CNS News is reporting that, during a townhall meeting yesterday, a Pastor Leon Forte asked Barack Obama about evangelical Christian concerns regarding Obama's more controversial positions. Mr. Obama took this to mean gay marriage and abortion.

This is Mr. Obama's partial response involving his answer on abortion:

Now, I think what you may be referring to, though, when you say controversies, probably has more to do with two issues, which is abortion and gay marriage, which has become, I think, how people measure faith in the evangelical community. And, you know, I think that there are genuine differences of opinion in this area. . . .

And on the issue of abortion that is always a tragic and painful issue. And I think that in the past we have made some mistakes, I think, people who are pro-choice, in not focusing on the fact that there is a real moral element to this. And I think that is how it is experienced by women. It is never an easy decision and I don't think women make those decisions casually.

I think it is always tragic, and we should prevent it as much as possible by making sure that young people are engaging in responsible behavior and that we are encouraging the kinds of good decisions that prevent unwanted pregnancies and that we are encouraging adoption as an alternative. But I think that at the bottom line is that in the end I think women, in consultation with their pastors, and their doctors, and their family, are in a better position to make these decisions than some bureaucrat in Washington.

We have 1.2 million abortions a year. Less than 10 percent are for rape, incest, the life of mother or for fetal disability. About half of all abortions are repeat abortions and a woman can get an abortion for virtually any reason at any time during her pregnancy.

In the WWJD tradition, I have a hard time believing that Jesus would endorse or approve of the deliberate killing of unborn children.