Are Your Really Pro Life?

Cheers to all those who recently participated in the nationwide "chain of life" event held recently along the streets of downtown Gainesville, Georgia

To me, abortion is a tragic mistake and a national scandal. Unfortunately, however, I find a deep inconsistency in most people's thinking about "pro life" and "pro choice" issues. Here's why.

Abortion is clearly a "life ending" event. So is any type of birth control, which simply moves the "life ending" event further back in time. In the same way, moving forward in time, any failure to provide adequate food, shelter, education or healthcare to children simply moves the "life ending" event further into the future. All of these events obviously reflect a culture of death and selfishness rather than a culture of life.

To be truly "pro life" is to be pro all the things required for children to be born and then raised in a healthy environment.

We're All Very Predictable

The age old debate over free will and determinism is as relevant today as ever.

If we have significant amounts of free will, then people deserve what they get, now and forever. Punishment and retribution are justified. We may offer forgiveness and second chances, but it will be limited and temporary.

On the other hand, if most of our free will is an illusion and most people's fate is determined by nature, nurture and who they know (as growing evidence suggests), then we have two options. We will either ignore the less fortunate in our society and try to minimize their cost; or we will excercise compassion toward them by establishing economic safety nets, rehabilitation programs or some type of protective custody when rehabilitation fails.

Most of our current political debates, locally and nationally, can be understood using these 3 modalities.

Compassion

As fiscal conservatives begin to exert more and more influence over the future of our state and nation, I pray they will remember to show compassion to the working poor, to children, the elderly, the disabled and the handicapped... all those who will never achieve the American dream; not because they're unwilling to work hard, but because they simply cannot compete in our modern economy

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For various reasons beyond their control, some will always be at a disadvantage. We all know who they are. They are in our families, our churches and our communities. Often we refuse to acknowledge the reality of their plight, but the weak hand they were dealt is real, nevertheless. 

Religion, Politics & Wealth

The American middle class is no match for wealthy politicians and wealthy preachers. When it comes to money, they will outsmart and out maneuver the middle class every time. 

We're in the midst of the largest upward transfer of wealth in American history. Not only will our middle class children remain saddled with future debt, the middle class will pay more and more of the current interest on it.

Maybe not through income taxes, which are the lowest in 50 years, but through a myriad of other taxes that keep going up (sales, property, utilities, gasoline, fines, fees, licenses, payroll, etc.). The last thing we need is tax reform that further reduces the income tax and increases all other taxes. 

Remember, the only tax requiring the wealthy to pay more than the rest of us is the income tax. Of course they want to lower it! Yes, the top 50% of income earners pay most of the income taxes, but…they earn most of the income…so what’s the problem? 

Why Are We Here?

“Why are we here?” the young man asked.
The old man bowed his head.
“Love”…then silence. “Love”…more silence.
That’s all the old man said.

“I’m not sure that explains it all”,
The young man said with a smile.
Finally, the old man spoke again,
“Can you sit here for a while?”

“Sure”, replied the young man,
“Tell me of this love.”
The old man raised his head
And pointed up above.

“Do you believe in God, my son,
Or was it simply chance,
That filled the world with music
And made the atoms dance?

Earth and Heaven

On earth we walk in darkness, not knowing where to turn,
Knowing less and less, as more and more we learn.
“That sounds right to me, but on the other hand…”
Will there ever be a time we finally understand?

On earth our dreams get shattered; things can change so fast.
The world is moving our way, then suddenly a blast
From out of nowhere stops us, we never quite break through;
Is there a place beyond the rainbow where all our dreams come true?

On earth we don’t quite finish all the things we start;
Another incomplete, another missing part.
If we only had more time, we’ve only just begun.
Will there ever be a time when things, unfinished here, get done?

On earth we feel so empty, so dissatisfied;
Pleasure doesn’t make us happy, the television lied.
Money doesn’t fill the void; we yearn for something more.
Where is the missing piece we keep on searching for?

On earth we get hurt badly by people with no feeling,
We search in vain for a place of justice & of healing.
In anger we discover how unfair life can be,
Can nothing make it right? Can nothing set us free?

On earth we make mistakes and struggle with our guilt,
We wonder if a life destroyed can ever be rebuilt.
Our sins cost us more than we ever meant to pay.
Can we ever go back home once we’ve gone astray?

On earth our faith is challenged and helpless mothers cry,
When heartless men and nations let little children die.
Greedy systems murder with no one to indict.
Can all this senseless evil ever be made right?

On earth we hide from death and pray there’s something more.
We hope there is a Heaven, beyond that scary door.
When we lose our loved ones, there is no greater pain,
Are they gone forever? Will they live again?

All once lost will be restored, once bound will be set free.
Every good and perfect gift will ours forever be,
All the pain we knew on earth could never be made right
Will heal and be no more when bathed in heaven’s light

We are meant to be here and hell cannot defeat
The promises of God to make our lives complete;
To bring back all once lost, to make right all once wrong,
To heal our broken hearts, restore our silenced song.

It’s not so far away as many might perceive;
Love will bring it near if only we’ll believe
That we are deeply loved and nothing can compete
With what God has in store for us when like a grain of wheat

We fall to earth and die, but only to be raised
To see a perfect world and ‘ever be amazed.
Love received and given reveals what God will do
To overcome our pain and make our lives all new.

Love received and given reveals what God has done
To heal our selfish nature and make His children one.
As we forgive our debtors and give freely to the poor,
Instead of having less and less, we gather more and more

If only we could die to self and rise with Him in glory,
We'd finally know the truth and tell the old, old story
of victory in Jesus, joy in the midst of pain,
light in the midst of darkness, sunshine in the midst of rain.

There is a place by us not seen, where, by faith, we go.
There is a time by us not measured, where, by grace, we grow.
Living out what we receive within the Bread and Wine:
Dying, rising, loving…one with the Divine.

Balaam's ass

"God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He's been speaking through asses ever since. So if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And if on meeting someone, you recognize right away what they are, listen to them anyway, because God spoke to Ballaam through his ass and He's been speaking through asses ever since," Rich Mullins.

Watch one of his final concerts here.