Christianity Today

It does not matter when one awakens to the knowledge of the truth as long as one honestly admits to having once held a different view . There is no shame in seeing more clearly now than one did before. So if evangelicals are pro-life when they used to be something else, I ask so what! I am yet to see a reasoned pro-choice position grounded in sound biblical exegesis, and I agree with the position that doctrines are often solidified in times of conflict. To give one's all one must be sure of what one's fight is for or about. So it is in times like ours that a clear position on abortion is vital. Today one must be able to answer questions like when does life begin? What 'right' has a woman to terminate the life of the child medical technology clearly shows is living inside her? From where does the female 'license to kill' come. Abortion is a tragedy of epic proportions, a terrible scourge on humankind. If evangelicals have recently awakened to that reality, I say good for them!

Robert Starr, it's great to see another poster here who is steadfastly opposed to abortion. God bless you for that! I have never given unquestioning support for the Republican party. It is true that some Republicans are pro-"choice". (At the same time, the Democrats have made it ultra-clear in their platform that they are not open to a pro-life position, and Obama authored a bill as senator to prevent doctors from saving the lives of little babies who survive abortion.) One thing about Bush which I appreciated was his staunch resistance to obtaining stem cells from the bodies of aborted babies. Another thing I appreciated was his signing of the bill to outlaw partial-birth abortions. (Clinton repeatedly vetoed that same bill, which came across his desk three times after having been passed by both the Congress and Senate.) I can't answer your question without further qualifying info: How do you propose working with both parties to reduce abortions?

Claire Guest, I agree with you on a pro-life position. I do not agree that unquestioning support for the Republican party is an effective solution. Many Repubs are openly "Pro Choice" and many who claim to be "Pro Life" don't seem to care much about it (compared, say, to tax policy and many other things). A few Dems are Pro Life and many have intermediate positions (allow only in certain cases, parental consent, etc.). In fact Bush, McCain and Romney all had an intermedate position (allow for rape and incest). A hard-line "all or nothing approach" does not work; working with both parties to reduce abortions might work better. I would agree with you that no abortions are good. But wouldn't you agree that reducing abortions is a good thing, even if you can't get them down to zero?

John Holecek, you say, "Mainline Protestantism folded long ago on same-sex marriage..." This is partly true, but not wholly true. What has actually happened is that schisms have arisen in mainline Protestant denominations over this issue as Bible-believing, God-honoring believers have obeyed His admonition to "come out from among them and be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6). Christ Jesus prophesied this would happen, and the apostles echoed His warning. Many Catholics have been co-workers in crisis pregnancy refuge centers, and I appreciate them very much. At the same time, there are many other Catholics who are pro-"choice", support re-defining God's definition of marriage, vote Dem in every election (as is true of many Protestants, as well). So I don't understand how you can see this as a Catholic/Protestant issue. Perhaps I misunderstood you. If so, please feel free to clarify.

Robert Starr, I can only speak for myself and fellow Christians whom I have known for years IRL. I know for a fact that no politician ever influenced us to be pro-life, period. What influenced us (as I've often referenced here) is God's own Word - Jeremiah 1, Psalm 139, Jesus' words, other Scriptures as well. When I first began voting, there was no such divide between Reps and Dems - abortion was a non-partisan issue. Ironically, it seems that Jimmy Carter, who ran on a "born again" platform, had a major part in making support for abortion on demand a Dem issue. Feminists of that day chose the Dem party as their party and made deals with Dem leaders to advance their agenda (a former New York Times editor recently mentioned this in a book). The pro-life position IS very important to me, for the reason I cited earlier (as is definition of marriage). The Dems' hard Left position has definitely alienated and disenfranchised many Americans whose standard of truth is God's Holy Word.