'Basing My Opinion on What God Said': Tony Dungy Defends the Unborn During Social Media Debate

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy is pointing people to scripture while answering multiple questions related to abortion, biblical truth, and whether life begins at the moment of conception.

The recent series of tweets began on Sunday when Dungy replied to a comment from someone suggesting that there didn't appear to be a biblical case for when life actually begins.

"It's a brand new idea, made up in the 1970s," tweeted user Adam Davidson. "In the bible and for nearly all of Xn history, life was thought to begin sometime in the 2nd trimester."

Read Jeremiah 1:5CloseJeremiah 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb.  Before you were born I set you apart  and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) , psalm 139:13-16, and Genesis 25:23CloseGenesis 25:23 And the LORD told her, "The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) . Then see what you think.

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 10, 2022

Dungy responded by encouraging him to, "Read Jeremiah 1:5CloseJeremiah 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb.  Before you were born I set you apart  and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) , Psalms 139:13-16ClosePsalms 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body  and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,  as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out  before a single day had passed. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) , and Genesis 25:23CloseGenesis 25:23 And the LORD told her, "The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ."

When another user argued that those Bible verses only, "deal with the foreknowledge of God," Dungy explained that they actually reveal the miraculous development of the unborn child.

"God is sovereign, we are not. But these verses deal with more than just the foreknowledge of us. They speak about God seeing us in the womb, working on us in the womb and knowing us in the womb," he said.

God is sovereign, we are not. But these verses deal with more than just the foreknowledge of us. They speak about God seeing us in the womb, working on us in the womb and knowing us in the womb.

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 11, 2022

No. I’m basing my opinion on what God said, not what people want to advocate.

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 11, 2022

When someone told Dungy that his perception was determined by "people from 2000 years ago," he replied, "I'm basing my opinion on what God said, not what people want to advocate."

Another person urged Dungy to "focus on the woman" in which he wrote, "Why not focus on the baby? Does that life mean anything?"

He emphasized that the core issue being argued is whether the unborn baby has any rights.

"If you don't believe it's a life, then it has no rights," Dungy tweeted. "But…if you believe it's a life, then it has rights. 38 states have fetal homicide laws implying they think it is a life."

The question is does the baby have any rights. If you don’t believe it’s a life then it has no rights. But…if you believe it’s a life then it has rights. 38 states have fetal homicide laws implying they think it is a life.

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 11, 2022

Yes God said He knew Jeremiah before He formed him. But Vs 5 says….I formed you in your mother’s womb. That says a lot right there. God formed the baby, not man. Did you read the other two passages?

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 11, 2022

"I formed you in your mother's womb. That says a lot right there. God formed the baby, not man," Dungy tweeted, referring to Psalm 139. 

Ultimately, Dungy defended his position during the debate and recognized other views on the matter.

"I think we can have conversations and even disagree without it being the end of the world," he tweeted. "I know that everyone won't look at things like I do, but I can still share what I believe and why I believe it."

Thank you. I think we can have conversations and even disagree without it being the end of the world. I know that everyone won’t look at things like I do but I can still share what I believe and why I believe it.

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 11, 2022

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