Yowza. This is a first. A Democratic group airing an ad arguing that the pro-choice Democratic candidate will do more to reduce the number of abortions than the Republican. In the ad, Doug Kmiec, the former Reagan administration official says Obama's approach "drastically reduces the numbers of abortions." On their website, Matthew25, which sponsored the ad declares: "An Obama administration will do more than a McCain administration for the cause of life."
There is evidence that approaches that emphasize support for pregnant moms and pregnancy prevention can reduce abortions as much as legal restrictions.
What neither Matthew25 nor the Kmiec ad point out is that there are several Obama positions that run counter to this approach:
- Obama supports Medicaid funding for abortion. The same studies that show social spending can reduce the number of abortions also show that paying for the abortions of poor women increases the numbers. Biden, by the way, opposes government support for abortion.
- Obama supports the Freedom of Choice Act. This would wipe out state laws, including modreate ones that merely require parental notification for teens seeking abortion.
Doug Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee also offers this example, which I feel ambivalent about. On the one hand, if you're serious about reducing the number of abortions, it does look a bit dissonant to have an "Abortion Providers for Obama-Biden" page. On the other hand, as editor of a website with a vibrant community that constantly puts forth views with which I disagree, I'm reluctant to hold anyone accountable for views expressed in message boards.
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If you're an Evangelical, here are some points to consider:
1. Regarding the sanctity of infant life, it's the Bible-believing Christians who most vigorously oppose abortion. These same people, taking the Bible literally, will go to great lengths to rationalize passages like 1 Samuel 15:3, where it says God commanded Saul to totally destroy the wicked Amalekites, including their wicked little infants. I believe the Bible, and I love God (despite this passage -- I'm hoping He'll make things right in the end). But I think it's mixed up for us to presume we know what judgment the Almighty makes on abortion (which the Bible does not mention) while offering any theological justification for passages like this one. (See also Hosea 13:16).
2. God is more interested in changing hearts than in changing civil laws. If that weren't the case, Jesus would have repeatedly denounced corrupt Roman law & culture and made those things his central talking points. Homosexuality, infanticide, and a host of other evils were rampant in the Roman Empire. But read the Gospels and note what Jesus really focused on.
3. There's something seriously wrong in a society that demands abortion. It's a choice that indicates despair. But masking the symptom will not cure the disease. Promoting a more just society, in tune with Biblical calls for economic justice, will be a great step toward healing our land. The far-reaching impact will include a lower abortion rate, as people rediscover hope.
So my pro-life vote is for Obama, because I believe his priorities are appropriate and Biblical.
I feel sorry for all those Christians that are going to vote for a man that is not only pro-abortion but is also going to deregulate abortion laws. One day, you will stand before God and have to answer, why you voted/put a man in power that allowed this. May God show his grace on you.
Good! If birth control and sex education was readily available, people wouldn't have to get abortions. Its time for birth control to become affordable to all, prevention first. Juststop said it perfectly, tell people to not have sex and see how far that gets you, looks like Palin preaches that but couldn't practice it herself. Can we say hypocrite?
Christian Pro-Choice/Pro Women's Rights.
Obama 08'!! WE DID IT!!!
My husband and I work with inner-city youth and I can tell you that teenagers are not getting abortions due to financial hardship. In fact many have kids for the government paycheck, it's their type of employment. The reason kids are are getting pregnant is because they are taught that it is the normal process of adolescence, because older men-allowed by their mothers-come into their homes and pressure them into sexual relationships. It's a generational normalcy, it's even cool, and a sign of "maturity". So Obama wants to relieve economic hardship. Great! Do that by creating jobs and opportunities for the people to be responsible, empowered, educated...and not by giving hand outs. Do we really think that more money and programs will solve this problem. Does money change the hearts and impulses of men? Does money stop ignorant youth from lusting and performing in sexual relationship out of the context of marriage? Does money teach our youth what true sexuality was created for and who it was created by? Is money and government more powerful than God. We are not discerning what the true cause and true solutions are to our current national problems. If a woman decides to have sex, she also must decide that she may produce life and take that responsibility on herself. Like I said-more government will never change the hearts and habits of man. We the people, make up this nation. We choose what our nation looks like by the lives we live. Everyone wants to blame someone else and put that responsibility on the government. But no one wants to change their own lives filled with greed, consumerism, lust, and hatred. Only Jesus Christ, who has the power to transform hearts and habits can produce solutions for this nation. Until we return to our Savior and Creator who has all the solutions, we will never change our current condition.
Obama: more Pro-Life that the Republicans
Maybe someone can explain to me, but I was wondering why Pres Bush and the national Republican leadership get all this praise for being pro-life, yet in the past 8 years, what have they really accomplished in terms of advancing the pro-life agenda in the US?
+ capital punishment - expanded
+ war - Lets start by counting the 45,000 dead Iraqi civilians. No he didnt kill them but he intentionally opened a pandoras box. Nuf said.
+ embryonic stem cell research - very confusing: its ok to destroy some embryos but not others?
+ Roe v Wade? - unchanged and unchallenged
+ Judicial appointments - except for the Supreme Court, they are irrelevant to life issues
+ resources for crisis pregnancy? - dramatically reduced
+ health insurance for children of unwed mothers? - nothing changed
+ pro-life public service advertising (like the anti-tobacco initiatives) - never happened
+ corporal acts of mercy - dramatically reduced
+ immigration – hopes of reform dashed by the Republicans themselves
The American pro-life movement had such a wonderful opportunity from 2000 - 2008 with Republican control over all three branches of the federal government and most state governments -- assuming Pres Bush and the Republicans were really interested in Pro-Life issues. Even after 2006, there were so many things Pres Bush could have done by executive order but he chose to not do anything significant.
It seems to me that Pres Bush and the Republicans are really pro-choice: they exercised their 'freedom of choice:' by choosing to do nothing about pro-life issues when they had the chance. Before 2000, cold January after January we were told ‘we’ll do something once we are in power.’ Since 2000 the story was 'next year we'll do something...'
Both sides have allowed millions of abortions to occur unabated. One side lied about their true intentions.
It looks to me that Pres-elect Obama and the Democratic party leaders in Congress are at least honest enough to say they won't do anything to bar abortions, but they are committed to doing something to reduce the number of abortions. And they are definitely more in line with the balance of the pro-life world view on issues of war, death penalty, torture and corporal acts of mercy at home and abroad.
That’s why, in my view, Mr Obama may well be our first Pro-Life President.
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