An abortion-related study caught my attention recently. It talked about the results of a survey that was conducted on people’s attitudes towards abortion. While the results were not shocking, per se, they do represent new “data points” in the fight to end abortion.
The study was conducted by Notre Dame and looked at people’s attitudes towards abortion from a more in-depth perspective than many other studies. What is particularly interesting for us was that North Dakota was one of the six states chosen for the study. Of most importance was the finding that a majority (65%) of respondents said abortions should be completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances. Results went on to show that, “five of the most salient sources Americans draw upon when talking through and explaining their attitudes toward abortion [are]: abortion experience, parenthood, facts, religion, and politics.”
It’s relatively straightforward to see how an abortion experience, parenthood, and quantifiable facts affect one’s perspective on abortion, but what about religion and politics? The study states, “Taken altogether, religion works to bolster ‘pro-life’ commitments…”. In other words, one’s faith values and how those values are reinforced are critical to a pro-life stance.
What does this mean, practically? At a minimum, congregants need to know and hear what their church believes regarding abortion. It must come from all areas of ministry: the pulpit, small groups, founding church documents, etc.
Do you know where your church stands on abortion? Has your pastor ever preached on the topic of abortion? I hope so. If not, we are here to help provide information on how to preach on this topic, and we can even speak on the topic ourselves, if requested.
The final source that people draw upon to inform their abortion attitudes is politics, which in the context of the study means ideology. “National surveys show that how someone positions themselves ideologically—from very conservative to very liberal—is strongly associated with attitudes toward abortion, even more so than political party affiliation.” All this underscores the truth: vote your values.
I greatly appreciate the study’s insights and results derived from all the states in the survey, including North Dakota. Kansas Family Voice of North Dakota® will always represent your pro-life values in policy, even if that is sometimes an unpopular stance. We represent you and your deeply held beliefs – it is why we exist. Thank you for always supporting us in our mission through your prayers, action, and giving. To God be the glory, and may we be faithful servants in all we do!
Sincerely,
Mark Jorritsma
President and Executive Director