I am a lay person and pro-life. I agree with the statement here about God wanting a child to come into being. I agree NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE A HUMAN HUMAN LIFE EXCEPT GOD.
It would appear my pastor has a different view. Pro-life folks that see God’s creation as LIFE GIVING need to be aware of a subtle message from progressive clergy, my pastor included, concerning the up-comming political season. My question to my pastor was this. Is it moral to vote for a politician who consistently votes for abortion rights regardless the circumstances? His answer was simply; “the gospel teaches us to have more concern for the lives of others than our own.”
By virtue of his answer and other comments in Chuch and in his news letter, my pastor is very consistent, implying that yes, we may vote for pro-abortion candidates if our view is the persons act to provide assistance to others.
Our choice, in voting, is governed by our conscience relative to a scale of need is the way I see it.
This pastor calls up the Catechism and “The Epistle of Barnabus” that COMMANDS us to seek the common good of others. By implication and omission, at least to me, he is saying; " abortion SHOULD NOT BE a determinant in considering political office seekers. According to his response I may then, in good conscience, vote for my Senator who has voted the NARAL agenda straight down the line including partial birth abortion. He has voted against all restrictions to abortion.
The senator as voted for all laws called liberal or left wing. If I am a liberal and vote for left wing candidates, then I may vote for this senator.
I will ask here the same question I asked my pastor. Will God be happy or not with my vote? He did not answer that question.
Hmmm. I hear that what your pastor said, when he said – as you quoted him –
the gospel teaches us to have more concern for the lives of others than our own
is clearly that “others” includes AT LEAST the others who are currently living in their mother’s womb.
Therefore, to answer you question, my answer to you is that the Gospel (Jesus’s teaching) includes folks who are living in their mother’s womb, and for the abortionists, and those who help the abortionists, and those who fund the abortionists, and those politicians to act politically to fund the abortionists, and for those of us who fight against abortion of any kind at any time, and politicians who fight FOR the right of everyone to live EVEN though they are in their mother’s womb right now, and for those of us who use our own political power to vote AGAINST any candidate who is pro-abortion.
In other words – Jesus wants us to LOVE each other AS we love ourselves.
Part of that “loving” each other is to:
Instruct the ignorant – so our step here to take is to instruct the abortionists and those who help them that what they are doing is against God’s will – and to instruct them as well as those women who have had an abortion or helped someone to have an abortion that mercy is theirs for the asking.
Bottom line – I do not hear anything at all for what your pastor said that says that you SHOULD vote for pro-abortion candidates.
I think he was simply giving you the global meaning of the Gospel. And trusting that you would hear what the Gospel says has nothing at all to do with how you label yourself or others as “liberal,” or “conservative,” or anything between the two.
After all… I’d call myself “radical” – as Jesus, Himself, is/was. We Christians are here to bring the Good News – to everyone. Including those of us who are currently still living in our mother’s womb.
Did that help you, I hope? I hope?
