Moral Issues in the Political Arena

"Test everything." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

This ministry does not support any political party or candidate. But we are interested in moral issues raised in the public square. Many people have never seen, side-by-side, what the Democratic and Republican parties actually say about moral issues. Here are excerpts from the 2004 platform from the two major political parties.

Introduction Abortion/Related Statements Marriage and Family Stem Cell Pornography Character Building in Schools/Misc. Church and State/Religious Freedom Faith-Based Welfare Support Action Item

   This is an abbreviated summary of what the year 2004 national political party platforms say about moral issues and biblical principles. There are those who say that "you cannot legislate morality." But the fact is, that almost every law is a reflection of someone's view of what is right or wrong. In the same way, almost everything in the political party platform documents reflects a view of what they believe is right or wrong. So, in this sense, the entire documents are about legislating morality. We have selected only a few of the more obvious issues for review. Both parties have extensive statements on winning the War on Terror and making the homeland safer. Both also cover issues such as improving education, healthcare, employment, taxes, protecting the environment, and supporting the military. We encourage you to read the complete documents for yourself. (Sources: http://www.democrats.org/platform/ and http://www.gop.com/media/2004platform.pdf )
   (Note: we have alternated the parties under each category so as not to suggest any favoritism to either party.)

Abortion/Related Statements

   Democrat: "We will defend the dignity of all Americans against those who would undermine it. Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman's right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of her ability to pay. We stand firmly against Republican efforts to undermine that right. At the same time, we strongly support family planning and adoption incentives. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare."
   Republican: "As a country, we must keep our pledge to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence. That is why we say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and we endorse legislation to make it clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions. We oppose using public revenues for abortion and will not fund organization which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life. We oppose abortion, but our pro-life agenda does not include punitive action against women who have an abortion." And concerning international treaties: "We reject any treaty or convention that would contradict these values. For that reason, we support protecting the rights of families in international programs and oppose funding organizations involved in abortion....In signing the partial birth abortion ban, President Bush reminded us that 'the most basic duty of government is to defend the life of the innocent...' We affirm the inherent dignity and worth of all people. We oppose the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment because of disability, age, or informity, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide..."

Marriage and Family

   Republican: "We strongly support President Bush's call for a Constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage....We believe, and the social science confirms, that the well-being of children is best accomplished in the environment of the home, nurtured by their mother and father anchored by the bonds of marriage. We further believe that legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and one woman which has historically been called marriage."
   Democrat: "We support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of our nation and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protection for these families. In our country, marriage has been defined at the state level for 200 years, and we believe it should continue to be defined there. We repudiate President Bush's devisive effort to politicize the Constitution by pursuing a 'Federal Marriage Amendment.' Our goal is to bring Americans together, not drive them apart."

Stem Cell

   Democrat: "President Bush has rejected the calls from Nancy Reagan, Christopher Reeve and Americans across the land for assistance with embryonic stem cell research. We will reverse his wrongheaded policy....Stem cell therapy offers hope to more than 100 million Americans who have serious illnesses — from Alzheimer's to heart disease to juvenile diabetes to Parkinson's. We will pursue this research under the strictest ethical guidelines, but we will not walk away from the chance to save lives and reduce human suffering. "
   Republican: "We strongly support the President's policy that prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to encourage the future destruction of human embryos. In addition, we applaud the President's call for a comprehensive ban on human cloning and on the creation of human embryos solely for experimentation. In August 2001, President Bush stated: '....We do not end some lives for the medical benefit of others.' We wholeheartedly agree."

Pornography

   Republican: "We therefore support vigorous prosecution of obscene material by the U.S. Department of Justice. With ever more children accessing material over the Internet, we support efforts to bolster online protections that prevent children from being exposed to pornographic images and solicitations. "
   Democrat: Not directly addressed. "Together, we can make America safer, stronger, and more respected. We can do it in a way that safeguards all the greatness of America by protecting our people, securing our homeland, and reinforcing our values — faith and family, duty and service, individual freedom and a common purpose to build one nation under God."

Character Building in Schools/Misc.

   Democrat: "We should support character education in our elementary and secondary schools and community service as a condition of graduation from high schools. "
   Republican: "We also support the President's efforts to double the amount spent on abstinence-only education and to promote healthy relationship....We support efforts to educate teens and parents about the health risks associated with early sexual activity and provide the tools needed to help teens make healthy choices....We will continue to work for the return of voluntary school prayer...We strongly support voluntary student-initiated prayer in school without governmental interference. We strongly disagree with the Supreme Court's rulings against student initiated prayer."

Church and State/Religious Freedom

   Republican: "Our efforts to expand the reach of economic and political freedom are complimented by our work in fostering religious liberty. Republicans will continue to make the protection and promotion of religious freedom abroad a cardinal principle of our foreign poliy. This reflects our national values and protects our national interests, and renders our actions in the world consistent with our ideals as a people. America is a working example of religious liberty, home to millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and people of many other faiths who live in harmony and contribute to our culture. In the President's words, 'It is not an accident that freedom of religion is one of the central freedoms in our Bill of Rights. It is the first freedom of the human soul....We must stand for that freedom in our country. We must speak for that freedom in the world.' "
   Democrat: "Throughout history, communities of faith have brought comfort to the afflicted and shaped great movements for justice. We know they will continue to do so, and we will always protect all American's freedom to worship.."

Faith-Based Welfare Support

   Democrat: "We will strengthen the role of faith-based organizations in meeting challenges like homelessness, youth violence, and other social problems. At the same time, we will honor first Amendment protections and not allow public funds to be used to proselytize or discriminate.."
   Republican: "While the federal government must not promote religious activity, advocate on behalf of any religion, or fund any organization that discriminates on the basis of religioun when providing taxpayer-funded services, no organization should be disqualified from receiving federal funds simply because it displays religious symbols, has a statement of faith in its mission statement, or has a religious leader on its board.."