I have been working on a book on the 60s and the culture war.  As part of my research, I looked at Biblical criticisms of abortion – not a major theme of the book by any means, but I am touching on it.  The anti-abortion movement has been a critical part of the culture warriors’ attack on women and the feminine.

What I found amazed me.  I want to pass it on to any Pagans or others reading this blog.

There is NO mention of abortion in the Bible.  Here is a site that purports to give the Biblical case against it.

Scripture mentions human life being in the womb at some point, but it NEVER mentions that conception is where Biblically important life begins.  All one can tell from the Biblical passages is that at some time while in the womb the fetus becomes a person.  To my knowledge mo one has ever argued otherwise.

In fact, I was amazed, truly amazed, to discover there is no direct mention of abortion anywhere in the Bible.  None at all.  The closest is Exodus 21:22-25, which the above site does not mention.  But this passage does not support the religious right claims, it rebuts them:

And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide.  But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Violently causing a miscarriage is punished by a fine, and an uncertain one at that.  Every other injury is compensated by the principle “an eye for an eye.”  If the mother is accidentally killed, the responsible party is still executed.  But if she miscarries, only a fine is levied. 

Very creative Biblical interpretation indeed is needed to conclude from this passage that abortion is murder.  This is a pretty weak reed to split a country, murder doctors, and terrorize others in the name of some God or other.