MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Says ‘It’s Heresy’ to Say Jesus and Christianity Oppose Abortion.

In a predictable post-Roe tirade from central scripting about how dangerous pro-lifers are becoming of late – name a time when major media voices ever thought pro-lifers were honorable and reasonable? – MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough invoked Jesus on the ethics of abortion this past Friday morning. With all the passion of the finest fire-and- brimstone preacher, the Morning Joe host told his viewers,

As a Southern Baptist who grew up reading the Bible, maybe a backslidden Baptist, but I still know the Bible, Jesus never once talked about abortion. Never once, and it was happening back in ancient times. It was happening during His time. Never once mentioned.

The clear implication was that Jesus’ followers have no business talking about it either. But Scarborough wasn’t done telling Christians what to think. In fact, he says, “it’s heresy” for Christians to be uncompromisingly pro-life.

And people perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ down to one issue, it’s heresy. If you don’t believe me, do something you haven’t done in a long time and open the Bible, open the New Testament, and read the red letters. You won’t see [abortion] there.

Scarborough then demonstrates he appears to know next to nothing about what the pro-life movement has been doing over the last several decades to help women facing crisis pregnancies.

They’ve also conveniently overlooked the parts of the New Testament when Jesus talks about taking care of the needy, taking care of those who are helpless, who live a hopeless life…

The fact of the matter is, there are exponentially more crisis pregnancy help centers in the world than abortion clinics, spending more than a billion dollars annually to aid women and their babies live better, healthier lives.

You can watch Scarborough’s remarkable outburst here,

Is Christianity Really Silent on Abortion?

Critics of Christianity have long used the “Jesus never said anything about…” trick to try to convince people that Christians are wrong to be against certain things in society today. They have been doing this on homosexuality and they are wrong. Joe Scarborough is wrong to do so on abortion as well. Why?

First, Scarborough is committing the logical fallacy of argument from silence. Jesus never said anything about lots of things that are clearly wrong and Christians have consistently opposed. That is no proof of anything.

By the same token, it would be just as mistaken to say Jesus thinks abortion is not a big deal because he never uttered the word. Silence is silence and that is why arguments from silence are classic logical fallacies. Scarborough is a well-educated lawyer and knows this all too well.

What is more, the Bible is very clear on the ethics of abortion and the inestimable value of life in the womb. And Jesus unmistakably affirmed the complete truth of what the Scriptures teach,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

So yes, Jesus was very clear on the issue of abortion by being very clear on the validity and truth of the larger scriptures.

Where did Christianity Begin?

Additionally, anyone who knows even the most basic facts of the Christian story knows Jesus’ story has profound things to say about the sanctity of life in the womb. How?

Because Christianity itself started in the womb with a preborn baby and a crisis pregnancy. Literally! And it was an unmarried woman who said “yes” to life that served as the beginning of the Gospel itself. And what happened there in her womb was a blessing to be embraced, not a curse to be “taken care of.”

Jesus’ very life and incarnation says everything about abortion anyone needs to know.

But it doesn’t end there.

When was Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, first worshipped? Where did that which will be taking place for all of eternity in Heaven first happen?

It happened in the womb also, of John the Baptist’s mother when Mary appeared to her when both women were miraculously with child. The very young John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb, in honor and praise of Jesus, his preborn cousin.

Christianity started in the womb and is a profound historical statement about the sanctity of life in the womb. No one who knows anything about the very foundation of Christianity can doubt this.

The Church was Unquestionable in Opposing Abortion from Earliest Days

Additionally, to say Christianity has nothing to say about abortion is to be ignorant of consistent Christian teaching that has been strongly pro-life and unequivocally opposed to abortion since day one. The earliest disciples of Jesus denounced abortion as nothing short of murder, and did so unapologetically and without reserve.

In fact, Paul’s close missionary companion Barnabas, wrote in his epistle to the early church these two basic commands in the same breadth,

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor more than thine own soul. Thou shalt not murder a child by abortion, nor again shalt thou kill it when it is born.” (see 19:5)

Loving one’s neighbor was an undisputed command to all Christians. So was care for all children, born and preborn.

Focus on the Family has gathered an impressive array of the most important statements from the earliest years of Christianity on how believers viewed abortion. You can read this detailed survey here.

Christianity has never had any real doubt or debate about the absolute worth of life in the womb and the horror of abortion. None! This is indisputable. In fact, it was Christianity that played such a profound role historically in protecting and caring for life in the womb across the globe and throughout time.

So no Joe, it is deeply mistaken to say Jesus and Christianity have nothing to say about abortion.

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