Argentina Legalizes Abortion
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - DECEMBER 30: Pro-choice demonstrators wait for the result of vote on December 30, 2020 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The proposal authorizes legal, voluntary and free interruption of pregnancy until the 14th week while allowing doctor's conscientious objection. It is the ninth bill to legalize abortion treated by the Argentine Congress and the first one publicly supported by the president of the country. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)
by Mike James
Argentina voted on December 30, 2020, to legalize elective abortion in a region of the world with some of the most restrictive antiabortion laws. A number of advocacy groups have been trying to change abortion laws in Latin America with varying degrees of success. These groups include Salvadorans attempting to end prison sentences for women having abortions and Colombians and Mexicans trying to decriminalize abortion.
“The movement in Argentina has been an inspiration,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, the Americas director at Amnesty International. “As we become more progressive societies, where the Catholic Church wields less power, these movements create an opportunity for states to acknowledge that abortion is a human right.”
When the legislation is signed by the Argentine President Argentina will become the largest nation in Latin America to allow elective abortion. Argentina will now allow abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.
Catholic Church influence still remains strong in Argentina. Pope Francis, the former bishop of Buenos Aires, has described abortion as a question of “human ethics.” The Pope says, “Is it fair to eliminate a human life to solve a problem?” Antiabortion activists took that message to the streets, with little effect.
In 2019 there were only 26 countries in the world where abortion is completely banned even in cases of rape and incest. According to other sources in another 37 countries, abortion is illegal unless it is done to save the life of the mother. In 56 countries there is no restriction on obtaining abortions. Another 68 nations allow it to preserve the health (mental and physical) and socioeconomic well-being of the woman.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions each year. That works out to about 125,000 abortions a day. These are staggering numbers when you think about what abortion is. Imagine all the people that have never had a chance to live.
Thousands of years ago child sacrifice was more blatant and in your face. Some of the ancient Canaanites worshipped a God known as Molech. God warned Israel (Leviticus 18:21) not to get involved in child sacrifice like the Molech worshippers. God set the punishment as death for any Israelites who would involve themselves in this type of worship (Leviticus 20:2-3).
It is possible Israel degenerated into some of this worship under Solomon’s rule when we read 1 Kings 11:7. Further evidence is provided in 2 Kings 23:10, where we read that righteous King Josiah put a stop to child sacrifice in the land.
Can we make any link to ancient child sacrifice and abortion today? I believe we can. There is not a direct link. The modern world is very different from the ancient world. In the ancient world, most people believed in false gods. Today not many people believe in the false pagan gods. But the linkage I see is in the idolatry that is at the root of child sacrifice and abortion.
Satan has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9). He uses different methods for different times, but at the root, it is about idolatry. Satan influenced the ancient Canaanites to find false gods to worship and sacrifice their children to them. In the modern world, Satan has influenced people to focus on their own feelings, needs, and wants as an idol. Many young people have been influenced by our culture to get involved in premarital sex. The music, movies, and television of today make this clear. Rather than thinking about the ramifications of our actions we focus on getting what we want. For some, a baby would just get in the way of what they want.
You may wonder why I mention Satan as being involved in this deception. Maybe the worst thing about abortion and child sacrifice is the destruction of beings that are being born in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Satan tried to overthrow God’s rule (Isaiah 14:12-14), and now he is trying to destroy God’s family (Romans 8:15-17).
Think about the depravity of people who came up with the ancient idea to sacrifice their own children. I believe that had to be influenced by the dark mind of Satan. Think about how that same mind is using sophistication to argue that as long as the life is in the womb it is not a real baby. Of course, it is.
Yes, I get how cases of rape and incest are in a different category than most cases, but when you hear the stories of people alive today who came from an act of rape or incest, you may see things in a clearer light. If God knew Jeremiah in the womb (Jeremiah 1:4-5), He can know us all.
We will continue to speak and acknowledge biblical principles in this fast-changing world. Only when the truth is known and spoken can people learn how they should act.
I believe abortion is murder, but I’m not here to judge those who have had abortions (John 12:47-48). The time for judgment is in the last day. Many of those who have abortions are not even aware of the truth in God’s Word about the incredible human potential to be like our Savior (1 John 3:2; Hebrews 2:10-11). Many young women and men don’t know the truth about abortion or the spiritual manipulation taking place in this world. We are all sinners in need of God’s grace. All of our sins can be forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Sources:
“Argentina to Legalize Elective Abortion After Years-Long Push,” by Kevin Sieff, Ana Vanessa Herrero, and Ruby Mellen, The Washington Post, December 31, 2020.
World Abortion Policies, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20160415084202/http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/policy/WorldAbortionPolicies2013/WorldAbortionPolicies2013_WallChart.pdf.
Abortion Statistics, Worldometer, https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/.
“Here are Twenty-six Countries Where Abortion is Still Illegal in 2019,” Jet Set Times, May 19, 2019, https://jetsettimes.com/in-crowd/politics/here-are-26-countries-where-abortion-is-still-illegal-in-2019/.
“Who Was the Canaanite god Molech,” Compelling Truth, https://www.compellingtruth.org/molech.html#:~:text=The%20worship%20of%20Molech%20clearly%20involved%20ritual%20child,to%20Molech%20shall%20surely%20be%20put%20to%20death.%22.