By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist
News of Dr. George Tiller's death was only hours old last week when bloggers began asking the question: What kind of church accepts a doctor who performs abortions into its membership?
"I wonder what kind, if any, preaching against sin this church did since Tiller felt welcomed there," opined Blue Collar Todd, who declares on his blog that "liberalism, or sometimes called progressivism, is a false religion that stands in total antithesis to biblical Christianity."
Todd has already made up his mind, and so have others who called or e-mailed me this week to criticize a column I wrote describing the desperate circumstances that brought people to Wichita to obtain late-term abortions.
But I'll take a swing at the pitch anyway.
What kind of church would embrace George Tiller? A church that believes the creator endowed human beings with both conscience and intelligence, to enable us to wrestle with the complicated questions. A church that recognizes that one's relationship with that creator can't be dictated by a central authority, or proscribed by a narrow list of rules.
Tiller's church, Reformation Lutheran in Wichita, Kan., is one that trusts its members with the freedom to decide on matters of conscience. It holds that a choice made for good reasons and in good faith does not separate a human being from God.
Some call this "relativism," and blame it for a decline in morals and corruption of society.
I call it freedom. And, as with the right of a woman to decide on what terms to bring a child into the world, we should be vigilant against anyone or anything that would take it away.
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Экологический паспорт
ah, a fanatic
can't reason w/ 'em, and can't live w/ 'em ('cause they'll shoot ya).
Woody backs terrorists!
This was not the first time Dr. Tiller was shot. His clinic was a target for violence and harassment for years. Who could be shocked that no other doctors are stepping in to fill his shoes? Terrorists, and their supporters, have won.
BigSteve
Wow, what backbone you show. Obviously no one could reopen the clinic, open a new one, or... The act of one lunatic or fringe group even and you give up. Obama even said he would instruct the federal marshals to help the "clinics". Don't remember him offering this to other murder victims or thier families. Once again this should never have been a federal issue. Read the constitution and the ruling that "created" the "right".
Remember he was not the only abortion clinic, just one of three that clearly by any standard murdered babies.
The terrorists have won
Congratulations.
No Tiller Clinic.....
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98N94SG0&show_article=1
Not just "believe in Jesus" . . . .
ModerateMouth---if John 3:16 were the only verse we had to lead us to salvation, one might indeed think believing in Jesus was all one must do to inherit eternal life. Be careful of that too simple view. Remember, even Satan "believes in Jesus," (he knows his Holy enemy is real)yet he will not go to heaven. Many lost folks only get part of the plan for salvation, and unfortunately, remain in a lost condition.
Misuse of religion
Freedom is indeed a dangerous thing. It can lead to being the greatest nation or the worst, depending on the moral structure of the society. This lack of willingness to judge leads to failure, the allowing of one phylosiphy to judge leads to the same thing. There are basic tenents that must be followed, one of those being the sanctity of life. I have read the constitution and the Roe v. Wade ruling, it shows the problem with injecting the human emotion into law. I support neither a federal ban nor a guarentee, it has no business at that level.
Please note that Jesus preached to the sinners so they could give themselves to God and have everlasting life. Those who did not were condemed to hell. Anyone ever read how the Pharisees were delt with by Jesus? The belief in Jesus also comes with a second thing acknowledgment and regret for sins (you really cannot believe in Jesus without the later).
It's an interesting question
It's an interesting question to ask - what kind of church would aloow Tiller...
I have to say I agree with some of the people on here that I think ALL churches should allow ANY body access to thier church. Why not? It is what Jesus would do, we saw him consistently in the Gospels hanging out with both rich, poor, prostitutes, sick, homeless, etc... I think Tiller was openly welcome into the arms of Christ just like anyone else would have been throughout history. Leave it to humans, however, to judge what is right and wrong and say who should be allowed into the kingdom of heaven.
I have said it once and will say it again, the Bible explicitly states the way to heaven: through Christ. As long as Tiller believe din Jesus, he will be walking with him this very moment. Yes, he has to give an account for his life and his actions, but that is between him and God, not for us to decide.
As for abortion, I tend to want to steer clear of that time bomb, mainly because my views (as a Christian) tell me one thing, but my intellect tells me another. I see that all life is sacred, and that includes the life of a soon-to-be-mother as well. But who am I to decide who lives and dies? I guess that is why I never became an abortion doctor, a lawyer, or a politician.
However, the way the Star is propping this guy up like a saint in the eyes of all, practicing something that very few will practice, and trying to further their own agenda in light of his murder, makes just as sick as listening to the people who support the man who murdered Tiller (Roeder - spelling?).
I think you guys have hit the nail on the head
There's a wide range of opinion among Christians on the abortion issue, and among particular denominations and particular churches.