Never Trump conservatives and liberals are often accused of having Trump Derangement Syndrome. This being the case where in Trump supporters eyes, Trump opponents simply don’t like Trump or some policies because they can’t seem to get past the bad orange man whose only problem is the inability to put his phone down. His talk simply prevents those who are opposed from seeing how wonderful Trump actually is.
Those of us opposed to Trump know that that isn’t the case. There are far worse things about Trump than simply his diarrhea of the mouth. However, almost 10 years into Trump dominating the political landscape, I’ve noticed how one particular issue completely clouds the judgment of Trump supporters to an unreasonable extent. That issue is abortion. For opponents of abortion there is no more important issue than ending abortion on demand, and all other issues and politicians are subordinate to it.
The Bible itself is fairly silent on the matter of abortion. Yes, there are a few passages that refer to God knowing a person before they are born. But that is really as far as it goes. There are other passages that go in the direction of indicating that the unborn baby is not a person in the fullest sense. In Exodus 21:22-25, there is a law where a person causing a woman to miscarry by striking her doesn’t receive the death penalty as is the case for all other instances when a person kills another person. Instead the punishment is a fine to make up for the loss of property. In Numbers 5:11-31, a wife is accused by her husband of having adultery. In order to prove her innocence she is required to ordeal the trial of the bitters. She must drink a brew and if a miscarriage is triggered, than the wife is guilty, and if no miscarriage occurs than the wife is innocent of the accusations. Neither of these stories/laws are ringing endorsements of personhood from conception.
I want to say up front though that I don’t think any of these passages give us insight into the morality of abortion or whether it should be legal. There certainly are interpretations of the preceding verses that support the position of abortion opponents. At the very least though what this should communicate to us is that we don’t get a straightforward answer on abortion from scripture. To foist one understanding on all people, regardless of what they believe, is not fair to them.
I for one do not find abortion to be a positive good for society and I don’t think it’s good for Democrats to engage in celebrating it. At the same time those who need to resort to abortion should not be shamed either. It ought to be treated primarily in society as a medical issue and a personal ethical choice. But instead abortion opponents support a party that believes in cutting taxes to benefit the wealthy, while cutting spending and refusing to endorse programs that would aid those people who most need the assistance to provide an alternative to getting abortions.
The Bible is far more clear on caring for the poor, widows, orphans, and foreigners. Those who are outside and in the margins of society. The lease of these, if you will. There is no doubt whose side God is on there. Opposition to abortion completely warps this perspective though.
Simply put, at least part of the reason that Trump is president again, is because of abortion derangement syndrome.
