160 Clergy from the Buckeye Bible Belt call for end of abortion, saying ‘it is not healthcare’

NORTH CENTRAL OHIO- With Roe v. Wade overturned, the issue of abortion returns to statehouses. Ohio currently has a Heartbeat Law in place banning abortion at or around six weeks of pregnancy,. While many lives are being saved, a number of faith leaders are telling state lawmakers in a letter that the law is not enough.

“To be clear, abortion is not health care,” says Richland County Pastor LaMont Lindsay, one of the cosigners of a letter sent to Ohio lawmakers.  “Abortion is murder that takes the life of an unborn child and can cause grave physical harm to the mother and emotional harm to both the mother and father.”

108 Lead clergymen hold press conference at the Richland County Courthouse in 2018 to defend law protecting babies with Down Syndrome from selective abortion after a federal judge struck it down . (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

In the letter the clergy wrote, “We thank GOD for the recent Supreme Court decision to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade court opinion.  Abortion is infanticide and never was a right expressly written in the U.S. Constitution.  This diabolical decision allowed the murder of an unborn child on demand up to birth, led to the untimely deaths of at least sixty-three million unborn children and caused America to be a reproach among the nations.”

The clergymen contend, while the Heartbeat Law is important, moral clarity surrounding the unborn should be strengthened by eliminating legislative loopholes.

The correspondence went on to say, “The ‘Human Life Protection Act’ H.B. 598 and its companion S.B. 123 will effectively ban abortion in the State of Ohio.  As clergy representing one hundred and sixty (160) diverse congregations throughout Ohio Heartland, we believe in human dignity and that life begins at conception. Therefore, we are calling on the General Assembly to swiftly pass the Human Life Protection Act and for the Governor to sign it into law.  By the same token, we expect the Attorney General, County Prosecutors, and Municipal Law Directors to fulfill their duties and enforce this law.”

“This will save the lives of millions of preborn babies and bring great glory to God,” says Pastor Dan Barker of Trumbull County. “That is why I enthusiastically added my signature to this letter to Governor Mike DeWine and the 134th Ohio General Assembly. I encourage all Ohio clergy to do the same.”

“According to the Ohio Department of Health, we have had 1.35 million unborn babies murdered in Ohio since records began in 1976. Ninety-eight percent of those brutal abortions did not include rape or incest. At the same time, our Legislature is considering abolishing capital punishment of convicted murderers. What about the slaughter of these innocent babies’ lives? It is mind-boggling our state can let this continue. We have literally thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Abortion has got to stop.”

Pastor J.C. Church

According to the Human Life Protection Act, “No person shall purposely take the life of a child born by attempted abortion who is alive when removed from the uterus of the pregnant woman.  Whoever violates this section is guilty of abortion manslaughter, a felony of the first degree, punishable by a minimum of four and a maximum of twenty-five years of imprisonment and a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars.”

The Act also allows the state medical board to revoke a physician’s license to practice medicine in Ohio if convicted and allows a woman on whom an abortion was performed to sue the physician. The Act does allow an exception when an abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.

Historically, clergy in the region have advocated for the lives of unborn babies with Down Syndrome and supported the defunding of Planned Parenthood.  

Mansfield residents march to commemorate 48th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court opinion. State Representative Marilyn John pictured in front. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Pastor J.C. Church of Crawford County believes allowing the murder of innocent babies and the possibility of letting convicted murderers in Ohio live is absurd and a serious miscarriage of justice.

“According to the Ohio Department of Health, we have had 1.35 million unborn babies murdered in Ohio since records began in 1976. Ninety-eight percent of those brutal abortions did not include rape or incest. Presently our Legislature is considering abolishing capital punishment of convicted murderers. What about the slaughter of these innocent babies’ lives? It is mind-boggling our state can let this continue. We have literally thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Abortion has got to stop.”

Reverend El Akuchie of Richland County says “Contrary to what some so-called ministers are saying in mainstream media, the Bible does not support the pro-choice position. In fact, Moses and Jesus were survivors during infanticides in their respective generations. God’s Word is very clear on forbidding murder and celebrating life. Each child is created in the image of GOD. The abortion industry aims to destroy this image for financial gain, and in Planned Parenthood’s case they aim to destroy ethnicities of people.”

With the advent of ultrasound technology, the clergymen say science is catching up with what the Bible already stated thousands of years prior: life begins at conception.  The listed clergy co-signers above are from twent-two counties throughout the state. Counties with the most clergy endorsees include: Richland (88), Crawford (16), Ashland (10), Trumbull (10), Wayne (8).

See related articles:

The Bottom Line:

The Bible says in Genesis 9, “From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for GOD made man in His own image.”