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Why We Need to Look Beyond just Abortion in the Election

Why We Need to Look Beyond just Abortion in the Election

Last updated on: November 5, 2024 at 7:59 am by Rob Dalrymple

Why We Need to Look Beyond just Abortion in the Election 2024-11-05T07:59:35-08:00 Rob Dalrymple

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Should we only vote for Pro-Life candidates?

I am going to address a political post, and I ask that you hear me out. I will do my best to keep this post brief (less than 500 words!).

I was reading a good friend’s Facebook post this morning. He began by noting that he has been reticent, for good reasons, to make political posts. He proceeded with caution to explain his concerns about one of the presidential candidates’ character and reputation.

The post was well-written and respectful in tone. The post did not say, “Therefore, you should vote for ‘x’.”

After reading it, I briefly trolled the comments. I was expecting to see certain responses. And they didn’t disappoint. Two types of comments stand out.

First, some responded with the, “Well, who else are you going to vote for?” line. I believe this misses the point. The issue at hand relates to the character of the person in question. If you wish to respond with, “I get it. I agree that there is a lot to be concerned with here, but I still believe they are the best candidate,” that is fine. But simply saying, “Well, who else are you going to vote for” fails to address the point at hand.

Second, some respond by contending that the other candidate supports abortion and they cannot support any candidate that supports abortion.

I understand this line of thinking, but I want to bring up a few things to consider.

To begin with, it would be better if the person acknowledged the validity of the post’s argument. Otherwise, this response is not any better than the previous one.

In addition, the “one-issue voter” mentality is dangerous. Now, I am all for the notion that we shouldn’t vote for anyone who supports the death of the innocent.

The reality is that this argument ignores the many policies that members of both parties support, which result in injustices and even the deaths of many innocents (Gaza, Ukraine, and those throughout our country who are unjustly affected by government policies).

If we want to be the Church and take the moral high road (which I am all for), then we need to advocate for justice for everyone.

Also, one of the many factors that most Pro-Life advocates (which I cautiously consider myself—in case you were worried) is that most abortions (upwards of 75%) in the US occur because of issues related to poverty. (See here and here for some of the evidence. I encourage you to do your research on this as well).

If this is the case, then perhaps one of the best ways to reduce abortions—which is ultimately the goal—is to help alleviate poverty.

If so, then perhaps a Pro-Life agenda should target the candidate(s) with the best economic support policies for people with low incomes. I realize that this might make us uncomfortable. Perhaps that is why we don’t like this suggestion.

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Progressive Christian

Women in Religion

Politics and Religion

About Rob Dalrymple

Rob Dalrymple is married to his wife Toni and is the father of four fabulous children, and two grandchildren. He has been teaching and pastoring for over 34 years at colleges, seminaries, and the local church. He has a PhD in biblical interpretation. He is the author of four books (including Follow the Lamb: A Guide to Reading, Understanding, and Applying the Book of Revelation & Understanding the New Testament and the End Times: Why it Matters) as well as numerous articles and other publications. His commentary on the book of Revelation titled, “Revelation: a Love Story” (Cascade Books, July 2024) has just been released. His new book, Land of Contention: Biblical Narratives and the Struggle for the Holy Land, should be out by the Fall of 2024. You can read more about the author here.

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