Abortion
A House of Commons Library briefing paper gives an overview of recent changes to the law on abortion in Northern Ireland: “A new legal framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland was introduced by the UK Government on 25 March 2020. The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020 allow access to abortions up to 12 weeks gestation without conditionality, to be certified by one medical professional that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 12th week. Abortions beyond 12 weeks gestation are lawful in specified instances, including when severe foetal impairment and fatal foetal abnormalities are detected.” The regulations were approved by both Houses of Parliament in June 2020.
A debate on the Regulations was held in the Northern Ireland Assembly prior to their being approved by Westminster, and a motion was tabled by a DUP member stating that the Assembly “rejected the imposition of abortion
legislation that extends to all non-fatal disabilities, including Down’s syndrome”. The motion was carried by 46 votes to 40 but was non-binding and had no effect on the Westminster Regulations.
The Northern Ireland Health Minister has stated that 2020 Regulations do not compel the Northern Ireland Executive to provide abortion services, but the UK is now in the process of enacting new regulations to direct the Northern Ireland ministers to implement the Regulations. Meanwhile the Northern Ireland Assembly is seeking to introduce legislation which will remove the grounds for abortion in cases of severe foetal impairment by amending the imposed Regulations of 2020.
Clearly the pro-abortion lobby is not to be thwarted in its endeavours to ensure that the “human rights” of women wanting abortions are not breached, even if this means imposing regulations on a province of the United Kingdom whose legislature is opposed to them. Bylaws have been introduced creating “bubble zones” around abortion clinics in London on the grounds that pro-life campaigners are intimidating and frightening women attending the clinics. Similar “bubble zones” are being planned for Manchester.
Government statistics for 2019 (the latest available) show that the country currently performs the highest number of abortions per annum since the Abortion Act came into effect in April 1968. For the last 10 years, around 81% of abortions have been performed for women whose marital status was given as single – this is the fruit of our “enlightened society”. Ninety-eight per cent of abortions were performed on the grounds that “the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk greater than if pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman”. Forty per cent of women undergoing abortions had had one or more previous abortions. The statistics quoted are for England and Wales, but the situation is very similar in Scotland.
The psalmist said, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14), but wicked man cares neither for the Creator nor His works but only for self. Truly “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). FRD
Two Arrests
A well-known open-air preacher aged 71 (Pastor John Sherwood) was arrested in London by three policemen for a supposed “hate-crime” (saying that marriage was between a man and a woman); was disrespectfully and roughly handled, with his Bible being taken from him; was interrogated with various impertinent questions (such as what would he do if one of his children became “gay”); was detained overnight; and was eventually released without charge.
During his unpleasant detention, this pastor, we would suppose, had the
comfort of a good conscience that he had been doing good rather than evil; enjoyed the presence of Christ, standing with him and strengthening him; had the blessing of those that suffer for righteousness’ sake; had the prospect of release in due course; and beyond that the hope of eternal life where no sin, nor temptation, nor false accusation could ever reach him. Perhaps he was also able to do a measure of good in the police cells, or got some experience that may be useful to him in his subsequent ministry.
There is another arrest that comes in due course to ungodly people. The angel of death arrives, perhaps long awaited, perhaps utterly unexpected and undesired, or perhaps even brought near by their own hand. The angel apprehends their soul and ruthlessly draws it out, leaving the body motionless and crumpled where it was. In that instant the ungodly realise how terribly they have misjudged eternity. There is no tenderness with this officer of heaven, no kind word, no touch of human compassion. They scream in horror but they are helpless. They are taken away to that fearful place of detention with the rich man (Lk 16:24) and Judas (Acts 1:25) and many others.
There is no need for questioning because their own consciences are already charging them with innumerable evils against God and against His Son and His people. No advocate comes to help or advise. There is no joking and fellowship there. Everyone there is filled with terror at the prospect of the Great Day of Judgement and what lies beyond. There is no comfort, only fear and remorse. In the same place, “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness” (2 Pet 2:4) are powerful, malevolent and raging devils. It is an indescribably hateful place of utter despair.
Such a day of arrest is only a few months or years away for many unbelievers in Britain. It is not the pastor that we should feel sorry for, but for them.
DWBS
“Conversion Therapy”
There seems to be an unstoppable momentum in the whole series of laws that are proposed and passed with a view to making unnatural sins against the Seventh Commandment acceptable. One of the most recent of these proposals was announced in the recent Queen’s speech: “Measures will be brought forward to . . . ban conversion therapy”.
Though the Westminster Government admits that “there is no standard legal definition of conversion therapy”, the term refers to efforts “to change an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual”. Campaigners have even tried to include prayer, for such a change, among the practices that ought to be banned, which illustrates the potential threat to religious liberty from the proposed law. It is true that the Government has stated, “We will ensure the action we take to stop this practice . . . does not have unintended
consequences. We will ensure medical professionals, religious leaders, teachers and parents can continue to be able to have open and honest conversations with people.” This may be to avoid conflict with existing legislation on human rights guaranteeing religious freedom, but who can be confident that these freedoms will endure, or how far the “ensuring” will go?
Certainly our focus should be, not so much on deliverance from any particular sin, however serious, but on a sinner being delivered from a state of sin to a state of holiness through the gospel. For the continuance of our freedoms we must look to Him who rules over all things. “The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea” (Ps 93:4). He can remove the momentum from this series of laws.
Sabbath Ferries
There has been widespread criticism of Caledonian MacBrayne, the Scottish ferry company, in recent months for a spate of breakdowns and problems with various vessels, including a serious engine failure in the flagship, Loch Seaforth, which normally sails between Stornoway and Ullapool. Without entering into mechanical aspects beyond the knowledge of the writer, it seems reasonable to assume that for boats to be constantly employed seven days a week for most of each year is not the wisest method for maintaining their reliability.
Once again, we see that Sabbath trading proves to be counterproductive and unprofitable in the long run, in this case for those who own and who run the ship and, consequently, for those who use their services. CalMac have been remonstrated with many times over the years for running services in systematic disregard of the Sabbath Day, including when Sabbath-desecrating services were introduced on the Stornoway route in 2009. Whatever the immediate physical causes of their current difficulties may be, one thing is abundantly clear: those who wilfully trample under foot the commandments of God cannot have His blessing, who has said, “Them that honour Me I will honour and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Sam 2:30).
AWM