“…choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” – Deut. 30:19, KJV
What if the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade had never occurred? What would happen if the High Court’s decision to legalize abortion was reversed? How many babies, if given the chance to simply live, would grow up to make a difference? How many parents would, in the end, be glad that they let their children live?
What if we’ve murdered a future president at some point within the last 38 years? What if we’ve callously killed blameless babies that would have become doctors, loving mothers, teachers, and preachers? How many potentially productive people have died at the hands of pitiless physicians all in the name of choice?
What if one of those murdered millions would have become Secretary-General for the United Nations? What if we’ve slaughtered an infant that would have developed a cure for cancer or the common cold? What if we’ve mistakenly massacred millions of innocent infants for the sake of individual liberty? What about the life and liberty of the person inside the womb? What if, in our pursuit of happiness, we’ve shot ourselves in the foot by being selfish and greedy instead of loving and principled?
What if we had contemplated the consequences? What if we had decided that fetuses are lives and not just decisions? How would you feel if, at sometime during the last four decades, we had unknowingly butchered a future member of your family? How would you TRULY feel if one of those executed babies had happened to be YOU?
Interesting perspective, one that I heard shortly after the decision. The cost will never be known, on earth.
For my take on abortion, check this: http://theoccasionalpoet.blogspot.com/2009/12/abortion-my-two-cents-worth.html
Abortion is murder. Therefore, a woman does not have the “right” to choose to have an abortion. The Supreme Court had no right to grant them that right.
Now, some people would say “What about incest, rape, or the life of the mother”. In the case where a woman could die due to a pregnancy (i.e. encoptic pregnancy), I couldn’t say a woman can’t have that procedure. In the case of rape or incest, I will grant that’s a hard call to make. I’m not entirely sure exactly how to respond to that. But those are, far and away, a very small percentage of the reasons women have for getting an abortion. Therefore, if abortion were legal only in the cases of a legitimate health danger for the mother, we would have probably less than 10% of the abortions we have.
Therefore, Christians are responsible for always and only voting for anti abortion candidates. That may mean someone has to sacrifice something that’s important to them personally to vote for that candidate. For example, in a presidential race, one would rarely if ever find a candidate who is anti abortion and pro-immigration reform/a tree hugger/pro-Palestinian (anti-Israel)/anti war in Iraq/pro-food stamps and other entitlement programs. Therefore, if a Christian has to choose between an anti abortion candidate and a candidate who stands for those other issues, they are responsible to vote for the anti-abortion candidate.
It is hard for me to see how anyone could believe that killing a baby in its mother’s womb is morally acceptable. Just goes past me.
I do not understand why the Republicans (Presidents-Senators-Congressman, etc.) over the last 38 years have not overturned Roe Vs. Wade.
Surely, there was enough power to do this.
If we are looking for blame on the Abortion issue, there is plenty of blame to go around.
Ah, yes, so since they haven’t made as much headway as I’d like to see*, then the obviously solution is to vote for candidates who say from the get go “I will do everything in my power to make sure abortion stays legal. Women have rights.”
*Of course, I want to see it made illegal. I want some guy to feel fear creep all over him when his girlfriend tells him she’s preggers and he knows he now has to take care of that baby and that any plans he had are essentially over. I want some girl to realize that she can’t afford to have the baby and know that the guy has run off and left her and feel the dread of not knowing what she’s gonna do, wishing she could go back and decide that even though he was cute he wasn’t worth ruining her life.
Choices have consequences.
All Christians always vote against pro-abortion candidates.
Tom, I would agree that Republicans should have done more when they had power to end this scourge.
However, I think your facts are in error. There has never been a pro-life majority on the SCOTUS nor a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
Curse you Joe,
I am going to have to defend your position on abortion. Dave, a Christian cannot under any circumstances defend, support or vote for a pro-abortion candidate for any office in the land, including dog catcher. Republicans are just as guilty as any Democrat alive in allowing abortion to continue. Every pro-life politician just blames it on the SC…..we can’t overturn them is the motto. It’s easier that way dontchaknow? And one wonders, how many pro-life politicians would choose abortion for their girlfriend so their wife would not find out that he has knocked up some other woman…..we already know how many “choice” politicians would do that. And Joe, please stay on the other side of the opinion fence from now on…..I really dislike having to side with you 😉
I agree that Christians should not support or in any way encourage abortion. It is unconscionable.
My point (in the comment I removed) was that God is gracious and sometimes there are people who are genuinely saved but have some really bad ideas about some things.
Blanket statements about who is and who is not a Christian go too far. To say that something is the position of scripture is one thing. To say that those who don’t agree are somehow not Christians is beyond what we have the right to say.
That’s my point.
Did ya’ll see where Mississippi is voting on Nov. 8, 2011 on the “Personhood Amendment” that would amend their state constitution to declare that the unborn possess the same rights of newborns. It would thus lead to making abortion illegal in the state of Mississippi: http://www.christianpost.com/news/mississippi-high-court-dismisses-challenge-to-personhood-initiative-55323/.
Although this will be challenged if it’s passed, let’s pray for a similar movement in other states.
This is the very problem that we’re facing with politics.
Every election cycle we keep electing the same Republican candidates who say that they’re Pro-Life yet nothing substantive ever even makes it to committee, let alone to a vote. During these same election cycles, tons of Pro-Choice or outright Pro-Abortion legislation makes it out into various pieces of legislation and only then with public outcry is it removed if it gets any notice at all. The politicians know that enough people like Joe will shout down anyone thinking for themselves so Christians (or christians) will just blindly vote for the first politician to claim their Pro-Life credentials.
So, let’s keep electing the same politicians over and over again because saying your against it and actually being against it must be two totally different things.
I tend to vote for candidates whom I agree with on other issues and so far, their stance on abortion has lined up with mine. However, I’m becoming increasingly fed up with the lack of any overt legislation against or curtailing abortion even making it into committee votes. I’m not truly prepared to vote for a Pro-Choice candidate, but I’m not far from it.
I would never vote for a Pro-choice candidate – on principle. If someone cannot see that entering a mother’s womb to kill her baby is wrong, they do not have the moral sense to get my vote. But I think there are a lot of PLINO candidates out there – Pro-Life in Name Only. I get tired of those rascals.
Sadly I think the time is coming when we will regularly be forced to choose between a host of only pro-choice candidates.
I honestly think that being pro-choice is a serious mental and moral defect. But if someone is out there with a proven record for, let’s say, reducing unwanted pregnancies, then I would have to lean toward them over someone without that record (assuming they were both pro-choice and the only choices).
I think our obligation, as Christian citizens, is to cast our vote for candidates who will do the most good, or the least harm, even if the field of candidates does not present a clear choice.
Bill:
I think sadly that politicians use Christians to get elected and then claim there is just not much they can do about abortion.
It is a winning strategy for many of them.
The republican party is not the political wing of the Christian church. Do not trust them. They have disappointed us for years, and they show no sign of doing anything different. The state is not our friend or ally when it comes to abortion. The only real change that Christians can effect regarding abortion is to make more Christians. Redeeming the culture will inevitably result in political change, but I fear we are trying to redeem the culture by political means. Cart before the horse.
Bill I think you have hit on an extremely important point. Somehow we have decided that investing in social and political activism can effect true change in the culture. These things are not innately wrong or bad, but they are not the primary method to address issues such as abortion. The best method is through the power of the Gospel message. We keep thinking if we elect the right person to the right office the right things will get done. That will probably never happen. However, if we really begin sharing the Gospel, in our homes, in our communities and in our CHURCHES, then we we will see change. We instill a respect and value on life in the younger generations through the teachings of Christ. It’s a tough battle, because the world is doing the exact opposite, even in our public schools.
Randy
If there had been no Roe v. Wade then there would still be a checkerboard of states with various positions on abortion, same as was the case pre-Roe. The reason nothing has been done on abortion is because a majority of the citizenry supports it in some form. The solution is not in laws and judicial decisions.
Far too many SB believe that politics will save the day. Because of this they stay frustrated all the time because the folks they elect do not do as they promised.
William,
I agree with you. And if Roe v. Wade were overturned today, we would go back to that checkerboard tomorrow.
However, laws and judicial decisions immensely help.
I notice a tendency of many to completely give up on the law on this issue.
That, I think, is misguided. Laws against theft are good even if they do not stop a particular thief.
Wilberforce, long ago in England, saw the need for both changing the hearts of people and changing the law against slavery. One of the reasons nothing has been done is that we as Christians are not as patient and long-term as he and his fellow members of Parliament were.
Joe, you made me laugh out loud. I’m guessing your “encoptic” pregnancy was just a typo because all the letters are there + one extra. Just in case, the word is ‘ectopic’. But you are correct, it’s a certain death for the mother and I’d agree it would be an exception.
This is a short video and although it is by a Catholic Carndinal, I’ve posted it here before. In this case it’s a spot on illustration of how people choose not to deal with this very serious issue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv3MRyKfEHA
Not a typo, just plain ol’ Baldwin County ignorance–I can’t spell to save my life.
In any case, with regard to an ectopic pregnancy, we’re talking about a small percentage of all pregnancies. If that was the only reason an abortion was legal, we would have a fraction of the abortions we have.
And while, I do admit, that voting for a democrat doesn’t prove someone isn’t a Christian, I sure wouldn’t welcome them in my church with the exception of one group of people. As far as I’m concerned, those people can vote Democrat and I’d never question their profession of faith. Most people, however, don’t fall into that group I’m thinking about.
Glad you had a good laugh. A joyful heart is good medicine, after all.
Joe,
Yes… ectopic pregnancies are a tiny minority of abortions. As a Corpsman in the service, I’ve seen this happen rarely. And Joe, the mothers were devastated over the loss of the pregnancy. It can also reduce the possibility of another pregnancy. Sad for all concerned.
I don’t think that someone has to be a republican or even an independent to be a Christian. However, whatever political label they choose, abortion is an abomination and I can’t understand how anyone who called themself a follower of Christ, could not see the sheer horror or it. God is the creator of life and for humans to discard God’s precious creation is unthinkable.