I remember saying before the federal election that the biggest issue for Christians should be abortion. ‘Who will kill the most babies?’ We would expect the more conservative of our politicians, especially those who identify as Christian of any sort, to be against any escalation of the death toll from abortion.
Yet here we are in NSW, with a Liberal government that has worked behind the scenes to encourage and promote a bill that allows abortion on demand and full-term abortion with the approval of 2 doctors, co-sponsored the bill on the floor and tried to speed its progress through parliament, until it was forced to allow due time for debate and consideration by the backlash from conservative voters.
When the premier was asked whether she herself would have an abortion, based on her Armenian Christian background she replied that she would not, but was behind a bill that would allow women to choose to do so. Correct me if I have misunderstood her response.
In other words, she thinks it is wrong to kill babies in the womb, but that it is a good thing to allow and even encourage other women to kill their babies in the womb.
That is like a Greens politician voting in favour of a bill to cut down all the old-growth forests because even though they themselves would not do it, they must allow others the choice to do so. Anyone who voted for that person would be appalled by that logic.
I expect Labour to be pro-abortion. I expect Greens to be pro-abortion. It is pretty well spelled out in their policies. I respect people who disagree with my convictions if they do so openly and honestly.
However, I expected “conservative” politicians of any gender or faith to be more “conservative” on the issue. Especially those who claim any Christian faith, culture or values.
I believe that we need representatives who are true to their values and character and who promote themselves honestly so that we know what we are voting for. That way we can have some confidence about the way they will govern, without deviating from what they believe to be right. Even under pressure. Even if it means they don’t get re-elected.
Maybe I expect too much, but that is what I will be praying for, and that is what I will be voting for.