You’ve heard it. “My Body, My Choice!” or “Follow the Science!” ~ we’ve all heard both of these statements many times over the years. I’ve only hung out on this planet for half a century; however, the theme of the pro-abortion crowd has been, “My Body, My Choice” for many of those years. Likewise, in the past eighteen months or so, any day of the week you might hear or read someone say to “Follow the science” related to the pandemic. People have told us to live by these mantras, slogans, or mottos – and continue – but don’t look too closely. Many of the people who say these things, as we have observed this week, do not live by them.
My Body, My Choice
Consider how historically the words “My Body, My Choice” stood for those arguing for women’s rights, as people in the 1970s fought for reproductive rights and accessible abortions. Individuals and groups who used this mantra argued for any woman to have a right to end a pregnancy anytime she wanted since it is was her body and her choice whether or not to have a baby. Over the past many months, however, individuals are making this claim against masks and vaccines. People using the same slogan argue against mandated vaccinations by the government and employers, as well as vaccination passports. Seemingly, it is the same crowd, who for years championed the slogan, who now oppose it related to vaccinations.
But, not so fast, this week’s SCOTUS decision to allow a new law in Texas related to abortion to stand brought out these same individuals arguing again with the same slogan for abortion rights. Protestors marched in Austin at the Texas State Capital this week again arguing for “My Body, My Choice.”
How can you argue both? Related to what I want (in this case, abortion), it is My Body, My Choice. However, if you do not want to get a vaccination, then the same argument does not apply.
Follow the Science
Anyone who has lived in the US over the past eighteen months and also followed the pandemic at any level has heard the mantra, “Follow the Science.” Both the Trump and Biden administrations nationally as well as many state and local governments have said ad nauseam to “Follow the Science.” Of course the statement gets more than a little confusing as we try to sort through the science on social media, YouTube, and government websites.
What happens though if the science changes? Related to the pandemic, again, the science tends to change each week. Vaccination efficacy, variants, breakthrough infections, and symptomatic positivity rates frustrate even the best observers trying to determine what is what. Certainly no one can say the science is settled. Yet, some employers, schools, elected and nonelected officials, and others continue to make policy based upon the argument, “Follow the science.”
What about abortion? Of course there remains incredible debate as to when personhood begins; however, the science exists that human life begins at conception. When fertilization occurs, the complete human genome is present and begins immediately to grow into a fully mature baby at 40 weeks. People do not argue about this part of the science. Instead, they argue on how much growth do you need in order for this now-growing baby to be called such, and when personhood begins.
What about the science? Essentially, we follow the science until we do not – that includes pandemic response and abortion.
The Problem
Both mantras share the same problem. Individuals developed both while striving to win an argument. “My Body, My Choice” and “Follow the Science” only work when those slogans help you win an argument. When the issue changes and the other person wants something different for the body or the science does not quite prove what you wish, then both mantras fail.
Neither science or your own perspective of individual rights were meant to rule your life. God’s plan helps us make sense of this and is better.
Follow Christ and Respect the Image of God
For the Christ follower, our authority and ultimate allegiance is to Jesus Christ. We are to be loyal to Him above all else, which means to strive to honor Him, obey Him, and closely follow Him (John 8:29; 15:10). Whatever the Bible says as His written word, we are to follow. As disciples, we follow, learn, love, and seek to honor Christ. Therefore, whatever the Bible says, we seek to live by as our guide and authority for living.
We respect life because all human life is part of the image of God. God made Adam and Eve in the image of God and told them to multiply (Gen 1:26-28). We learn in the Bible that both murder and cursing others are sinful because of the image of God too (Gen 9:6; James 3:9). The image of God provides value for all human life.
God determined to pass on the life He created in Adam and Eve through conception; as such, we must protect all human life as a reflection of the image of God. The fertilized egg is enough – not because we follow science but because we follow Christ.
Our bodies, in fact, are not our own. Paul wrote:
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Cor 6:19-20)
My Body, My Choice is the mantra of a world in rebellion against God. For the follower of Christ, we say, God’s body, God’s choice. We seek to be a good steward of the body God granted us. We follow Christ, not the passions of our flesh. We are to, instead, Glorify God in our body and in our spirit.
Each one of us has personal responsibility. As such, for whatever we do in the body, we are responsible (2 Cor 5:10). Abortion is not birth control; instead, abortion kills image of God.
One other important note. The First and Second Commandments to love God and love our neighbors serve as our life ethic. Regardless of whether we talk about abortion or pandemics, we seek to love God most and lovingly serve others well. Why? Because we respect God and respect the image of God. We value life – all people – even those with whom we disagree.
As followers of Christ, politics is not our main thing at all. We must determine to follow Christ and respect the image of God. Leave the mantras, slogans, and mottos up to others. For us, we love Christ, follow Him, and act like Christ to those around us.
Featured Image Credit Ashton Mullins
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
Excellent article from a perspective we don’t hear enough of in the public square. I’ve been in the PL movement nearly from its inception and never read an article like this until now! And I’m a believer and in church circles! Thank you and write more. We’re at approximately 63 million lives lost to this atrocity against God and mankind. That’s the approximate population of the Northeast United States and doesn’t count succeeding lost generations.
Great article, as usual, but it rather left me hanging. A majority in my church feel that everyone should be vaccinated and wear masks and not doing so is “not loving our neighbor.” Well, I think that is bunk – at least until a scientific consensus is made on the subject…. which it won’t be, I’m sure. So, until then, it’s my body and my choice (or even God’s body, and His choice) in which case I will “love my neighbor” by speaking and living the truth as we know it thus far: vaccines are not for everybody and masks do more harm than good.