I supported Obama, but not this...

As most of your know, I supported the election of Barack Obama during this past election. I felt that evangelicals could, in good conscience, vote for either Obama or McCain. For reasons why I felt evangelicals should vote for Obama, read this. For reasons why I felt evangelicals should vote for McCain, read this.

One of the main reasons that I said evangelicals should vote for McCain is that he has been consistently Pro-Life. I believe that a vast majority of Christians (of all denominations) who voted for McCain did so because of the abortion issue. For them, this crucial issue (protecting the lives of the unborn) trumped all other issues. While I did not agree that abortion was the single most important issue in this past election, I am sincerely sympathetic to this stand. After all, it is a devastating realization when one understands that there are over one million abortions each year. This is truly a travesty of justice.

So, I definitely believe that the center of the “Pro-Life” issue is a strong opposition to abortion. However, it also includes such issues as war, poverty, hunger, disease, an unjust legal system, and the environment. All these issues are a part of a holistic and consistent “Pro-Life” agenda. Therefore, Christians who see “Life” issues beyond the core issue of abortion law (i.e., Roe v. Wade) voted for Obama, believing that these many issues lead this way.

At the same time, it deeply troubled us that Obama was such an outspoken proponent of abortion-on-demand. We understand that he wants to honor a woman’s right to choose, because women have had their rights terribly trampled on for so very long. But we insist that women’s rights do not trump the unborns’ right to life. This is a difficult issue, but Christians, at our best, are a people who stand up for the needs of the oppressed and for those who do not have the ability to speak for themselves. We are to act for justice as we walk humbly with our God. The unborn are the most oppressed people in our society – their very lives are in danger due to an extremely unjust law in our land.

Prior to the election, Barack Obama spoke to Planned Parenthood (see the video below). He made a promise to them that they will expect him to keep. He said, “The first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing I’d do.”




For all the good that President Obama can do as an agent of change in our country, this one decision would be a devastating mistake.

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial birth abortion, and on all other protections. FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions. FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions. Americans United for Life has analyzed FOCA and says that it is a “radical attempt to prematurely end debate over abortion.” Obama has said, time and time again, that he would like "to see an end to the culture wars." This is a very good suggestion, which Christians should embrace. We need to get past inflammatory rhetoric and partisan bickering. We need to seek cooperation as we seek the common good. However, with this issue, it seems that President Obama thinks that "ending the culture wars" means stopping debate in its tracks and forcefully eradicating every state and federal law on abortion — laws that the majority of Americans support. This is not open dialog and non-partisan politics. It is more of the same old partisan power-grabbing, only this time it's coming from the Left.

I oppose FOCA, which would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and potentially wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide. Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at www.FightFOCA.com.