Moral Concerns
On March 23, 2018 Zell Miller died of Parkinson’ s Disease in his home in Young Harris, Georgia. He is survived by three generations of family. I can remember him as Lt. Governor and Governor of Georgia, and U. S. senator appointed by the governor of Georgia when Senator Paul Coverdale passed while in office in July 2000.
Zell Miller was a professional politician. In January 2003 our IPC attendees were on the annual bus trip to Washington, D. C. Our entourage was waiting to enter the Senate Office building to visit the senators and staff. And here comes Senator Miller. He was in an upbeat mood to attend another meeting, and he greeted us.
This was the first time for me to meet Zell Miller. The bus trip to Washington, D. C. is an annual event to raise the idea of making Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion no longer legal. Although Senator Miller’ s schedule was full on the January 2003 visit, he was open to a future visit in Washington, D. C. So the Moral Concerns committee recommended a visit to his office in January 2004.
So in January of 2004, our right-to-life group visited Miller in a Senate Office Building meeting room. He handed out some copies of a chapter in his book entitled A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Democrat, Chapter 11, Abortion and A God Above. While some political leaders had started their political careers opposing abortion, over the years Zell Miller notes in his book many of them changed to pro-choice referring, including Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson,
Zell Miller’ s Testimony
“ You have been my guide since I was first formed... from my mother’ s womb you are my God.”
– Psalm 22:10-11
Al Gore, and Dick Gephardt.
Miller’ s personal experiences were just the opposite. Some of the influence on abortion came from his mother, a pioneer in the women’ s movement. His dad died when he was 17 days old, leaving his mother with him and his sister. Senator Miller did support the Roe v Wade decision until a lot of soul searching lured him to prayer and more observations. Although a woman should have the right to decide, Governor Miller took the position that public funds should not be used for abortion. Parents should be notified and consent obtained before a
on abortion back nine years to when his greatgrandchildren began to arrive. He prayed earnestly for God’ s guidance on where he stood on abortion. minor could proceed. In 1997 as governor of Georgia, Zell signed a bill outlawing the terrible procedure of partial birth abortion.
In the 2003 meeting, the senator said he could trace the genesis of his evolving beliefs
Fast-forward a few years to Christmastime in the living room in Young Harris; four great-grandchilren gather with the rest of a sizeable Miller family. The youngest generation is anxious to open their presents. This is a tender moment for Zell and Shirley Miller. Nineyear- old Jacob reads to his six-yearold brother, Joshua, and three-yearold sister, Mary, while one-year-old Jasmine is close by. Zell’ s book concludes that he is grateful that younger Millers have escaped the 42 million abortions over the past 30 years. Zell remembers seeing his 20-year-old grandson carrying a sonogram of his yet unborn, but so alive daughter. This gave new meaning to the old Roberta Flack song“ The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
“ You knit me in my mother’ s womb... nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret.”
– Psalm 139:13,15
It was a combination of God’ s hand on the born and unborn with prayer and scripture that converted Zell Miller to Christianity. Today we can thank God that Zell Miller’ s radical change to a pro-life position reflects being a born again Christian. He realized the issue is not a simple matter, as Mr. Miller had said before his response to God,“ Leave the decision up to the woman, her God, and her doctor." When Zell Miller died on March 23, 2018 he passed into heaven believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior with the pro- life clarity he was delighted to share. We can be assured God is working amongst ourselves, and in people like Senator Miller, who for a time may not be prolife until God ' s call for salvation is received and anwered, wherever they are.
“ God … from my mother’ s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace.”
St. Paul to the Galatians 1:15
— John Rigby Moral Concerns Committee
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