Where do religious conservatives stand on this?

Question

I guess I've always been a little unclear on what seems like a contradiction to me. Religious conservatives view abortion as murder, but also view premarital s*x as a sin. I can remember when the right was all up in arms because a character on a TV show was having a child out of wedlock. It was considered a serious affront to the sensibilities of the nation.

Now, I'm no conservative, and I'm not religious. So I just can't understand how come the right is rallying around Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, who's not married, and having a child? In addition, how can proponents of abstinence-only s*x education still claim that it works? Palin is an outspoken supporter of abstinence-only education, which would lead one to expect that's the line she would take with her own children. Yet her own children seem (to me) to be proving that abstinence education doesn't work, even in the best of conditions (intact family, upper income, churchgoing.) How do these facts reconcile?

Answer 1

So you're suggesting that we stone the girl?

I am especially glad to support a woman who is not living in an ivory tower, never affected by the realities of sin, and the consequences that come with it.

Would you feel this way if the candidate was a man, or a democrat?

Answer 2

Of course this is a question about s*x and politics, and religion too.

When you mix s*x, politics and religion you get some very strange results, to put it mildly.

Answer 3

abstinence only works as long as a teen follows it.

If they are not willing to follow it then it will not work.

Just like our current laws.

Its wrong to steal but as long as people refuse to stop stealing the law will still be broken. Since that Law does not work should we repel that Law also?

Why do people blame the parents when the child refuses to listen and do their own will?

Is it only Christian parents who should be held accountable when their kids do not listen to them and not those who are not christian?

The family has taken a responsible action of having the baby and that the couple will be married. Instead of what the world would do and go have the baby killed because it is not wanted and the two not marry.

So why do people criticize for some one doing the right thing.

Its starting to get to the point that what was wrong is now right and what was right is now considered wrong.

Answer 4

They don't.  Which, in the overall story of the human condition, is not at all unusual.

Answer 5

Wow;  If we listened to you we would do what my father always said.  "let it go to h**l."  Some people are trying to stand up for what is best for society.  What great thing are you doing in this regard?

Answer 6

I remember the Christian Church I grew up in being very tolerant and forgiving.  Not the "GOD HATES F*GS!!!" bunch that are always on the news, but honestly good people that would take care of people in need and help them through tough (even if self-imposed) times.  What is the old saying, hate the sin, love the sinner?  Maybe I'm naive, but I really don't think the self-gratification of condemning others is what brings most folks to the Church.  Church goers are more accepting than you appear to think.

Which is the first reason Palin's story fits so nicely within the framework of the Christian Right.  It's very similar to the plight of Reba McIntyre's character on the TV show "Reba".  The show clearly appeals to country folks in the south, an area which is largely a stronghold of support for conservative, Christian, and Republican ideals.  The setting of the show is the south, all the characters have southern drawls, and Reba herself is a top-selling country-western performer.  

Reba's daughter on the show gets pregnant during her senior year of high school by her boyfriend who happens to be the star football player.  Abortion is never really considered as a viable option.  Reba is undauntingly supportive of her daughter (jostled and a little disappointed, but supportive).  What caring mother wouldn't be?

The appeal of this show to the southern Christian conservative demographic illustrates that Christian conservatives are primed to accept different, nontraditional concepts of the family relationship.  It's something all too common not to accept (on the show, Reba has also been recently divorced).  The fact that Palin has a pregnant unwed daughter is something that actually connects her with the common folks.  Its something even white, southern, Christian republican folks can relate to these days.  

The second reason Palin is being held in such awe by the Christian conservatives is her status as a beaming example of a pro-lifer who walked the walk. She had a child with a severe developmental disorder that she was aware of relatively early in her pregnancy, and decided to keep the baby.  Developmental disorders is one of our society's top 3 justifications for abortion (along with rape/incest and health of the mother).  But Palin respectably made the decision to deliver, love and nurture that special child.  Kudos to her for that decision.  

Her daughter's pregnancy on the other hand represents a less justified but probably more common abortion scenario.  She fooled around and made a baby!  DUH!  Of course Democrats will bring up the failures of abstinence only s*x-education.  And hopefully, this may actually bring about better education as a whole -- more science and math, please!!!

What Bristol was taught at home we may never know.  Was she really raised to believe that condoms are the devil's work, and abstinence is the only answer?  Or was she just drunk and passionate one starry night and forgot to insist?  Or maybe it was the community's insistence that pre-marital s*x is bad and her (or her boyfriend's) relatively high profile within that community that prevented her from walking down to the corner drug store and picking up a pack of Lifestyles along with that 6-pack. We can only speculate whether it was abstinence-only education that fathered this child.

Whatever the case, always YES for better education; however, despite the greatness of our education, kids will always do stupid stuff.  Let's be smart about what we teach our kids.  Simply handing out condoms to middle- and high- schoolers is certainly no substitute for education, its a bandaid and a perk.  Responsible education simultaneously promotes and instills moral (yes, moral!) values and also gives our children knowledge (including science, yes, science! and even how condoms reduce the odds of pregnancy -- let the kids do the math) so they can be prepared to face this crazy world.  In any case, neither mother nor daughter Palin should be condemned for their decisions to keep their babies.    

Answer 7

You are correct in your thoughts that Christian conservatives are pro-life and we also promote an abstinence lifestyle as we believe that sexual intimacy was God's design for marriage.

The reason we as Christians can still rally around someone who may have become pregnant outside of marriage is because none of us can claim perfection.  We were designed by God to have free will and just as He can't force us to choose what is best, we know that we cannot force a fellow human to choose what is best either.  Instead, we love them, in spite of their choices, as Christ loves us...unconditionally.

Gov. Palin can teach her children abstinence, but they have the FREE WILL to make their own choices.  Just as I could tell my friend, don't rob a bank...it is wrong and you will suffer the consequences of your actions.  If she chooses to still rob the bank, am I to be held accountable for her free will?  I am not...we know that she made her own choice.  Gov. Palin's daughter made her choice also and now is dealing with consequences of her actions.  Do we stop loving her or suporting her?  No.  If we did, it would totally defeat the message of Christ's ressurection...which is that we are sinners with a free will who can be forgiven for our poor choices if we seek forgiveness and who are loved by God in spite of ourselves.  We ask Him to cleanse our hearts and help us start over.  

I hope that I have answered your question and if you care to discuss it further, please let me know.  I would like the opportunity to talk to you more about Christ and what Christians believe, as you claim to not be religious.  No pressure, or righteous attitude, just to answer questions if you have them.

Answer 8

Just because these people are Famous, doesn't mean that they are exempt from the hardships of life!  (Those two ARE getting married!!)  Things like this happen all the time everywhere!!  They are HUMAN!!