Apparently, the Christian church has only been in existence for about 50 years, according to Speaker of the House (and 3rd in line to the Presidency) Nancy Peolsi. This weekend on a TV political news show, Ms Peolsi was asked about the Catholic Church's stance that life begins at conception. Since Ms Pelosi claims to be Catholic, you'd think she was prepared to answer this question.
She replied, "'I understand. And this is, like, maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy".
First off, does anyone really believe that the history of the church is "maybe 50 years" old?
Then she mentions the canard of controversy about life. From the beginning, the church has taught that life begins at conception. Tertullian wrote in the late second or early third century (a bit longer than 50 years ago) that "The embryo therefore becomes a human being in the womb from the moment that its form is completed. The law of Moses, indeed, punishes with due penalties the man who shall cause abortion, inasmuch as there exists already the rudiment of a human being" (Tertullian, a Treatise on the Soul).
If 1800 years ago isn't old enough, back in 80 AD (maybe as late as 120 AD) a Christian document was written, the Didache. In it is the phrase "you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born"
Pelosi is trying to put her post-modern spin on the topic of abortion. Sure, I'm putting my spin on it, too, but my spin has been around for about 2000 years.
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