NOTE: I sent this to our President after his State of the Union speech in 2013. But today’s grim and morbid remembrance of what occurred 42 years ago seems to be an appropriate time for a repost. 

Dear President Obama,

My heart was encouraged tonight when I heard you refer to our children as our country’s most precious resource. I couldn’t agree more! Historically and biblically, you are in good company, as many great men and women of ages past, such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, have echoed your sentiment. Even as far back as the days of Jewish King David, a psalmist penned “children are a treasure from the Lord.” Thank you for declaring that truth.

Yet, I found myself saddened as you described the greatest threat to that treasure—guns. On that we disagree. The stark reality is this: abortion is the greatest threat to our most precious resource. As tragic as Newtown was, or Columbine or Taft or St. Louis, the numbers of children killed in those and similar shootings pales when compared to the over 50 million babies killed by legalized abortion. We’ve lost an entire generation since Roe v. Wade!

Of course, I suspect that a first retort by some, possibly you, will be, “What’s in the womb isn’t life. It’s just tissue.” But I highly doubt, Mr. President, when your wife was carrying one of your daughters in her womb, if you actually believed that. More than likely, your wife was a terrific mom to her yet-to-be-born daughters, and she safeguarded herself, protected her body, and scrutinized her every move to ensure the life she was carrying was growing and progressing. What’s more, I bet you were a first-class dad, showing interest and helping Michelle as often as you could. Why? Because what was inside her womb was your child. Yes, unborn, but not unliving. I realize phrases like “a woman’s choice” and “non-person fetus” are the party line for many democrats and probably some republicans; but I suspect, when you’re all alone  and looking in the mirror, you actually don’t buy into that false line of thinking. It just doesn’t stand even the simplest test of reasonableness to say that what is moving inside a woman’s womb is something other than life, wouldn’t you agree?

You see, sir, I believe the laws of logic, science, and theology bear witness to a common, evident truth: Life begins at conception. And personally, I think you believe this as well. But for reasons rooted in politics probably, you haven’t found the courage to stand for this obvious and plain fact so that our most precious national resource—our children—are protected from something apparently far more dangerous than guns. I find it painfully odd that you could value kids so highly, which I am glad for, and yet seem so blinded to the one thing—abortion—that has ripped millions of them from our country’s future.

Still, I am not writing to mock you, embarrass you, or ridicule you; my intent is not to use words to dishonor you or the position you hold. Because I am a follower of Jesus and hold to the Bible as authoritative, I am called to honor you and live submissively and peaceably under the government you lead, so long as that government doesn’t by force or law require me to break God’s Word. I can assure you, though we fundamentally disagree on what is the greatest threat to our most precious resource, it is not my goal to demean you as my president.

So why the letter? Just to simply let you know I am sincerely praying for you. Frankly, I have been doing exactly that since you took office, though not every day I must admit. But most days I do pray for you, and earnestly at that. For what am I praying? That you will find the courage to stand for our nation’s most precious resource (children) and against the greatest threat to them (abortion). It is not out of the realm of the possible that God could use you to turn the tide in the greatest tragedy of the 20th-21st century: the murder of over 50 million babies! Please know I am sincerely interceding for you, hopeful that God will reveal himself to you in a way that leaves you powerfully bold for what matters most in our nation—life!

Todd Stiles
Ankeny, IA