[Alex]

The thing is, that in using religious justifications, how do you tell someone of a different religion that they have to live under the rules of your god? Saying a fetus is viable at a particular point or can feel pain are reasons that all people can discuss, arguments that I could accept, regardless of my agreement or disagreement, where "my god says it's wrong" is countered by "your god is not my god and my god says it's fine". When making laws, we need rational reasons, to be accepted by all people, not just people of a given religion.

Here's something you won't see me do very often when I could just bloviate some more:

Me too, well said.

If the politician can't provide support for a policy decision without resorting to religious doctrine or dogma, then in my opinion they don't have any good reasons for making it policy. And politicians that can't see that distinction scare me.