In West Michigan, Pro-Life is Where it Starts
and this is the central - or only - focus for how much of the “Christian” contingent votes. They vote based upon one issue, for candidates that claim to be Pro-Life.
When a friend of mine posted something on Facebook that suggested Trump isn’t “of God”, further suggesting that voting for him might be a bad idea, a certain part of the pro-life contingent attacked, in a very passive-aggressive, Christians way. “I don’t like how he acts, but…” or “I wish he wouldn’t Tweet like that, but…”. Or, “I don’t agree with what he does, but…”. And they end with something along the lines of abortion being the important issue in politics.
One response to her post sums up the entire single-issue stance. One person wrote, “Abortion isn’t the only issue, but it’s the most important issue.”
But the problem has become that the post’s author didn’t say “for me” or “for us” or “that our society currently faces”. The author was suggesting that societal issues have a rank and that abortion is number 1.
It isn’t. The person’s statement is an opinion, an opinion that the person is entitled to. But I think the opinion is very incorrect. But, it’s taught so fervently to a lot of Christians that they think this has to be their starting point. But it doesn’t. In fact, having it as a starting point can be very dangerous. (And, when this is the opinion of men, I feel as if they have an ulterior motive. But you can read about that here.)
When you happen to disagree, they follow with comments along the lines of: you are for killing babies. This is simply untrue, and I want to show a counter to the argument I was taught and raised with.
When it comes to single-issue voting, especially if politicians know that, you and your vote can be easily bought or duped. Advertisers know this - look at the ads that pop up on your internet. They know you’re a sucker for those things and target. Politicians that know people will vote a certain way if they say the words “Pro Life” can essentially steal votes and do vast amounts of damage.
Here is the counter:
It is not that we (people don’t put abortion #1 on the list of importance) are “for abortion” or want to “kill babies”; it is just that we think issues pertaining to the world those babies are born into is more important than the issue of abortion.
Once the fetus becomes a human, that human breathes air that is part of an environment; lives in a house that is part of a city, county, and state; goes to a hospital which is a part of the healthcare system; they go to a school that is part of an education system; and depending where they live they may even be shot by someone that is mentally ill. These issues are more important, to me (and a lot of us), than the issue of the unborn.
Plus, and here is what I really do not get, I - and a lot of other Christians - think that aborted fetuses go to heaven. I think miscarried babies go to heaven. I think they’re with God. Which is a good thing. A much, much better thing than being born into an environment where the people responsible for you are not in a position to take care of you.
So I think it’s a lot more important to take care of the humans and the planet.
A lot of us do.
To us this is more compassionate than giving a vote to that claims to be Pro-Life but acts in ways that are evil.
Donald Trump is such a man. He says he’s Pro Life, yet there’s this. He doesn’t treat poor babies well. He is fine with families being separated at our borders. (Click here for many examples.)