--- In [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > In a message dated 10/25/06 2:58:01 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > The Old Testament gives this punishment for causing a miscarriage (makes no > distinction > between deliberate or accidental): the one responsible must pay a fine to > compensate the > father for his loss... > > > > Another argument against abortion can be found in the Old Testament legal > code, specifically Exodus 21:22-25. > If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely > but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the > woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious > injury, you > are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot > for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. The verses > appear to teach that if a woman gives birth prematurely, but the baby is not > injured, then only a fine is appropriate. However, if the child dies then > the law > of retaliation (lex talionis) should be applied. In other words, killing an > unborn baby would carry the same penalty as killing a born baby. A baby > inside the womb has the same legal status as a baby outside the womb. > Some commentators have come to a different conclusion because they believe > the first verses only refer to a case of accidental miscarriage. Since only > a > fine is levied, they argue that an unborn baby is merely potential life and > does not carry the same legal status as a baby that has been born. > There are at least two problems with this interpretation. First, the normal > Hebrew word for miscarry is not used in this passage (cf. Gen. 31:38; Exod. > 23:26; Job 2:10; Hos. 9:14). Most commentators now believe that the action > described in verse 22 is a premature birth not an accidental miscarriage. > Second, even if the verses do describe a miscarriage, the passage cannot be > used to > justify abortion. The injury was accidental, not intentional (as abortion > would be). Also, the action was a criminal offense and punishable by law. >
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shal be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for buning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. KJV And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no furhter 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 furhter 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. (New American Standard Version) What do the Jews say in the Talmud? To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
