Moral differences between birth control and abortion

Somewhere in my long and rambling story yesterday, I mentioned that the reasons Christian couples use birth control are the same reasons some women (sadly, Christians included) have abortions.

Now, there is a difference between using nonabortifacient birth control and having an abortion. There is even a difference between using abortifacient birth control without really understanding that it can do more than contracept and using the same pill with the knowledge that it can cause your baby's death.

But consider the words of our Lord:

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:21-22a, 27-28)

Our God judges us not only by our actions, but by the attitudes of our heart. If we feel the same kind of anger toward another that a murderer feels, are we better for not killing him or her? Yes--but we are not good. If the heart attitude of a couple that chooses to use birth control is exactly the same as that of a couple that aborts their baby, why is one lauded for responsibility while the other is decried for selfishness?

I do not think that most Christian couples who use birth control would pursue abortion if they "accidently" got pregnant anyway. I hope that most would choose to bless God for their miracle baby. But if a couple is avoiding children because they just aren't ready, or their finances aren't perfect, I would think that knowing that somewhere, today, a woman is killing her baby because she just isn't ready or because her finances aren't perfect would give them pause. I would hope that would inspire them to take a long, hard look at their attitudes and motives.