The scientific evidence is clear: policies that actually reduce abortion rates are comprehensive sex education, access to contraception, universal healthcare, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and economic support for families - not criminalization. Data shows abortion rates are actually lower in countries with legal abortion and strong social support systems.

If one truly wants to reduce abortion and support life, the evidence points to supporting policies that address root causes by helping women and families thrive. Countries with robust social safety nets and legal abortion like the Netherlands have far lower abortion rates than countries where it's illegal.

The "pro-life" position often requires us to ignore science in favor of religious ideology. It disregards evidence about what actually works to support life and human flourishing.

Jesus consistently stood with the marginalized and oppressed - which today includes women facing impossible choices without adequate support systems.

True care for life has to be holistic - supporting actual living people across their whole lifespan, not just before birth. That means universal healthcare, ending poverty, environmental protection, opposing war, and building systems that help all people thrive. Cherry-picking a single issue while ignoring broader questions of human wellbeing isn't consistent with Jesus's example or message.

We can't ignore evidence about what policies actually reduce abortion and support flourishing life. Being "political" means advocating for evidence-based approaches that create systems of genuine care and support - not imposing religious ideology through law while ignoring data about outcomes. Jesus calls us to seek truth and act on it with wisdom and compassion.

So yes, we should be political - but our politics must be grounded in evidence about what actually helps people, not religious ideology detached from real-world impacts. True care for life requires us to look honestly at data and support policies that demonstrably reduce harm and increase wellbeing for all.