Is Life an 'Unalienable Right'?

     President Obama must espouse the concept that life is an unalienable right endowed by God inasmuch as he invoked those words twice in his second inaugural speech recently.  This column will not challenge the Biblical aspect of those famous words in this great nation’s founding documents but will rather examine the president’s words and attempt to understand his perception of the meaning of ‘life’.

     Human life is indeed sacred in the eyes of God.  First and foremost man and woman were created in God’s own image.

     “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  Genesis 1:27

     For the very reason that man is created in God’s image, man is required to pay for the taking of another’s life with his own life.  Hence; capital punishment was initiated centuries before Israel was ever a nation and never set aside.

     “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.”  Genesis 9:6

     A contemporary argument is whether ‘life’ begins at the point of conception or at physical birth. 

     The Bible records several illustrations that enhance understanding.  Recall that when Isaac took Rebekah as his wife the LORD gave her conception.

     “Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.”  Genesis 25:21

     Rebekah conceived twins and the Bible identifies both of them while in her womb and calls them ‘children’.

     “But the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this’? …And the LORD said to her: ‘Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’”  Genesis 25:22-23

     The above passage confirms that not only were ‘children’ living in her womb, but God had established a purpose for both of them while they were still in the womb, i.e. before being ‘separated from your body’.

      The Apostle Paul quoted the story of Isaac and Rebekah in the New Testament as an illustration of election.

     As history progressed during the times of the kings, David acknowledged God’s sovereignty in his life which began prior to his birth.

     “For thou hast possessed my reins; thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”  Psalms 139:13 (KJV)

     The Hebrew base translated ‘possessed’ means to be owned as a result of being purchased.  The base for ‘reins’ means one’s interior self, while ‘covered’ means to protect or defend.

      There is another wonderful story of ‘life’ recorded in the gospels.  It involves Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist.  After Gabriel informed Mary of her mission, she went to visit Elizabeth who was six months pregnant with John.

     “Now Mary…entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And… when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary,…the babe leaped in her womb…”  Luke 1:39-41

     Recently following the terrible incident in Newtown, Connecticut President Obama addressed the nation with tears in his eyes expressing genuine sorrow. 

     All members of the Christian Brotherhood share his grief and bereave those innocent children taken without their mother’s consent.  The Brotherhood also sheds tears and bereaves the thousands of innocent children taken daily under the protection of Roe vs. Wade with their mother’s consent.

     President Obama, while expressing sincere sorrow for the deaths of the innocent children at Newtown, openly supports late term abortions, and as a state senator opposed legislation which would have insured that babies who survived abortion attempts would be given medical care.

     It challenges not only Biblical wisdom but basic reasoning that anyone would oppose capital punishment while enabling the taking of innocent life before that life was delivered from his/her mother’s protective womb.

    At the conclusion of President Obama’s inaugural address, he stated: “Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.”

     Everyone can ponder the president’s closing statement and determine for themselves the likelihood that God will forever bless this great nation.