Crime Quote by John Calvin
“For the fetus, though enclosed in the womb of its mother, is already a human being, and it is a monstrous crime to rob it of the life which it has not yet begun to enjoy. If it seems more horrible to kill a man in his own house than in a field, because a man's house is his place of most secure refuge, it ought surely to be deemed more atrocious to destroy a fetus in the womb before it has come to light.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, 1559
A fetus is a human being; ending its potential life is a grave moral crime, more severe than killing a man in his home.
In simple terms: Abortion is a severe moral wrongdoing.
Key Takeaway
Protect unborn life.
Themes
ethics
prolife
human dignity
Mood
solemn
serious
Type
theological
ethical
When to use this quote
- medical ethics
- legislation
- personal belief
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
theology
rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines the beginning of personhood?
- How should society balance rights of mother and fetus?
A Different Perspective
Debates on personhood complicate the issue.
![“She who has intentionally destroyed [the fetus] is subject to the penalty corresponding to a homicide. For us, there is no scrutinizing between the formed and unformed [fetus]; here truly justice is made not only for the unborn but also with reference to the person who is attentive only to…” quote by Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/21f/saint-basil-4281_abortion_she-who-has-intentionally-destroyed-the_1250884.jpg)
