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 Antiabortion activists outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the annual March for Life.
April 14th, 2011
02:09 PM ET
New abortion laws show Christian Right's continued powerBy Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor So maybe the Christian Right isn't so dead after all. In fact, the movement that was supposed to have been eclipsed by the fiscally focused Tea Party in recent years and was said to be reeling from the loss of leaders like Jerry Falwell is showing some pretty dramatic signs of life. In last week’s down-to-the-wire budget battle between the White House and Republican leaders, for example, it was a GOP effort to defund Planned Parenthood – a longtime enemy of Christian conservatives – that emerged as a final stumbling block. And Family Research Council President Tony Perkins says the last time his conservative Christian movement saw so many victories at the state level – where many legislatures are busy passing new abortion restrictions - was in 2004, when more than a dozen states adopted same-sex marriage bans. At a moment when the Republican Party has reclaimed power in the House, has taken control of most state legislatures, and is set to begin the process of choosing its next presidential nominee, the Christian Right is playing an increasingly influential role in the party. Just this week, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, signed a pair of new Kansas laws that ban abortions after 21 weeks of pregnancy and that require minors seeking to terminate pregnancies to get consent from both their parents. That same day, Tuesday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, also a Republican, signed a new law banning state tax credits for donations to Planned Parenthood or other abortion providers. With a handful of other states adopting their own anti-abortion measures earlier this year, Perkins says his conservative Christian agenda “has been accelerated forward” in recent months. Liberal groups accuse Republicans in Washington of pulling a bait and switch on social issues, saying the GOP took back the House last November by campaigning on fiscal issues, turning to hot buttons like abortion only after taking office. “I think most Americans are saying, ‘What’s going on here? We elected you all to focus on fiscal and economic issues, not social ones, and you’re not doing that,” says Planned Parenthood spokesman Tait Sye. Sye notes that a bill called the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” which would place new restrictions on the healthcare law President Obama signed last year, was the third House resolution introduced this year, which he calls a testament to new GOP fervor on social issues. But many political experts say that religious conservatives never went anywhere - even if the news media and some quarters of the Republican Party paid them less mind in recent years. “The biggest reason we’ve seen all this action on abortion since the GOP came to power is that social conservatives are still a very important part of the Republican coalition,” says John Green, an expert in politics and religion at the University of Akron. “And the way parties manage coalitions is to try to give each part something it wants.” Despite claims by some Tea Party groups that their movement represents exclusively economic conservatives, polling research shows considerable overlap among Tea Party members and the Christian Right. About half of the Americans who identify as part of the Tea Party movement say they are also part of the religious right or conservative Christian movement, according to a survey released last year by the Public Religion Research Institute. The survey found that most Tea Party members reflect the views of religious conservatives, as opposed to libertarians, on social issues. Nearly two-thirds of Tea Party members say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and less than 1-in-5 support gay marriage. And white evangelical Protestants, the base of the Christian Right, are roughly five times more likely to agree with the Tea Party movement than to disagree with it, according to a Pew survey analysis released earlier this year. “There’s really no daylight between those the two groups,” says Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion group the Susan B. Anthony List, referring to Tea Party and religious conservatives. She notes that Republican leaders like Indiana Rep. Mike Pence and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann have a foot in both camps, helping to spearhead the House fight against Obama’s budget proposals and its attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. The Family Research Council’s Perkins says new GOP efforts around abortion are a reaction to President Obama’s first years in office. Obama rescinded the ban on federal funds for overseas abortion providers and signed a healthcare law that many conservatives say subsidizes abortion, though the law’s supporters say it respects the federal ban on abortion funding. “Politics is a pendulum that swings back and forth - the federal government overreached and now the states are responding,” Perkins says. “A lot of this is a response to the healthcare bill.” In some states, like Ohio, fights have broken out among anti-abortion activists over how to use their new-found power, with one faction pushing for sweeping new restrictions and the other urging more incremental limits that they say will withstand legal challenges. “Most of the lawmakers pushing for these abortion bills are not very well known even in their own states,” says Green, because many came to power in just the last year. “Their stars are still rising and that process will depend on whether their bills are successful and whether they are eventually overturned.” Debates over how far to go in restricting abortion will likely extend all the way up to the Republican presidential primary, with likely candidates already working hard for Christian Right support. Donald Trump, who says he will announce next month whether he will run for president, called the Family Research Council’s Perkins last week to chat for the first time, even though the thrice-married Trump isn’t exactly known as a “family values” Republican. “Trump knows to get to square one in the Republican primary process he has to show people that he’s pro-life,” says Perkins. “Whether he can get to square number two is another question.”
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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@ artist
is your face a blender?
did yow baby jesus had immaculate p00p?
...
...
it did not smell
Jenkins, if the law does not recognize it as murder it is not. I am sorry if your feel religious wise it is murder but that is your problem. There are degrees of punishment in religions...we see it in the ME for an example. However here law dictates, not bibles.
Jesus must have had monkey poop.. We are all just like monkeys aren't we?
eww. poo.
Phony heavensent, the zoo called this morning. Your cage is ready.
Amen.
When are you God loving fanatic Christians (who have made God in your own image) ever going to offer an orphanage home for all of these women who want to abort. Instead you would rather see one of your nut followers go on a trigger happy spree and take out a lot of lives but you don't consider that murder
Actually that is definitly murder as is the death penalty as is abortion.
> Actually that is definitly murder as is the death penalty as is abortion.
Please stop talking, you're hurting my brain with your stupidity.
The death penalty is a penalty for a crime committed by a human. Abortion is the termination of a fetus.
Yeah, they're totally the same thing.
You've got to be a troll.
Actually bob, His truth be told, the defilers are the hit and run guys that are built on sand, wells without water, spiritually dead walking among us.
Amen.
Bob –
Actually we would like to see the mom's not get themselves into this situation in the first place. If they are not ready to be mom's they shouldn't be the deed that would potentially make them Mom's. If the government could teach personal accountability and respectful for one's self, maybe we wouldn't be having a conversation about this issue.
However if the government is unwilling to establish a moral and ethical code then who will?
The agenda of the christiasn glazed over reborns is to take political control and to do the same as during the inquisition.
Kill all who will not convert and get dowen on bended knee. The christian right do not have a clue what the teachings of Christ say. They think the censored, rewritten, bible is something other than the toilet paper it should be.
All of the christian proselytizers in Africa tie their food distrubution to religious services. The tell starving people, "If you do not convert you do not eat."
You could not be any more wrong if you tried! I have a friend over there right now and yes they do share the Gospel BUT EVERYONE gets served! EVERYONE!
Your friend is lying to you reborn steve. I spent 25 years in Africa ~ one of the main reasons that organized american christians are held in such contempt is for the very reason of forced conversions.
I cannot and will not argue your experience. You may have very well seen some Christians who acted in opposite manner. What I will argue with your assumption that every Christian in Africa is in the same mold! secondly Christianity cannot be forced. Jesus NEVER forces Himself on anyone. We cannot either. One is a Christian ONLY by one's free will choice!
> Jesus NEVER forces Himself on anyone. We cannot either. One is a Christian ONLY by one's free will choice!
He's right. We have free will to choose. That is unless God is omnipotent, which would mean omniscient. Because then we wouldn't have a choice.
Wait.
Steve, it's OK to rely on Matthew 7:6 with these folks that love their circular arguments. They'll just have to wait for the 144,000.
Amen.
HeavenSent it would be appropriate if you read what was before 7:6
1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
You athiests are just a bunch of college KIDS. I was an atheist in college as well. As life goes on you will see things in a different way.
Now I am smelling bs with your postings LOL nice try though
Senility becomes you.
Chanselor Jenkins,
You were never a real atheist... you just think you were. 🙂
This first and next is throwing all those pesky nonbelievers into the camps!
Look at the facts the majority of domestic terrorism attacks our nation has suffered have been at the hands of Right Wing Christians. I hate them for trying to turn us into the Christo-facist state they long for.
For the majority of American christians i have a message for you, the next time you think what would jesus do?
Realize he'd slap you for your hypocrisy, hatred, and destruction of the good ideas he had.
You say Socialist like it's a dirty word when the man you call saviour was practically a communist!
Jesus would not slap you. He would say repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can love your neighbor.
Actually thanks to the Mexican "immigrants" the percentage is increasing.
Now now Jenkins you are fibbing. It is quite known the numbers of the religious have been decling lol
So much for the Teabaggers caring only about fiscal issues.
You guys are just mad because the Christians are winning. Face it right or wrong Christians are in the majority in this country. 78% of the USA is Christian. It's a democracy.
Thank for help proving my point. lol
Hey 78% that is good news...it is declining.
If you can provide one credible source, other than your mind, backing up that bull sh!t claim of 78%, I will send $10,000 to any reborn church you choose.
And I am no college kid ~ I am a rich boomer who is not an agnostic ~ I am neutral on religion.
I have no need of talking snakes. I have a mynah bird for that.
76% of Americans are Christian? Wow. It was 86.2% in 1990.
Non-religious is the fastest growing demographic group in America, doubling in that same period. And we thank people like you for driving these smarter ones into the realm of reason and liberty.
So they are getting fewer and fewer; that's good news. As a "non-religious" person and as a woman that got tired of having others think they have a right to tell me what to do and not to do I committed a pre-emptive strike and got sterilized. Let's be honest, I didn't want to have children but really didn't feel like giving up s@x because of it. So, go ahead, make it more difficult; I am pretty sure women will find a way to get what they want, legal or otherwise. We are so on to you.
That's Great!
76% of Americans are Christian? Wow. It was 86.2% in 1990.
Non-religious is the fastest growing demographic group in America, doubling in that same period. And we thank people like you for driving these smarter ones into the realm of reason and liberty.
-----------
Perhaps by the time I die we will have reached where the non-religious are the majority. Imagine a day where christians respect the rights and views of others and actually leave religion in their churches.
Hey, anyone that was once sitting on the fence only need read these posts by non-believers and they run to the nearest church to become members. No one wants to be one of the dry bones, wells without waters, spiritually walking dead among us like the non-believers on this site that end up in the eternal flames, blotted out, no eternity unless they repent, ask Jesus for forgiveness and sin no more.
Amen.
HeavenSent all someone has to do is read your despi_cable comments to send them running away from Christianity.
Onward Christian soldiers marching right into war, with their bombs for Jeeeeeeesus killing on before.
Sung by babbling fool.
Amen.
Written by a desp_icable lonely woman.
Amazes me how the religeous right tries to ram its beliefs down my throat but are the first scream when the government tries to do the people's work.
It amazes me how many of you heathens came into the democratic party. Boy, our Democratic leaders must have been desperate the day you signed your voting card.
Amen.
"It amazes me how many of you heathens came into the democratic party. Boy, our Democratic leaders must have been desperate the day you signed your voting card."
That's probably because they wouldn't want to join the barbarous group that you belong too, but that's why this country was founded on the division of Church and state.
"the peoples work"
If the government wanted to do something for the people, how about taking a stance on personal accountability. Do put yourself into the position of getting pregnant if you are not willing to take care of the potential outcome. Geesh.
"Do put yourself into the position of getting pregnant if you are not willing to take care of the potential outcome. Geesh."
The problem is there are to many children waiting for homes from people that are incapable of taking care of them. Yet, Christians aren't willing to step up and take them into their homes either. That's why Christians are such a joke when it comes to this topic. How many children have you adopted?
Actually we just got told yesterday that the child we were waiting to adopt was being placed back into his mothers care. You see, he had been in foster care because the mom was so hooked on drugs she couldn't take care of the baby. Thankfully she has been clean for several months now and is stepping up to take care of her responsibilities.
Judgmental much? Try not to be so stereotypical in your posts.
Well keep going there are thousands and thousands still waiting for a home and don't just stop at one now.
Thank you Karen! We probably will! I have some friends that are waiting for their adoptions to go through too. Keep your fingers crossed for us! ( i would ask you to pray but some how I don't think you would. )
Less government? Really? I suppose that rally cry doesn't apply when legislating morality.
Boy, isn't that the truth Trib. Both republicans and the RR yell about smaller government, except when it's what they want to control. The RR has a habit of taking political issues and turning them into 'moral' issues. Don't want an abortion? Then, don't have one but your religion doesn't give you the right to tell others what they can and can't have. Conservative Christianity, the first to persecute and the first to cry persecution. Sometimes I find myself wondering if our country is headed for another civil war. Conservative Christianity keeps pushing and reaching for control but people are becoming sick of their holier than thou actions. If, it ever comes to it, all I can say is they brought it on themselves.
Oh yes, the ancient Hebrew people didn't consider a baby to be human until it took its first breath. This is a far cry from conservative who want to claim that life begins at conception. Actually, the fetus has the potential of becoming a human being but it's not a set thing. Many thing can happen between conception and birth, including for the woman to choose to have an abortion, if this is what she determines what she wants.
Another thought, on another blog, I read the comment that if men could become pregnant, abortion would become a sacrament. Wouldn't that be the truth for republicans and conservative christian men. They're all about justification.
End of days generation that proves the famine to be true.
Amen.
There are good aruments for both sides on this issue outside of religion. The minute to bring religion in as your justification for abortion laws (or any laws honestly) the whole argument becomes invalid and should be tossed out due to a seperation of church and state. The creation of laws based of religous ideology is nothing short of a theocracy and a theocracy was NOT the intention of the founding fathers.
Another one that thinks life is all about them! Tune in. Life is about Jesus and satan and who's side you are on. Obviously, you are on satan's if you don't love and follow Jesus' truth. Oh, you say you didn't choose. To not choose is to take satan's side.
Wake up. If you can.
Amen.
HeavenSent
Another one that thinks life is all about them! Tune in. Life is about me and who's side you are on. Obviously, you are on satan's if you don't love and follow me. Oh, you say you didn't choose. To not choose is to take satan's side.
Wake up. If you can.
Amen
----------------–
Ah ramblings from an elderly insane person LOL
Why is it when a woman takes life through abortion it is a moral right, but when God takes life (such as in the Old Testament) he evil and morally abhorent?
It isnt a life until it is born. Religion has nothing to do with determining if it is a life.
Tell that to the infant that has had his/her head ripped from their body.
ttwp
Tell that to the infant that has had his/her head ripped from their body.
--------–
So there are doctors ripping infant's heads off after they are born????? I am confused, infants are born. Please clarify
> Why is it when a woman takes life through abortion it is a moral right, but when God takes life (such as in the Old Testament) he evil and morally abhorent?
Let me try your stupidity on a different tangent. Why is it ok for a lion to maim and maul other lions but it's not ok for humans to maim and maul other humans?
Let me try your stupidity on a different tangent. Why is it ok for a lion to maim and maul other lions but it's not ok for humans to maim and maul other humans?
If you consider yourself nothing more than an advanced animal...then in your way thinking it would be o.k. I however consider myself made in the image of the Almighty God.
> If you consider yourself nothing more than an advanced animal...then in your way thinking it would be o.k. I however consider myself made in the image of the Almighty God.
You completely missed the point. Try reading what I wrote again and thinking.
Yes, all of you do it to yourselves. No eternity for any of you if you refuse to love and follow Jesus' truth instead of the lies of satan that you love so much.
P.S. Satan thought it was all about him, too.
Amen.
"Yes, all of you do it to yourselves. No eternity for any of you"
With the way you treat people you are headed to hell with them.
Artist – you must not have any kids (thankfully) to make such an asinine statement about "life not being life until it is born".
You must not have ever felt a baby kick inside their mother's womb
Or heard their heartbeat
Or seen an ultrasound of the developing child.
I can't believe anyone would be so heartless as to make such a statement as you did.
I'm not a Christian, I don't believe the BUYBULL is true or authoritative, so why should my lawmakers be using it to tell us all what to do according to their dogma? I think we should us the Quran you Christian jerks, what do you think about that?
That is cool, because if we did abortion would definitly be illegal
You have every to think! I'm cool with that!
The only bull that is constantly thrown around is written and thought of by from/by the non-believers.
Amen.
"The only bull that is constantly thrown around is written and thought of by from/by the non-believers."
That's why this was a totally bull comment, don't forget to wipe your own crap off your face.
Dont less women vote in the bible belt lol
Women are less in the bible belt.
Don't worry about women in any place throughout the world. They sure don't want to know the likes of you.
Amen.
"They sure don't want to know the likes of you."
Or you especially!
get back in the kitchen, get your shoes and socks off and get on your burqua.
I will never, ever understand how any woman could vote Republican.
I have no issue with them being one belief or the other. The red flag is when they parade it. Religion should have nothing to do with working for the People and I dont care what church they attend. You throw it out there and that tells me your priori ties are for religion and not The People
Christianity is about life and the hereafter. Not the me, myself, and I, I, I beliefs of the likes of you.
Crawl back under your rock if another non-believer didn't take up residence under it.
Amen.
Everyone recognizes that you are already under the rock HeavenSent with all your senseless comments.
Agree. Sadly, that criterion leaves hardly any politicians to vote for.
Yes, you con-artists are just waiting in the wings to send one of your robots in. To do what? Collect a paycheck for not doing anything. I already know your kind.
You're all a joke.
Amen.
Beware of the Christian Taliban. Like their brothers in the ME, they wish to impose their religious morals and god's law onto the masses. Abortion stance should be a huge indicator and red flag. Politicians should not be doing any gods work, rather they are there for The People. Seems the Christian Taliban in the right side have no conept of this. Now when I hear a politician claiming he is a christian they are disqualified. The Republican Party has been hijacked and I left them years ago.
@ Artist,
Beware of the liberalist socialist gang....they want everyone to live as they please no laws no wrong....just what makes you "feel" good...ki-lling babies...ok....g-'ay marriage...ok....leg-'alized dr-'ugs....ok.....if you want to party get pr-'eg-'nant...ok...just ki-ll it....where do we start to use the Bible or try to follow its teachings?...where does it end...oooo...I guess when can-niba-lism starts.
CW I am well aware of the wacked out liberals as well. You see I am part of the declining numbers of Republicans that have left the party. We dont share the liberal agenda and we dont share the religious agenda. The Republican Party is being destroyed by the religious nuts. Wallah wonder why Obama was voted in...because people are leaving the Republican Party. I didnt vote for Obama and I didnt vote Republican so who do you think is losing? Repugs better wake up and kick these nuts to the curb because more and more moderate SANE people are leaving.
> Beware of the liberalist socialist gang....they want everyone to live as they please no laws no wrong....just what makes you "feel" good...ki-lling babies...ok....g-'ay marriage...ok....leg-'alized dr-'ugs....ok.....if you want to party get pr-'eg-'nant...ok...just ki-ll it....where do we start to use the Bible or try to follow its teachings?...where does it end...oooo...I guess when can-niba-lism starts.
See children, this is what morons do when they want to villify someone.
Yeah, CW, those cannibals. They could sure use some help from the Christians on how to barbeque, what with the Christian recipes for animal sacrifice and all.
CW, they're all anti-social con artists that say and do what they want, when they want, any time they want, with no backing to their words or actions. They are built on sand. No solid foundations as they hide behind their computers and complain all day.
Amen.
"No solid foundations as they hide behind their computers and complain all day."
That's what you do. Your name is all over these blogs.
This ought to be a calm, rationale and pragmatic discussion based on medicianal knowledge.
pssstt, Luke,
rationale ? medicianal ?
Ever heard of a new program called "spell checker". Maybe try it.