Pro-Life and Voting for Obama
How can a person who believes that abortion is morally wrong justify voting for a person who believes abortion can be morally acceptable?
This question is not a question of condemnation It is an honest question trying to understand my friends who are pro-life and yet willing to vote for a pro-choice candidate.
I'm curious that during this election campaign I've heard very little about the abortion issue. In the USA Today Candidate Match Game, abortion is not even one of the topics being discussed. It appears to be a non-issue.
It appears to me that some of the younger church leaders that I am following are leaning toward Obama. Obama's stance on abortion is pretty clear...
Read the full article from Jonathon V. Last.
Some Considerations...
I have come to understand that there are more views on abortion than just pro-life and pro-choice. (Aaron O’Kelley has a very descriptive post on the differing positions on abortion.)
Let me take some guesses as to why some pro-lifers may vote pro-choice this year, and then maybe some of you can clarify...
1. You are so angered by the war in Iraq, and the bloodshed, and the current animosity of most of the world towards the U.S. that you feel this --the war-- is the preeminent issue in this campaign.
2. You feel that no matter who is elected not much will change in the area of abortion. Therefore other issues take on greater importance in determining your vote.
3. You feel that pro-life is more than just anti-abortion. You are concerned about other social issues that have an impact on life. You want to take up the cause of the poor, the cause of AIDS and other issues. You feel that capital punishment is not an evidence of the value of life, but is actually an anti-life stand.
4. You are voting for the lesser of two evils. You feel that the negatives of the pro-life candidates outweigh the fact that they are pro-life.
5. You feel that living a "pro-life" life will have much more impact than who you vote for.
If you are Pro-Life and you are supporting a pro-choice candidate, I'd love to hear from you.
(Update - As an example, Marko has shared a similar position - check out this post.)
This question is not a question of condemnation It is an honest question trying to understand my friends who are pro-life and yet willing to vote for a pro-choice candidate.
I'm curious that during this election campaign I've heard very little about the abortion issue. In the USA Today Candidate Match Game, abortion is not even one of the topics being discussed. It appears to be a non-issue.
It appears to me that some of the younger church leaders that I am following are leaning toward Obama. Obama's stance on abortion is pretty clear...
Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it’s never been more important to protect a woman’s right to choose. Last year, the Supreme Court decided by a vote of 5-4 to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, and in doing so undermined an important principle of Roe v. Wade: that we must always protect women’s health...Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America....When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president. . . .
Read the full article from Jonathon V. Last.
Some Considerations...
I have come to understand that there are more views on abortion than just pro-life and pro-choice. (Aaron O’Kelley has a very descriptive post on the differing positions on abortion.)
Let me take some guesses as to why some pro-lifers may vote pro-choice this year, and then maybe some of you can clarify...
1. You are so angered by the war in Iraq, and the bloodshed, and the current animosity of most of the world towards the U.S. that you feel this --the war-- is the preeminent issue in this campaign.
2. You feel that no matter who is elected not much will change in the area of abortion. Therefore other issues take on greater importance in determining your vote.
3. You feel that pro-life is more than just anti-abortion. You are concerned about other social issues that have an impact on life. You want to take up the cause of the poor, the cause of AIDS and other issues. You feel that capital punishment is not an evidence of the value of life, but is actually an anti-life stand.
4. You are voting for the lesser of two evils. You feel that the negatives of the pro-life candidates outweigh the fact that they are pro-life.
5. You feel that living a "pro-life" life will have much more impact than who you vote for.
If you are Pro-Life and you are supporting a pro-choice candidate, I'd love to hear from you.
(Update - As an example, Marko has shared a similar position - check out this post.)
Comments
Yes, I'm also interested to hear how someone who is "pro-life" can justify voting for someone who is "pro-choice."