Christians Against Contraception

The New York Times Magazine, today, reviews at length the Christian anti-contraception movement.

Names that crop up as involved or heading towards becoming members of the movements include the, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the lay Catholic American Life League, the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (led by people such as Dr. Gene Rudd), the public-interest law firm Americans United for Life (of whom Edward R. Martin Jr. is one attorney), F.D.A. Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee members Dr. Joseph B. Standford and Dr. W. David Hager, Ron Stephens who is a pharmacist and a Republican state legislator in Illinois. Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition, R. Albert Mohler Jr. who is president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Republican members of Congress such as: Representative Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland, Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, Representative Joe Pitts, Representative Melissa Hart of Pennsylvania and Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

George W. Bush has still left unanswered the question "do you support the right to use contraception?"

Abortion is a controversial issue. Contraception is not, outside a fringe of conservative Christian activists. It is, in short, a classic wedge issue, one that divides those active in the Republican party, and does not bother even anti-abortion Democrats. It is, therefore, an issue that Democrats should not shy away from pushing politically.