I believe most definitions of murder involve an unjustifiable killing of human being. I want to know if the Bible defines a fetus as a human, and if not, how or why is terminating a fetus wrong.

For Debate:
Does the Bible say that the unborn are considered human?
 
For Debate:
Does the Bible say that the unborn are considered human?
Well, at least Exodus 21:22-23 considers an unborn baby to be a "life", and one that is still valued or treated the same as any other human life. Here are the passages below:

22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Here's a good article that goes through the Christian thinking on abortion:

It seems that a fetus is not valued as a life just in terms of its biology, but also in terms of its future potential (to develop into a human, have purpose later on, etc).

From the above link:
Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah recalled, "The word of the Lord came to me thus: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you" (Jer 1:4-5).
 
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I agree with the reply above from Exodus and I don't think that God would have told Adam and Ever to go forth and multiply if He did not consider a fetus as a living being. On a different note ; if a pregnant woman is killed and the baby also dies...no matter how far along she is, why is it called a double homicide?
 
The anti-abortion brigade, typically but not exclusively white conservative males, claim it is murder to kill and unborn child. And it is hard to argue against such logic. But the point is, that in the first trimester the development of the fetus is not close to being an entity that meets the definition of a child.

If the criteria here is that we have something that will grow into a child, it would seem to me that menstruation could be classed as the killing of an unborn child.

I think that there should be a time limit on when women are permitted to save their own lives at the expense of the ability of a fetus to continue to term, and that limit is the end of the first trimester.
 
An abortion is a choice, a menstruation cycle is not. Looking at the statistics, you will see that abortions performed because the womans life is at stake; hardly registers on the scale; as well as rape or incest. I am answering my opinion according to The Bible. I think your mind was pretty much made up before you asked the question. We just have different views.
 
According to the bible? Perhaps we should campaign to turn the USA into a theocracy: that would tell those non-believers where to get off.

If a fetus is to be protected purely because it may turn into a child, then one would think the "prolife" brigade would also campaign for the preservation of all human ova, not just those that have been fertilized.

Please do remind me: what question did I ask when my mind was pretty much made up?
 
If the criteria here is that we have something that will grow into a child, it would seem to me that menstruation could be classed as the killing of an unborn child.
Ah, that's a good point to consider. Why or where the Christian draws the line with just "potential" might be arbitrary. But if we're going by what the Bible says, then medusa has a point. It draws the line at the point of conception. Why it does that or whether it is reasonable is a whole other topic.
 
Please excuse me; I didn't mean the question you asked. I meant when you decided who this or that " brigade" consisted of. Just sounded kind of harsh. And, did you know that only 1.14% of all abortions one in the USA are because the mothers life is at risk? 96.50% of all abortions are choice. I just don't see why a person wouldn't choose to take a pill and avoid all of the trouble and expense to taxpayers.
 
On a different note ; if a pregnant woman is killed and the baby also dies...no matter how far along she is, why is it called a double homicide?
It's because the unborn child or fetus is considered a life.
 
If the criteria here is that we have something that will grow into a child, it would seem to me that menstruation could be classed as the killing of an unborn child.
Ah, that's a good point to consider. Why or where the Christian draws the line with just "potential" might be arbitrary. But if we're going by what the Bible says, then medusa has a point. It draws the line at the point of conception. Why it does that or whether it is reasonable is a whole other topic.
On second thought, some might say that God's actions towards Onan might validate your point, Bill. It's not just menstruation but even masturbation...

Genesis 38:8-10
8 And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.