Staff Reports
Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico dropped a line this week that he probably thought would win applause from the coastal crowd: “Jesus never talks about abortion, the Bible is silent on abortion.” He paired that with the familiar slogan, “I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies.” That’s a bold claim — and a lazy one. Claiming the Bible is “silent” on abortion is an attempt to dodge the moral questions that voters, especially religious voters, care about in Texas.
What Talarico actually said — and what he didn’t
On a national talk show, Talarico framed his pro-abortion position as coming from his faith. That’s convenient. Say the Bible doesn’t speak to the issue, and you get to wear a halo while backing policies that end unborn lives. It’s not the first time he’s used religion for headlines. He’s made other provocative religious remarks in the past that raise real questions about whether he’s careful with doctrine or just trolling for attention. If your strategy is to claim the Bible is “silent,” you’re ignoring centuries of Christian teaching and plenty of plain Scripture that bears on the value of the unborn.
Scripture and ancient Christian teaching are not mute
Let’s be clear: nowhere does the Bible use the modern medical word “abortion.” That’s obvious. But silence on a single word isn’t the same as silence on the moral issue. Exodus 21:22–23 treats harm to a pregnant woman and her child as a serious offense. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knows and appoints people before they are born. Early Christians preserved apostolic teaching outside the New Testament too — the Didache, an early church text, explicitly condemns aborting or killing a child. Add the commandment “Thou shalt not murder,” and it’s not hard to see why millions of Christians believe the Bible and church tradition oppose abortion.
Politics, faith, and the limits of “trust” rhetoric
“I trust Texas women” sounds compassionate until you remember what policy that trust backs: removing legal protections for the smallest and most vulnerable. Conservatives aren’t trying to control women’s lives; we’re saying there’s a moral duty to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. When a candidate wraps a pro-abortion platform in faith language, voters have a right to ask whether that faith is being used sincerely or as cover. Texans know the difference between honest belief and political theater.
Conclusion
James Talarico’s argument that the Bible is “silent” on abortion won’t stand up to a plain reading of Scripture or to centuries of Christian moral teaching. Politicians who want to remake religious belief to match a political agenda should expect skeptical voters — especially in Texas. If faith matters to you, don’t be fooled by slogans that try to have it both ways. The debate over life and law is a moral fight, and candidates should be honest about where they stand.
