President Bush Shows Strong Pro-Life Beliefs in Private Meetings

LifeNews.com ^ | November 7, 2003 | Steven Ertelt

[nickcarraway]

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Shortly before and after President Bush signed the ban on partial-birth abortions Wednesday, two groups of pro-life advocates met with him privately in the Oval Office. They tell of a man who strongly and openly supports the pro-life cause and does so because of a deeply felt Christian faith.

Chuck Colson, who founded a national prison ministry, met with President Bush before the bill signing event.

"We had a wonderful conversation, celebrating one of the most significant days of his presidency and a great day for all who believe in the sanctity of life," Colson said.

"This president has a deep concern for those in the margins of society," Colson explained. "[President Bush] talked freely about his faith and how committed he is to the cause of defending human life."

Rev. Jerry Falwell, a nationally known pastor, was part of the group that met with Bush afterwards.

"In this meeting, President Bush gallantly declared that his administration would put all of its resources behind the partial-birth abortion ban in the courtroom," Falwell said afterwards.

After some discussion and fellowship, Bush asked the group to join hands and pray "that God will bless our efforts to preserve life in our land."

"What an astounding moment this was for me personally," Falwell said. "Standing there in the Oval Office, I felt suddenly humbled to be in the presence of a man -- our president -- who takes his faith very seriously and who seeks the prayers of his friends as he leads our nation."

Following the prayer, Falwell told President Bush the people in the room represent about 200,000 pastors and 80 million Christians nationwide who consider him not only to be our president but also a man of God.

In response, Bush "humbly turned to me and replied, 'I'll try to live up to it.'"

Attending the meeting beforehand were Colson, Focus on the Family President Jim Dobson, former Christian Coalition President Don Hodel, homeschool advocate Mike Farris, and Tony Perkins, current Family Research Council President.

Attending the later meeting were Janet Parshall, Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Dr. Jack Graham, former SBC President Dr. Adrian Rogers, American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, National Religious Broadcasters President Frank Wright, National Association of Evangelicals President Ted Haggard, President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Dr. Richard Land, and Rev. Jerry Falwell.

[Burkeman1]

Perhaps.

[WillRain]

State rights STARTS with the 10th amemdment. That is, they have the right to everything not specificly covered in the Constitution.
Since a persons right to not be unjustly deprived of life IS in the Constitution, it is therefore not a STATE'S right.

Anyone so reverant of the Constitution should have no problem with that.

Now, if we say that Oregon legalizes marajuina and the feds don't like it then I'm with you - though. States have that right.

But constitutionally, they do NOT have the right to deprive a person of life. Now, it's true that the law does not currently recognize the pre-born as a "person" consistantly, but you can bet your sweet bippy that Thomas and Scalia do.

[WillRain]

Sir, your ignorent stereotypes of even "some" evangelicals is abrasive and do you a disservice.

There is a TINY radical fringe who entertain such nnotions but they are almost infentisimal. The almost unanomus majority of those of us who support Israel do so because we recognize that they are still God's chosen beloved possesion whom he will redemm in the end, not so bigoted anti-semetic gleeful desire to see them die. To claim that is the case is blatant slander on your part.

It is akin to saying that all of us including Catholics who oppose homosexuality agree with the rantings of Fred Phelps.

I charge you sir, that when you are so obviously ignorent about a subject you refrain from comment on it lest you give the impression you entertain a hateful bigotry towards Evangelicals.

[Burkeman1]

Perhaps I had my "Irish" up and spoke out of turn. I apologize. I generalized about an entire sect of Christianity. Sorry.

[Burkeman1]

I will agree to that. I got a little too excited and misread Falwells words.

[WillRain]

Aknowledged and accepted.

My reaction may have been too harsh as well, but on other, less enlightened boards, I have to deal with this sort of thing alot and I've developed a "nip it in the bud" sort of attitude about it.

[Concentrate]

You got that right! Thanks for the response.

[Concentrate]

At one time I was indifferent on this issue, but when I took my daughter in for her first Sonigram(sp?), I saw a tiny living human being, full of life wiggling around in her stomach, and then several months later I saw her give birth to that same living baby. There is no doubt when I think life begins.

Thanks for the powerful testimony. I can only agree, and have experienced the same.

[Wallace T.]

All of the representatives who met with Bush were evangelicals, representing evangelical denominations or parachurch ministries. There were no Catholics, mainline Protestants, or Eastern Orthodox in the meeting. Hence, non-evangelicals were not represented. With representatives of the National Association of Evangelicals, the conservative counterpart to the National Council of Churches and the Southern Baptist Convention present, it would be fair to say that a cross-section of evangelicals were represented at the meeting. I cannot vouch for Dr. Falwell's numbers, however.

Falwell did not say nor imply that non-evangelicals were non-Christians.

Methinks thou dost protest too much.