A reply to Brad's post regarding abortion and the 2012 election here.
Brad -
You said, "What I do not agree is that someone who thinks it might be alright to vote for someone who is pro-choice, on the basis of other reasons besides abortion, holds to an untenable premise."
I wanted to first say that my comments apply to America. Let us now put aside hypothetical Americas and other nations, because that is what the American voter had to do. It won't do to reference the U.K. or Australia just now. We're Americans voting for the President of our country. We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief because our analysis is much clearer now.
Let us also now put aside all pretenses to the supposed urgency of other issues. We would be profoundly foolish to ignore other issues it is true. But the reason there are so many one-issue voters such as myself who will only vote based on the abortion question is not, as you seem to think, that our facility for moral reasoning has shriveled. Indeed, the success of moral reasoning depends not on its complexity, relevance to great philosophers, reference to current moral thinking and norms, or warm encouragement of non-believers or dissenting believers to mutual understanding. No, successful moral reasoning results in a decision that is righteous. The urgency of our time is to stand for the righteous cause of the unborn.
As an aside, there is no such equal urgency related to health care, welfare, foreign policy, environmental considerations, or any other issue. Indeed, these issues become merely academic for those who have been murdered. But I do care deeply about these issues and have well reasoned opinions on each one of them. And the fact that I'm a one-issue voter doesn't preclude me from performing such analysis and holding nuanced views.
But the status quo with regard to abortion in America has an urgency which demands our attention. This is an urgency which demands our emotional and spiritual energy. This is an urgency that demands courageous individuals standing up for what is right no matter how absurd it looks to those around us. As we see our fellow countrymen pass their children through the fire to Moloch in hopes of receiving health, wealth, and beautiful bodies, we must recoil in utter disgust and say, "no - not while I still have breath will I countenance such an act." Do you remember how Israel and the allied army reacted when the King they were about to attack sacrificed his son on the wall? They turned and went home - for such an act was an abomination (2 Kings 3). The wrath referenced in this passage should be ours.
And as we hold such sentiments as these we realize that Abortion is not just another issue to put on a pro's and con's list. Abortion is the compelling moral issue of our time. Yes it is one of many issues. But in another sense it is the defining issue of our time. How can we sit back and play at this as if it were an ethical dilemma in a textbook? Indeed, comparisons to Hitler are quite fitting here, while comparisons to the mundane (American Idol?) are nauseatingly trivial. Did not Hitler dehumanize and kill those who did not hold the power in his society? And do we not do the same with those in our country that are unborn?
In an academic setting it may be convenient for you to pay lip service to the relative merits of President Obama while abstaining from voting. But for Americans living here and raising children here it will not do. We must stand for the righteous moral decision to restrain our hands from voting for those who want to legalize murder. And clearly, when we do have a candidate who purports to defend life, we are morally compelled to vote for him.
But now that the election is over we must pray for and honor President Obama.
Brad -
You said, "What I do not agree is that someone who thinks it might be alright to vote for someone who is pro-choice, on the basis of other reasons besides abortion, holds to an untenable premise."
I wanted to first say that my comments apply to America. Let us now put aside hypothetical Americas and other nations, because that is what the American voter had to do. It won't do to reference the U.K. or Australia just now. We're Americans voting for the President of our country. We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief because our analysis is much clearer now.
Let us also now put aside all pretenses to the supposed urgency of other issues. We would be profoundly foolish to ignore other issues it is true. But the reason there are so many one-issue voters such as myself who will only vote based on the abortion question is not, as you seem to think, that our facility for moral reasoning has shriveled. Indeed, the success of moral reasoning depends not on its complexity, relevance to great philosophers, reference to current moral thinking and norms, or warm encouragement of non-believers or dissenting believers to mutual understanding. No, successful moral reasoning results in a decision that is righteous. The urgency of our time is to stand for the righteous cause of the unborn.
As an aside, there is no such equal urgency related to health care, welfare, foreign policy, environmental considerations, or any other issue. Indeed, these issues become merely academic for those who have been murdered. But I do care deeply about these issues and have well reasoned opinions on each one of them. And the fact that I'm a one-issue voter doesn't preclude me from performing such analysis and holding nuanced views.
But the status quo with regard to abortion in America has an urgency which demands our attention. This is an urgency which demands our emotional and spiritual energy. This is an urgency that demands courageous individuals standing up for what is right no matter how absurd it looks to those around us. As we see our fellow countrymen pass their children through the fire to Moloch in hopes of receiving health, wealth, and beautiful bodies, we must recoil in utter disgust and say, "no - not while I still have breath will I countenance such an act." Do you remember how Israel and the allied army reacted when the King they were about to attack sacrificed his son on the wall? They turned and went home - for such an act was an abomination (2 Kings 3). The wrath referenced in this passage should be ours.
And as we hold such sentiments as these we realize that Abortion is not just another issue to put on a pro's and con's list. Abortion is the compelling moral issue of our time. Yes it is one of many issues. But in another sense it is the defining issue of our time. How can we sit back and play at this as if it were an ethical dilemma in a textbook? Indeed, comparisons to Hitler are quite fitting here, while comparisons to the mundane (American Idol?) are nauseatingly trivial. Did not Hitler dehumanize and kill those who did not hold the power in his society? And do we not do the same with those in our country that are unborn?
In an academic setting it may be convenient for you to pay lip service to the relative merits of President Obama while abstaining from voting. But for Americans living here and raising children here it will not do. We must stand for the righteous moral decision to restrain our hands from voting for those who want to legalize murder. And clearly, when we do have a candidate who purports to defend life, we are morally compelled to vote for him.
But now that the election is over we must pray for and honor President Obama.
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