This item at Daily Kos sums up my opinions perfectly:
I would cringe — and continue to cringe — when politicians and religous figures cite scripture to justify hatred towards gays or any other class of people. But I don’t cringe when scripture is used to justify poverty relief, or conservation (“protecting God’s creation”), or social security (“honor thy mother and thy fathers”), or oppose the death penalty, or oppose the war.
What we have in this country is the hijacking of religion by an ideological faction that is using their supposed moral authority on behalf of three narrow issues — abortion, stem cell research, and gay rights. Meanwhile, the Bible tackles myriad issues, most of which align with liberal/progressive thought. So when did “life” become just abortion, and not war and the death penalty and even associated issues like post-natal care (child mortality is still an issue of life and death)?
Another item at Daily Kos came up with the perfect name for abortion opponents: pro-birth. Most of the so-called “pro-lifers” support the war and the death penalty and avoid health care and other social services. Once a kid is born, they no longer care about it.
Personally, I cringe when politicians cite scripture to justify anything. Religion should stay out of politics, whether it is used to justify things we support or are against.