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Articles

We don’t want your abortion, America

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January 29, 2016

Earlier this month, I found myself in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) interviewing Esperanza, a teenage rape victim in what the UN has called the “rape capital of the world” due to its infamous reputation for widespread sexual violence. Esperanza was raped by two rebels in a village in eastern Congo when she was 14. In the weeks that followed, she discovered that she was pregnant.

Currently, the U.S. government provides millions of dollars in global aid every year to export what the West calls “reproductive freedom” including, most controversially, abortion. The effect of Roe v. Wade has been felt far beyond the borders of the United States since 1973. Many developing nations, including the DRC, continue to resist the legalization of abortion. Nonetheless, it proves to be a “right” that progressive Western NGOs insist that women in developing nations must have, whether they desire it or not.

In countries where abortion is currently prohibited, pro-abortion advocates seek to change perceptions with programs aimed at “values clarification” through which women in developing nations are instructed about contraceptive and abortion from a pro-choice bias.

One prominent NGO with such a mission, Pathfinder International, receives approximately 78 percent of its yearly budget of $107 million from the U.S. government. Sixty-three percent of these funds are spent in Africa, a continent known for the strict abortion restrictions in a number of its countries.

Additionally, international pro-choice advocates have now initiated a new strategy of lobbying the U.S. and the European Union to permit aid money to fund abortions for women who have experienced rape in conflict areas. The Global Justice Center (GJC), a New York-based advocacy organization, has helped lead this movement by claiming to the EU that not providing abortions for conflict rape victims constitutes torture as well as cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. Susan Yoshihara, with the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam), notes that this line of reasoning from pro-abortion advocates rests upon the false presuppositions that, one, pregnancy meets the definition of a war wound under the Geneva Convention and, two, that abortion is a means of healing.

However, Yoshihara cites a 2011 investigation on behalf of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights which sought to discover the “most pressings needs” of victims of sexual violence in the DRC. Most interviewed women remarked that peace and security, medical care, education, and housing were among their personal needs. Legalized abortion was absent from their list of requests. Similarly, a 2002 Human Rights Watch report found that most unmarried girls chose to give birth, indicating the strong desire of women to give birth despite the possibility of rejection from their families and social stigma.

As elements within the U.S. seek to use the plight of war rape to export abortion overseas, actual victims of rape in the DRC by and large reject the offer. The Western movement to introduce abortion into developing nations harkens back to the eugenics movement of the early 20th century in which Western elites sought to limit populations, especially among individuals whose lives were considered less desirable. Similarly, children born of rape in the DRC are seemingly considered by American pro-abortion advocates as being in a category of persons whose lives should be susceptible to abortion funded by U.S. aid.

Instead of abortion, victims of rape in conflict areas like the Congo need policy change that better promotes justice and peace in these regions. The numbers of actual rape convictions fall appallingly short from the numbers of victims, and diplomatic efforts should focus on advancing the justice systems in places like the DRC. Forcing abortion into these countries will not prevent a single rape. On the contrary, legalized abortion might enable rapists to hide their abuse and thus repeat it more easily.

It was difficult hearing many of the details of Esperanza’s rape. However, one of the great moments of the interview came when I asked her to describe her daughter, Silvia, now three. Cracking a smile, she affectionately remarked that Silvia was “the same as” her and how Silvia brings tremendous happiness to her.

I asked if at any point she has ever wished she had had an abortion. Her response was one of shock, grief, and even offense as she remarked that such a thing is inconceivable to her. She didn’t even want to think about it. Her reaction caused me to realize just how desensitized my culture has become towards a topic that by its very nature should shock the conscience.

As we observe the anniversary of legalized abortion in America this month, let us not forget how simply unnatural and inhumane it is to destroy life in the womb. Let us remember that all lives are of equal worth no matter the circumstances of conception or the sins of one’s past. Let us remember that it is the power of the gospel that is the only ultimate source of peace and healing, and it is a remedy that is offered to all freely.

Matthew Mihelic

Matthew Mihelic is an International Policy Resident with the ERLC. He has served as a missionary to sub-Saharan Africa and is currently a student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A graduate of Liberty University School of Law, he is also adjunct faculty for the Helms School of Government at Liberty … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24