Republican apologizes for his statement: Pregnancies from rape 'God intended to happen'

Report By: Nina Rai

New Albany, Ind., Oct. 24, 2012

The Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock left many dumbfounded on Tuesday night when he held forth rather emotionally that pregnancies happening as a result of rape were something that "God intended to happen."

The Republican’s apparently bizarre statement was made while he was answering on the sensitive issue of abortion, in the midst of the final senate debate with his Democratic opponent, Rep. Joe Donnelly.

The GOP Senate candidate almost tearfully explained that he only supports abortion when a mother's life is endangered. He declared chokingly: "I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

Mourdock's opponent, Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly, is against abortion with exceptions in case of rape, incest and mother’s life. Naturally not someone to let go of this opportunity, Donnelly swooped on the quote.

In a statement he said: "The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen – ever. What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape," he added.

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz too lampooned Mourdock’s rape comments as “outrageous” and “demeaning” in a press statement.

"Richard Mourdock's rape comments are outrageous and demeaning to women. Unfortunately, they've become part and parcel of the modern Republican Party's platform toward women's health, as congressional Republicans like Paul Ryan have worked to outlaw all abortions and even narrow the definition of rape."

Naturally this has put GOP Presidential hopeful Republican Mitt Romney in quite a bit of a spot. Distancing himself from the embarrassing “Gift from God” statement soon after it hit the headlines, Romney’s press secretary Andrea Saul issued a statement stating: "Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views."

Meanwhile, the person at the receiving end of the criticism Mourdock, naturally, has been quick to defend himself from the hostile reactions. In a post-debate press conference he clarified: "What I said was, in answering the question form my position of faith, I said I believe that God creates life. I believe that as wholly and as fully as I can believe it. That God creates life."

"Are you trying to suggest that somehow I think that God pre-ordained rape? No, I don't think that. That's sick. Twisted. That's not even close to what I said. What I said is that God creates life."

Currently Donnelly and Mourdock are fighting out a close race whose outcome could tilt the balance of power in the American Senate.

Opinion: One does not condone the Mourdoch quote (repeated again) as taken in its entirety: "I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen," as it almost sounds like he is trying to justify rape. However, one would like to give him the benefit of doubt.

Don’t think Murdoch is glorifying a heinous crime like rape or sexual assault on women. Somewhere one tends to understand partially what Mourdoch is trying to say in this case. He is trying to articulate that any form of life whether conceived naturally, illegally or by violent means, is God’s creation.

If one were to take Mourdoch sentences out of context it would look like he is defending rape. But if we look at his sentence carefully all he is trying to say is that when a horrible incident like a rape happens and a woman conceives, subsequently it would not be right to take away that innocent life.

Rape is among the more heinous violations of human dignity, ever imaginable. Its something committed by the male, not the female, and definitely not by the child resulting from crime. However, when the rape results in pregnancy, the baby has the same right to life as anyone of us alive.

Why such a child must be punished for the crimes of the father by being aborted? After all what is the child’s fault in this unfortunate incident? It didn’t ask to be born, so why the innocent’s life be snuffed out? Every abortion one believes destroys the life of an innocent unborn human.

However, when politicians of either party Republican or Democratic claim to be pro-life but favor abortions due to the illicit or criminal attitude of the father, as in the case of rape or incest, they are politically sidelining that hard truth. What other contravention of the natural law will they condone for political expediency?

If you like writing about US politics and Campaign 2012, enter "The American Pundit" competition. Allvoices is awarding four $250 prizes each month between now and November. These monthly winners earn eligibility for the $5,000 grand prize, to be awarded after the November election.

Source: ABC News/The Atlantic Wire

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