The Simple Life at Home: I Don't Even Know What to Say

9:15 AM | Posted by Lori ~ The Simple Life at Home | | Edit Post

As many of you know by now, an abortion provider has been murdered while serving as an usher in his church in the United States.

I just honestly sit here not knowing how I feel.

First of all, I am ardently opposed to abortion. The fact that this man was a provider of especially heinous "late-term" abortions makes his work even more sickening. The murder of unborn babies, particularly those that could have survived outside the womb, those that could have been given up for adoption - well, it's horrifying. It's even more horrifying that our nation allows such an abominable practice to go on.

But how can we condone killing someone? Does God think that's okay when someone who is admittedly slaughtering baby after baby is murdered? On the one hand, I have to say no, that God would want us to work through the legal system. That taking the life of a murderer is murder as well. I'm honestly shocked that someone could do this in the name of God. But on the other hand, I have to wonder how many innocent lives will be saved now that this man is no longer going to be there to end their lives before they even have a chance to live them.

But what really upsets me about the entire story is that this man, this abortionist, was a churchgoer. That he was killed in a church. I never thought of abortionists as churchgoers before. It honestly never occurred to me. I just think to myself, how did he justify in his heart what he did for a living? How did he stand before God in His own house, probably reading His word and singing songs of praise, knowing that he made his money off of killing God's precious children? What could he possibly say to himself to make him think it was okay?

Even more troubling to me is what his pastor thought about the matter? It's not like it was a secret. Dr. Tiller had been the target of pro-life protests for many, many years. And it's not like he was just casually visiting the church. He was serving as an usher that day. His wife was in the choir. They were obviously plugged in to the life of the body there. How did the congregation, the elders and the pastor not call this man on what he did for a living? How was he allowed to participate in the life of the church body when he did what he did?

Clearly all of us sin. I am not saying that I'm perfect or that you must be perfect to be an active member of a church. But when one willfully, knowingly, openly commits grievous sins (like the murder of innocent children over many years) there must be some kind of accountability. There must be some kind of stand on the part of God's people.

Dr. Tiller's attorney issued a statement following his death. "This is particularly heart-wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace." When I read that, I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. Because the very man he was referring as deserving that place of peace is the same man who ripped children from their mother's womb, God's specially designed "place of peace."

I am saddened for the doctor's family. I am not suggesting that we kill all those who disagree with us, or who we see as sinners. I'm just honestly trying to wrestle with the issue myself and trying to understand how the leadership of that church welcomed this man in. It's a sad statement with regards to the acceptance of sin in the body of Christ.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...: how about judge not....perhaps the congregation chose to let God make the decisions regarding this man and decided to simply love him anyhow.; June 1, 2009 at 3:05 PM
tammi said...: "It's a sad statement with regards to the acceptance of sin in the body of Christ."And THAT is the whole crux of the matter, isn't it? I get it. I'm with you. This whole "tolerance" thing has gotten a little out of hand in the Body. It's become more of a "turn-the-blind-eye" kind of thing.

It ISN'T our position to judge the hearts and how others justify sin, but the Bible clearly states that when we see the sinful ACTIONS of other Believers, we're to take them aside and lovingly correct them.; June 1, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Lori ~ The Simple Life at Home said...: Dear Anonymous,

I don't know if you'll check back here to see if I've responded to your thoughts. I hope you will.

The body of Christ is called to be a place of love. It is an extension of God, after all. However, the Bible, in both the New and Old Testaments, makes it very clear that we can not tolerate sin. The very act of confronting someone with their sin is loving. Ignoring it and allowing them to continue on that path may be easy, but it's certainly not done from love. Allowing someone to continue to sin, allowing them to continue to build a wall between themselves and God is actually crueler than having that hard conversation.

Love isn't always the mushy, touchy-feely thing that this world portrays it as. Sometimes it's hard and it's dirty and it's painful.; June 1, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Ohilda said...: Lori,

Your words are my sentiments exactly. I am saddened and hurt by the fact that the killing of this man has now been a huge setback for those that stand up to be the voices of the unborn.

This man I'm sure stood before The King, but not for very long. That's the only way I can come to terms with it all.; June 1, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Anonymous said...: As far as the womb being "God's specially designed place of peace", look up the progression of the disease pre-eclampsia - a horrible and dangerous disease of pregnancy, a perversion of a normal process. Having lost a child through this disease, I've always wondered how this fit into "God's plan." My baby suffered for no reason at all, and this is a common occurrence.; June 1, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Lori ~ The Simple Life at Home said...: I'm so sorry about the loss of your child. And I certainly understand about how horribly tragic pre-eclampsia can be. My mother almost died, as did I, while she was carrying me. So yes, there are things that can go wrong in the womb. And no, we often don't know why. But I believe that there is a big difference between something going wrong "naturally" and the intentional act of denying a child life.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine how painful it must be for you. May God comfort you and help you to see how this horrible part of your life can be used to bring some good into the world.; June 1, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Anonymous said...: I did check back to see your response. And please know, that I'm not looking to be incendiary (sp?). But what you and others "assume" is that no one dealt with this man and the active sin in his life.

See, from where I sit, I know we are called to lovingly correct fellow believers and to hold each other accountable. But, what is done in private, deserves to be just that...private. Perhaps, while this doctor was worshipping with his church family, his church family was dealing with his "sin".

I guess my point is just that in love, its important that we do not judge...and also that we know the whole store before we comment...that's all....

Many times, church people feel the need to publicize their attempts to call attention to sin in another's life and I just think that is a sin...the eye and the plank...just a thought...

peace :-); June 2, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Claire said...: Ya know, Lori, you are the person I have seen in the internet world to bring this aspect of the murder to light. I was thinking it, and wondering the same thing: What church welcomes a non-repentant murdered into its midst? I'm with Valley Girl (and you) 100%.; June 2, 2009 at 4:02 AM
Melissa said...: Wow. I don't know if I should get into this or not, but I have to comment on what I believe. This doctor's sin was out in the open for everyone to see. How many of us (myself included) come in to church with a boat-load of sins that we've committed in the past week? All of us. This man needed to be in church. We all need church. We shouldn't judge, but we do. We don't know the doctor's final thoughts or his pleas before God. We don't know that he didn't struggle with what he was doing. We don't know. We can think we do but we don't. Did he accept Christ as his Savior? It appears so. If so, nothing else matters. We don't know. It's between him and God.; June 2, 2009 at 5:20 AM