Anti-Abortion Does Not Mean Pro-Life
There is a really good article up on CNN.com by Roland Martin. It gets into the disparity of what so-called social conservatives preach and what they actually practice. Abortion is the topic and he questions that if unborn life is so precious, why isn't all life precious. How can you attend an anti-abortion rally one day and then show up at an at a pro-death penalty rally the next.
Now Mr. Martin goes on to admit that he is both pro-choice and pro-death penalty. He wonders how any person can be pro-life right up to the moment the child is born and then be so indifferent.
A christianist is a person who is part of a movement using a Christian agenda in an attempt to gain influence over civil government through political action.
These people, and a great many of them are part of the republican right wing in congress and the White House, will use certain issues that get to the heart of religion, such as abortion. Do these people really care about the unborn? They say they do but they don't seem to care about them once they are born. They are anti-abortion, not pro-life and therefore christianists and not Christians.
Poverty? Who cares. Healthcare for poor children? Get out and get a job. Fully fund Head Start or No Child Left Behind? Hardly, we have a war to fight against islamic militants. Another issue high on the list of the social conservatives.
I'll quote Congressman Barney Frank again:
"To a republican, life begins at conception and ends at birth."
Jim Martin
Now Mr. Martin goes on to admit that he is both pro-choice and pro-death penalty. He wonders how any person can be pro-life right up to the moment the child is born and then be so indifferent.
"I believe that every human life at every phase is unique, is beautiful, is a child of a loving God, period." Those are the words of Sam Brownback, but does not that person -- even that hardened criminal -- fall under the same bannerHe then gets to the heart of the matter here:
But let's also expand the pro-life dialogue. Where do the Republican candidates stand on funding Head Start for children? Is that not part of the development of human life? Are we going to see Republican candidates seek to change Medicaid laws to allow dentists to better care for those who get government assistance? Or are we willing to see another case like Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died because his family lost their Medicaid, and the boy's abscess, which might have been cured with an $80 tooth extraction, led to his brain becoming infected?Roland brings up good common sense questions and points here, but he keeps referring to these people as Christians. That is a term much used but hardly ever properly applied. The word he should be using is christianists.
A christianist is a person who is part of a movement using a Christian agenda in an attempt to gain influence over civil government through political action.
These people, and a great many of them are part of the republican right wing in congress and the White House, will use certain issues that get to the heart of religion, such as abortion. Do these people really care about the unborn? They say they do but they don't seem to care about them once they are born. They are anti-abortion, not pro-life and therefore christianists and not Christians.
Poverty? Who cares. Healthcare for poor children? Get out and get a job. Fully fund Head Start or No Child Left Behind? Hardly, we have a war to fight against islamic militants. Another issue high on the list of the social conservatives.
I'll quote Congressman Barney Frank again:
"To a republican, life begins at conception and ends at birth."
Jim Martin
Labels: religion
posted by Libby Spencer at 5:03 PM
7 Comments:
"To a republican, life begins at conception and ends at birth."
That's why they're dead on the inside.
It's pretty easy to make your opponents look ridiculous and disingenuous if you strawman their positions.
Is there any evidence that the majority of pro-lifers support the death penalty? I happen to be a staunch pro-lifer who also strongly opposes the death penalty. I'd prefer it if groups like the National Right to Life organization would take a definitive position against capital punishment but I respect the fact that they can't broaden their activities to this area and that there are some people who feel that there's a distinction between protecting innocent life and protecting the lives of those convicted of heinous crimes.
And why is it assumed that anyone who is concerned with quality of life for children has to support the particular government programs that are discussed such as Head Start? There aren't other alternatives for getting children off to a good start in their education? There aren't people who oppose that govt program but volunteer their time with literacy programs or tutoring kids?
I'm so tired of the false arguments that conservatives don't care as much simply because we don't think that the govt is the solution to all ills. Those kinds of attacks on motivation are exactly analogous to conservatives who say that liberals aren't patriotic if they don't support the war (and yes, I denounce that kind of rhetoric as well).
Mr. Stanley
Ok, how about supporting some program?
How about funding NCLB?
I don't make them look ridiculous, they do it all on their own. They have years of experience.
Thanks for commenting.
[ahem] That would be Mrs. Stanley, Jim.
And I already commented on supporting programs. Opposing a program doesn't equal opposing the goals of the program. There are more ways than one to skin a cat or to teach a child.
And my point is, that there are ridiculous people on all parts of the political spectrum, but when you choose to base your arguments against your opponents on the actions of the ridiculous fringe, you are tilting at windmills. Do you really believe that the majority of people who hold the pro-life position are disingenuous and don't really base their beliefs on a respect for life? My experience tells me that this isn't so.
I beg your pardon Ms. Stanley:
The windmills I tilt at are in congress, but I continue to differentiate between Christians and christianists.
You will know a Christian by his or her actions and you will a christianist.
There were quite a few points in your post where you painted with a much broader brush though, Jim, or quoted approvingly others who do so.
And BTW, sorry to quibble but I said "Mrs.", not "Ms."
Madam
It was a broad brush post about christianists, their un-Christian positions and their people in congress. It was an indictment of social conservatives in general. I'm sure there are specific exceptions on this subject as there are on all subjects. We will continue to disagree.
Thanks for commenting.
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