoned Lao Christians released but persecution continues
• Church leaders sense growing trust
• African leaders called to protect life and democracy in Zimbabwe
• CSW urges UN Secretary General to prioritise human rights in Myanmar
• Orissa bishops warn of 'master plan' to wipe-out Christianity

Protecting the unborn: all is not lost

Public opinion was regrettably swept aside this past week to clear the way for the creation of animal-human embryos,..

• Orissa bishops warn of 'master plan' to wipe-out Christianity
• Faith will play big role in Obama's presidency, author predicts
• Imprisoned Lao Christians released but persecution continues