NORTH AMERICAN SCENE: Church Refuses to Vacate Building

President Bill Clinton used uncharacteristically strong language to define his terms in the ongoing debate over traditional values in a speech last month before the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., decrying violence among young people, illegitimacy, and abortion.

Clinton said about 40 percent of all American children are born into homes where the parents are not married, and 27 percent of all pregnancies end in abortion.

“Now, I don’t care what your position is, whether you’re pro-choice or anti-, that’s too many,” said Clinton.

Having children out of wedlock is “simply not right,” he also said. “You shouldn’t have a baby before you’re ready, and you shouldn’t have a baby when you’re not married.”

The National Baptist Convention (NBC) is the nation’s largest African-American denomination, with approximately 8 million members. Clinton, who is a Southern Baptist, has not addressed the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), though he met recently with SBC leaders to discuss domestic issues.

Speaking the previous day to members of the Commonwealth Club of California, potential 1996 Republican presidential contender Dan Quayle touched on many of the same themes, which he has been sounding since his vice presidential days.

“Illegitimacy seems to be a pathology that feeds upon itself,” Quayle said. “If children grow up never knowing their father, they assume fathers are irrelevant and that males are not accountable.”

Quayle proposed strengthening the family through tax-relief measures. Clinton emphasized programs to fight crime, increase jobs, reduce homelessness, and bring businesses to inner cities.

Copyright © 1994 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Re-engineering the Seminary?

Bringing the Poor to the Polls

President, Quayle Tout Values Theme

Ministers Decry 'Censorship'

Finance Agency Faces $500,000 Suit

Camping Misses End of World

Is Word-Faith Movement Out on a Limb

State's Religious Ed Questioned in Nicaragua

Haitian Relief Teams Prepare to Return

News

Korean Presbyterian Church Refuses to Vacate Building

Tunnel Mystery Unearthed

Survey Questions Protestant Figures

Gridiron Star Tackles Urban Inner City Problems

BOOKS: Getting to Yes

BOOKS: Worth Mentioning

Whose Feminism?

PHILIP YANCEY: The Power of Writing

PHILIP YANCEY: The Power of Writing

ARTICLE: Shouting Heresy in the Temple of Darwin

News

Teaching Manhood in the Urban Jungle

News

News Briefs: October 24, 1994

Wire Story

Clinton Intervenes in RFRA Test Case

Wire Story

Prolifers Arrested in Cairo

Back from Bulgaria

Editorial

Get Real

Editorial

EDITORIAL: Cairo’s Wake-up Call

Editorial

EDITORIAL: Take Us Out of the Ball Game

News

News Briefs: October 24, 1994

ARTICLE: The Good Capitalist

ARTICLE: Why They Helped the Jews

ARTICLE: The Translator’s Tale

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from October 24, 1994

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letting the Boat Out of the Bag

News

Is Laughing for the Lord Holy?

View issue

Our Latest

Sent to Your Street

Mission isn’t just across the ocean. It’s across the street. God places his people in neighborhoods and cities so the nations might know him.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Brooke Baldwin: Is the News Broken – or Are We?

The just life means living in the light with truth and integrity.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Angela Stanton King: Mothers, Babies and The Measure of Justice

How ordinary people can create extraordinary change and why serving moms and protecting children belongs at the heart of justice.

The National Guard Won’t Fix Our Crime Problem

Lasting solutions come when we draw near to victims and seek God’s help in prayer.

News

Most Men Are Pro-Life. Activists Want Them to Speak Up.

Programs seek to help fathers voice opinions and take responsibility.

Analysis

For Kirk’s Fans, Provocation Wasn’t the Point

Young Christians in Kentucky remember how he treated question-askers and critics.

How Then Shall America Pray?

The White House’s new prayer initiative reveals much about our national character.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube