As LifeNews previously reported, pro-abortion Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid lost his position when pro-life candidates took over the U.S. Senate. This is very good for the pro-life movement because Reid has repeatedly supported pro-abortion President Barack Obama. He’s also refused to allow pro-life bills to come to a vote in the Senate.
In 2013, after the passage of the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R 1797) through the U.S House of Representatives, Reid said that we shouldn’t focus on “fringe issues” like late abortion. However, he failed to realize it is those who support late abortion that are on the most radical fringe of the pro-abortion movement.
Now, Reid’s receiving criticism from leaders in his own religious tradition. Mark Peredes, a Mormon bishop, wrote in his blog, “Good Riddance to Harry Reid, the Mormon Senate Leader,” that his support of abortion rights runs contrary to church positions and are an “embarrassment”.
He elaborated, “Of all of yesterday’s election results, the one that made me dance a jig was the ousting of Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader. The Senate’s most powerful perch will no longer be occupied by a man who does not take his religion seriously.”
He concluded, “I have no doubt that Harry Reid is a wonderful man who loves his wife and kids, attends church, and is kind to animals. However, he is not a man of serious religious faith.” He also asserted that Reid isn’t worthy to enter Mormon temples. Although the Mormon faith is largely pro-life and supports pro-life candidates, a spokesperson from the Church, Dale Jones, said his comments were inappropriate:
“Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are, of course, entitled to express their own political opinions. However, publishing such views while using a title of a church officer, even if only as a leader of a local congregation as in this case, is entirely inappropriate.”
The problem with this statement is that one’s position on abortion is not solely a “political opinion”; rather it reveals how a person values human life. And since many world religions hold human life, and the killing of it, very seriously, it isn’t totally surprising that Peredes voiced his disapproval.
According to the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints website, their faith officially opposes abortion, except in rare cases:
“The Church opposes abortion and counsels its members not to submit to or perform an abortion except in the rare cases where, in the opinion of competent medical counsel, the life or good health of the mother is seriously endangered or where the pregnancy was caused by rape and produces serious emotional trauma in the mother. Even then it should be done only after counseling with the local presiding priesthood authority and after receiving divine confirmation through prayer.”
