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Abortion Litmus Tests and Fundamental Values

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Tim Roemer, who announced his candidacy for the Democratic National Committee chair last week, criticized others in his party for not allowing pro-lifers into leadership positions. "Don't put my arms behind me. Give me a chance to talk about my values. And don't litmus-test me," Roemer, a former congressman from Indiana, told a group in St. Louis over the weekend.

Several in his party criticized Roemer's opposition to abortion. Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said she will spend her time fighting Roemer's campaign. "I will also urge DNC members to make an unequivocal statement that choice is both a fundamental value of the Democratic Party and an essential component of our winning message."

Somehow, Michelman seems to be unaware that most Americans don't find abortion to be any kind of value. And her pro-abortion message has done little to help Democrats win lately.

In fact, The New York Times is reporting that the Democrats are desperate enough to call on an evangelical for help. Jim Wallis, who recently talked with House Democrats about how to dispel their secular image, is experiencing a sudden popularity in the Democratic Party. But it's not because the party's pro-abortion, secular stance has given them a "winning message." Wallis says, "The Democratic Party has increasingly had a problem as being perceived as secular fundamentalists."

They gave more time to religion during that meeting than any other issue, Wallis told The Washington Post. "Democrats should welcome a moral values conversation," Wallis said. "As an evangelical Christian, I find 3,000 verses in the Bible about the poor."

The Times says Wallis "urged the Democrats to look for middle ground on the social issues most troubling to ...

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Weblog

Launched in 1999, Christianity Today’s Weblog was not just one of the first religion-oriented weblogs, but one of the first published by a media organization. (Hence its rather bland title.) Mostly compiled by then-online editor Ted Olsen, Weblog rounded up religion news and opinion pieces from publications around the world. As Christianity Today’s website grew, it launched other blogs. Olsen took on management responsibilities, and the Weblog feature as such was mothballed. But CT’s efforts to round up important news and opinion from around the web continues, especially on our Gleanings feature.

Ted Olsen

Ted Olsen

Ted Olsen is Christianity Today's managing editor for news and online journalism. He wrote the magazine's Weblog—a collection of news and opinion articles from mainstream news sources around the world—from 1999 to 2006. In 2004, the magazine launched Weblog in Print, which looks for unexpected connections and trends in articles appearing in the mainstream press. The column was later renamed "Tidings" and ran until 2007.


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