What is S.L.E.D.?
SLED is an acronym for Size, Level of Development, Environment and Dependency. This easy-to-remember acronym can be used to refute various arguments for abortion.
Ultimately a person’s worth is in who they are, an image bearer of God, and not in their Size, Level of Development, Environment and Development.
Size – Just because a baby is small doesn’t mean he is less valuable. A toddler is smaller than a teenager, but the toddler is not less valuable, right? The same goes for a baby in the womb which is smaller than a toddler.
Level of Development – Biologically, a great deal of development takes place in the womb. Development takes place outside of the womb as well. A preborn baby is less developed than a newborn, who is less developed than a six month old baby who is less developed than a two year old, who is less developed than a teenager, who is less developed than an adult. None of those are more or less valuable than another. We all have value as image bearers of God.
Environment – A person living on a mountain has no more value than a person living in the desert. They are simply in different locations. In the same way, a baby is no less valuable than her mother because she is in the womb. The journey a baby takes to get out of the womb does not suddenly make him a human. He is a human at conception.
Dependency – An unborn baby is fully dependent on her mother for protection, nutrition, growth, etc. She is just as valuable as a toddler, who also depends on his parents to take care of his every need. Even five year olds and teenagers are dependent to varying degrees. Their worth is not determined by their level of dependence.