A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals that most mainline Christian churches and many denominations agree that abortion should be legal “in all or most cases,” with the Unitarian Universalist Church leading even atheists and agnostics in their advocacy of the lethal practice.
Even though less than 50 percent of evangelicals and Catholics believe that abortion should be legal under virtually every circumstance, nearly all majorities of mainline Christian churches support abortion, with several major denominations casting their support for the controversial procedure.
“Seventy-nine percent of Episcopalians, 65 percent of Presbyterians, 58 percent of Methodists, and 56 percent of Anglicans support legal abortion ‘in all or most cases,’” Breitbart News divulged from the Pew poll.
Teaching God’s Gospel or the social gospel?
The shocking statistics were brought to light as the 45th anniversary of the notorious United States Supreme Court case – that opened the doors for some 60 million innocent preborn babies’ lives to be terminated – is being celebrated by abortion activists nationwide.
“More than four decades after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide, most Americans (57 percent) are supportive of legal abortion,” the 2017 Pew Research Center survey announced. “But a substantial minority (40 percent) says abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and within some U.S. denominations and religious groups, this figure is much higher.”
Even though the Bible clearly warns against the evils of abortion and teaches about the sanctity of human life that is only God’s to take – more and more churches across America do not share God’s Word with their congregations on the important moral issue.
“Traditionally, Christians teach that every human life is sacred and valuable from the moment of conception to natural death,” Life News reported. “Yet, it appears that some denominations – especially mainline Protestant denominations – may not be teaching this.”
Yet strong majorities in a number of U.S. denominations still believe that abortion should be illegal under virtually every situation.
“Seventy-seven percent of members of the Church of God, 71 percent of members of the Assemblies of God, and 66 percent of members of the Southern Baptist Convention would like to see abortion made illegal in all or most cases,” Breitbart’s Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D. shared from Pew’s figures.
And when it comes to political affiliations, a stark contrast between parties can be seen on the issue of abortion.
“In relation to party affiliation, nearly two-thirds of Republicans (65 percent) say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, whereas three-quarters (75 percent) of Democrats say abortion should be legal in all or most cases,” Williams added. “Among independents, 60 percent believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Among those who describe themselves as liberal Democrats, the vast majority (91 percent) supports legal abortion while six-in-10 (61 percent) of conservative and moderate Democrats say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.”
Pew examined responses from each religious group in its U.S. during its 2014 Religious Landscape Study, and here is how they stacked up when American adults were asked if abortion should be legal in all or most cases:
- Unitarian Universalist -90 percent
- Atheist- 87 percent
- Jewish- 87 percent
- Buddhist- 82 percent
- Episcopal Church- 79 percent
- United Church of Christ- 72 percent
- Hindu- 68 percent
- “Nothing in particular”- 67 percent
- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)- 65 percent
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America- 65 percent
- African Methodist Episcopal Church- 64 percent
- United Methodist Church- 58 percent
- All U.S. adults (in 2017)- 57 percent
- National Baptist Convention- 57 percent
- Anglican Church- 56 percent
- Muslim- (55 percent)
- Presbyterian Church in America- 54 percent
- Orthodox Church- 53 percent
- Catholic- 48 percent
- American Baptist Churches USA- 47 percent
- Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod- 46 percent
- Seventh-day Adventist- 42 percent
- Church of God in Christ- 41 percent
- Churches of Christ- 36 percent
- Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)- 30 percent
- Mormon- 27 percent
- Church of the Nazarene- 27 percent
- Assemblies of God- 26 percent
- Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.)- 20 percent
- Jehovah’s Witness- 18 percent
Setting the standard
When major denominations and societal groupings make their stance on abortion known to their congregants and members, most within those groups follow their teachings.
“Among those who do identify with a religion, the majority view about abortion among members of a particular group often mirrors that group’s official policy on abortion,” Pew’s David Masci explained. “This is the case with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon church) and the Southern Baptist Convention – both churches oppose abortion, as do most members of those churches. And the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Unitarian Universalist Association, and Reform and Conservative Judaism, for example, all support abortion rights – in line with most of their adherents.”
This is adherence to teachings is not always the case, however, as explained by America’s leading pollsters.
“[W]hile the Roman Catholic Church is an outspoken critic of abortion, U.S. Catholics were divided on the issue in the 2014 survey, with 48 percent supportive of legal abortion and 47 percent opposed,” Masci added from Pew’s research.
Many pro-life advocates are excited that President Donald Trump has been dubbed as the “greatest pro-life president” in American history, and his recent celebration of life to counter the anniversary of Roe v. Wade this month provides further encouragement for the pro-life movement.
“Last week, President Trump reinstated Sanctity of Human Life Day on Jan. 22, after the eight years during which the Obama administration declined to observe the commemoration, which was begun in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan,” Williams pointed out.
This year’s proclamation at the pro-life event stressed how research in the medical field is buttressing the pro-life movement’s side of the argument to protect children in the womb.
“Science continues to support and build the case for life,” the 2018 proclamation states, according to Breitbart. “Medical technologies allow us to see images of the unborn children moving their newly formed fingers and toes, yawning and even smiling. Those images present us with irrefutable evidence that babies are growing within their mothers’ wombs – precious, unique lives, each deserving a future filled with promise and hope. [Such medical advances] give us an even greater appreciation for the humanity of the unborn.”
As more scientific evidence shows that human life truly begins at conception, more Americans are changing their pro-abortion views.
“A Marist poll in January found that 76 percent of Americans want significant restrictions on abortion, with a strong majority supporting a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, when unborn babies are capable of feeling pain,” Life News’ Micaiah Bilger recounted. “More than three quarters of Americans would limit abortion to the first three months of pregnancy, at most, according to the Marist poll. This includes a majority of Republicans, Independents, Democrats and even those who identify as ‘pro-choice’ on abortion.”
Another one of America’s top polls indicates that the tide is turning when it comes to attitudes on abortion in the U.S.
“A 2017 Gallup poll found similar results, with just 29 percent of Americans saying abortion should be legal under any circumstance [and] in contrast, 54 percent of Americans said abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or legal in only a few,” Bilger continued. “What many Americans may not realize is that the United States is one of only seven countries in the world that permits elective abortions past 20 weeks – a fact confirmed by the Washington Post fact checker.”
Source: One News Now
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