Good Question

Note: This article was not included in the Door County Advocate this weekend - their decision. We share it here in the hopes that readers will respond with civil discourse, even among those who disagree with the content or tone. 

A thousand years ago, babies were sacrificed to satisfy the gods of rain and water, and we are rightly horrified.

It is not hard to find sickening stories of how the ancient Incas, Aztecs, and Mayans prepared their children to be slaughtered with the hopes that the adults would be happier and enjoy more success. The Bible tells us about pagan neighbors of Israel offering children to please their gods, with the expectation of favor toward those offering such abominable sacrifices.

Today, babies are sacrificed to satisfy the gods of self and fame. And people cheer. I heard them. Maybe you did, too, if you watched an awards ceremony earlier this month when an actress gave her testimony regarding her “right to choose.” People cheered abortion and the right to terminate the life of a preborn child.

May Almighty God have mercy and help us.

I am writing this two weeks before the Iowa caucuses and on the eve of the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in 1973 making abortion on demand, abortion on request, the law of the land. Once upon a time, we could find presidential candidates from both major parties who did not support such an extreme position on abortion; if they were not explicitly pro-life, they would at least be against late-term abortion and not in favor of using tax money to pay for abortions or to assist organizations whose primary purpose is to provide abortions.

These days, audiences cheer when politicians and public figures trumpet the right to end the life of a baby in the womb at any time and for any reason. After all, it is a “right” to choose and it’s nobody else’s business.

Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” God knows (and we know, too) that there’s a lot of sin in our lives, and therefore a lot of sin in our society. God does not take sin lightly, and neither should we.

People who claim to love God need to consider what God has revealed in the Bible about what he thinks regarding all sorts of things. God’s perspective should be considered when we decide who to vote for, and maybe especially when we decide who to vote for.

The main issue in the upcoming election is not the economy or jobs or the deficit. The main issue, more important than any other single issue, is abortion. What does it profit a nation to prosper economically and to ignore moral uprightness?

I do not understand why our laws protect the woman’s right to choose to kill the baby or to let the baby live, and why our laws do not protect the vulnerable, innocent, helpless baby. A woman’s right to choose should not trump a baby’s right to live.

But we should not make protection of the unborn merely an issue of politics and elections. People who say they are pro-life should vigorously support adoption alternatives and crisis pregnancy centers. And at the same time, we should not ignore elections and politics. 

Denny Burk wrote this: “You should use your democratic privileges to press for the defense of the unborn. If we were in China or Saudi Arabia, you wouldn't have a say in the matter. But in America you do. Why wouldn't you vote to protect life?” Good question. 

Cory Dahl

Cory Dahl is pastor of First Baptist Church of Sturgeon Bay.  His e-mail is cdahl@sturgeon-bay.com 

Bible verses are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV).