Pastor Franklin Graham criticized Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico for claiming that the Bible is silent on abortion, calling it a “complete lie.”
In a social media post, Graham asserted, “Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico couldn’t be more wrong! The Bible absolutely addresses abortion. To say otherwise is false. God commands us ‘thou shalt not kill’ (Exodus 20:13). Abortion takes a life; it’s murder.” Graham emphasized the importance of human life in his argument, citing Jeremiah 1:5, which mentions being known by God even before birth. He then referred to Talarico’s previous remarks on gender and warned against deceitful politicians.
Talarico, a self-proclaimed Christian and Presbyterian seminarian, made his statements in an interview with Jamie Kern Lima. He expressed that political involvement shouldn’t play a role in the abortion debate, saying, “I don’t believe this is the place for the state. This belief stems from my faith. Jesus never discussed abortion, and the Bible doesn’t address it directly. We need to view the Bible as a whole concerning social issues like this.”
He highlighted current Texas laws, stating they are among the strictest in the nation, lacking exceptions for rape or incest, which impacts young victims significantly. This isn’t the first time Talarico has advocated for abortion rights; after being elected to the Texas House in 2018 at age 29, he urged President Biden to use federal facilities in conservative states for abortion services after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade.
In further remarks, Talarico lamented that women’s bodies seem to have become state property following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He used the phrase “our neighbors with wombs” to discuss women’s autonomy regarding their bodies, especially in light of the current legislative environment.
