Monday, March 14, 2011
When "Fetal Tissue" is a Child
The case of Marni Yang and Rhoni Reuter is a sad and bizarre tale. Both were seeing formers Bears player Shaun Gayle, and due to this, Yang shot and killed Reuter. That is sad enough. However, Reuter was pregnant at the time. This is where things get bizarre. The fetus was about six months along. If Reuter had chosen to do so, she could have legally aborted this child. It is fetal tissue, without any rights. However, when the circumstances change, then that same fetus miraculously becomes a person. Yang intentionally shot at Reuters abdomen, which is what caused the fetus to die. Now, I have no problem with Yang being charged with Reuters murder. I DO have a problem with her being charged with fetal homicide. As long as the law states that while in the mothers womb, it is just fetal tissue, with no rights, and can be aborted up to gestation, then Marni Yang did NOTHING wrong!!! Obviously, I state this tongue-in-cheek, but the point is valid. A child is a child or it is not. The ridiculous double standard that is revealed by this case is brought about by the idea that there is nothing inherently special about humans. If we are just a higher evolved animal, then this type of dichotomy is just fine. However, this is not reality. It is an escape from it. You knit me together in my mothers womb...I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The Bible tells us, and science backs up that we are created beings, designed by a great designer. When we look at reality, we see that these dichotomies are the result of selfishness and sin. But that only becomes apparent when we search for the truth, and are willing to submit our selfishness to the amazing designs of the Creator.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Truth....What IS Truth???
On Monday, 31 January, Governor Pat Quinn will sign the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, at the historic Chicago Cultural Center downtown. In doing so, Illinois becomes the 26th state to recognize "civil union", aka queer marriage, in everything but name. This comes not to far behind the federal governments outlandish decision to allow open homosexuality in our armed forces.
What we are witnessing is the descent into the abyss. America, at this point, still the greatest nation on the earth, is following in the footsteps of other great nations/empires. History shows that when these entities become morally corrupt, destruction and downfall soon follow. We become like the Church in Ephesus, forgetting our love for Christ and falling from a great height. Now this runs counter to the prevailing paradigm that this is a matter of civil rights for homosexuals and lesbians. No, I state emphatically that this is about elevating what Scripture calls sin, and putting it at the same level of acceptability of that which God did, and called good. Now I do not want to say that homosexuality is the only sin out there, but it is the only one that is getting special recognition and privileges.
This bill which the Governor will sign pays lip service to the notions of religious freedom and exemption. But when push comes to shove, Biblical convictions will be said to be discriminatory, and therefore, to be thrown aside. Sound crazy? Blogger Peter Jones, over at TruthXchange, breaks down the abandonment of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), and the detrimental effects that it will have on our military, and the fact that those with religious conviction will be suppressed from sharing them!!! These are the men and women fighting for our country, but now, because they believe in calling sin, sin, they will be the ones discriminated against. Need further proof, check out this post to see that the Judeo-Christian norm is becoming an endangered species.
Alas, this is what we are to expect. Truth is still Truth, even when it is unpopular. We who see through the unbroken lens must remain faithful, always cognizant that we are image bearers of Jesus Christ. Amen!
What we are witnessing is the descent into the abyss. America, at this point, still the greatest nation on the earth, is following in the footsteps of other great nations/empires. History shows that when these entities become morally corrupt, destruction and downfall soon follow. We become like the Church in Ephesus, forgetting our love for Christ and falling from a great height. Now this runs counter to the prevailing paradigm that this is a matter of civil rights for homosexuals and lesbians. No, I state emphatically that this is about elevating what Scripture calls sin, and putting it at the same level of acceptability of that which God did, and called good. Now I do not want to say that homosexuality is the only sin out there, but it is the only one that is getting special recognition and privileges.
This bill which the Governor will sign pays lip service to the notions of religious freedom and exemption. But when push comes to shove, Biblical convictions will be said to be discriminatory, and therefore, to be thrown aside. Sound crazy? Blogger Peter Jones, over at TruthXchange, breaks down the abandonment of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), and the detrimental effects that it will have on our military, and the fact that those with religious conviction will be suppressed from sharing them!!! These are the men and women fighting for our country, but now, because they believe in calling sin, sin, they will be the ones discriminated against. Need further proof, check out this post to see that the Judeo-Christian norm is becoming an endangered species.
Alas, this is what we are to expect. Truth is still Truth, even when it is unpopular. We who see through the unbroken lens must remain faithful, always cognizant that we are image bearers of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A Celebration of Death
Like everyone else, I love to celebrate important events. But not all events are happy celebrations. Yesterday marked the 38th anniversary of one of the grimmest events in American history: Roe-vs-Wade.
In 1973, the Supreme Court decided that the lives of children were secondary to the selfish interests of their Mother. This was done in the name of "privacy, equality and health". So on this anniversary we can proudly state that we have killed over 50 million children. Doesn't that make you feel proud?
A macabre twist to this story was the revelation of the activities of one Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Seems the good "doctor" is in a spot of trouble for performing 8 post-birth abortions. This story has garnered tremendous outrage across all segments of society. But I ask, why? What was so reprehensible about his actions? If his actions had taken place while the child was still in utero, there would not have been a story, or at least not a major one. To have this story break just before the President reaffirmed his commitment to this slaughter of innocents, underscores the broken lens through which our country views this issue. It is murder whether it takes place in the womb or out. It's that simple. Yet many still support a "woman's right to choose".
So what to do? Activism is surely an important element. This is a Human and Civil rights issue if there ever was one, and we need to be willing to speak out and act on conviction. However, if that is all we do, then we miss how to repair the broken lens. James 5:16 ...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Abortion is a spiritual issue, so we need to attack it as such. We need to spend time in prayer and fasting regarding this sin, for it is only God who can change the human heart and restore our broken lenses.
I end by attaching two clips. One is hard to watch, but I plead with you to do so.
The other is a clear challenge to the stance that our President holds to, from John Piper. May God forgive us for our apathy.
In 1973, the Supreme Court decided that the lives of children were secondary to the selfish interests of their Mother. This was done in the name of "privacy, equality and health". So on this anniversary we can proudly state that we have killed over 50 million children. Doesn't that make you feel proud?
A macabre twist to this story was the revelation of the activities of one Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Seems the good "doctor" is in a spot of trouble for performing 8 post-birth abortions. This story has garnered tremendous outrage across all segments of society. But I ask, why? What was so reprehensible about his actions? If his actions had taken place while the child was still in utero, there would not have been a story, or at least not a major one. To have this story break just before the President reaffirmed his commitment to this slaughter of innocents, underscores the broken lens through which our country views this issue. It is murder whether it takes place in the womb or out. It's that simple. Yet many still support a "woman's right to choose".
So what to do? Activism is surely an important element. This is a Human and Civil rights issue if there ever was one, and we need to be willing to speak out and act on conviction. However, if that is all we do, then we miss how to repair the broken lens. James 5:16 ...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Abortion is a spiritual issue, so we need to attack it as such. We need to spend time in prayer and fasting regarding this sin, for it is only God who can change the human heart and restore our broken lenses.
I end by attaching two clips. One is hard to watch, but I plead with you to do so.
The other is a clear challenge to the stance that our President holds to, from John Piper. May God forgive us for our apathy.
Welcome to One and All!
Oh great, another blog dealing with the issues of the day! Is that your thought? I don't blame you. There is a plethora of blogs that you have the choice of going to that deal with this subject. So why check this one out? Well, I believe that there has been a paradigm shift in how American society interprets what goes on around them. The underlying lens through which we have traditionally viewed things has changed. In doing so, how we define things has changed as well. As such, I wish to challenge the reader with the idea that this change has left us feeling empty and void. Furthermore, all of the attempts to fill the emptiness have failed, most, miserably so.
So what's the answer? I posit that we need to dig into our spiritual "drawers", and get out those lens' that we once used. when we view things through them, we'll find that the issues and the problems of the day take on a whole different hue. I hope you will join me on this journey. Whether a follower of Christ or not, you will probably find yourself agreeing with me at times, disagreeing at others. In the midst of it all I hope you are challenged to see that the Bible offers the only perfect way to interpret this mess that we call life. Please do let me know what you think. Don't worry, I've got a pretty thick skin!
So what's the answer? I posit that we need to dig into our spiritual "drawers", and get out those lens' that we once used. when we view things through them, we'll find that the issues and the problems of the day take on a whole different hue. I hope you will join me on this journey. Whether a follower of Christ or not, you will probably find yourself agreeing with me at times, disagreeing at others. In the midst of it all I hope you are challenged to see that the Bible offers the only perfect way to interpret this mess that we call life. Please do let me know what you think. Don't worry, I've got a pretty thick skin!
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