One man may have pulled the trigger, but today a lot of “Sunday Morning Christians” have a lot of blood on their hands.
We’ve all heard about what transpired in Kansas. We’ve all heard about this act of terrorism which is simultaneously being condemned and then justified by certain members of the Religious Right, their supporters and FOX News. We’ve all heard by now that the pro-choice movement is fearful that all people will see anyone who is pro-choice as a potential terrorist. We’ve all heard about how the head of Operation Rescue has condemned the killing of Dr. George Tiller – right before he said that Dr. Tiller “reaped what he sowed.”
But what we haven’t heard is the genuine condemnation of this terrorist act by those on the Right Wing who call themselves Christians without justification or excuses made for the terrorist. So far we have not heard one word from a Bryan Fischer or a Brandi Swindell about how this was not only an attack against a physician, that this was not only an attack against the pro-choice movement, but that this was a terrorist attack against Christianity and the people who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in their thoughts, words, and most importantly, their actions.
Yeah, you read that right. This was not only an attack against those who consider themselves pro-choice, but this was an attack against Christianity. It was an attack that said “we do not care for your message of ‘love thy neighbor’ and ‘do unto others’. We will do unto others as we see fit and we will do so in the name of the Lord God. We reject the teachings of Jesus and we practice the philosophy of ‘an eye for an eye’. We believe that pacifists are weak and that the only blessing that God will bestow will be at the point of a gun, or hand grenade, or explosive vest, or fully-fueled passenger jet, whatever’s handy.”
That is what this act of terrorism said.
Now some of you may think that I have totally lost it. Some of you are sitting there in front of your computer screens thinking “is he kidding?!?” Trust me, I wish this were all a sad, sick joke. But if you think about it, you might see that I have a point. Follow along with me here…
For thousands of years it has been understood that Churches, Synagogues and Mosques were Holy Ground, and no one should bring their grievances inside these places which were considered to be “God’s House.” In other words, as they used to say in the Movie and TV Series Highlander “you must never do battle on Holy Ground.”
Over the weekend, battle was joined upon Holy Ground.
I was raised and educated Catholic and even I know that to assault someone on Holy Ground like a Church or a Cemetery is the worst kind of sacrilege that can be committed. It is not just an abomination in the eyes of Man – but an affront to the Holy Father – God himself. Shooting someone in the foyer of God’s Holy Church is tantamount to urinating on the alter and burning the crucifix. This is exactly what has transpired in Kansas. This is the equivalent of strapping an explosive vest to yourself, walking into a pizza parlor or a disco and then blowing up yourself and those around you. This is the equivalent of flying the jetliner into the Twin Towers, or mailing the envelope with the mysterious powdery substance.
This was sacrilege!!!!!
So why, I ask you, why have the leaders of the Religious Right not come out to condemn this attack upon good Christians everywhere? Why have they not come out and said that this was wrong, without trying to justify it somehow? Why do they not recognize that sanctuary has been violated, and that now no Christian, no matter if they be pro-life or pro-choice, is safe anywhere?
The Religious right and the pro-life movement need to step back and see just what kind of precedent has been set here and just what they are really making excuses for. Blood has now been shed in God’s Holy Church and now excuses are being made for it. So using that precedent, someone on the left or in the middle who happens to be pro-choice, who is fed up with Doctors, their families and their supporters constantly being threatened and assaulted, might decide to go vigilantes themselves and firebomb a church when it is full. Or they might wait until there is a pro-life rally in their town and decide to dispense some justice by running over as many people as they can with their car. Or they may take an assault rifle to the local chapter of Operation rescue and open fire.
It is a very frightening thought, isn’t it? I know that’s what I’m afraid of, that someday we will see on cable news a special report that there’s been a shooting at a pro-life rally or that a pro-life organization has been attacked and that all the workers inside have been killed.
Do I want to see this happen? No!!!
Am I saying I think it should happen? No!!!
Am I afraid that someday soon, it might happen? Unfortunately, yes!!!
Is that the war that the religious right really wants? If the answer is no then the choice is very simple…
I call upon all religious leaders out there tonight, no matter if you are pro-choice or pro-life, to speak publicly and condemn this attack on the sanctuary of our houses of worship, without any attempt at justification, without causing the Tiller family any further pain. Just come out and say that this attack was wrong – period. If you truly consider yourselves to be good men and women of faith and worthy of the name “Christian” then you will do this. One of you has already come out and apologized for this! Frank Schaeffer was on The Rachel Maddow Show last night, and he apologized on behalf of himself that this has happened and he came out and said that this act of terrorism was wrong!!! What’s stopping the rest of you?!?!?!?!
The passage reads “Thou shalt not kill.” It does not read “Thou shalt not kill, except in the case of a physician who performs abortions in which case it is perfectly accepable.” There is no justification for this rape that sanctuary has been subjected to.
This was not what Jesus would have done…
Okay, this blows my mind. It doesn’t matter whether one is pro or not. the issue here is murder, attempted murder or content to do harm on another human being. an eye-for-an-eye kind of contemnation that Christ would not do. Period!
I have seen hypocracy over the years where Christians do more gossip and more talk than they should about others, and who then turn and are nice to the person’s face. what gets me is, as a Christian, I was taught not to judge another. That is something that should be left to God, and although, I may not like a certain situation or person, It is not my right, nor my committment to judge or punish another for their view or opinion. If others claim to be Christian this is a faulse statement for them that do harm or criticize another. The Bible says God will be judge. It is no one else’s right to do so.
What is done in the name of Christiananity, is like someone starting a war over Holy wars, and we all know where that has already led. It is an excuse and one that is blind to the truth. People do what they want to. Instead of blaming God and Christ for their actions, they should blame themselves and the devil.
I know, I’ve seen the same thing myself over and over again – and I’ve seen it up close.
Back when I was a boy I was enroled in a Catholic Parochial School. Growing up I saw that hypocracy every single day. People would wear one face for one hour, every Sunday Morning when they were at mass. They would put on this act that they were good people and that they would never do or wish any harm to any other living soul. But when they got out of church that mask came off and was tossed aside until the next Sunday when they would put on the act all over again. What were they doing the other six day and 23 hours? Gossiping about their neighbors, bearing false witness, judging other people and holding themselves up as virtuous and pious while telling others (like myself) that they were not good Christians.
Some of those people had a very skewed idea of what a “good Christian” really was.
And that’s another thing that amazes me – that some of these people can justify their actions by saying that “God told me” or “I was commanded by God.” They don’t understand that that is taking the Lord’s name in vain. I know that A lot of people think that it means using his name to swear by or with, but that was only part of the original meaning.
The original meaning was that you should not use his name to justify your own sin. According to Wikipedia: “This commandment prohibits not just swearing but also the misappropriation of religious language in order to commit a crime, participating in occult practices, and blaspheming against places or people that are holy to God.”
In this case, going into a church and pulling the trigger was not only a violation of “Thou shalt not kill” but a violation of “Thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain” and “Keep holy the Sabbath Day.”
Some people just don’t get it, I guess.