What does being "Pro-Life" really mean?
Evangelical Christians and Right To Life (RTL) groups are dedicated voters who look for "Pro-Life" candidates to support.
Unfortunately, the political litmas test for "Pro-Life" usually conceptualizes a political position where abortion is the center of the debate. This one minded approach to voting has led to the Republican party being controlled by right wing zealots who are not purely "Pro-Life", at all. Rather, oftentimes, they're single minded hypocrites. Many Pro-Life stances are "anti-life".
Abortion notwithstanding, here is my list of "Pro-life" issues:
1. Supporting the lives of mothers and children by providing universal health care and with good nutrition supported by programs like "Women Infants and Children" or "WIC".
2. Opposing the sale of military style assault weapons and ammunition (or tax it out of affordability) that are killing thousands of young people who're either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or being victimized due to their race or sexual orientation. It makes no sense to be "Pro-life" but also "Pro-Assault Weapons". It's a classic oxymoron.
3. Opposition to the death penalty is a "Pro-Life" position. Although many Evangelicals and RTL supporters are, in fact, opposed to the death penalty, they don't petition and publicly demonstrate to support this decididly wrong criminal justice sentance.
4. Being pro-life means providing health care and income assistance for the poor, the frail, the elderly, the disabled, immigrants and veterans. Instead, Evangelicals and RTL groups are often the same people who oppose government expenditures for public assistance programs.
Pro-Life positions are humanitarian concepts, meaning they should be inclusive of all quality of life conditions, including the protection of the life of the unborn.
Unfortunately, the political litmas test for "Pro-Life" usually conceptualizes a political position where abortion is the center of the debate. This one minded approach to voting has led to the Republican party being controlled by right wing zealots who are not purely "Pro-Life", at all. Rather, oftentimes, they're single minded hypocrites. Many Pro-Life stances are "anti-life".
Abortion notwithstanding, here is my list of "Pro-life" issues:
John Wesley (1703-1791) "Do all the good you can...."
2. Opposing the sale of military style assault weapons and ammunition (or tax it out of affordability) that are killing thousands of young people who're either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or being victimized due to their race or sexual orientation. It makes no sense to be "Pro-life" but also "Pro-Assault Weapons". It's a classic oxymoron.
3. Opposition to the death penalty is a "Pro-Life" position. Although many Evangelicals and RTL supporters are, in fact, opposed to the death penalty, they don't petition and publicly demonstrate to support this decididly wrong criminal justice sentance.
4. Being pro-life means providing health care and income assistance for the poor, the frail, the elderly, the disabled, immigrants and veterans. Instead, Evangelicals and RTL groups are often the same people who oppose government expenditures for public assistance programs.
Pro-Life positions are humanitarian concepts, meaning they should be inclusive of all quality of life conditions, including the protection of the life of the unborn.
In other words, being Pro-Life is reflective in the teachings of John Wesley: "“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
As a matter of fact, HillaryClinton is a Christian Methodist who believes in and extols the John Wesley humanitarian mantra. Indeed, Secretary Clinton is truely a "Pro-Life" presidential candidate. Obviously, she's a candidate the Pro-Life Evangelical and RTL voters can be proud to support.
Labels: Evangelicals, John Wesley, right to life, RTL, Secretary Hillary Clinton
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 4:58 AM
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