Presbyterian Church should call for immediate abolition of all abortion in Northern Ireland

It was with a deep sadness that I read recently about the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s continued support for the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill (‘Biggest Protestant church in NI backs DUP bill on disabled abortions,’ May 18, see link below).

However it was their insinuation that they are speaking on behalf of their membership that has left me extremely angry.

Many PCI ministers and members, like me, do not support this bill.

The bill has also failed to garner the support of pro-life groups in Northern Ireland. Groups such as CBR NI, Precious Life, SPUC NI, Let Them Live, NIvoiceless and Pro Life Irish have all rejected it.

At its very heart this bill is an iniquitous decree.

It claims that it delivers equality to people with disabilities. In reality it perpetuates the stereotype that children with life limiting conditions are worthless by ignoring them.

It tells people with disabilities that they are worthy of saving from being murdered at 24 weeks +1 day’s gestation but at 23 weeks +6 days’s gestation, they’re not worthy of saving.

This bill will merely teach society that women seeking an abortion on the grounds of severe fetal impairment need to do so before 24 weeks.

Worst of all, by only attempting to label 0.01% of historic abortions (based on statistics obtained from England and Wales) as wrong, this bill ultimately gives approval to 99.99% of all abortions.

Proverbs 20:13 tells us that, ‘Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord.’

By supporting a bill that regulates the murder of their preborn neighbours, the PCI are compromising with evil and are complicit in supporting laws that discriminate against children based on their age, sex, location and development.

The PCI must repent of their position on this bill and instead engage, with God’s help, in establishing equal justice and protection for the preborn according to the authority of God’s Word.

They must preach the full Gospel (not a truncated version of it) and call upon their ministers to use their God-given gifts of preaching, teaching, and leading with one unified, principled, prophetic voice to abolish abortion.

Proverbs 24:11 commands us to, ‘Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.’

It doesn’t say rescue 0.01% of those being led to death, it says to rescue them all.

It is time for the PCI to stand up, speak out and call for the immediate abolition of abortion in Northern Ireland as God has commanded them to do.

I expect more from those in authority within PCI; as supposed men of God, they need to base their decisions on God’s word and stop capitulating to the fear of man.

They need to set an example for those sitting in the pews since failure to adhere to the truth can cause others to stumble.

Siobhan Beattie, Ballyclare

Biggest Protestant church in NI backs DUP bill on disabled abortions

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