Note: I understand that abortion and one’s religious beliefs (or the lack thereof) are deeply personal and sensitive issues. I’m just a nerd sharing my thoughts.
Periodically you’ve heard me reference a friend of mine who is a rather successful Southern Baptist pastor. In Trump’s first term, I asked him if he had any insight into why people who purported to believe in Christian principles would vote for such a man. He answered with one word: “abortion.”
Growing up in an evangelical environment gave me insight into the beliefs that often underlie this stance. The conversation with my friend got me thinking about the core tenets of the faith I was raised in and how they often play out in political choices.
The Age of Accountability
In the course of my evangelical Christian upbringing I was taught that there was an “age of accountability,” an undefined point in life that many speculated as being around the age of twelve. I’ve heard it summed up as being the age at which a person understands the core Christian message: that Jesus died for their sins, that they’re doomed without his sacrifice, and they must act to accept this gift.
According to the flavor of Christianity in which I was raised, a child who dies before reaching the age of accountability automatically goes to heaven.
The Great Commission
I would expect most Christians to be familiar with the passage of the New Testament of the Bible known colloquially as “the Great Commission.” In the book of Matthew, Jesus is speaking to his disciples, after his crucifixion and resurrection. This is his final message to them before ascending into heaven:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…
–The King James Version of the Christian Bible, The Book of Matthew 28:19-20a
The Wikipedia article on the Great Commission says that it “has been interpreted by all evangelical Christians as meaning that his followers have the duty to go, make disciples, teach, and baptize.”
One could look at this a couple of different ways. A compassionate believer might see this as important in that they – by their belief – would be saving people from eternal damnation. A Christian Nationalist, on the other hand, might only care that numbers might be added to their ranks to add power to their cause. In any case, conversion seems to have been pretty high on the early Christian agenda based on this and other similar verses.
The Stakes for Adults
Having established that deaths before “the age of accountability” result in a free pass to heaven, let’s take a look at the other side. Christian teachings – again, I speak from my own experience and don’t suggest that I speak for Christians in general – tell us that people who have passed that point in their life and who do not accept Christ’s gift are slated for eternal torment in the fires of hell.
It would seem that these people – those who have passed the age of accountability – are the target audience for the Great Commission. As previously mentioned, the age of accountability refers to not a literal number of years but a point at which a child can grasp the depth and meaning of the Christian message; preaching to them isn’t going to help if they lack the capacity to understand. Those who have passed that age, on the other hand, are not only presumably capable of understanding but are also in the most jeopardy if the message isn’t delivered.
More time = more opportunities
Which brings me back to where I started: abortion. I may no longer be Christian but I live in the so-called “Bible Belt” of the U.S. and many of the people I know and care about are Christians, so I’m well aware of how much of a hot-button issue this has been. It seems for many that it’s the one issue that is non-negotiable. It doesn’t matter that the other policies of the candidate may be unfavorable to the voter or – in many cases – cause active harm to them, this issue is their one-and-only deciding factor.
I would like to posit some food for thought. When a person has access to healthcare, housing, and food, they are healthier and therefore likely to live longer. Working multiple jobs and still constantly worrying about how to make ends meet, on the other hand, adds stress which reduces life expectancy.
In the United States, life expectancy is generally declining and it is already lower than in every other developed nation:
| Country | 2022 Life Expectancy (in years) |
| U.S. | 78.6 |
| U.K. | 81.0 |
| Canada | 82.3 |
| Switzerland | 83.8 |
| Japan | 84.7 |
Compared to the next lowest country on the list, U.S. death rates due to cardiovascular disease are 38% higher than in the U.K. Our overdose rate is over three times higher than in the U.K. The U.S. has a firearm death rate of 13.3 per 100,000, compared to 0.1 in the U.K and deaths due to motor vehicle crashes here is six times higher than in the U.K.
It would be reasonable, in this writer’s opinion, to take this as a warning signal. It’s a trend and it’s going in the wrong direction; it’s not going to fix itself.
More to the point of this article, however, less time alive after the “age of accountability” is less time for a person to hear the gospel and be saved from damnation. Doesn’t it make sense that the Christian’s efforts be directed toward those who are in greatest jeopardy? And, if so, wouldn’t it be better to support politicians who make changes that would translate into more opportunities to reach those people?
Bottom Line
I’m a life-long computer programming and information technology professional, so it’s natural for me to seek the position I deem most logical. It doesn’t mean I’m smarter than you and it certainly doesn’t mean I’m right all the time.
This article isn’t meant to seem confrontational. It’s something I’ve pondered and if this post makes you think, I’ve accomplished my goal. Thank you for taking the time to read and please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
