Yes that is a sweeping title and each could be a topic in themselves, but they weave together into current election dynamics in the US.
Abortion – the pro life lobby assert this as murder, no matter how early in the gathering clump of cells it happens. They quote the 10 commandments ‘thou shalt not murder’ – yet even with that command from the Exodus journey, the Old Testament continues in the Promised Land with commands to wipe out whole populations of cities, or all except the virgin girls who could be taken as wives by the soldiers. And those who proclaim themselves as pro-life also support the death penalty; as well as often standing against the welfare support of poor families with young children (‘citing ‘welfare queens’). This is why some rename the pro-life lobby as ‘pro-birth’ without the interest in wellbeing beyond birth – but this doesn’t mean individuals see that as what they are doing, many have only ever heard one viewpoint. Which is part of my concern about bubble culture. An echo chamber gives us more of what we have already shown interest in; bubble culture is when we have never been aware of other views except as something evil.
Trump – why do evangelical Christians, with strict moral values, support a man who has a track record of multiple divorces and infidelity; who has been convicted of trying to cover up pay offs regarding one of those relationships. Who will make allowances based on dismissing those details; yet support someone who has opening stated that he would call military force against ‘the enemy within – those leftist lunatics’ - ie ask the national guard/army to attack those who disagree with him. Who has said that if voted back in as president of the US would remove the licence for broadcasters that don’t support him; and opening bragged that he was about to meet Rupert Murdoch to ask him to stop any advertising that is anti Trump.
A large part of the answer is abortion – since the 1980s this has been hyped as a single issue to direct Christian right voters. Support the candidate that is against abortion – inevitably that has been Republican, thus generations have grown up with a mindset that the Christian vote = a Republican vote. The Democrats are seen as a threat – escalating to today in language of claiming the democratic party is demonic, a Satanic cabal sacrificing children and drinking their blood (a Qanon conspiracy). Yes this is the extreme end of the mindset, certainly. But it casts a shadow over the rest of the movement.
Trump in 2016 promised to support the Evangelical Right’s agenda, and he did so by who he appointed to the US Supreme Court. The effect was delayed, but when the challenge to Roe vs Wade (supporting the right of access to abortion) came it was during Biden’s era but as a result of the demographics Trump established in the Supreme Court. Trump claims that sending the issue back to the states is his achievement. Trump, who before standing for president had a pro choice position on abortion, standing as the one giving the single issue pro-life community what they craved.
When did this issue become the issue?
How did abortion become that single issue that claimed such support that anyone affirming anti abortion rules is accepted as God’s anointed one, regardless of their lifestyle and character?
Abortion was not a significant issue for the US churches before 1980. Even the very conservative Southern Baptist Convention declared in various reports through the 1970s that abortion was not a big issue, and something between a woman and her doctor. They did not support ‘on demand’ but recognised that there are various reasons why an abortion would be the better option. (review here)
It was in the 1980s that the Moral Majority began to develop its influence and made abortion one of its key topics. This was the group behind political support for Reagan from the ‘religious vote’. Before this many of the (esp southern) groups of evangelical right wing churches were more focussed on the race issue – many ‘Christian schools’ were established when public schools were integrated. And the Christian Bob Jones University after being forced to accept Black students in 1975, finally stopped its rule about interracial dating in 2000
More women and children are dying because of the strict anti abortion policy because they won't save the life of the mother when death of both mother and child are at risk. Pro-life, offer stops at birth. The maternity and neonatal death rates are high because of costs and lack of affordable care and no maternity benefits. It's not a Pro-life country or policy!
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