catholicsphere

As some who read this blog regularly (or at least as “regularly” as I post — which can be infrequently at times!) might have noticed, I’ve become increasingly critical of the government’s action on “moral issues”, particularly abortion.In talking to people also (in fact I gave a pro-life talk recently in which I alluded to this) I put individual action and discourse to change hearts and minds at the forefront of the work to end abortion. I’ve become very skeptical of what our political officials are willing to do (I hesitate to call them “leaders” because that just doesn’t seem fitting for many).

I do have this fear, however, that people might get the impression that I’ve lost some commitment to the pro-life cause. And, I feel the need to explain …

Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, it is because of my belief that pro-life issues, such as abortion, are so important that I feel the need to express that skepticism.

As pro-life supporters, we need to make our first aim to change hearts and minds! It is important to vote in accordance with pro-life beliefs. However, this should not be our primary action, and especially not our sole contribution! For some pro-lifers, voting is their only pro-life activity.

In the talk I gave a few days ago, I included thoughts about what the goal of the Church is, what her agenda is, what her Commission is: to save souls; to change hearts and minds in order that they may be saved, and they may take that to others so that God’s will — that the whole world may be saved — may be done.

If we, with the help of the Spirit, change hearts and minds, we might reach a point when we don’t have to worry if abortion is legal or not because there will be no demand for it. And, we can only acheive that by talking to people, and bringing the smoldering embers in their hearts into full flame so that they will talk to others.

So, I don’t mean to say that we shouldn’t work to put limits on the evil practice of abortion, and to end it altogether, through our laws. But, I mean to emphasize that we need to talk to people … and we need to be there for those who are in situations where they might choose abortion, and be there for them beyond.

We need to work diligently in this way because even our politicians who run on platforms of dedication to pro-life are either unable or unwilling to do more than give lip-service to the issue in order to gain our votes.

[tags]abortion, pro-life, pro-choice, politics, faith, evangelism, god, catholic, christian, commission, church[/tags]