This is a Christian news and commentary website that purposely avoids the political aspect of issues, or what usually goes by the name of politics. Political discourse is diversionary, too easily ensnares the young in the faith, and deals with symptoms rather than causes. It is inevitable, however, that at certain times candidates will venture far into Christian circles, and espouse false dilemmas that must be rebuked. Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani epitomizes such a politician. Speaking at
Abortion can only be morally wrong if it is morally murder. There is nothing else that goes on in an abortion. In spite of his admission that a position on abortion is reached by “deep and profound judgment,”[ii] he is willing to disregard what he knows to be murder in order to win pro-abortion votes. Furthermore, he has the audacity to tell a Christian audience that: “Everybody’s got to make a choice. How important are the differences and then how important are the other issues that are involved in this election?”[iii] Giuliani is lying.
By implication, he is clearly presenting a false dilemma where Christians must chose to vote for the lesser of two evils. That’s simply not true, but Christians still fall for it nonetheless by misinterpreting their responsibility of Christian stewardship. The reasoning runs that because Christians are blessed to be citizens of this great nation founded on Christian principals, they are obliged to protect it and maintain it by participation in its affairs, and by voting. This is true, but when politicians who have absolutely no convictions, outside of getting elected, court the Christian vote they imply that, no matter what, in the end you’ve got to compromise; and that is not true.
Notice how Giuliani sets it up: “You have a right to evaluate this in figuring out if you can support me, and at what level you can support me.”[iv] In other words, a voter must separate themselves from their morals and lay them out in front of them like chips in a card game. Giuliani would have us to think that a hand of lower taxes, strong on defense, and which also holds the murder card; trumps his opponent, which also holds the murder card, but is high on taxes and low on defense. It doesn’t, because an individual who votes for Giuliani is also authorizing the murder of innocent babies. As a politician, Giuliani works hard to try and mask that fact.
By emphatically pronouncing his objection to abortion, he tries to give the voter
another “level” for their conscious to retreat to in order pull the lever for him as a pro-life candidate. What Giuliani is also masking here is that there is a third vote whereby voters don’t have to get blood on their hands. Voters don’t have to settle for Giuliani, or for his murdering rivals, they can abstain. Abstention is a valid and important vote that is made after determining that there are no statesmen running for office; no candidates with moral convictions and the courage to stand up and fight for them.
It would be far easier to respect Giuliani if he would simply declare that he is pro-abortion. For him to say that he knows abortion is murder, that it is morally wrong, and that women should be allowed to commit that murder explains the degree to which he has compromised his own morals. This also indicates that he expects others to abandon morality and make decisions based solely on expediency.
Giuliani told the students at Houston Baptist that he had a profound respect for their views, and their education, and their religion.[v] Indeed, some students polled just after Giuliani’s appearance seemed taken by his performance. One remarked he thought Giuliani gave a great speech, and said: “I agree that we’re not going to agree 100 percent with all candidates. I think it was a good political stance to take. He’s sitting right in the middle.”[vi] It may be hoped that the warm, celebrity glow wares off soon after Giuliani has departed, and the spirit of compromise departs with him. That Giuliani has the nerve to show up on a
Notes:
[i] Joe Stinebaker, Associated Press Writer, “Giuliani Reaffirms Abortion Stance,”
The Christian Post, May 14, 2007.
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070514
/27391_Giuliani_Reaffirms_Abortion_Stance.htm
[ii] Stinebaker, “Giuliani Reaffirms Abortion Stance.”
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid. (emphasis added).
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
Good article. The mayor needs to decide just who it is that he is serving, God or Baal (1 Kings 18:21). Also why would a Christian college even invite someone with those views unless they already agreed with him?
Good article. The mayor needs to decide just who it is that he is serving, God or Baal (1 Kings 18:21). Also why would a Christian college even invite someone with those views unless they already agreed with him?
David,
That’s a good point. The Christian Post reports that: “the Giuliani campaign called the university on Wednesday and asked if the candidate could speak there this week.” But by allowing him to address the 500 students and faculty the university inasmuch endorsed him as a candidate to take seriously in determining who to vote for.
The Administration knew, or should have found out, Giuliani’s pro-abortion stance and disqualified him from ever addressing the students. They failed in their duty to protect students, and millions who will go silently before the abortionists’ instruments.
The Administration at Houston Baptist University had an opportunity to speak for those babies who have no one to speak for them, and they failed miserably.
David,
That’s a good point. The Christian Post reports that: “the Giuliani campaign called the university on Wednesday and asked if the candidate could speak there this week.” But by allowing him to address the 500 students and faculty the university inasmuch endorsed him as a candidate to take seriously in determining who to vote for.
The Administration knew, or should have found out, Giuliani’s pro-abortion stance and disqualified him from ever addressing the students. They failed in their duty to protect students, and millions who will go silently before the abortionists’ instruments.
The Administration at Houston Baptist University had an opportunity to speak for those babies who have no one to speak for them, and they failed miserably.
I have been carrying on a discussion in a forum on this topic, and the following comment of mine is appropriate to be included here:
God will never force you to be faced with an obligation to vote for one of two murderers, who by the way have pledged to continue in enabling abortionists. God allows you a third vote: vote NOT to authorize either one of them into office.
Abstention is an important part of the voting process of our democracy.
For example, it is used in congress all the time. One reason for its use is due to a representative’s lack of knowledge on an issue being voting on. He does not wish to vote against something he has heard might be good, but he can’t in good conscious vote in favor of something he does not yet completely understand.
You, in the final analysis, are a reprehensive too. You represent the innocent and those who have no voice. These include babies, children, and the unborn children. God has asked you to speak on their behalf, and you can do that:
Speak for the ones these politicians have appointed to destruction: vote abstention. An abstention vote IS a vote; it is your vote NOT to vote for politicians who will put more innocent babies before abortionists’ instruments of destruction.
Any person who votes for either one of these candidates will have blood on their hands as an accomplice in abortions. Do you want that? Can you explain that to God?
Do not fear the Democrats, or the Republicans:
Fear God. We are having this discussion because we would honor God who gave us this land by exercising good stewardship. We desire to do good, not just for ourselves, but for those we love, and those we are yet to meet, and yet to be born; for posterity. We must remember that Christian men, in a monumental struggle against the hordes of hell, persevered in their faith for a nation founded on Christian principals. Almost to a man, they pledged everything and lost nearly every worldly possession for their efforts. We are a part of the posterity they fought and died for. We need to be willing likewise to fight the good fight of faith, and that is the only thing that will bring a candidate who will honor God.
How? We must perfect our own holiness first:
Let us fear God, and do what is right. You will find that when you fear God, you fear nothing else.
I have been carrying on a discussion in a forum on this topic, and the following comment of mine is appropriate to be included here:
God will never force you to be faced with an obligation to vote for one of two murderers, who by the way have pledged to continue in enabling abortionists. God allows you a third vote: vote NOT to authorize either one of them into office.
Abstention is an important part of the voting process of our democracy.
For example, it is used in congress all the time. One reason for its use is due to a representative’s lack of knowledge on an issue being voting on. He does not wish to vote against something he has heard might be good, but he can’t in good conscious vote in favor of something he does not yet completely understand.
You, in the final analysis, are a reprehensive too. You represent the innocent and those who have no voice. These include babies, children, and the unborn children. God has asked you to speak on their behalf, and you can do that:
Speak for the ones these politicians have appointed to destruction: vote abstention. An abstention vote IS a vote; it is your vote NOT to vote for politicians who will put more innocent babies before abortionists’ instruments of destruction.
Any person who votes for either one of these candidates will have blood on their hands as an accomplice in abortions. Do you want that? Can you explain that to God?
Do not fear the Democrats, or the Republicans:
Fear God. We are having this discussion because we would honor God who gave us this land by exercising good stewardship. We desire to do good, not just for ourselves, but for those we love, and those we are yet to meet, and yet to be born; for posterity. We must remember that Christian men, in a monumental struggle against the hordes of hell, persevered in their faith for a nation founded on Christian principals. Almost to a man, they pledged everything and lost nearly every worldly possession for their efforts. We are a part of the posterity they fought and died for. We need to be willing likewise to fight the good fight of faith, and that is the only thing that will bring a candidate who will honor God.
How? We must perfect our own holiness first:
Let us fear God, and do what is right. You will find that when you fear God, you fear nothing else.
What Giuliani is really saying is he would never legislate against abortion. It is a contradiction to state your personally and morally against something but don’t see it as a standard for others. He denies an ultimate standard of right and wrong; something every Christian must affirm in God’s revealed will, the Holy Bible.
What Giuliani is really saying is he would never legislate against abortion. It is a contradiction to state your personally and morally against something but don’t see it as a standard for others. He denies an ultimate standard of right and wrong; something every Christian must affirm in God’s revealed will, the Holy Bible.
Thanks David,
That really is the bottom line. Giuliani’s argument contains a contradiction, which makes it invalid; something cannot be both true and false at the same time in the same place. That is why I said that Giuliani is lying: either knowingly as a politician to get votes; or unknowingly as a morally compromised man because he has bought the result of a consensus process outcome where this antithesis and thesis has been synthesized to arrive at this pathetic plot of common ground–if you will not require me to physically murder babies, I will not require you to physically stop murdering babies; you respect my beliefs, I respect your beliefs. This type of faith, like all faiths, has an object. No matter what Giuliani would say the object of his faith is, here it is the venerated plot of common ground, and so consecrated it is a cemetery plot.
Thanks David,
That really is the bottom line. Giuliani’s argument contains a contradiction, which makes it invalid; something cannot be both true and false at the same time in the same place. That is why I said that Giuliani is lying: either knowingly as a politician to get votes; or unknowingly as a morally compromised man because he has bought the result of a consensus process outcome where this antithesis and thesis has been synthesized to arrive at this pathetic plot of common ground–if you will not require me to physically murder babies, I will not require you to physically stop murdering babies; you respect my beliefs, I respect your beliefs. This type of faith, like all faiths, has an object. No matter what Giuliani would say the object of his faith is, here it is the venerated plot of common ground, and so consecrated it is a cemetery plot.