First, let me begin by addressing my dear friend, Kim.
Kim, I'm sorry I didn't even see your last comment asking me about how we deal with the whole abortion issue on my Palin post. When I wrote that last post (Obama vs. McCain) it was in response to your comment about the Obama campaign needing to refocus. I was only addressing that point. I would be more than happy to talk about how we can reconcile voting for Obama despite his pro-choice stance.
Before I get into the depths of why I believe the issue of Abortion is a Red Herring in this election, here is a link to my sister's page, further speaking to why we have chosen to vote for Obama, as Christians, despite his pro-choice stance.
A Red Herring is a term meaning: something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand (dictionary.com)
We find ourselves in a different circumstance than we did twelve years ago. Back then we had a president with the intent of furthering abortion laws and pro-choice rights. We had a President that signed into existence partial-birth abortion. Eight years ago, I voted majorly on the issue of abortion because President Bush had plans to reverse the partial-birth abortion act and made it a major piece of his platform.
If Hillary were the first name on this ticket for President....abortion would be a MAJOR issue, yet again. She also had plans to further abortion laws and pro-choice rights. She is a heavy proponent of abortion.
However, that is NOT the case in THIS election.
Some background, quickly: Abortion rates are lower than they have been in over three decades. An article from Time magazine talks about how no one can figure out why this is. Each side is offering their own reasons and claiming credit, but one option that is not present in this article, that I believe is most relevant, is the work of the Church.
Women's shelters around this world, Christian-based clinics focused on educating and loving rather than judging, I believe are to be credited for this thirty-five year low. The Church was impassioned by Roe v. Wade. I call it "the awakening of the political Christian". Christians chose different ways to combat this new reality. Some began lobbyist groups and spent their time on Capitol Hill. Some chose to judge. Many others chose to open up their homes, clinics, shelters to a lost and hurting world - understanding, that for a woman (whose life was not in danger) to be so morally bankrupt and desperate that she would consider taking the life of an innocent baby, meant that she was in great need!! These Christians have turned back the rates of abortion. They have put their faith into action. They have changed the world. There is still much to be done, but how you and I chose to fight may differ.
Abortion is a Red Herring in THIS election because Obama has no plans to further abortion laws or the pro-choice movement. You can see here that he has no plans of reversing Roe v. Wade, but also has no plans of expanding the pro-choice agenda. He also challenges Democrats and pro-choice advocates to consider the moral dimension, too often over looked.
Furthermore, McCain has NO agenda regarding abortion or Roe v. Wade. Even with Pres. Bush in office, one who had the abortion issue as one of the key issues of his platform, hasn't done anything to reverse Roe v. Wade.
We must fight for life! Voting for McCain, however, does not accomplish that goal. This fight is won in our homes; with our children, first; and then in our neighborhoods, and towns, and cities.
The issue of abortion is a distraction in this particular election. We need to be focused, as Christians, on how we can truly live out Matthew 25; being our brothers and our sisters keeper; to the family loosing their home to foreclosure, the family so overwhelmed with medical bills they can hardly keep their heads above water, the homeless man we see or pass every day, sitting in the same spot month after month, the small business going down because they can't compete with the chains.
As only ONE example, since this is already too long: Trickle down economics has worked to some degree, we saw that to be true in the 80's with Reagan. The difference between then and now, is that our trickle down economics is now trickling down into India, and small town America is dying! Obama is not trying to get those jobs back (as was falsely stated during the RNC), but wants to get rid of the tax break for companies taking jobs overseas and give it to companies willing to create and keep jobs here. That doesn't mean big companies can't continue their practices overseas, it just means they won't be rewarded for it, by the government. McCain thinks the economy is in good standing (Aug. 20, 2008) and yet the second largest investment bank, Lehman Bros., filed for bankruptcy today.
When our fellow brothers and sisters are loosing jobs and homes and health insurance, we as Christians, need to be stepping in to help; fighting for those who can't fight for themselves. There's so much more to say, but this isn't the proper forum to completely express my thoughts. I hope you can get the idea of what I'm talking about with Matt 25 and how we need to broaden our scope beyond abortion when voting in this upcoming election.
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this. ...to be continued.
22 comments:
I agree with your red herring assessment. I'd add to it an idea I've been kicking around with Jesus-folks here in Boston: what if abortion is one of those issues best addressed "up river" from politics? In other words, if we were instilling in young women an understanding of what sex is and isn't, along with the confidence to make wise choices, abortion becomes less of an issue.
Also, I don't think that Christians can expect people who are not trying to follow Jesus to submit to Biblical standards of abstinence before marriage. If we can barely pull it off WITH the power of the Holy Spirit helping us, how on earth can we expect others to do it on their own?
A major exception to the contention that abortion is a red herring is the probability that the next President will appoint Supreme Court Justices. What they announce as their platform now, and what they will do with the opportunities that come up in office, are not always the same (for either party). That is when the values of these candidates on this issue will matter.
I rejoice with you in the ministry of the church and home to address the underlying spiritual needs of abortion and other moral issues. In fact, the role and location of government is a major issue for my vote. I am not interested in making the government bigger in hopes they will fix everything (which I'm afraid both Obama and McCain will do to some extent). I vote for government to be as local as possible so that the strength of the home and church will have its greatest influence.
I agree with Matthew that local government has distinct advantages. In fact, I am becoming more and more in favor of local business, local agriculture, local schools, and local culture. Federal government has a role to play, for sure, but capitalizing on local energy and ingenuity strengthens communities from the grassroots level.
Abortion is sticky because of the ethical, medical, and scientific dimensions. Unfortunately, I am not sure federal policies increase respect for all life.
On another note, Democrats and Republicans are both in the hands of corporate America. As much as I like Obama, Ralph Nader is the candidate for change.
Tom Friedman:
Some McCain supporters criticize Obama for not having the steel in his belly to use force in the dangerous world we live in today. Well I know this: In order to use force, you have to have force. In order to exercise leverage, you have to have leverage.
I don’t know how much steel is in Obama’s belly, but I do know that the issues he is focusing on in this campaign — improving education and health care, dealing with the deficit and forging a real energy policy based on building a whole new energy infrastructure — are the only way we can put steel back into America’s spine. McCain, alas, has abandoned those issues for the culture-war strategy.
Who cares how much steel John McCain has in his gut when the steel that today holds up our bridges, railroads, nuclear reactors and other infrastructure is rusting? McCain talks about how he would build dozens of nuclear power plants. Oh, really? They go for $10 billion a pop. Where is the money going to come from? From lowering taxes? From banning abortions? From borrowing more from China? From having Sarah Palin “reform” Washington — as if she has any more clue how to do that than the first 100 names in the D.C. phonebook?
Sorry, but there is no sustainable political/military power without economic power, and talking about one without the other is nonsense. Unless we make America the country most able to innovate, compete and win in the age of globalization, our leverage in the world will continue to slowly erode. Those are the issues this election needs to be about, because that is what the next four years need to be about.
Check out Bob Herbert's column on McCain's health care proposal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/opinion/16herbert.html
Any link between pregnancy, abortion, and health insurance?
Matt,
First, let me respond to your question concerning Matt25. You asked, "would you conclude that the only real application of this passage and manifestation of his sheep are meeting the specific needs mentioned in this text?" No, I don't think that's what Jesus was saying; indeed, He did have a deeper life-respecting principle in mind. (Although, His "brothers" are clearly His disciples rather than the world at large. This passage is taken out of context too often.)
My point, however, is that if we can say that Jesus' words include something He never mentions (abortion/murder, life in the womb), then we must also see that what He does mention is just as important (life outside the womb).
Second, regarding your comment about the Supreme Court justices. The problem with that line of thought is that seven of the nine sitting justices have been appointed by the Republican Party. Yet, Roe/Wade and its effects are still just as damaging. In the end, little has changed.
Friends,
While I realize that abortion is the main topic the media is talking about, it is not the central issue in my mind. Instead, for me, it is about the role of the federal government in society. I believe that lesser is better, though I'm unsure either will go for this. I agree with much of what Scott said entirely,
"...local business, local agriculture, local schools, and local culture. Federal government has a role to play, for sure, but capitalizing on local energy and ingenuity strengthens communities from the grassroots level."
I don't see this happening if healthcare becomes nationalized and "entitlements" are expanded.
Emily, I would love for you to write on this...
"Our economy, I think, still the fundamentals of our economy are strong. But these are very, very difficult times." - John McCain
This quote was given the day that Lehman Brothers files for Bankruptcy. The day Merill Lynch, a company that survived the Great Depression, sold to Bank of America in a fire sale. The next day the largest U.S. insurer will be overtaken by the Federal Reserve because it is insolvent. When millions of middle-class jobs have moved off shore and the middle class continues to erode. When energy dependence is worse than ever.
YET, the U.S. economy is fundamentally strong? Really? In a time of economic crisis and we indeed are in economic crisis, how can one vote for this person? I am beside myself. John McCain insults our intelligence.
I think your blog is great. I love you.
Gavin
Anna Quindlen:
I never thought I would live long enough to see the day when the Republican presidential candidate would cite membership in the PTA as evidence of executive experience, when the far right would laud the full-time working mothers of newborns, when social conservatives would stare down teenage pregnancy and replace their pursed-lip accusations of promiscuity with hosannas about choosing life.
The Republican Party has undergone a surprising metamorphosis since Sarah Palin was chosen as its vice presidential candidate. In Palin I recognize a fellow traveler, a woman whose life would have been impossible just a few decades ago. If she had been born 30 years earlier, the PTA would likely have been her last stop, not her first. Her political ascendancy is a direct result of the women's movement, which has changed the world utterly for women of all persuasions. It is therefore notable that Palin has found her home in a party, and in a wing of that party, that for many years has reviled, repelled and sought to roll back the very changes that led her to the Alaska Statehouse.
For the entire article: http://www.newsweek.com/id/157543
I support social welfare programs. They should not be referred to as entitlements in a negative sense. We pay taxes now and reap the benefits later for Social Security. Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid, and Medicare use collective resources to help those in need. Can Christians really complain about programs that assist the less fortunate?
Nationalized systems can, ideally, remove the pressure of profit from providing services. Profit is a key tenet of capitalism, as is accumulation and competition. I think I remember reading about those issues in some sacred text one time. Can't remember if Jesus was for or against them. Can anyone help me out here? Was Jesus a capitalist?
Yes, Emily, I agree with you that abortion is a red herring in this election, at least to many Christians. Unfortunately by picking Palin, John McCain has decided to play the cultural war card. I hope he does not succeed in distracting voters from issues that are important (not that I think abortion is not an important issue, just not the only issue). For years the Republican party has used this to gain votes from evangelicals. I don't know if that has been or can be proven, but I'm sure that it, along with "gay marriage", have been used to draw Christians to vote for their candidates. The fact is Jesus was neither a capitalist or a socialist, a Republican or a Democrat. He was always about His Father's Kingdom and we as Christians are to be about that Kingdom too. What does that mean when voting? I think it means we pray, we ask questions, we seek wise counsel, not from biased talk show hosts from either party. I think it means we stop looking at people from opposing parties as the enemies or evil. I think it means that we look for candidates that are willing to compromise and reach across the aisles so that changes can take place. I think it means that whether I vote for Obama or McCain my biggest aim in life is to seek first God's Kingdom and His Righteousness.
Mitch,
I agree with your point that life outside the womb is just as important as life inside the womb. I am not trying to compare or contrast the two. Admittedly, many believers seem to ignore the needs of those around them while clamoring to oppose abortion.
On the other hand, it appears that some seem to reason: since those outside the womb are being ignored while believers fight abortion, abortion does not have to be an important issue any more. Either way falls short.
As for Justices: I am not prepared to conclude that abortion is a non-issue in the presidential election, or that the selection of Justices is insignificant for this issue, because "little has changed."
Gavin,
Hello Brother! Great to hear from you on your wife's fine blog.
It sounds as if you believe only an unintelligent person would vote for McCain. Is is really all that simple? This is almost as bad as those who would question Emily's faith because she will vote for Obama.
Well guys, my last post, was just too big to clutter up the comments on this post. Please check it out at my place: www.matthewmcdill.com, or more specifically: http://weblog.xanga.com/mmcdill/674741167/discussion-on-the-election.html.
Emily -- you didn't comment on the Induced Infant Liability act. Did you have any thoughts on that?
Anna,
Emily linked to a website on a previous post that contains a page addressing that issue and many others. Its worth reading.
http://www.matthew25.org/paf/index.htm
Friends,
This morning I would briefly like to point out a source that expose the Matthew 25 website claims as patently false. In the interest of brevity I'm simply going to link them. The research has been done and Obama's actions on "Born Alive" speak for themselves. Here is the link for your consideration:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html
Factcheck.org is a non-partisan organization.
Also, quickly, I would like to assert that the issue of abortion is not a red herring in this election. To back that up I'd like to use Barack Obama's own words.
From The Audacity of Hope:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created [emphasis added] equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among those are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
… (T)he essential idea behind the Declaration — that we are born [emphasis added] into this world free, all of us; that each of us arrives with a bundle of rights that can’t be taken away by any person or any state without just cause; that through our own agency we can, and must, make of our lives what we will — is one that every American understands."
In this short passage, Obama has stated why I believe the abortion issue is more than simply a red herring in this election. Notice his use of the word "born" in this excerpt. This would lead one to believe that a child does not have any rights until they are outside their mother's womb, breathing air. Frankly, this is false. Our Declaration of Independence states that we are created(emphasis added) with the right to life. I believe life begins at conception. Who are we to take away this right from any child who is created by God?
When viewed in this light, it is clear that one's stance on abortion is farther reaching than "one" issue. In fact, in my opinion, Obama's view on abortion reflects his view on our Constitution and law. It is a view that, I believe, is flawed.
fyi: we read the post to which you linked, Dustin. There is no patent lie. The article lined up exactly with what the Matt. 25 website posted.
I agree with you that this election is NOT about the abortion issue. I have struggled with voting for a candidate that does not share all of my values but I cannot vote for someone based on one issue. I have to look at the candidates as a whole. I can be a christian and NOT vote republican. Especially when I am so unimpressed with the candidate. How can a person running for president say that he does not understand the economy? That is a little scary. I cannot allow myself to be so caught up in moral issues (you know how I feel about abortion) that I forget about ALL the other issues. I have taked some heat from my family about this as well. I am holding my final choice until after the debates....
Christy
Sorry for my little rant yesterday. :) I have been questioned by family and friends about my beliefs because of my thoughts on this election. It is tough to be questioned constantly and apparently I was a little more upset than I realized. :)
That being said..
I appreciate your openness about this topic and your willingness to share such a touchy subject on your blog. After my rant, I read through the other comments and it was very informative. Thanks Em!!
Christy
Sorry for my little rant yesterday. :) I have been questioned by family and friends about my beliefs because of my thoughts on this election. It is tough to be questioned constantly and apparently I was a little more upset than I realized. :)
That being said..
I appreciate your openness about this topic and your willingness to share such a touchy subject on your blog. After my rant, I read through the other comments and it was very informative. Thanks Em!!
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