Massachusetts’ Senator Ed Markey posted a photo of himself on Twitter wearing a pin from Planned Parenthood that read “ABORTION” and displayed an image of a heart inside the first “O.”
Markey explained he was wearing it to Tuesday night’s (Feb. 7) State of the Union (SOTU) address to make a statement that congress needs to codify abortion. “I’m wearing my abortion pin from @PPFA to tonight’s State of the Union address. Abortion is essential healthcare and we need to codify this right,” Markey said.
Markey’s post has been seen over 1.4 million times and has received over 4,000 comments, many of which weren’t in favor of the senator’s display.
One person told Markey to “REPENT! God is watching you,” while another said, “Abortion is murder. Sickening.”
Ed Stetzer, Outreach Magazine’s editor-in-chief and host of the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast, wrote on Twitter regarding the senator’s pin, “This is heartbreaking at so many levels. A tiny heart? Do they not even see the irony? Pastors, I encourage you to speak up on issues of life. Help build a culture of life that changes hearts and minds.”
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Stetzer directed his followers to an article he recently wrote that was published on “Focus on the Family” titled, “Biblical Cues Pastors Can Use To Build a Pro-Life Culture in 2023.”
“We rejoice in the SCOTUS ruling from last year, knowing it represents the saving of many lives of pre-born children. But that ruling was only the beginning, as its repeal moved the issue from the federal level to individual states.,” Stetzer said.
Stetzer shared six biblical cues that can help pastors continue to move forward and work to create a culture in our country where all life is valued, emphasizing that it is from womb to the tomb that Christians, especially church leaders, must speak up for those who have no voice.
Stetzer encouraged pastors to be filled with both grace and truth, with love for those who disagree, with discernment, choosing not to listen to those who seek to demonize us, continue to advocate at every level for the marginalized, get involved personally and locally within their communities, and continue to show and share the gospel, making disciples.”
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“May we be diligent and patient and see in the years to come a generation of children and families who speak of the things the Lord has done for us as we press into loving and caring for those in need, those who have no voice, and those whom God loves,” Stetzer said.
In a forthcoming article on ChurchLeaders, Stetzer encouraged church leaders to keep working to change hearts, in doing so we will change minds that will influence those in politics, and we need to keep working to change laws.
“Our work is only just beginning,” Stetzer said, “Much of our work in changing hearts, minds, and laws, comes down to a consistent recognition of the image of God in all people, including the unborn.”
Stetzer said that this “belief flows from hearts that have been transformed by Christ, compelling us to speak up for those who are powerless to speak for themselves––whether they are at the border, wrongfully imprisoned, orphaned or widowed, or in the womb.”
During his SOTU address, President Joe Biden said, “Congress must restore the right the Supreme Court took away last year and codify ‘Roe v. Wade’ to protect every woman’s constitutional right to choose. The Vice President and I are doing everything we can to protect access to reproductive health care and safeguard patient privacy. But already, more than a dozen states are enforcing extreme abortion bans.”
“Make no mistake,” Biden stated, “If Congress passes a national abortion ban, I will veto it.”