Those that know me well know I really hate conflict, and that I usually try to avoid it all costs. Which is why I'm a little surprised that I'm writing this post...it may be a little controversial.
On November 4, we have an enormous decision to make. I know for some people this decision is harder than others. There are so many issues that are discussed about the two candidates...I won't even try to list them. I've listened to the news for months now about each of these men, and honestly there are things I like and dislike about each of them. But, for me, as a follower of Christ, there is no way to get around one issue.
"The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do." -- Senator Barack Obama on 7/17/2007
What, exactly, is the Freedom of Choice Act? I googled it, and here's the definition from wikipedia:
"The Freedom of Choice Act (H.R. 3719/S. 2020) is a bill in the United States Congress which, if enacted, would abolish all restrictions and limitations on the right of women in the United States to have an abortion. Described by NARAL Pro-Choice America president Nancy Keenan as a bill to "codify Roe v. Wade,"[1] opponents of the bill assert that[2] that it would, if passed, invalidate every restriction on the abortion of a fetus before the stage of viability, even those previously found consistent with Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court, such as parental notification laws, waiting periods, requirements of full disclosure of the physical and emotional risks inherent in abortion, or restrictions on certain late-term abortion techniques. In addition, it would force the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts the use of Federal funding for abortions, and invalidate the ability of religiously-based hospitals or clinics to refuse to perform abortions based on the violation of their consciences. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the Democratic 2008 Presidential candidate, became a co-sponsor of the 2007 Senate version of the bill (S. 1173)"
These quotes are from Sen. Obama's website (to read other statements, from his website, about this issue, click here):
"When South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled, I was the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law. 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."
"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."
This Freedom of Choice Act would create an absolute right to abortion that would override any federal, state or local law that simply "interfered with" that right, no matter how compelling the justification. The American Center for Law and Justice states "The bill would invalidate the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act."
Honestly, I didn't really understand exactly what Partial-Birth abortions were, so I googled it. To see a diagram of the procedure from a Partial-Birth Abortion, click here.
Now, I've never said anything political on this blog (I don't think). I don't even talk about politics very much in my daily life. There are so many people that could discuss politics, and the two candidates, far better than I. But, if I'm being honest, I don't understand how it's possible to justify support for someone who openly says this Freedom of Choice Act is the first thing he'd sign as President. How can other issues compare in importance to those that follow Christ? To take it a step further, which of the many issues discussed in this election would Jesus Christ value the most?
I really don't mean to offend anyone...I still love and support friends I have that disagree with me. My heart and mind has just been about to pop with these issues though, and I just had to talk about it. If nothing else, I hope everyone reading this will research this issue for themselves. Let me also say that I know we serve an all-powerful, Sovereign God who is in complete control...no matter who is President.
If you're not registered to vote, click here.
I promise my next post will be lighter!!!!
9 comments:
i am with you sista!
I could not agree more. In addition, I must conclude that anyone who is not atleast somewhat racist could not be comfortable as a member of Rev Wright's church for over 20 years. And that, coupled with his other questionable associations and past admitted drug use, would exlude him from the FBI as well as the CIA... but he can be Prsident??? Go figure... It is even more troubling that there are many Christians who may vote for him.
I am afraid that the Lord is letting our country go, as we continue to push Him away. Oboma's agenda will surely further this liberal cause. I just hate it for my children.
I agree w/ you and just pray that the majority of voters do as well!
Kristi
I think you did a great job on this post- it shows your heart and is also very well-researched and great facts that we should all know. You know I am NOT an Obama Momma, but I appreciate your post for those who might consider voting for him.
that was so awesome..thank you for letting all know what i think should be more clear to voters. Facts are facts. thank you for sharing them. i pray God will open the eyes of voters to the seriousness of this issue and preciousness of his creations.
Good for you! It is a scary time right now...
the common ground between the moderates of both parties: reduce the number of abortions. this can be accomplished in numerous ways including education and bipartisan efforts.
is it worse to kill a growing baby within the uterus or to kill an already-born baby?
please include in your research the staggering statistics of casualties in Iraq (in the hundreds of thousands). among the helpless victims slain in this war are BABIES! countless babies, both inside and outside the womb. (not to mention the over one million deaths in the last endless and victor-less Vietnam War). i am terrified by the pro-draft platform of mccain.
i am a devout Southern Christian and I am sometimes alarmed by the way we Southerners think. God is not necessarily a Republican. His ways are not our ways. Jesus talked more about money than any other issue. i feel that if we the church (followers of Jesus) practiced Jesus' radical compassion to the poor, mentally ill, orphans, widows and other needy, the government would automatically shrink. our government is filling a gap left in our country.
the issues are so complex, and i am grateful for your thoughtful post. as a parent i too am left prayerful and deeply concerned by the state and direction of our nation. but God can use any leader. he is bigger than our politics.
I have read and appreciate all of the remarks left on this subject. I am now watching the election, and saddened by the results. The direction of our nation is clearly away from God and away from family values. No doubt that God would not be affiliated with any political party, as they are nothing more than windows into our total depravity. However, there is a clear divide in Christian values displayed by each. As followers of Christ, we are only given the option of choosing the lesser of the two evils. It is well documented that Obama and other left-wing democrats are more liberal in the areas of family values, and we shall surely digress at a faster pace under their leadership. For any Christian to deny this is somehow blinded to the facts. It is also well documented that the overall Democratic Party is much more favorable of a woman's right to choose, and frankly, comparing it to the War in Iraq does not diminish this fact. This is merely a change of subject, rather than a defense for the liberal position.
Given that the war in Iraq is completely a different issue, I will comment on it as well.
Am I, or any other conservative American, in favor of continuing to send our troops to possibly die in Iraq? Absolutely not. Do I want my children to be drafted and possibly give their lives for this country? I must truthfully and humbly say that I do not. However, I am in favor of protecting our nation and our freedoms from those who hate and wish to destroy us.
Would I give my life for the protection of my country, my family and my children? I honestly hope that my answer would be yes. Too many brave men have done so throughout our history in order that I may live to enjoy freedom and prosperity of today. Anything less would deem me a coward and less of a man than that which was intended by my gracious Creator. I understand that this is a very somber and serious statement, but I am raising two boys to be all that God created them to be... men of love, character, principle, discipline, and bravery. Men willing to stand up for what is right, and even to die for their faith and convictions. It is my belief that the direction of our time may lead them to someday face many of the same struggles faced by our brothers in the early church. I thank God for the many brave men who gave their lives for the cause of Christ throughout the ages.
Going back to our predicament with the War in Iraq, it is necessary to point out that when we first went in, most Americans believed that it was the right thing to do. Most believed that this action was necessary to defend our nation against terrorists and those who house and support terrorist organizations. Now, many years later, we are all asking the question as to whether it was the right decision. Hind sight is 20/20, but in this case, I am not even sure if it is that clear. I may be naive to believe that president Bush and other elected officials did not intentionally deceive the public regarding this issue. I believe that they had necessary evidence that Iraq not only had weapons of mass destruction, but also harbored and trained terrorists. If you remember, we gave them in excess of 6 months notice that we were coming. Even as a child, I could hide my toys if my parents gave me enough notice that they would soon be looking.
I am fully in favor of the United States government going on the offensive when necessary to protect us from those who hate us. This should only be done in an effort to protect ourselves or our allies, as well as innocent people across the globe who are suffering at the hand of ruthless dictators. Many may argue over this last statement, but you will not find a single Jew disagreeing with the fact that we did the right thing in taking up arms against Hitler. It concerns me that the reaction and opinion of the American public today is so very different than it has been in the "better years" of our nation. I often wonder how we would fare if WWII and the Nazi regime repeated itself... the invasion of Normandy, Pearl Harbor, etc? I am afraid the fabric of our nation, and primarily the men in our nation, has drastically changed. Throughout history, men have been strong, filled with character and strong conviction, and willing to die for what they believe...
So when we began this war, most Americans were in favor and believed that it was vital for our national security. Once the war lasted longer and became more difficult, many "jumped ship" and changed their opinion. We are lucky to have the ability to do so. Pres. Bush is not so lucky. Our nation's leaders jointly made the decision to go to war, and now we must finish what we started, or we will inevitably leave ourselves in a much more dangerous position than we were at the outset. Finishing this war properly will be costly and unpopular, but necessary nonetheless. Now, we may not have the opportunity, and many lives have been lost for a cause that may be abandoned. During our children's lifetime, and most likely during our own, nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of terrorists. My prayer is that we are somehow able to continue our position of strength in order to prevent the level of terror within our nation’s borders that is certainly on the horizon. And God bless the current leadership of our nation for their resolve, in spite of the public "changing its mind" and approval ratings plummeting.
Am I saying that Bush has done everything correctly? Absolutely not. However, I do feel that he has led us through some of the most difficult years in our nation's history, and I am very thankful to him for his service. I, for one, would not have wanted the job and can't say I would have done any better. I am also certain that more difficult times are to come.
In conclusion, and on still a different subject, I fully agree that our government is having to do the job of the church in taking care of the poor, sick, and needy. As a Christian, I have recently been very convicted that we all need to be much more concerned about those who are in need. In fact, as a Christian, taking care of the needy is not optional... Jesus himself pronounced this as a required fruit for all Christians, as he clearly stated, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" and "What you do unto the least of these, you have done to me." This individual was right in that respect. If we as Christians were obedient, government would not have to fill in for our abdication of this role.
Finally, I fully agree that our God can and will use any leader. It is our duty as Christians to fully respect and honor our leader, as government was established by God himself. It is also our responsibility to make our voices heard, and we as Christians need to do a much better job of this... otherwise we leave our children with a world drastically different than the one we know today. Thankfully, I am able to teach them that we are aliens of this world... that it is not our home! As for now, we should focus our eyes on the prize and run the race that is set before us. As believers, we can joyfully look forward to the day when will hear "well done my good and faithful servant!"
Michael O'Neal
I do not know you, and randomly found your blog. I wanted to let you know that I agree wholeheartedly with how you responded to the anonymous commenter, and wanted to say thank you for your words. Your words were definitely the truth "spoken" with love, and that is what we all as Christians should strive to do. So, thanks!
Post a Comment