Hillary Clinton says religious beliefs 'have to be changed' on abortion. Here's why that's ironic.

During the recent 6th annual Women in the World Summit, Hillary Clinton delivered the keynote address which included some comments on abortion.

Arguing that in effect American views on the practice are retrograde, Clinton stated:

"Far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth, and laws don’t count for much if they’re not enforced. Rights have to exist in practice — not just on paper," Clinton said.

"Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will," she explained. "And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed. As I have said and as I believe, the advancement of the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of their societies is the great unfinished business of the 21st century and not just for women but for everyone — and not just in far away countries but right here in the United States."

Former Secretary of State Clinton's position is made ironic by an item that appeared in the New York Times' "By the Book" column from June 2014.

In it, Mrs. Clinton had the following exchange with her interviewer:

If you had to name one book that made you who you are today, what would it be?

At the risk of appearing predictable, the Bible was and remains the biggest influence on my thinking. I was raised reading it, memorizing passages from it and being guided by it. I still find it a source of wisdom, comfort and encouragement.

It would be interesting to know how the Democratic presidential hopeful squares her reverence for the Bible with her sentiment that religious beliefs "have to be changed" on the topic of abortion.

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