So then why have the death penalty?
This is an excellent question! I, personally, am also against the death penalty.
Was God sending Christ to die for our sins considered murder?
Another excellent question! In fact, many atheists and/or other non-Christians consider this one of the "failing points" of Christianity. They look at the story of Abraham, ready to murder his son Isaac just because God said so, and say, "That's not faith, that's infanticide. That's not a good father, that's horrific! Any God who would do that, even as a test, is a sick and twisted being." Then, to see that God not only DID that, but did it to himself, with his own dearly beloved son... They just can't take that. I have to say, it's a hard argument to counter.
Why tell a mother that if her life is in danger because of pregnancy, then she should die herself and rejoice that she has the chance to die? Isn't that murdering her by telling her she can't have an abortion?
I have seen very few people who would not allow for abortion in a case where the mother's life was at risk. If the republicans tried to pass such a stiff regulation, making abortion illegal even to save the mother's life, they will have doctors violating that law left and right, because when a woman comes in agony with an ectopic pregnancy (like I had about 4 years ago), with 0 chance of survival for the embryo, and 0 chance of survival for the woman if it is not removed, that doctor is going to remove it, no matter what some politician says.
Furthermore, I suspect that, if abortion is made illegal again, there will be a lot of doctors out there who will "fake" records to indicate that the embryo is a threat to the mother's life, if the woman requested it, and wanted the abortion for some similar reason. For example, some women are on a medication that they cannot take while pregnant. Being off the medication is a risk. Some women are willing to take that risk, and will go off the meds while pregnant. Many of these women do survive through the pregnancy and give birth to healthy babies. Sometimes it doesn't work that way. Sometimes the woman stays on her medication and the fetus is destroyed by that medication. Sometimes the woman stays off the meds and dies because of it. Sometimes the woman manages to carry the fetus to term, but dies during childbirth. Many women are not willing to take these risks. Many doctors will probably be willing to fudge the records a little, say the risks are higher than they actually are, if a woman is in a position like that. Like, if she has a "50% chance" of making it through, the doctor would say "the fetus is a threat to the mother's life" just to allow a legal abortion. Whatever number the law comes up with as "risk" allowing for abortion, doctors will be willing to lie to make it match that number. For many doctors, a 1% risk to the life of the mother is not worth it. And if that's what the mother decides, that is her choice.
In a perfect world, there would be medical treatments for all medical conditions, so that no woman would have to make that choice. We don't live in a perfect world. In the world in which we live, each woman must weigh the risks of having a child to the horrors of aborting it, in consultation with her doctor. I would hope she also consults with the potential father of the child (whether or not they are married) and with God, praying for strength and help. I cannot force a woman to do that, however. Ultimately, that choice is up to her and her doctor. We can pray for her, we cannot force her to pray (legally or practically).
That's how it is now. That's how it must remain. I don't want some pea-brain in Washington deciding what is best for a woman he's never met. If a woman and her doctor feel abortion is the best route, I think the rest of us need to cool off and let God deal with that as only God can.
