A three judge panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals issued a ruling today blocking he state’s abortion ban that protects babies from being killed in abortions.
The court wrongly claims the ban violates a state law protecting freedom of religion – as no legitimate religion says killing a baby is a morally good thing. The panel claimed the state has not proven a compelling interest in protecting lives of unborn children.
The appeals court order upholds a lower court order that blocks Indiana’s abortion ban for people whose religious beliefs supposedly call for ending the lives of babies before birth. The ACLU of Indiana said this means the order protects anyone who chooses to join the lawsuit.
The four Jewish women behind the lawsuit argue the ban violates Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA. They argue protecting human life runs counter to Jewish beliefs even though Jewish Scripture clearly indicates people are create in God’s image. They falsely claim that killing babies in abortions is a “religious sacrament.”
Judge Leanna Weissman wrote the state did not prove a compelling interest in protecting life from the moment of fertilization.
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“The General Assembly has declined to explicitly define human beings to include zygotes, embryos, or all fetuses,” Weissman wrote. “The Abortion Law also does not designate the exact point during pregnancy when the state’s interest in a zygote, embryo, or fetus becomes compelling.”
Indiana Right to Life President Mike Fichter told LifeNews he expected the state Supreme Court to overturn the ruling and allow the pro-life law to be fully enforced.
“Today’s court ruling is wrongly decided. The Indiana Supreme Court has already ruled the state has a compelling interest in protecting unborn life, and Indiana’s new abortion-restriction law is doing that by reducing Indiana abortions to the lowest level in five decades. We are confident Indiana will prevail against any claims that abortion — the intentional ending of an innocent and helpless human life — is a religious freedom.”
