WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that God holds human life to be sacred because He created human beings in His own image (Gen. 1:27, Gen. 9:6); and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have historically affirmed biblical teaching regarding the sanctity of human life by adopting numerous pro-life resolutions at national, state, and associational meetings; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 1.6 million unborn babies are now being killed each year in America, nearly 30 million in the past 20 years, as a result of the 1973 decision of the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade and
WHEREAS, Last year in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the central holding of Roe and further entrenched abortion “rights” in the Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Although Casey reaffirmed abortion rights, states still retain a limited ability to regulate and restrict abortion; and
WHEREAS, The Freedom of Choice Act which is now poised for passage in the United States Congress, and would, if adopted, result in a national abortion-on-demand law prohibiting states from regulating and restricting abortions in any meaningful way, even during the last three months of pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, President Clinton and pro-abortion legislators in Congress are also attempting to repeal the Hyde Amendment and other pro-life policies which prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion; and
WHEREAS, Health care reform being considered by Congress and the Clinton Administration is likely to require taxpayers and private employers to pay for abortion in spite of their moral objections to this policy; and
WHEREAS, Congress is currently considering legislation which would deny pro-lifers their First Amendment freedom of speech rights during responsible non-violent protests outside abortion clinics; and
WHEREAS, President Clinton has instructed the Food and Drug Administration to make certain abortion pills available in the United States; and
WHEREAS, President Clinton has repealed the ban on federally-funded research using electively aborted fetal tissue in scientific experiments.
Therefore, Be it RESOLVED, That we, the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Houston, Texas, June 15-17, 1993, affirm the biblical teaching that God is the author of life and that human life begins at conception (Psa. 51:5; 139:14-16, Jer. 1:5); and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we affirm the biblical prohibition on the taking of unborn human life except to save the life of the mother; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we oppose all efforts by the United States Congress to pass the radical abortion on demand bill, the Freedom of Choice Act; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we call upon Congress to maintain the Hyde Amendment and other pro-life policies which prohibit the use of federal funds to encourage, promote, or perform abortions except to save the life of the mother, thereby protecting the unborn and the consciences of millions of pro-life taxpayers; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we oppose the inclusion of abortion in any health care plan which may be proposed by the President and adopted by Congress and urge policy makers to protect the consciences of millions of pro-life taxpayers and employers by not forcing them to pay for such a repugnant act; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we oppose the passage of any legislation which would have the effect of denying First Amendment freedom of speech rights, especially as a means of responsible, non-violent protest at abortion clinics; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we oppose the testing, approval, distribution, marketing and usage in the United States of any abortion pills and urge U.S. corporations which are considering such business ventures to refuse to do so; and
Be it finally RESOLVED, That we remain morally opposed to the use of electively aborted fetal tissue in all experiments conducted by the federal government and urge President Clinton to reconsider his decision to advance such reprehensible research.