The ERLC's Abortion Talking Points Came From a Democrat Organization

Over the last year or so, we’ve been reporting that the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention, had adopted a new mantra in its abortion rhetoric—“making abortion unthinkable.” Yet, the ERLC, under the guise of defending life, has become a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party’s talking points on abortion.

The ERLC’s rhetoric about making abortion “unthinkable” is nothing more than a clever repackaging of ideas lifted directly from Democrat organizations like Democrats for Life. Instead of standing firm on the biblical truth that abortion is an absolute evil deserving of outright abolition, the ERLC has chosen to embrace a softer, more politically palatable approach—one that aligns disturbingly well with the broader leftist social agenda.

It’s not a coincidence that the ERLC’s messaging mirrors that of Democrats for Life (DFL). Both entities promote the idea that abortion can be made unnecessary by expanding social welfare programs and offering government incentives. Like the ERLC, the DFL does not support the prosecution of women seeking abortions.

Let’s compare their mantras:

DFL: “DFLA is unequivocally pro-life. We look forward to a world where abortion is unthinkable.”

ERLC: “Why we aim to make abortion illegal, unthinkable, and unnecessary.”

This is the same tired strategy that the Democratic Party has pushed for decades—throw enough money at a problem, and it will go away. But this approach doesn’t address the moral atrocity of abortion—it merely masks it behind a facade of “compassion” and “care.” The ERLC, in adopting this same language, has shown itself to be nothing more than a religious extension of the Democratic Party, willing to compromise on the sanctity of life in exchange for political relevance.

Of course, there are Southern Baptist pastors who are completely on board with the Democrats for Life:

The phrase “making abortion unthinkable” is particularly cunning. It sounds noble, even righteous, but it’s a hollow platitude designed to placate those who might otherwise demand even stronger action. But like the ERLC, the Democrats for Life misconstrues the “root cause of abortion. According to the DFL, the “root cause of abortion” is a lack of social programs—not sin.