Quote:
Originally Posted by Diligent
Now the real question is what legal standing (in the Bible) an unborn child has. It is clear that the rules of manslaughter with regard to unborn children show that there is a difference (Exodus 21:22), but even if we accept Mosaic law as binding here (which would be interesting, since the prior few verses allow a man to get away with killing his servant!), this is only a manslaughter issue, not a premeditated killing.
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Wow, look at this -- I had accepted this understanding of Exodus 21:22 so long that I didn't even read it before this post. Now I am reading it again and I think I was wrong:
Exodus 21:22-23 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 woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Now I am reading this and suddenly this looks to be clearly a law that punishes life-for-life when someone causes a woman to have a miscarriage and either the woman or the child dies.
1. Fruit departing = premature birth.
2. No mischief follow: the child lives.
3. Mischief follows: the unborn child or woman dies, and death penalty applies.
At the very least, this verse isn't clearly an excuse to permit abortions on demand!