Pro-Abortion Religious Groups Lobby Obama

Pro-Abortion Religious Groups Lobby Obama

"Especially abhorrent is RCRC's advocacy of government funding for unrestricted abortions. This mindset illustrates how RCRC and its member denominational agencies are morally vapid and divorced from traditional Christian and Jewish teachings." -- Mark Tooley, UMAction Director

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- President-Elect Barack Obama should quickly enact a series of pro-abortion laws, including federal funding of abortions, according to a new letter sent to him by a group of liberal religious organizations.

The letter, signed by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) and several RCRC member Jewish and Mainline Protestant bodies, including the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, calls for Obama to support the Freedom of Choice Act, which would remove all restrictions on abortions passed by state legislatures. Catholics for Free Choice, another RCRC member, also signed on.

The religious groups likewise call to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortion services, and the Mexico City Policy, first established by President Ronald Reagan, which prevents government funding of overseas organizations that provide abortions.

IRD UMAction Director Mark Tooley commented:

"RCRC has long lobbied for unrestricted abortion on demand, with its member denominations acting as a religious veneer for its extreme abortion rights ideology.

"Many churchgoers in RCRC member denominations would be horrified to learn how RCRC is exploiting their church's name to promote unlimited abortion on demand.

"Especially abhorrent is RCRC's advocacy of government funding for unrestricted abortions. This mindset illustrates how RCRC and its member denominational agencies are morally vapid and divorced from traditional Christian and Jewish teachings.

"Many on the Evangelical and Catholic Left promoted Obama's candidacy, promising his administration would work to reduce the number of abortions in America. Such advocates should now work to counteract RCRC's squalid campaign."

The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad

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