Interesting article

I just read this very interesting article by Frank Schaeffer, is the son of the late theologian Francis Schaeffer. The article is entitled Why I'm Pro-life and Pro-Obama. It caught my eye after Jon and I were talking about how we were brought up in a family that placed a huge value on life. My Mom would work to help Moms in needs and work hard politically to make sure that the unborn were valued and visible to politicians, and got the whole family involved. For whatever reason, I grew up with the idea that all real Christians were republicans, partly because all Christians must be pro-life. Don't get me wrong, I believe whole-heatedly in the sanctity of life - born and unborn. That hasn't changed. (I'm pretty sure that it ever did, my Mom would rise up from the grave and haunt me until I changed back).

This is a blanket generalization, but looking back on the past 24 years, I don't feel like much progress has been made in relation to the chest beating that occurred by the republicans and Evangelical organizations. I don't see things being much better in terms of the abortion issue, and other measurements one could use for valuing life.

This part of the article really hits home:

Regardless of the official position of the Supreme Court on abortion, a country in which all Americans are offered some sort of dignity and hopeful future would be a place conducive to the kind of optimism each of us must hold in our hearts if we are to welcome children into this world. But if our highest aspiration is to be a consumer with no thought or care for our neighbor, we will remain a culture in which abortion is not only inevitable but logical.

What we need in America is a spiritual rebirth, a turning away from the false value of consumerism and utilitarianism that have trumped every aspect of human life. To implement this vision we need leaders that inspire but to do so they have to be what they say they are. It's not about policy it's about character.

I'm not sure I agree with the last statement around all character and no policy, but there's some truth to that. I don't claim to know any of the candidates well enough yet to say which is the best fit.

Anyways, it was an interesting that made me think about all of the talk we've heard from republicans over the years about stopping abortion and the little progress that has really been made. Maybe there is a better way than just focusing on the legality of it, and focusing on changing the hearts and taking away the need for it. Maybe that will never be possible in the fallen world we live in. Meanwhile, I guess we can all do more to make sure that children and mothers are taken of so that abortion is no longer an attractive option.