Louisiana to Ban Abortion (Maybe)
Will Louisiana be the next state to ban abortion?
A strict abortion ban passed in the State Senate last month is awaiting action in the House. If approved by the House and signed by the governor, the new law would ban all abortions in Louisiana, except when necessary to save the life of the mother (see http://www.covenantnews.com/newswire/archives/020438.html).
Well, almost.
The law goes into effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its own 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which declared abortion bans unconstitutional. If the Supreme Court does not reverse Roe v. Wade, abortion will still be legal in Louisiana.
This spring, the South Dakota state legislature enacted a similar law. It is expected that one or both of these state laws will wind up before the Supreme Court, setting the stage for a showdown.
We applaud the efforts of the Louisiana and South Dakota legislatures. But it is not in their power to achieve the goal of abolishing abortion. There are two reasons for this.
The courts have usurped the authority of the elected legislatures, and will keep on doing so until either Congress acts to restrict their jurisdiction (as described in Article III, Sec. 2 of the Constitution) or the American people enact a pro-life amendment to the Constitution. Neither seems likely to happen anytime soon.
Also, too many people in America have accepted abortion as a means of birth control and believe they have the right to kill any unwanted baby. Although public support for abortion has eroded in recent years, we could say the same about public morality.
Abortion became acceptable because American culture changed. Chalk it up to the Sexual Revolution, the Me Generation, or whatever--God's laws are not written on America's heart. If they were, we would not be having this discussion.
We cannot rely on Congress to reassert itself: it's been ceding power to the courts for 200 years. Nor can we count on the Supreme Court (new chief justice notwithstanding) to reverse an earlier court's decision, no matter how bad that decision was. You may remember Roe v. Wade is famous for its muddle-headed language about "emanations" and "penumbras" of a largely mythical Constitutional right to privacy. It reads like the first New Age court decision.
Neither Congress nor the courts seem disposed to do what's necessary to end abortion. But we in the church can set an example by not resorting to abortion ourselves, and teaching our children not to; by practicing and teaching Biblical morality, especially in regard to sex; by using our families, our friendships, and our church congregations to support and encourage young, pregnant women to choose life for their yet-to-be-born babies.
Christians in the Roman world used to take in and raise babies discarded by the pagans. This not only conformed to the spirit of Biblical law; it also helped to fuel the growth of Christianity.
Virtues like chastity, marital fidelity, thrift, and charity are more powerful weapons against abortion than well-meaning legislation that depends on the good will of an un-elected court.
By all means, let us have legislation.
But more importantly, let's keep working to reconstruct a truly Christian morality in America--starting with ourselves.
A strict abortion ban passed in the State Senate last month is awaiting action in the House. If approved by the House and signed by the governor, the new law would ban all abortions in Louisiana, except when necessary to save the life of the mother (see http://www.covenantnews.com/newswire/archives/020438.html).
Well, almost.
The law goes into effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its own 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which declared abortion bans unconstitutional. If the Supreme Court does not reverse Roe v. Wade, abortion will still be legal in Louisiana.
This spring, the South Dakota state legislature enacted a similar law. It is expected that one or both of these state laws will wind up before the Supreme Court, setting the stage for a showdown.
We applaud the efforts of the Louisiana and South Dakota legislatures. But it is not in their power to achieve the goal of abolishing abortion. There are two reasons for this.
The courts have usurped the authority of the elected legislatures, and will keep on doing so until either Congress acts to restrict their jurisdiction (as described in Article III, Sec. 2 of the Constitution) or the American people enact a pro-life amendment to the Constitution. Neither seems likely to happen anytime soon.
Also, too many people in America have accepted abortion as a means of birth control and believe they have the right to kill any unwanted baby. Although public support for abortion has eroded in recent years, we could say the same about public morality.
Abortion became acceptable because American culture changed. Chalk it up to the Sexual Revolution, the Me Generation, or whatever--God's laws are not written on America's heart. If they were, we would not be having this discussion.
We cannot rely on Congress to reassert itself: it's been ceding power to the courts for 200 years. Nor can we count on the Supreme Court (new chief justice notwithstanding) to reverse an earlier court's decision, no matter how bad that decision was. You may remember Roe v. Wade is famous for its muddle-headed language about "emanations" and "penumbras" of a largely mythical Constitutional right to privacy. It reads like the first New Age court decision.
Neither Congress nor the courts seem disposed to do what's necessary to end abortion. But we in the church can set an example by not resorting to abortion ourselves, and teaching our children not to; by practicing and teaching Biblical morality, especially in regard to sex; by using our families, our friendships, and our church congregations to support and encourage young, pregnant women to choose life for their yet-to-be-born babies.
Christians in the Roman world used to take in and raise babies discarded by the pagans. This not only conformed to the spirit of Biblical law; it also helped to fuel the growth of Christianity.
Virtues like chastity, marital fidelity, thrift, and charity are more powerful weapons against abortion than well-meaning legislation that depends on the good will of an un-elected court.
By all means, let us have legislation.
But more importantly, let's keep working to reconstruct a truly Christian morality in America--starting with ourselves.
