Different Views on Life and Abortion: Why the Biblical Perspective Stands Strongest

So, when people talk about abortion and when life really begins, it kind of depends on what they believe or where they’re coming from. Some folks, like those who think from a science or human-rights angle, say life’s only really “life” once the baby can feel things or think. For example, there’s this guy Peter Singer who says early babies in the womb don’t really count as full people yet, so abortion is okay because the mom’s choice comes first.

Then there’s existentialists—basically, people who think life’s all about your own freedom and what you make of it. So, deciding whether to keep a baby or not is totally up to you. Life’s value depends on what you think it means, so it’s pretty flexible.

Some Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism think life goes in cycles—like birth, death, and then back again. Life is important, but your “self” isn’t permanent anyway. They usually say don’t harm, but abortion can be okay depending on the situation, especially if it reduces suffering.

On the flip side, some old-school philosophers like Aristotle and Aquinas believed life is special from the very start because humans have a purpose and nature. So, life should be protected from conception. This way of thinking supports the idea that abortion is wrong because the baby is already a human being.

Then you’ve got the Bible, which is pretty clear: life is super valuable from the moment you’re conceived because you’re made in God’s image. Verses like Psalm 139 talk about God making you in the womb, and Jeremiah 1:5 says God knew you before you were born. Jesus loved kids and cared for the weak, and the Bible commands “You shall not murder.” So, from this view, every life counts—no matter how small.

When you put all these ideas together, the science and philosophy stuff often changes depending on who you ask and can get kinda shaky on when to protect life. The Bible, though, sticks with one solid message: life is sacred from the start and deserves protection.

So if you’re wondering which way makes the most sense, the Christian perspective is clear and consistent. It tells us to respect life and stand up for the most vulnerable—like unborn babies.

Here are some key Bible verses you might want to check out:

Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image...”

Psalm 139:13: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...”

Matthew 19:14: “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me...’”

Exodus 20:13: “You shall not murder.”



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Sources

Finnis, John. Natural Law and Natural Rights. Oxford University Press, 1980.

Keown, Damien. Buddhism and Abortion: Contemporary Buddhist Ethics. Routledge, 2001.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. Existentialism Is a Humanism. Yale University Press, 1946.

Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics. Cambridge University Press, 1993.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Biblica, 2011.

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