Naturally, we get hatemail. After all, most American Evangelicals seem to think that voting Republican is one of the Great Commandments given by Jesus Himself. We made one little mistake in sending a mailing to a denomination where we thought we might have some support. We were wrong. The only responses were nasty-grams.
None of the people who wrote us wanted to hear from us again, so we’re posting some of their messages, with the responses we wish we could have sent them.
I think you are 100% wrong. I will not support a man or a party that supports a women's right to murder an innocent child created in the image of God... May God open your heart and mind to truth!
Til' the last soul hears.(name witheld)
B.A.B. responds: May God open your heart and mind to facts. Under “pro-life” Reagan and George Bush Sr., the number of abortions in the U.S. rose steadily, peaking in 1990 with 1,608,600. In the decade from 1980—when Reagan was elected—until 1990, the total number of abortions never went below 1,553,900. In 1992, the year that “pro-choice” Clinton was elected, the numbers dropped to 1,528,900. By 1996, the number of abortions was down to 1,365,700.
Here’s what all those numbers mean:
What we’re trying to say is that supporting “pro-life” candidates isn’t doing a blessed thing to save the unborn, and furthermore, Republican right-wing economic policies don’t help either the unborn or the born children either. Granted, the ban on partial-birth abortion may prevent between 300 and 3,000 abortions a year; the procedure is extremely rare, and statistics are difficult to come by.
We can’t tell you not to vote your conscience. But you—and the vast majority of Evangelicals—appear to be of the opinion that voting for candidates who take a “pro-life” stand is some kind of magic bullet; if you vote for enough of these candidates over a long enough period of time, abortion will go away. We hate to be the ones to inform you that it hasn’t happened, and there ain’t no magic bullet.
I looked at your website of half-truths and whole lies. It is not enough to simply be against something— you also have to be for something.
George W. Bush is a fellow believer, as was Jimmy Carter (whose politics I disagree with very much). Instead of criticizing, how about doing something biblical and praying for them instead? (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4)
Your misguided viewpoints... are a thin disguise for Kerry... You were wrong if you believe that Kerry will support the cause of Christ if president.
(name witheld)
B.A.B. responds: You disagreed with Carter, we disagree with Bush. Vehemently. On Biblical grounds. We pray for Bush, that God will touch his heart with compassion, give him a passion for justice, and cause him to work for peace. We urge our fellow believers against Bush to do the same. And regarding the “thin disguise for Kerry,” we thought we were fairly clear who we endorsed. We will take your “thin disguise” comment and write up a blatant endoresement for Kerry!
Just a word of clarification for myself and probably many others in the evangelical community. I am for the unborn child, I am for a Godly stand on tradional marriage, I am on taking a stand against the attempt to justify homsexuality, I am Putting God back into the public arena. I am for putting conservative judges in power. I am for firm justice and a government that understands it's biblical responsibilty to carry out God's wrath against injustice. we can disagree on the extent to which our president has carried out justice in response to 9/11 but we cannot disagree on the other issues I mentioned. I don't know Bushes true heart before God and neither do you. Paul tells us only God knows the heart. I am for any man who will seek to lead this country back to the boundaries that honor Him. Right now there are two choices with a chance of being our next president. The choice is obvious— far from perfect but obvious.
(name withheld)
B.A.B responds: Obvious? It sounds to us like you’ve swallowed so many right-wing cliches that someone is gagging on them. It’s like putting a nickel in the juke box and hearing the same broken record “abortion/gay marriage... abortion/gay marriage...” What about the weightier provisions of the law; justice and mercy and faithfulness...? (Matthew 23:23).
And what, pray tell is “putting God back into the public arena” except empty right-wing rhetoric? And “God’s wrath against injustice...” does that have to do with bombing the living daylights out of Iraq when they neither had weapons of mass destruction, nor took any part in the attacks of September 11?
Please note: we’ve been extremely careful to criticize the Bush administration, not George W. Bush, the human being. You said you “don’t know Bush’s true heart before God” and we’ll be the first to confess that we don’t either. In fact, that’s just the problem. If he has such a great heart before God, we should know about it. We should know about his works of charity and compassion, his passion for justice. Would someone tell us? Please?
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) We’re looking for that light...
