I think it is extraordinarily unlikely that abortion will be criminalized in the United States, and even if it is, I think it is almost unimaginable that abortions would be legally banned in the case of threat to the life of the mother. So while in reality it is highly unlikely that those who take an absolutist stand against abortion will ever be able to deny a Mormon or a Jew a lifesaving abortion, nevertheless they apparently still would if they could. It is difficult for me to see this as anything other than one religious group claiming it should be able to deny other religious groups the choice of making life-or-death decisions based on their own (Mormon or Jewish) religious beliefs.

While hoping that enough people hear this and have a change of heart, the pro-life movement is also pursuing tactics to save the babies that it can (and importantly the mothers too). In the present we do what we can, while enduring unjust laws which we hope will be overturned in the future.

Voting in a very pro-life, though not perfect pro-life, candidate is consistent with this overall approach.

The risk of “rewarding” Romney’s policy is that the principle of life will be somewhat undermined. (It is a matter of moral principle that you don’t do a great evil [eg murder] trying to achieve a good.) However, if we don’t take that risk we get a sure thing: Obama, the Son of Lies.

Church leaders have said that some exceptional circumstances may justify an abortion, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. But even these circumstances do not automatically justify an abortion. Those who face such circumstances should consider abortion only after consulting with their local Church leaders and receiving a confirmation through earnest prayer.

So presumably Romney’s position on abortion is based on sincere belief, not political expediency. Those in the pro-life movement cannot expect Mormon support (or Jewish support, either), it seems to me, for a law banning all abortions.

It seems to me that many people who think of themselves as pro-life simply do not accept the position that at conception, a human person with an absolute right to life comes into existence. Are they really not pro-life? Must one accept, say, the teachings of the Catholic Church to be pro-life? Or is there room for more than one view about when the inalienable right to life begins?

Why cannot the pro-life side be as politically smart as our opponents? I don’t know who these pro-life friends of yours are Matthew, but they are not very astute. (That is the most polite way I can think of saying it.)