How ironic! The idolators of Jeremiah’s day were more loyal to their false gods than God’s own people were to Him. The Lord exposed His people’s folly by asking, “Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods?” (Jeremiah 2:11a). The implied answer, of course, is “No!” Worshipers of Apollo wouldn’t just randomly shift their allegiance over to Zeus. However, the people of Judah had “changed their Glory for what does not profit” (2:11b). The true and living God was Judah’s glory, but time and again they forsook Him for whatever pagan idols were in vogue. Think of it! The pagans wouldn’t trade one fake god for another, but Judah routinely traded the true God for fakes. Good thing we’re not like them, right?
Or are we? Hippocrates was a Greek physician who lived in the 400s BC. He worshiped numerous gods, as is evident from the opening lines of the Hippocratic Oath which he wrote. Countless doctors have taken that oath (minus the references to the gods). In doing so they promised not to deliberately harm any patients and to respect their privacy. Another line in the oath stands out: “Moreover, I will give no sort of medicine to any pregnant woman with a view to destroy the child.” Yes, even a pagan knew better than to cause an abortion!
The oath was revised in 1964 by Dr. Louis Lasagna, so nowadays doctors who take the new oath no longer promise not to perform or cause abortions. How bitterly ironic that a pagan nearly 2400 years ago knew abortion was immoral and unethical, but so many modern “enlightened” (?) people with medical degrees perform abortions, prescribe drugs to cause abortions, or refer pregnant women to abortionists. And countless other people with above-average intelligence loudly support the barbarism that has snuffed out the lives of tens of millions of the most innocent human beings. For shame! Even pagans know better!
–Joe Slater
