Protecting life within the womb is not a black or white thing, as you imply....Life in the womb IS black and white. The child is either living or it is not. As far as your continuing thoughts, do you think a raped woman who conceives is "re-victimized" when she then receives an abortion? Abortion is even worse than rape, as it involves allowing the murder of the tiniest (and most helpless) of God's creatures. The horror of rape is not forgotten by receiving an abortion; in fact, now the woman has two violent episodes to deal with and heal from. Akin is protecting the child (and the mother!) through his stance. The most chivalrous men in the world, are those that stand up "hard" for life.
supporting a candidate (with my financial resources) who re-victimizing women who have been raped is another thing.
>Life in the womb IS black and white
Then what is the decision when the baby can be saved by modern medicine but it will kill the mother to carry it?
What is your black or white call in this case?
In terms of standing up “hard” for one’s values, I served in the armed forces of the United States at a time soldiers were spat upon. (I used to make a point of having been a volunteer, but I now understand things differently and equally respect all those who served during the era that I did.) Todd Akin, like me, at about the same time as me, served in the military and, on that basis, I respect the sincerity of his beliefs.
The Catholic Church nowadays teaches that human life begins at conception., so they agree with you But, this is not the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church nor is it accepted by all other Christians.
The traditional teaching of the church is that life begins with legal certainty at quickening. Prior to quickening, and at an unknowable time, human life begins when God implants an immortal human soul into the material stuff. Hence, each human life is a miracle and God, as well as the biological father and biological mother, plays a role.
As to how we, as Christians, are supposed to deal with the material which, legally, is merely potentially human, here is what St. Ambrose, a revered Doctor of the Church, said: That which has the potential to be human should be treated as human. The modern Catholic Church makes a fool out of St. Ambrose by taking away the uncertainty of human life prior to quickening. According to the modern Catholic Church there is no such thing that is “potentially human,” it’s black or white.
In our country, the uncertainty of human life prior to quickening was reflected in almost every one of our state laws governing abortion. In 48 of our 50 states, abortion was merely a medical procedure prior to quickening, regulated by the state, and not a crime. But, after quickening, abortion was a crime. I could talk about the other two states, but that’s not my point. My point is that we, a Christian nation, reflected the long time teaching of the Church. This is what was over-turned by Roe v. Wade. It opened abortion up until birth itself.
We can restore what proceeded Roe v. Wade, but that would be unacceptable to the black-or-white’rs. And, yes, I realize that Todd Akin thinks it’s not completely impossible for a pregnant woman to have been made pregnant by rape. But, it is extremely rare. And so it would be impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any pregnant woman was raped. Not seeing this implication of what Todd Akin said, his supporters argue that he (Akin) is actually for punishing rapists, when he would make punishing rapists legally impossible for the women they impregnate.