Posted on 08/21/2012 2:52:24 PM PDT by darrellmaurina
By now probably everybody who cares anything about politics or about right-to-life issues knows about the U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri who made really dumb statements about female biology in rape cases.
What may not be widely known is that U.S. Rep. Todd Akin is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America, is a graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, and apparently was a ruling elder at Twin Oaks PCA in Ballwin, a St. Louis suburb, though he's no longer listed as being a member of that church's session (i.e., board of elders or consistory).
Most of the top Republican leadership is calling on Rep. Akin to drop out because of his "open mouth, insert foot" moment in front of a local reporter. Just a few hours ago, I got a press release from U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, along with former Missouri senators John Ashcroft, Kit Bond, John Danforth, and Jim Talent, calling for Akin to step aside.
The reason this is all over the national news is because a loss by Rep. Akin could easily prevent the Republicans from getting a Senate majority this fall. Missouri was considered a likely pickup for Republicans until Rep. Akin's comments.
No matter what we think about Rep. Akin, I think we need to look at this as an example of the need for Christian politicians to use wisdom in what we say and how we say it.
Otherwise, bad things happen like this article by a left-wing Christian website:
Rep. Todd Akin’s views typical in southern PCA churches
"Todd Akin was a follower of the late D. James Kennedy. Kennedy, founder of Florida’s Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, was not a fringe character in American evangelicalism. He was well-known and well-respected — and his views on rape victims were the same as those expressed by Akin. Todd Akin is a product of Covenant Theological Seminary — that’s where you go if you want to be trained in patriarchal misogyny with a side of disturbing nostalgia for the Old South."
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/08/21/rep-todd-akins-views-typical-in-southern-pca-churches/
When we enter the political realm as Christian conservatives, we will be watched by secularists for opportunities to attack us and our faith.
Christian conservatives have a bad habit of not asking ourselves what our words sound like outside our subculture.
It wouldn't at all surprise me if Todd Akin had been told hundreds of times that rape rarely results in pregnancy, and repeated that in front of a reporter who knew how explosive that comment would be.
This whole stupid discussion about whether rape can result in pregnancy isn't an issue addressed by Scripture, but there are plenty of Scriptural arguments that sound really bad to a secular audience. If we're going to make those arguments we need to know right up front that they will cause some of our enemies to mock, some to get angry, and others to scratch their heads. That's not necessarily bad, but we need to avoid unnecessary offense at the same time that we understand that some offense **IS** necessary to win. Truth hurts.
We need to be prepared to defend pro-life positions using arguments that convince not only ourselves but others.
It's one thing to say something dumb from the pulpit, but it's more difficult when tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people hear it. Akin really blew it, and we need to be careful to avoid similar mistakes.
Hmmm. . .as I recall, scripture doesn't tell us to forgive after they do what you want them to. It says to forgive as your Father in heaven has forgiven you.
Even while on the cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." He didn't wait for them to take Him down and say, "Oh, we shouldn't have done that."
Nobody is stopping you.
Akins is made a joke of and stupid for his misspoken words but Romney’s “words” about himself now, the fourth time, he is now a pro-life man are wise and believable? Pay no attention to Romney remaining a pro-sodomite.
Reading is fundamental. I did not make fun of this guy Aiken. I just question where he places pro=life on his priority list.
If Mitt can’t even recognize who Our Lord is and take a clue from the date Mormonism was established and you want him leading this country?
Look in the mirror. It was your church that was a key swing vote that gave us obama. It was a "conservative" member of your church that legalized obamacare. Clean up your own house first.
We are not electing a religious leader. We need someone who will sign the reapeal of obamacare. At this point I could care less if he is a Christian, or not. While the purists want to sit around and wait for the "perfect" candidate the country is being destroyed and religious liberty with it.
I'll vote for the mormon ovr the radical socialist just as I would have voted for a Roman Catholic.
“Reading is fundamental. I did not make fun of this guy Aiken. I JUST QUESTION WHERE HE PLACES PRO=LIFE ON HIS PRIORITY LIST.”
If Mitt can’t even recognize who Our Lord is and take a clue from the date Mormonism was established and you want him leading this country?
“Look in the mirror. IT WAS YOUR CHURCH that was a key swing vote that gave us obama. It was a “conservative” member of your church that legalized obamacare. Clean up your own house first.”
WE ARE NOT ELECTING A RELIGIOUS LEADER. We need someone WHO WILL SIGN THE REAPEAL OF OBAMACARE. At this point I could care less if he is a Christian, or not. While the purists want to sit around and wait for the “perfect” candidate the country is being destroyed and religious liberty with it.
“I’LL VOTE for the mormon ovr the radical socialist just as I would have voted for a Roman Catholic.”
~ ~ ~
Akin is totally for life, that’s the crux of it. Akin misspoke, with a couple of sentences, he corrected himself. You know him by his record, it is 100% Christian.
Excuse me, most of Christianity is Roman Catholic (a hint, a help for the future). The Church teaches there are no exceptions for abortion not even when it comes to the mother’s life threatened. Voting for any pro-abort legislator no matter the level is a MORTAL sin.
You say repeal ObamaCare, it was modeled after RomneyCare! They both contain provisions for abortion. What a blindness.
It certainly is religious, a matter of faith, God is not going to guide BHO or Romney, men who are not Christian and have no problem with disobeying His laws. How can God bless them or us.
Rush just said it at the end of his program today. You are not pro-life if you approve of the exceptions to abortion. It is not the baby’s fault. Romney thinks it’s fine to kill a baby who was conceived by rape or incest.
Doesn’t this lie goes against the Party platform and Paul is following his new boss, changing his beliefs~! Accepting Romney’s stand for exceptions to abortion.
Go after a true man of God while Romney’s evil past record and present non-Christian beliefs are accepted. Satan wins again, wake up America.
It’s that stupid can wreck any otherwise good view.
There are a lot of people on both sides of issues that I could support or (at least) respect, but some of the idiocy that emerges just makes association therewith toxic.
It’s that stupid can wreck any otherwise good view.Any woman who has had an abortion, deeply regretted it and healed, surely knew that Akin wasn't stupid, just reaching out the best he could at the time (and he apologized!). Saving babies (and bringing up the discussion) is more important than speaking perfectly on same. His misspeak was a gift to the unborn in heaven and on earth.
“Reading is fundamental. I did not make fun of this guy Aiken. I JUST QUESTION WHERE HE PLACES PRO=LIFE ON HIS PRIORITY LIST.”
If Mitt can’t even recognize who Our Lord is and take a clue from the date Mormonism was established and you want him leading this country?
“Look in the mirror. IT WAS YOUR CHURCH that was a key swing vote that gave us obama. It was a “conservative” member of your church that legalized obamacare. Clean up your own house first.”
WE ARE NOT ELECTING A RELIGIOUS LEADER. We need someone WHO WILL SIGN THE REAPEAL OF OBAMACARE. At this point I could care less if he is a Christian, or not. While the purists want to sit around and wait for the “perfect” candidate the country is being destroyed and religious liberty with it.
“I’LL VOTE for the mormon ovr the radical socialist just as I would have voted for a Roman Catholic.”
~ ~ ~
Akin is totally for life, that’s the crux of it. Akin misspoke, with a couple of sentences, he corrected himself. You know him by his record, it is 100% Christian.
Excuse me, most of Christianity is Roman Catholic. The Church teaches there are no exceptions for abortion not even when it comes to the mother’s life threatened. Voting for any pro-abort legislator no matter the level is a MORTAL sin.
You say repeal ObamaCare, it was modeled after RomneyCare! They both contain provisions for abortion.
It certainly is a matter of religion, a matter of faith.
Rush just said it at the end of his program today. You are not pro-life if you approve of the exceptions to abortion. It is not the baby’s fault. Romney thinks it’s fine to kill a baby who was conceived by rape or incest.
Doesn’t this lie goes against the Party platform and Paul is following his new boss, changing his beliefs~! Accepting Romney’s stand for exceptions to abortion.
Go after Akin, a true man of God while Romney’s evil past record and present non-Christian beliefs are accepted. Satan wins again, wake up America.
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