Abortion : not a matter for the State, says Exodus

[wageslave]

Exodus 21 : 22

If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

So if an abortion takes place, the HUSBAND has the responsibility for what happens to those who undertook it.

The State only carries out the action the husband determines.

[c4ts]

Originally posted by wageslave
Exodus 21 : 22

If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

So if an abortion takes place, the HUSBAND has the responsibility for what happens to those who undertook it.

The State only carries out the action the husband determines.

Metaphor: the State is Husband to all women.

[Yaotl]

Heh, I kinda like that one.

[pupdog]

Where are those fundy literalists who can explain that this only refers to cases where the woman's olives and oranges run away from her?

[TeaBag420]

That's a miscarriage, not an abortion, and the husband determines IF there is a punishment; the STATE determines the DEGREE of the punishment.

The phrase "the woman's husband will lay upon him" gives me the creeps.

[Mr Clingford]

Teabag420 is right.

The NIV puts it like this

Exodus 21
22 "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [1] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows.

1. 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage

[Lucky]

From my Humash (The Living Torah by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan):

“[This is the law] when two men fight and [accidentally] harm a pregnant woman, causing her to miscarry. If there is no fatal injury [to the woman] then [the guilty party] must pay a [monetary] penalty. The woman’s husband must sue for it, and [the amount] is then determined by the courts.�

The words in square brackets are the Rabbi’s non-literal translations and clarifications.

[TeaBag420]

Originally posted by Mr Clingford
Teabag420 is right.

The NIV puts it like this

Exodus 21
22 "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [1] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows.

1. 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet victory.......

After a week spent comforting my brother's widow, I'm going on a roadtrip, where, if I don't miss my guess, my daughters will be dressed up in rave gear, and I will go into them and know them. People who quote the OT for moral guidance should be careful what they wish for .... no more college football, for instance.

[spejic]

This is still valid in the abortion argument, as it clearly indicates that the Bible does not consider a fetus a human being. The rest of Exodus 21 indicates that a person who kills a slave (or even bad-mouths his parents) should be put to death, so killing a fetus is far less of a crime than that.

[Anders]

Originally posted by wageslave
Exodus 21 : 22

If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

So if an abortion takes place, the HUSBAND has the responsibility for what happens to those who undertook it.

The State only carries out the action the husband determines.
Hey, I got an Idea! Why not let the people decide about abortion, instead of some dusty several thousand year old inrelavent book. The bible should be in the wast basket when it comes to decied on moral issues, or any issue for that matter.

Oh, forgot, I am an atheist, and I spit on the words of "god", any god, yes, including Allah.