Pro-Lifers, be Shrewd as Serpents

Abortion is often a litmus test for political allegiance. This is unfortunate. I do not believe abortion is a political topic. Churches that shy away from talking about abortion as a political topic are often the same churches that would chastise churches in the 1800s for their lack of comment or activism on behalf of slavery abolition. Abortion is only political because our political sphere in the United States usurped their authority and legalized a form of murder for personal expediency. As a result, pro-life preaching has become anathema in many circles. “We don’t want to politicize the pulpit!” Pastors say, “We want to be open for all people to feel comfortable here.” One wonders if they would feel the same way about slave holders in the south circa 1860 or rapists or pedophiles. Abortion is not political. It is theological. This is why my heart is with the staunch abolitionist. I resonate with the argument. All murder ought to be illegal and finding some compromise on which types of murder should be allowed simply to “lessen” murder is both unjust and immoral. It is this sentiment that has led to a recent push in conservative circles throughout the state of Nebraska to vote against Amendment 434. This amendment would take Nebraska’s current abortion law and place it within the constitution. On its face, I understand the argument for voting no, but, as I have said, the theological is unfortunately political and so we must be shrewd as serpents (Matt. 10:16) as we move forward. If Amendment 434 were the only abortion related amendment on the ballot this November in Nebraska I would stand with the staunch abolitionist, but it is not. A radical pro-choice (really, pro-abortion) amendment is also on the ballot. Amendment 439 would enshrine the right to abortion in the Nebraska constitution and eradicate all current laws concerning limitations on abortion and make it nearly impossible to implement restrictions from a legislative level moving forward. The pro-life position, some might think, is to vote no on both. Keep abortion out of the Nebraska constitution at all! I resonate with this, and if it were guaranteed that both would fail, I would agree. However, this only works if both propositions fail. If they both pass, the amendment with the most votes overrules the other and is instituted in the state constitution. So considering amendment 434 on its own is unwise. It is in competition with 439. If they both pass, the one that garners the most votes wins. Nebraska Pro-Lifers, a vote for Amendment 434 is NOT a vote for abortion but a vote to not lose ground in the battle against it. In fact, as my friend Adam Johnson points out:

The assertion that a further amendment would be needed to move forward with pro-life measures in the state is not only untrue, but also unhelpful. If 434 passes by a smaller margin than 439 then abortion up to the point of birth will be legal in Nebraska per the state constitution. And a constitutional amendment would then need to be passed to change this. This means no legislation limiting abortion in any month of gestation would be upheld in relation to the Nebraska state constitution. In other words, the pro-life movement in Nebraska is effectively lost. In our desire to have all or nothing we would choose nothing, and many more babies will die in Nebraska than otherwise would have and the battle against abortion would take a massive and perhaps unrecoverable blow. I agree that abortion is a moral evil that must be wiped from the face of the earth, but we cannot do so with both hands tied behind our backs. 434 is not perfect but it gives us a fighting chance (and because of the way it is worded we COULD, in theory, eradicate 99% of legal abortions without a constitutional amendment). It does not preclude any legislation limiting abortion after it is passed. In fact, a total abortion ban could still be on the horizon with it in the state constitution (though it seems exceptions for rape, incest, and “medical emergencies” would remain and would need a constitutional amendment to overturn) and, perhaps another abolitionist amendment could even be pursued in the future. Pro-life friends in the state of Nebraska please give us a fighting chance to address the moral evil of abortion without losing ground. Vote for amendment 434 and against 439. Keep the pro-life movement in Nebraska from losing ground, give us a fighting chance. Fighting for the least of these is a part of our mandate as disciples and this includes that ability to not lose ground as we move forward. Again, let us be innocent as doves but shrewd as serpents in dealing with this issue. Please, stay reasonable.