A couple of weeks ago, I posted why I’m not voting for Mitt Romney (and with a clear conscience) this presidential election. In just two weeks, the article is the 6th most viewed article of all time here on airō, and the 4th most viewed this year. The article also has the most facebook “likes” of any other article I’ve posted (currently at 950). I mention these stats to point out this is clearly a critical topic for many people, and to my surprise, many more people than I first thought are working through how they will be voting differently than the status quo this election season, considering the options.
Though I gave Mitt Romney’s position on life as my primary reason for not voting for him, it was overlooked by some and perceived that my main reason for not voting for Romney is his Mormonism. That is not the case, and as I said in the article, Romney’s Mormonism is the least of my reasons for not voting for him.
In this article, I would like to spend time elaborating on why Romney’s position on life precludes me from voting for him. If you recall from the article Addressing Arguments to Vote for Mitt Romney, I provided a litmus test a candidate must pass in order for me to consider voting for them: their positions on life, marriage, and Israel. If they disagree with me on any of these issues, they will not get my vote. Period. Regarding life, one must be 100% pro-life, making no exceptions for abortion. Period. Romney fails the test. He therefore does not get my vote. It’s that simple. Really.
There are a few different arguments I have observed over the last few weeks to convince Christians to look past Romney’s exceptions for abortion (exceptions in the case of rape and incest). The arguments go something like this:
If Obama wins, zero babies will be protected from abortion by the government, but if Romney wins, most babies will be protected from abortion by the government…If you don’t vote for Romney, what you’re saying is you would rather 100 babies die than 99 babies live and one baby die…
Then those who take the position that all life is precious and on that principle we will not vote for Romney, we are accused of being pious hypocrites, irresponsible, illogical, and not living in reality. This article, then, is primarily addressed to Christians using such arguments, straw men, and personal attacks to convince other Christians to vote for Mitt Romney. I hope it is beneficial for all.
(Note that I am not telling you how to vote, but further telling you why I will not be voting for Mitt Romney).
To reiterate, Mitt Romney claims to be pro-life, but he does make exceptions for abortion in the case of rape and incest. In this video from December 2011, Romney makes clear,
In the case of rape, incest, or risk to the life of the mother, I believe in those circumstances that abortion should be legal.
During an August 27, 2012 interview, Romney affirmed,
My position has been clear throughout this campaign. I’m in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother.
To put it another way, Romney is in favor of murdering children limb by limb in the mother’s womb in the case of rape and incest. Obama is also in favor of murdering children limb by limb in the mother’s womb, he’s just more liberal about it.
Perhaps an illustration or two will help.
Illustration 1
Suppose Candidate A favors the woman’s “choice” to murder her baby up to six months after birth. The reason for killing the child does not matter – it’s all legal. On the other hand, Candidate B is against the woman’s “choice” to murder her baby up to six months after birth, except when the baby has a disability (such as Down syndrome). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 out of 691 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States each year. This means that out of the 4 million babies born each year, 6,000 will be diagnosed with Down syndrome. So for our example, if Candidate B won the election and the laws were changed to reflect his position, up to 6,000 babies could be legally murdered up to 6 months after birth (just in the case of Down syndrome alone).
This really isn’t too far from reality today. Physicians for Life reports that 70% of all pregnant women in the United States choose to have prenatal screen tests, which may reveal certain genetic abnormalities. When Down syndrome is diagnosed prenatally , it is reported that 84% to 91% of those babies will be killed by abortion (source).
Truly, what is the difference between a baby inside the womb being murdered for having Down syndrome versus the 6 month old baby being murdered for having Down syndrome? Does it not show the hypocrisy of society who is outraged that 14 year old Cassidy Goodson murdered her newborn baby because she “didn’t know what to do with it”? According to police, Cassidy
used scissors to pry the baby out of her body and into the toilet. Lifting the baby out of the toilet, Goodson “placed her hands on the infant’s neck and squeezed until he wasn’t moving or breathing any longer.”
Why should society, or the government, be outraged at this when society and government cherishes and fights for a woman’s “right” to have a Dilation and Evacuation Abortion (D & E) where the baby’s body parts are grasped at random with a long toothed clamp, then each arm and leg is ripped off one at a time, then the baby’s torso and insides are torn a part until nothing remains but the head, then the head is grasped and crushed in order to remove it from the womb, then the remainder of the “contents” are suctioned until the uterus is emptied.
Yes, friends, this is gruesome, but this it is the sick reality of the evil of abortion. And it shows the hypocrisy of our nation who condemns Cassidy’s act but celebrates the very same murderous act against babies in the womb 3,700 times a day in America.
Whether the baby has Down syndrome or not, should not, and must not, the murder of babies inside or outside the womb be illegal? Getting back to the illustration, while Candidate A’s election would result in more babies being murdered, Candidate B’s election still results in the legalized murder of up to 6,000 babies every year (just in the case of Down syndrome alone).
If 1.3 million babies are murdered each year in America, Romney’s position allows for the murder of 13,700 babies each year (1% of abortions result from rape or incest). This is an even higher rate of abortion than the hypothetical illustration given in this post! Just as I would not vote for Candidate B, I cannot vote for Mitt Romney who favors the murder of children conceived through the violent crime of their father.
Illustration #2
God commanded Israel to not sacrifice their children to the false god Molech. He warned them in Deuteronomy 18:10, but in 2 King 17:17 we see they violated His command and “burned their sons and daughters as offerings”.” Concerning Israel’s rebellion, Jeremiah prophesied the following in Jeremiah 7:30-32:
For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the LORD. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 31And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. 32Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere.
Jeremiah later prophesied the judgment of the Lord in chapter 19:
You shall say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 4Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, 5and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind— 6therefore, behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.
With this background laid, suppose Israel obeyed God’s command to not sacrifice their sons and daughters to Baal, except when their babies had a disability. They reasoned that babies with disabilities would not have a fulfilled life and neither could they contribute to society, so they took it upon themselves to cleanse their gene pool by shedding the blood of their innocent children on these altars of demons. Surely, many babies were allowed to live, so sacrificing a few babies to please Molech could not be a bad thing, could it? How do you think God would have reacted to such a scenario? I think you know the answer to that question – He would have judged them just the same.
Just like ancient Israel, Isaiah 59:7 rings true for society today:
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.
God is not silent on His hatred of the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17). And just like destruction came upon Israel for their rebellion against God, I believe a principle can be drawn that God will destroy all nations who celebrate the shedding of innocent blood and sacrifice innocent children on the altar of self. A nation that makes exceptions for abortion in the case of rape and incest is still storing up wrath for itself as is the nation who openly embraces the shedding of blood in any and all cases. America today is the modern day Valley of Slaughter, and I believe judgment awaits her.
Conclusion
Whether babies are murdered inside the womb or outside the womb, whether they are murdered for the crime of their father, or whether they are murdered out of convenience, or whether they are murdered because of genetic abnormalities, it matters not. It’s murder. For me, the argument isn’t that Mitt Romney believes in saving most babies, the argument is that Romney believes in murdering some babies.
I keep hearing about how “moral” Mitt Romney is. That may be true in other areas of his life (on the outside), however, it is by no means moral to murder any child ever. I cannot in good conscience vote for a person who favors tormenting and barbaricly tearing babies a part because the father has violated the mother in a heinous crime. To quote an Abolitionist poster,
rape and abortion are wrong for the same reason: they are both violent acts of aggression upon other people’s bodies.
The only difference between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on the issue of abortion is the degree to which they are willing to keep the murder of children legal in this nation.
The principle I draw from Scripture is that I am not obligated to vote for anyone who shares either Obama’s or Romney’s position. I would be violating my conscience if I chose to do so. Truthfully, I believe the burden is on the Christian to justify how they can vote for either one, not on the Christian who had decided to not vote given the reasoning discussed in this article. But at the end of the day, this is between each of us and the Lord.
Yes, I believe the nation will be better off with Mitt Romney. Yes, I believe the economy has a better chance to improve, we will have a stronger foreign policy, we will be a better friend to Israel, and we might get a conservative judge or two appointed to the Supreme Court. Be that as it may, Mitt Romney fails on the issue of life, and for that primary reason I will not vote for him.
If your conscience allows you to vote for Mitt Romney, fine, do it. I’m happy for you. If he wins, the country might be better for it. But my conscience won’t allow it, and I hope I’ve clearly explained why. Let us both be submitted to the Lord in whatever we decide, and let us bear with one another in love and be in agreement about things of first importance, namely the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls.
airō 
Shawn Pander
October 10, 2012
Good word brother, AMEN..I won’t be voting either.
Helen
October 10, 2012
You talk about being a better friend to Israel. What’s so special about the modern artificially constructed state of Israel, rather than any other country in the world that we should care for?
I like what Stephen Sizer says in “Zion’s Christian Soldiers?” : ‘The Land had served it’s purpose.. a temporary residence for the ancestors of the messiah…It was, and remains irrelevent to God’s ongoing purposes for the world.’ After all the ‘Israel of God’ is now (mostly) gentiles, from all over the world.
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
Thanks for commenting, Helen, but we’ll have to have that discussion another time since it’s a side issue of this article.
Helen
October 10, 2012
Sorry Justin, hope I did not seem too rude, please excuse me, and feel free to delete the comment.
Your blog has such WONDERFUL stuff on it, and I LOVE all your stuff supporting Lordship.
salvation.
I live in England, so I’ll butt out of your election!
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
No, I’ll leave it up Helen, because your second response shows grace and humility and bearing with your brother, despite our apparent disagreement on Israel (an important issue nonetheless). Thank you for your kind words, and I look forward to future discussions with you. Grace and peace to you.
Michael Coughlin
October 10, 2012
Justin – thanks for clarifying some of the things which I agreed needed clarification.
You are correct on all your counts. I am pleased to read your writing. I trust that you will write me in as I have the same stance as you on Israel, abortion and marriage.
I appreciate your accurate analogies concerning murder of babies. Of course, I love the scriptures you provided as they, along with several others provide the basis for the biblical doctrine of the election of aborted babies and children to glory with Christ.
Please also write Pander in as my VP. The White House could use some beef like Taft or Teddy Roosevelt again and me and Shawn are born again, and muscular, so it should work.
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
Brother Michael, you. are. hilarious….lol….I will have to pray about writing you and Pander in, but I will consider it. Ha!
I do thank you for your kind words and feedback on the usefulness of the analogies. They occurred to me yesterday morning and I felt compelled to share. Interesting about election regarding these passages, I’ll have to meditate on that. For what it’s worth, I do believe that if all babies go to heaven, it is because all babies who die are elect.
May the Lord use the article to bring traffic to the website to expose many to the glorious Gospel of Christ!
Shawn Pander
October 10, 2012
Lets do it Michael…
Coughlin / Pander 2012
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
It does have a nice ring to it.
wpuymac
October 10, 2012
Our logo could be a Browns helmet and a Steelers helmet and we could talk about crossing party lines to accomplish shared goals.
jim
October 10, 2012
Great thought but not voting over one issue compared to Obamas direction of our Country and many more Immoral isssues I believe is not valid reason to NOT vote,
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
Jim, thanks for the comment. Firstly, I have not said I am not voting, I am just not voting for Mitt Romney. I am in the process of looking into the Constitution Party, and so far things are looking pretty good. Secondly, abortion is a strong enough issue to make me a one-issue voter. I recommend the following 1995 article from John Piper showing that we all have issues that disqualify a person to receive our votes, and my issues are life, marriage, and Israel:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/one-issue-politics-one-issue-marriage-and-the-humane-society
Justin Edwards
October 10, 2012
I just updated the article with this AHA video produced today….take a look:
Justin Edwards
October 11, 2012
In the VP debate tonight, Paul Ryan firmly made clear that the Romney administration would not oppose abortions in the case of rape and incest. To reiterate from the article, this mean nearly 14,000 babies will be legally murdered in the U.S. each year if such a position was realized into law. That is 14,000 babies too many and further solidifies the Republican nominee not getting my vote. No compromise, not ever.
072591
October 12, 2012
The problem with the “no compromise, not ever” stance is that it is based on the expectation that stopping abortion now is an option. It is not. So, realistically, the choice is between 14,000 and a lot more than 14,000. The 14,000 children who would be killed under the “rape or incest” exceptions are going to be killed under the law as it is now. As harsh as it is, the reality is that there is no way to save them and there is a black-robed reason why.
The real issue is Roe vs Wade. Because it was a ruling by the Court, only a reversal ruling by the Court will change it. Romney has made it clear that he does not believe it is a constitutional right, while Obama does. Which one is more likely to put candidates that will rule that abortion is not a constitutional right? Romney. THAT is the obstacle that has to be overcome.
That is why I am voting for Romney: not because I support abortions for rape victims, but because Roe vs Wade must be overturned before any meaningful change can happen, and this is the one way that has a chance of working. The situation would be better than it is now, and frankly, at this stage of the fight, that’s the best we can get.
Justin Edwards
October 12, 2012
Hi 072591, while you and I will be voting differently, I appreciate you respectfully arguing why you will be voting for Romney. Grace and peace to you, friend.
Carol
October 13, 2012
072591, that sounds like a well-reasoned argument, but I wonder if you would consider that, as Christians, we shouldn’t be waiting for the government to change people’s behavior. As Christians, wouldn’t it be better for us to be the ones to make a difference? If abortion is a big issue for you, wouldn’t it be more effective to support Christian pregnancy clinics? Perhaps you already do. Or, wouldn’t it be more effective to preach the Gospel? Perhaps you already do.
The point is, waiting for an opening on the Court and then assuming that Romney is going to nominate someone who is pro-life and then assuming that the Senate will approve that nominee and then assuming that the Court agrees to hear a Roe v. Wade case and then assuming that the Romney appointee will indeed cast the majority vote in favor of abolishing Roe v. Wade is a lot of assuming and a lot of waiting. Since Romney has said that he knows of no legislation concerning abortion that would be part of his agenda as President, perhaps that is indication that abortion is not a big deal to him. Paul Ryan said that a Romney administration would defer to the States and the people to take on abortion laws more locally. Perhaps this is where Christians can get involved rather than voting FOR a Mormon whose beliefs, by definition, are anti-Christ.
As Christians, let’s do the work ourselves rather than vote for someone who hates God, hoping that he can be our savior who will deliver us from Roe v. Wade. If you must vote, vote for someone who loves God and then trust God to work everything out. In the meantime, maybe we can work from the ground up, rather than deferring to the government to work from the top down. Maybe we can work from the inside out, making a difference one-on-one with people, rather than trying to legislate morality.
Linda
October 12, 2012
Thank you justin Edwards for your Christlike attitude and wholeheartedly following Jesus Christ and that your utmost desire is to please your/our Heavenly Father not man.
I was the lady who left the comment at Pyro.. Went to work and came back shocked to read what i actually thought would be well received by brothers and sisters in Christ only to find sadly the opposite happened. but you have stood FIRM in the foray NOT because you don’t love them but because you do love them so much.
Anyways, a verse came to my mind for you—Psa 37:6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”—-we ALL can have wicked schemes btw -I’m not exempt
May the Lord richly bless you and your ministry
Justin Edwards
October 17, 2012
Thank you very much for the encouragement, Linda. That thread was shameful.
Here is also another great video from AHA:
Linda
October 17, 2012
thanks for the video Justin.
What concerns me is that God’s name is at stake here. God’s name should be FEARED above all things in our lives.. We should learn to appreciate God’s jealous concern about the honor of his name (his character) among men. “The Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy.” “Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”-Isaiah 8:13. “use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe.” People of God are called to honor His holiness. The Lord told Isaiah to trust and revere Him as holy.. It means trusting Him and Him alone when faced with the prospect of death and destruction or when facing unspeakable odds—It also means preserving His worship, and we should strive to do everything according to His will and for the sake of His glory-1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Peter 3:13.
Supporting anyone who murders even ONE baby is profaning the LORD’S name..
“‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.”-Lev.19:12
Are we to profane God’s holy name and condone such evil showing the world that as Christians we don’t (really) trust in the very God whom we claim is Holy and Sovereign LORD of the Universe?
I’m just so grieved when I read the word of GOD and it says “You shall not murder”-Exodus 20:13, tell me why should I or any Christian support anyone who supports murder -period? Should I vote for one candidate who murders less babies as opposed to the other candidate because he murders more babies?
Seeing that the LORD is closing doors that we cannot do anything about makes it that make it much harder to make clear cut choices and that’s when many begin to compromise their integrity. It only reveals where each of us truly stands in relation to how much we are trusting in ourselves or in GOD. Proverbs 10:9; Proverbs 13:6;
—“No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.”-Isaiah 59:4
Sincerely IN Christ our Majestic Lord and Savior, Linda
Justin Edwards
October 18, 2012
I am grieved as well, Linda. Not so much that believers are voting for Mitt Romney as I understand the difficulty everyone is faced with, but more so in how some Christians are vilifying other believers because they are indeed striving to be holy before the Lord. It boggles my mind that there is actually calls for Christians to forsake their conscience, purity, and “personal holiness” before God, as if it is a wicked thing to maintain personal holiness, especially in gray areas. It very much comes off as calling good evil. And it’s very sad, and shameful.
Justin Edwards
October 18, 2012
Here is another video, this time a Romney ad blatantly suggesting the economy is a much more important issue that protecting the lives of innocents:
Justin Edwards
October 18, 2012
Further understanding why “I am an abolitionist and I will not compromise on abortion”:
Linda
October 18, 2012
when I was listening to this last video I was reminded of the quote: “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.” Martin Luther~
Christians in our day need to be bound by the Scriptures that their “conscience is captive to the Word of God and they CANNOT and WILL NOT “compromise with Abortion”
Patty Blackmer
October 28, 2012
I find this article troubling.
Regarding your argument about likening Romney’s stand on abortion to Israel allowing for child sacrifice:
1. For starters, your argument involves children being sacrificed because they have disabilities. Romney does not make provision for abortion in cases of babies with disabilities.
2. In your scenario, you present a nation that does not allow for child sacrifice suddenly deciding that child sacrifice should be allowed. Romney is not looking to make abortion legal or to spread the practice further. It already is legal in America for any reason including rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
3. Your illustration does not reflect the vast number of babies murdered annually in America. Over one million is not a number I’m willing to repeat year after year, waiting in my rose garden until some “perfect” candidate surfaces. These little souls don’t have the luxury to wait for that. Since Governor Romney is not, in your words, “100% pro-life,” we are encouraged to throw our vote away and let the holocaust continue rather than vote for someone who might be in a position one day to actually make 99% of abortions illegal. I marvel at your ability to withhold your vote when you know what the numbers are.
4. Perhaps most insulting and damaging to the pro-life cause in your scenario is that you assume pro-life citizens who vote for Romney will go back to bed once the 99% of babies are rescued. Not hardly. Is it so difficult to understand that rescuing the 99% would just be the first step? And what a tremendous first step it would be!
You make the statement: “Regarding life, one must be 100% pro-life, making no exceptions for abortion. Period. Romney fails the test. He therefore does not get my vote. It’s that simple. Really.” According to your logic, then, God is NOT 100% pro-marriage since he allowed for divorce because of the hardness of Israel’s heart. “It’s that simple. Really.” You naively, and a bit snidely, close your eyes to the reality of the political situation we currently find ourselves in.
Compromise may be necessary to make illegal 99% of abortions, which could then help foster a national understanding that life begins at conception. Such a paradigm shift in thinking would likely serve to curtail legal abortions as well.
The Apostle Paul made no attempt to end slavery. In fact, he went so far as to give Christian directives for how to live under it—both slaves and masters—yet we understand that the better part is when there is no slavery at all.
Many of our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence with a measure of regret because they were forced to compromise their firmly held belief that slavery should be outlawed. While they signed the altered version which did not exclude slavery, they made implicit provision in the founding documents for the later removal of it.
You challenge Christians who vote for Romney to justify their decision. The reason is self-evident–to save one million plus babies a year, after which the fight will continue to save the rest. Your third party vote or not voting at all will have ZERO effect in bringing this obscene figure down and can only help to put a virtual “madman” regarding abortion back into office for a second term. When Jesus went after the one lost sheep, he made sure the ninety-nine were already secure before he left.
I fear you have undermined many Christians’ good intentions to vote for Romney because they hope to stem the rise in abortions in this already blood-guilty land. I see your idealism as inflexible and unreasonable, and detrimental to the pro-life cause. The unfortunate truth is that your position actually works toward PREVENTING the saving of babies’ lives.
Justin Edwards
October 29, 2012
Hi Patty, thanks for sharing your thoughts. To answer some of your points:
1) There is no difference in making exceptions for children with disabilities or for children conceived by rape and incest. To say it another way, there is no difference in murdering children with disabilities or murdering children conceived by rape and incest. That is the point of the illustration.
2) What Romney is saying is that it is ok to burn down 10 orphanages with 100 children in each orphanage, as long as we save 99 orphanages with 100 children in each orphanage. Romney is for burning 1000 children as long as he can save 99,000. Righteousness, on the other hand, says no orphanages should be burned to the ground. We demand the burning of all orphanages to cease immediately, and we trust God will bring justice to those who refuse to repent from burning all orphanages.
3) Do you believe Romney is 100% pro-life, Patty? Romney favors the murder of children, how is that pro-life?
4) Where did I assume this?
It seems to me God has given this nation over to its lustful desires and judgment is being poured out on America. As much as I regret to see America fall, her judgment is deserved unless she repents. The fact that we have two candidates who favor the murder of children speaks to this. No where in Scripture am I commanded to vote for someone who protects the murder of children, regardless of the political climate or potential outcomes.
I have no doubt that many Christians will be voting for Romney with good intentions. That is fine with me. I won’t judge them for it. I’ve merely explained why I will not be voting for Mitt Romney, yet I am being judged for that. It’s mind boggling.
You call it idealism, I call it seeking to be blameless before the Lord and trusting in His providence. My position merely calls for all abortions to cease immediately, but I do welcome if incremental changes occur as a result of calling for the immediate abolition of abortion. My position is that calling for incremental changes will get us nowhere in the abolition of abortion, which is proved by the 40 year history of calling for incremental changes. So Patty, where has your position gotten the pro-life movement over the last 40 years? Where has your position gone toward the prevention of abortions? Last I checked, 1.4 million babies are still being murdered each year at the call of incrementalism, pragmatism, and compromise. Don’t you see?
Vote for Romney if you wish, you won’t hear me judging you for it. For what it’s worth, I voted for Virgil Goode, and my conscience is clear on the matter. May your conscience be informed and may you vote in a manner that is most pleasing to God.
Grace and peace to you.
Patty Blackmer
October 29, 2012
Justin,
1. I do not believe I justified abortion for any reason. I merely said Romney does not allow for the abortion of children with disabilities. Your illustration embellishes his position on abortion.
2. Clearly, you still do not get the point. To address your new illustration, the orphanages ARE ALREADY BURNING! Romney is not looking to light the match.
There is no one in a position to stop all 10 orphanages that are presently burning. Romney could possibly be in a position to stop 9.9 of them. The question is, “Why would YOU refuse to rescue the 999 children in those 9.9 orphanages?” Of course, it’s because you won’t compromise your “convictions.”
Who knows if God would forestall his judgment of this nation if we could drastically reduce the number of abortions?
3. No, I do not consider Romney 100% pro-life which is precisely why I didn’t vote for him in the primary. The primary election is where Christians have their greatest impact to ensure that we get the most conservative candidates on the ballot in November. Since my “100% pro-life” candidate did not win, I will take the next best candidate who could possibly rescue over one million babies a year rather than waste my one vote on a third party.
4. Despite your disclaimer that you will not judge Christians who vote for Romney, the whole tenor of your article is that those who do are content to allow the 1% to be killed. From start to finish, including both your drawn out illustrations, you act as though we are too stupid to understand that there will still be little ones lost, and that it’s OK with us. You criticize arguments designed “to convince Christians to look past Romney’s exceptions for abortion.” Your clear implication is that we are willing to settle for 99% saved—goal accomplished. We are looking past nothing. Romney is merely a means to an end. He is not our end. A vote for a third party is a means to a dead end.
Justin, you have one string on your violin: It’s all or nothing. I noticed that you did not address my examples where compromise was a necessary and acceptable option for the moment.
You claim that nowhere in scripture are you called on to vote for someone who “protects the murder of children.” If this is how you frame this presidential election, you are myopic beyond reason. There are many things scripture does not call on us to do, but it does command us to “rescue those being led away to death.” Proverbs 24:11 Your vote did not do that. God-willing, mine will be a step in that direction.
You ask where my position has gotten us in 40 years. Consider that over half the country still considers itself pro-life, as fruit of the ongoing efforts to address the misinformation put out by the media and public schools purporting the virtues of being pro-abortion. We also have a near majority of pro-life justices on the court. If we can ever vote enough conservatives into all three branches of government, we could make enormous progress in our laws as well. Unfortunately, we cannot count on you to help us here.
Your oblivion to the political landscape is frightening. The next President will most likely appoint the next two justices of the Supreme Court which will solidify the bent of the court for the next 20 years or even permanently. Two more pro-abortion judges could tip the scale irretrievably in favor of abortion on demand.
If you want to exist in your sanctimonious cocoon, do so, but please do not encourage other Christians to abandon reason and siphon away the votes we so badly need to defeat an incumbent unsurpassed in his zeal for abortion.
Justin Edwards
October 30, 2012
Hey Patty,
1. I never said you justified abortion. Where do you get that? Secondly, the illustration underscores Romney’s position on life. For the same reason we should be appalled that any candidate would favor murdering children with disabilities, we should be appalled that any candidate would favor murdering children conceived by rape and incest. Again, that is the point.
2. Yes, you are correct, the orphanages are already burning, which I indicated in the previous comment, “We demand the burning of all orphanages to cease immediately, and we trust God will bring justice to those who refuse to repent from burning all orphanages.” So, the reality is that Romney favors the burning of 1000 children and would protect the rights of those holding and striking the match. If you want to blame someone, blame the Republican party for putting Romney forth as the top candidate. It truly speaks to the condition of this nation. I don’t need to compromise biblical principles due to the wickedness of a nation.
3. See #2 above.
4. You’ve missed the whole point of the articles. The very reason I wrote them was to address the Patty’s, the Frank Turks, and the Dan Philips of the Christian community for vilifying Christians who do not wear their legalistic yokes. These articles were also for Christians who have been attacked for their conviction to not vote for someone who they perceive to favor the murder of children. These articles were not for Christians who vote for Romney, and understand those who won’t vote for him may do so as a matter of conscience.
What you are doing, Patty, is akin to vilifying me (and all others sharing my position) for not celebrating Christmas when we are convinced it would violate our conscience to do so. We largely keep it to ourselves, but when asked we share why we do not celebrate. We even caveat our explanation that it is a matter of conscience and Christians who celebrate Christmas have the freedom to do so if their conscience is not violated. But, after we explain our reasons why we cannot celebrate Christmas, we are condemned and vilified for being “holier than thou”, when all we have done is share why celebrating Christmas would violate our conscience.
The same thing is happening during this election. It is OK for Christians to not vote for Romney. Others vehemently disagree, to the point of suggesting it is a sin for a Christian to not vote for him. That is why I wrote the articles in order to encourage Christians to be faithful to their convictions and desire to honor the Lord on what they perceive to be biblical principles to not vote for him. I also wrote the articles to explain to the legalists why I, and others, will not vote for Mitt Romney. The problem is, you don’t like my reasoning, and you think my explaining my position automatically suggests you are in sin for voting for Mitt Romney. That is not the case at all.
These are my conclusions, and I don’t expect you to share in these conclusions, and I don’t blame you for not sharing these conclusions. I am fully aware that your reasoning has led you to a different conclusion, and that is OK. You don’t see things the way I see them, and I don’t see things the way you see them. But don’t judge me, and especially don’t try to convince me to violate my conscience and thus become a stumbling block for me, Patty. Now that is sin. I think you should spend some time in Romans 14.
Finally, you said, “I noticed that you did not address my examples where compromise was a necessary and acceptable option for the moment.” I didn’t need to, because I do not need to, I am never commanded to, and I will not compromise my convictions because to do so would be a sin, for me, before the Lord. Again, read Romans 14.
It is not about results for me, Patty, it is about doing what is right. And, for me, I believe what is right is not voting for Mitt Romney who favors the murder of children. If you want to better understand the abolitionist position, I really encourage you to watch the three videos at the bottom of the article. They address, among other things, the argument of hoping for new justices on SCOTUS, which history shows that is not something to count on.
Grace and peace to you.
Linda
November 1, 2012
“It is OK for Christians to not vote for Romney.”-I totally agree.
There are matters which Christians will have legitimate differences of opinions and it’s okay to disagree. “To his own master he stands or falls”-Rom.14:4b. This is not about conduct that is clearly sinful. If one’s conscience is NOT clear then spend time with the Lord and Pray
Yoke with Jesus and don’t let man try and place their yokes around your neck. Jesus has specifically made a yoke that is tailor made just for each one of us. My yoke does not fit anyone else..