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]

I am hardly derisive of evangelicals except for the ones that support Israel only because they hope to see Jews get killed in their END OF THE WORLD fantasies that are heresy to everything Catholics and even Lutherans believe in.

[Reagan Man]

Just found this at the whitehouse.gov. No video. Call made by phone.

President Speaks at 30th Annual March for Life on the Mall
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, Nellie. I want to thank you very much for including me in the celebration of life. I want to thank the good folks there on the Mall today. I'm calling you from St. Louis, Missouri.

[Burkeman1]

So you trust the state to enforce your morality (which I happen to share)? Why not yourself? Too inconvenient? Rather have government abortion storm troopers do your job of spreading the word as you are required to do (at least I am told to spread the word in my faith)?

I think Islam suits you a bit better.

[ohioWfan]

The reason the abortionists and their leftist supporters are so much against education about what abortion is, is that they know that most women will not do it, and they will lose their money.

I don't understand how any mother can kill her child once she's felt that little tiny foot kicking her from the inside.......which is very early with a healthy child.

You have to sear your conscience to murder your own baby......and then be haunted by it your entire life.

We need to pray for these women. Thankfully, crisis pregnancy centers are providing counseling for them.

[ohioWfan]

Oh, thanks for that. I (obviously) had forgotten.

[ohioWfan]

I think Islam suits you a bit better.

When people say things like this, that make it appear that their minds have left them, or they are in a drunken stupor, I end all discussion.

Don't say anything else, dear Burkeman, so that you don't embarrass yourself further.

[Burkeman1]

Your the one who wants the central federal authority to enforce one morality code on this Union of Soveirgn States- of course, only as long as it agrees with your morality (which I happen to share).

[ohioWfan]

Please.......you've destroyed any argument you had, because you went off the deep end of logic, and sanity.

Give it up. Your last post to me is in black and white for all to see. You've lost. It's over.

[Burkeman1]

What was "Roe vs Wade"? It ignored every precedent of the Constitution and totally ignored the Constitution itself? Why? Because the Constitution didn't speak to abortion at all. Duh! It was a State issue! Some states had legal abortions at a certain time, some made all abortions criminal. But Roe vs Wade made all abortions legal all the time all throughout the country. That was an abuse of power that had never been seen.

An equally abusive act would be for the Feds to say that abortion is illegal all thoughout the nation based on nothing as well.

You want to fight abortion? Then do it yourself and get involved. Don't use the government to shield you.

[cpforlife.org]

This is a good article. I also still have hope that the ban will save lives even though despotic federal judges in concert with baby butchering gouhls will try to stop it.

My only problem is with the line about the “200,000 pastors and 80 million Christians nationwide who consider him not only to be our president but also a man of God.”

I wish that were the reality in the election booth. It is not.

The sad reality is that the duration of the abortion holocaust is prolonged by Christians who vote for pro-abortion candidates.

In 2000, roughly 100 million people voted for president. We all remember that slightly more than half voted for a “man” who publicly endorsed all forms of abortion and swore to defend the butchering of babies—no matter what. Where were the “200,000 pastors and 80 million Christians” on that election day!? Did a majority of these people vote pro-life. No, they vote with a much different set of priorities.

Several people I spoke with at different churches during that election told me how evil abortion is and how pro-life they are. When I asked who they were voting for—several answered Algore. When I pointed out the contradiction, they said that there are “so many other issues that they cannot ignore.” We visited a “pastor” to show him a sign that read: “ONE NATION UNDER GOD – PLEASE VOTE PRO-LIFE” We offered to put this sign in front of his church. He chuckled and said “no way, I’m voting for Gore, because there is more at stake than THAT”

The numbers below speak for themselves. Half of the people who voted are aged 18-44, and eighty percent claim to be Christian. All in the 18-44 group were in school since Roe v. Wade, and could have received a Pro-Life education.

- 2000 Presidential Election -

Source: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/epolls/US/P000.html (Note: The above chart was constructed using data from the listed source.)

As a Catholic I am disgusted to have to say that statistically, had more Catholics voted in the 2000 presidential election, the pro-abortion candidate - Algore would have won.

Goals of the Pro-Life movement:

1. To pass a Constitutional amendment that absolutely protects all innocent life—from conception to natural death.
2. A Supreme Court that acknowledges the personhood of the unborn, thus guaranteeing their protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.
3. Transforming the culture: From one of death to Life.

In order to meet these ends, we need to add several million voters to the Pro-Life position. Three decades of legalized abortion proves that this many adults cannot be changed in the way they vote. We believe that the only way of achieving this monumental task is with a new generation of Christians fully educated on the sanctity of life before birth.

THE MISSING KEY OF THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT

[Theodore R.]

This is an EXCELLENT report, cpforlife. Also, many "pro-lifers" also voted for liberal senators such as Mary Landrieu, D-LA, Tom Daschle, D-SD, Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, Ben Campbell, R-CO, Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, Max Baucus, D-MT, Kent Conrad, D-ND, Byron Dorgan, D-ND, Tim Johnson, D-ND, Arlen Specter, R-PA, Dick Durbin, D-IL. It's really a pretty long list I would imagine. Maybe there aren't enough pro-lifers in IL though to make a difference.

Even Harry Reid, D-NV, the minority whip, is nominally pro-life. Kay B. Hutchison, R-TX, did NOT vote on the partial-birth abortion ban. She is a vigorous proponent of Roe v. Wade though she was allowed to adopt two children while in her mid-50s.

[cubreporter]

Yes indeed. Besides, I knew when he signed that ban that it was the right thing to do. Then when I read the testimony of someone who was there and described how the partial birth abortion is done and how when the scissor is plunged into the neck or head of the baby that the baby's hands jerked and moved and then how they continued on with this butchering of the baby brought tears to my eyes.

This baby is about ready to be born into this world and a Dr? kills it? Excuse me? A Dr. who takes a vow to save lives? This is murder pure and simple and no one will ever convince me of anything else.

People should see this happen. Maybe they would change therir minds but I wouldn't want to sacrifice a beautiful baby just to change people's minds. We have become cold and insensitive. We are a throw away society and that includes babies and baby parts. God forgive them....but in this case the Dr. DOES know what he does.!!!

If this is something that causes President Bush to lose the next election...so be it! His beliefs are more important to him than any ole election and I would stand with him 100%. He's not in this White House to be popular and live his life by the polls...he's in the White House to do what is right for the people...ALL THE PEOPLE and that includes the unborn babies.

[ohioWfan]

You want to fight abortion? Then do it yourself and get involved. Don't use the government to shield you.

I do. I am. I don't.

So........they don't teach logic at Boston College.......or did you not learn anything in the class?

btw, you already lost the argument with that silly Islam line. I'm just humoring you.

[Burkeman1]

Then good night. Good posting with you.

[RichardMoore]

I have been voting pro-life since 1980 and I have been constantly frustrated by the lack of real progress in this concern. So during the 2000 election campaign I was shocked to read in New York magazine about the former college roomate of GW Bush who was running the campaign in New York for GW. And guess what, he was a Democrat! And he was pro-choice! They quoted him as saying that he wasn't worrried about George doing anything about Roe.

And therein lies the rub. Good Catholics vote pro-choice, why not they practice contraception. It all comes down to economics. I agree with Chesterton and what he said about Capitalism as it is practiced. It is the emeny of the family.

[ohioWfan]

We believe that the only way of achieving this monumental task is with a new generation of Christians fully educated on the sanctity of life before birth.

THE MISSING KEY OF THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT

Amen! Excellent post, cp!

[MJY1288]

I understand and agree with you on States rights, but when the constitution is involved, it's the responsibility of the Federal Government to make sure every state complies with it. After all, a challenge to Roe-v-Wade starts at the locval level and works it's way up to the federal level. I think the rights of the unborn is something the SCOTUS should weigh in on.

NOW AS FAR AS THIS COMMENT GOES...

"I think Islam suits you a bit better."

You owe my frind an apology, she has been civil with you and you got nasty, NOW apologize!

[ohioWfan]

So, who do you suppose was lying......this Democrat NY guy, or the President, Chuck Colson and Jerry Falwell?

I'm guessing the NY Dem, because right now, the pro abortion folks are scared to death about the future of Roe v. Wade.......and with good reason.

[Burkeman1]

I apologize. That statement was wrong and Ad Hominem. It was not conducive to constructive deabate.

Sorry.

[MJY1288]

Thank You,