Hi Billy,
On Jun 1, 2009, at 11:16 AM, [email protected] wrote:
For what it is worth, at least we can point out the fact that this
apparently
is the first Operation Rescue inspired murder in over 10 years and
the corollary fact that probably less than 1 % of Christians approve.
That's certainly true. However, while very few specifically approve
of the killing, many more would argue that "he got what he deserved":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/01/AR2009060102058.html?hpid=topnews
Antiabortion activist Randall Terry today added fuel to the debate
over the killing yesterday of a prominent Kansas late-term abortion
provider, saying George R. Tiller "was a mass murderer and,
horrifically, he reaped what he sowed."
Randall Terry is an intriguing data point in that he is now somewhat
marginal, but has historically had strong ties to mainstream
evangelical leaders:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Terry#Activism
This situation is uncomfortably similar to Islamic terrorists, where
mainstream Muslims don't "approve" of terrorism but are still
sympathetic with the extremists who are at least standing up for "what
they believe is right."
Again, the analogy is far from perfect, and the number of Christians
justifying killing for abortion is orders of magnitude lower than
Muslims justifying terrorism.
Then again, if you polled Irish Catholics in the 1980's about the
terrorism of the IRA (yes, I know that conflict wasn't primarily about
religion), the numbers would be quite a bit closer. :-(
My larger point is that because Christianity is (at some level) like
Islam a religion of moral absolutes, we are also vulnerable to the
temptation to self-righteously judge our enemies not fit to live.
True, it is a far larger problem for Islam -- but not necessarily a
completely different one.
-- Ernie P.
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