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ABORTION (1976)

WHEREAS life originated in the creative work of Almighty God; and

WHEREAS man himself is created in the image and likeness of God; and

WHEREAS God assigned special value to human life; and

WHEREAS divine law forbids the indiscriminate taking of human life, exacting heavy penalties of those who violate this commandment; and

WHEREAS contemporary society demonstrates a low esteem for the sacredness of life; and

WHEREAS abortion-on-demand now receives serious consideration as a means of birth and population control; and

WHEREAS abortion is a vicious attack on the weakest and most helpless form of human life; and

WHEREAS the unborn are unable to speak in their own defense; and

WHEREAS intense pressure is being brought upon state and nation-al legislative bodies to liberalize abortion laws; and

WHEREAS it is the duty of the church to raise an authoritative moral voice concerning this vital issue;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the General Assembly of the Church of God, reaffirm our historic commitment to the sacredness of human life; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we stand opposed to the use of abortion as a means of birth or population control; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge our entire constituency to actively oppose any liberalization of abortion laws by state leg-islatures and by the Congress of the United States; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no individual should ever consid-er abortion as an option except in the gravest circumstances, after medical and religious consultation of the most serious nature (56th A., 1976, pp. 35, 36).