Open Letter to President-Elect Obama

January 14, 2009

The Honorable Barack Obama
President-Elect of the United States
Hay-Adams Hotel
800 16th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

As the leader of a church with more than 5,000 attendees located just a short drive from the White House, I join millions of Americans in honoring your inauguration as our forty-fourth President.

All Americans celebrate the arrival of a new President and the peaceful transfer of power as more evidence of our great democracy. This occasion also marks a monumental civil rights achievement for our nation. I rejoice in the fact that an African-American has been elected, a true affirmation of our nation’s fundamental premise that all persons are created equal by the hand of God.

Holy Scripture exhorts us to pray for kings and all those who are in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please know, we the people of Immanuel Bible Church pledge to pray for you, your family and your Administration. These are difficult times to lead our nation. No President has ever done so without acknowledging the need for divine guidance.

We will pray that God will grant you Solomon-like wisdom in all of the decisions you make, knowing that King Solomon himself wrote, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1).

You assume the Presidency on Tuesday during a time of economic crisis at home and conflict abroad. Yet as these great challenges loom ahead, I ask you to "defend the cause of the weak" and "maintain the rights of the oppressed" (Psalm 82:3-4).

In 2005, America aborted 1.2 million unborn children who are precious to their Creator. Since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973 legalized abortion, the total number of dead has exceeded 45 million. That’s more than seven times the number of Jews killed during the Nazi Holocaust. Abortion is a human tragedy, and it is something we believe breaks our Lord’s heart as He created each of these unborn children in His image.

Mr. President-Elect, you talked a great deal in your campaign about “the little guy,” who is often mistreated in our society. Surely you understand that the smallest and most vulnerable Americans in 2009 are those in the womb, whose lives are unprotected by the law, and thus dependent upon the decisions of others. Surely America is better than this.

Fundamentally, does the unborn child have value independent of his mother? Clearly, the answer from science is yes. From the moment of conception, the life forming within the womb has all the same DNA as a fully-matured adult person. And the answer from biblical revelation is equally compelling. John the baptizer leapt in his mother’s womb when she met her pregnant cousin Mary, the mother of Jesus. Even so our hearts respond to the sanctity of unborn life.

I pray that you will reconsider your views on this moral issue. I raise my voice on behalf of the voiceless, pleading with you to take the lead in building an America where all of our children, whatever their race or family income, are welcomed into the world, protected by the law and have a seat at the table with the rest of the American family.

These precious unborn children have been deprived of life without due process of law. More than 3,300 abortions per day, or 138 per hour, happen in clear violation of the Constitution and the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, which makes it plain that our liberty comes straight from God and that our first right is the sacred right to life.

Furthermore, think of what those parents have missed because of abortion – a baby’s smile, a child’s first steps. Think of what the world has missed – a gifted teacher, a doting father, a dedicated missionary, a talented artist or entrepreneur, a future President.

During your campaign you spoke much about hope. You inspired a nation. You have written about The Audacity of Hope. And yet, your past support for abortion is a hope-stealer. Abortion robs our nation of a tiny bit of tomorrow’s hope found in every unborn child.

Specifically, it is my hope and prayer that you will reconsider your support for the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), even though you promised Planned Parenthood that signing the FOCA is “the first thing I’d do as President.” FOCA is by far the most radical piece of abortion legislation ever introduced into the Congress. My concerns with the bill are many, but chiefly they are:

According to pro-choice advocates, FOCA would overturn the ban on partial-birth abortion, again allowing this barbaric procedure described as “near infanticide” by pro-choice senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

FOCA may invalidate scores of pro-life laws passed by dozens of states.

According to the pro-choice National Organization for Women, FOCA would eliminate existing laws against taxpayer-funded abortions.

The Freedom of Choice Act is inconsistent with the Christian ethic of compassion for the least among us. King David’s heartfelt lyrics in Psalm 139 remind us that God is the author of life: “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

It is my sincere hope that you will join us in a celebration of God’s gift of life, and resist those who would allow another generation of Americans to disappear.

I welcome you and your family to join us for worship at Immanuel. You can learn more about the church at www.immanuelbible.net. May God bless you, your family and our great country.

With sincere respect in Christ,

Dr. Ron Jones
Senior Pastor of Immanuel Bible Church

Comments

Gina says:

Great job!

Linda Perry says:

I praise God for your faithful witness to the truth about humans as we are made in God's Image. We celebrate the Sanctity of Human Life together.

Mike Lenyon says:

Amen, Ron!

yalesrl says:

Thank you for the courage of your convictions! Thank you for boldly declaring the word of God. I am sure the Lord will honor your efforts and make them fruitful. I disagreed with you about the creation timetable, but I am with you 100% on this issue. I hope we are able to stop or at least reduce this tragic loss of human life. God help us!

Scroop Moth says:

Rev. Jones has the keys to heaven and hell. We don't need President Obama to give him the keys to the jails, too. America doesn't kill fetuses. Abortionists and women who contract for their services kill fetuses. America isn't even the implement. If you don't know the difference between a fetus and a child, you don't know what a child is.

Tom Varner says:

Thank you for speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. A person who kills a woman who is carrying a fetus is usually charged with the death of two people. It's long since time that this inconsistency in our laws be addressed.

Scroop Moth says:

What if the person just knocks the pregnant woman down negligently, causing a miscarriage, but does not injure the woman further?

Stephanie says:

Thank you so much for your well worded compassionate letter. I appreciate it when people can get the point across so respectfully. I am committed to praying for President Obama, his family and administration. His change of heart and strength to do what is right will be my upmost priority in prayer. Thank you again for your courage.

jewellhall says:

Thank you Ron, I appreciate you forwardness in writing to our newly elected and installed President. I stand beside you in your beliefs and will be presenting the petitions against FOCA to my church on Sunday, and when they are signed will be sending to Washington. Keep preaching the Word. God bless you.

marmee7 says:

We join you ON OUR KNEES for forgiveness that we, as a country, could have ever reached this level - to make death the law of the land. Thank you for your courageous and wise letter to our new President - may God open his eyes to see, his ears to hear and his heart to change and choose life!

Tim says:

Thank you Ron! Absolutely right on! Scroop Moth - Sorry but you are the one who does not realize that a fetus is absolutely a human being regardless of whether you "want" to call it a child or not. The term fetus refers to a stage in development and does NOT in ANYWAY distinguish that life as unhuman. EVERY human begins life at conception (and this is clear scientific fact). Therefore since human life begins at conception and once life is bestowed ("by our creator") we are "endowed" with that "unalienable right".

MA Bowman says:

Pastor Jones, Thank you for being a Godly Leader for Christ! MA Bowman

Snake says:

Thanks for the respectful, excellent and compelling letter to Pres. Obama. There is certainly need for prayer for our nation's elected leader(s) but there is also much need for prayer for Christ's Church and leaders in this nation as far too many have opted for comfort rather than Truth! This is where the real burden lays for the deception that many have fallen for with regard to Truth on issues such as abortion, purity, abstinence and sexual sin (the root cause of many, if not most, of our nation's ills) and relationships rooted in and honoring Christ our Savior and Lord! Thanks for standing firm in the Gospel armor. God bless in Christ!

kim says:

I appreciate your thoughtful, and respectfully written open letter to Pres. Obama. But, I have a question for you. From your letter I would presume that you don't just desire the right to Life for fetuses, but also the right to Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness? If so, how do you reconcile this desire with the 5-10% of fetuses that are gay? Should they not also be worthy of the same rights to Liberty and pursuit of Happiness? Are they not also the future hope of the world?

richardsonjack says:

As the husband of a beautiful wife who never knew her birth parents and as the grandfather of three adopted children, I am eterbally thankful for four very courageous women who chose LIFE for their children, even though their pregnancies were, in all probability, "embarassing" and "inconvenient". For nearly four years I was the Director of our local Pregnancy Center. I experienced blessing upon blessing as our counselors were able to help young pregnant women face the challenges ahead alternatives to abortion; and also to minister God's grace, love, and forgiveness to post-abortive women -- several of whom have been strong public champions FOR LIFE.

bobbie kern says:

Thank you for sharing your heart, my heart and the hearts of the many unborn children. My prayer is that God will change the heart of our new President.

joymcc2000 says:

Thank you for a sincere and heartfelt open letter to our new President. You have articulated my own thoughts very eloquently and I wanted to say thanks. My husband and I attended Immanuel back in the 70's and even though we've been in another area of the country for decades, it's good to know that IBC is standing firmly on the truth of the Word of God.

jdcole says:

My family will pray for the President, but also his wife & children. I know this misunderstanding the new president has about human life comes from his wife also, if two agree. Mrs. Obama is for abortion. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord and as rivers of water He turns it wither so ever He wills. I pray for Gods mercy on us as a nation, if this President choses death over this wonderful gift of a child.

danielpeter says:

my family and I will pray for obama BUT unlike the naive people of Germany AND their church leaders of the 1930's..we REALIZED long before the election that obama IS NOT a person of faith...just like Pharaoh in the time of Moses..he will harden his heart toward our GOD..pray too that you and your family will not fail GOD in this test of FAITH in HIM...PTL

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