Christianity – Page 11

My Review of Patterns of Evidence: Exodus

IMDB Patterns of Evidence: Exodus (2014)

I watched this movie on Netflix the other night. Its narrative style reminded me of Jesse Winton’s Targeted although this movie was made prior. It begins with a question, some people are talked to and then more questions are asked followed by more interviews. A small portion of the film is narrated by actor Kevin Sorbo.

The movie was well done and sounded really familiar to me. The basic question was, is there evidence that the Exodus is an historical fact or just a biblical myth? The groundwork was laid steadily until they got to one of their most important points. (Please note that the discussion which follows will include spoilers to plot points in the film.) What was made clear is that many modern archeologists give an unequivocal “NO” answer to the question; however, the film posits an alternative.

The party line in the archeological community is that Rameses II was the pharaoh of the Exodus. While this does agree with Cecil B DeMille, it is clearly at odds with the biblical narrative.

Secular historians assume the modern construction of the Egyptian timeline is correct which is not true. I recalled reading many years ago about this in a book by Gary North.

Readers are also not informed of the fact that virtually all chronologies of the ancient Near East and pre-classical Greece are constructed on the assumption that the conventional chronology of Egypt is the legitimate standard. What modern scholars believe is the proper chronology of Egypt is then imposed on the chonologies of all other civilizations of the ancient Near East, including the biblical chronology of the Hebrews. Thus, when the Bible says explicitly that the Exodus took place 480 years before Solomon began to construct the temple (I Kings 6:1), historians interpret this information within the framework of the hypothetical Egyptian chronological scheme.

When they even admit that the pharaohs of the supposed dynastic era of the fifteenth century before Christ were extremely powerful kings-men like Thutmose III-whose mummies still exist, they are tempted to ignore these difficulties, or even to ignore the clear teaching of the Bible. Many of them date the Exodus much later. They allow a hypothetical chronology of Egypt to dictate their interpretation of Scripture. This is not the way that Christian scholarship is supposed to be conducted.

Moses and Pharaoh pages 7 & 8 (1985)

I have three criticisms of the film for points that they didn’t make.

Point One: The easiest way to prove that Ramses II is not the pharaoh of the Exodus is that we know where he was buried. He died of old age not by drowning in the Red Sea. In fact his body is on display in a museum.

Ramesses II originally was buried in the tomb KV7 in the Valley of the Kings, but because of looting, priests later transferred the body to a holding area, re-wrapped it, and placed it inside the tomb of queen Inhapy. Seventy-two hours later it was again moved, to the tomb of the high priest Pinudjem II. All of this is recorded in hieroglyphics on the linen covering the body. His mummy is today in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum.
Link” Wikipedia Ramsses II

Point Two: It is clear from watching the film that the archeological community demands that members of its community follow the party line. The tyrant of academia is never directly mentioned, but it is clearly understood that their orthodoxy must be followed if you want to get funding and work in the field. Anyone who has watched Ben Stein’s Expelled will have “the eyes to see” this construct in action.

Point Three: this one is more subtle but my impression from watching the film is that Egypt loves the archeology and tourism but they have no interest in validating any claims that might bolster the Jewish faith. The Muslim folks don’t seem to allow you access to their historic sights if you rock their boat by dissing their ancestors.

On the whole, it’s well worth your time to watch, especially if you have children in the audience. It starts slow but builds to a satisfying conclusion “for the hope that is within you”.

As In the Days of Noah

If you want to get a feel for how Noah felt while building the Ark, try being a Conservative in California.

The financial reality is that your unborn grandchildren are broke and this generation does not care.
As of a few years ago, the combined debt of California government (state, county, and local) was 1.4 trillion dollars. I think it’s really more but that number is what state officials will publicly admit.

Eleven California counties have more registered voters than voting age people and this generation does not care.

The letter noted that 11 California counties have more registered voters than voting-age citizens: Imperial (102%), Lassen (102%), Los Angeles (112%), Monterey (104%), San Diego (138%), San Francisco (114%), San Mateo (111%), Santa Cruz (109%), Solano (111%), Stanislaus (102%), and Yolo (110%). The letter also noted that Los Angeles County officials “informed us that the total number of registered voters now stands at a number that is a whopping 144% of the total number of resident citizens of voting age.”
Link to source

Second Amendment groups have issued a travel advisory to California because of the crazy laws here designed to deny people the right to self-defense. Bringing a weapon from outside the state is a felony in many instances.

Small businesses know better than to relocate to this State due to taxes and regulations.

Churches, private schools, and other religiously oriented groups are on the endangered species list here if they wish to adhere to biblically based values.

I could go on but… I think you can add many other things to my list which is fine but my point is this, nobody here cares. I try talking to people at work about various issues as they appear in the news and absolutely nothing penetrates. As long as their daily life goes on, it doesn’t matter. Talk about living in darkness.

God closed to door of the Ark seven days before it started raining. There is no record of anybody knocking on the door to see why or asking to be let in. Contrary to the recent Hollywood movie, I think the Bible is silent on this because that is exactly how it happened. Nobody cared until the rain fell on them. This is the sad future that you will live to see.

ABC News Labels Freedom Defenders Hate Group

According to ABC News and a host of Liberal illiterates if you believe in liberty, freedom of religion, freedom, of speech, private property, hiring the best qualified people for employment, or having a choice in where and how your children are educated then you are officially a member of a hate group.

Ironically, when I was a kid people holding such beliefs were called Americans and patriots.

But no longer is that true according to Disney owned news conglomerate ABC News. On Wednesday, two days after I posted about the crazy lady that owns “The Crystal Ship” (she holds similar views); Disney’s ABC News labeled the Alliance Defending Freedom a hate group. This group defends conservative folks from governmental tyranny. ABC is angry that our new Attorney General spoke privately to the group.

Jeff Sessions addresses ‘anti-LGBT hate group,’ but DOJ won’t release his remarks

ABC leads with this:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered a speech to an alleged hate group at an event closed to reporters on Tuesday night, but the Department of Justice is refusing to reveal what he said.

Short thereafter, the article quotes US Senator Tammy Baldwin

“This sends a very troubling message that our Attorney General, America’s top law enforcement official, is not committed to standing up to anti-LGBT hate.”

The ABC reporter goes no to write:

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Alliance Defending Freedom is a legal advocacy group founded in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1994 that “specializes in supporting the recriminalization of homosexuality abroad, ending same-sex marriage and generally making life as difficult as possible for LGBT communities in the U.S. and internationally.”

The group is representing Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who is challenging the state’s nondiscrimination protections after he was found in violation of the law for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple in 2012. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the case in June 2017.

Do you see what the Left is saying? To state that “homosexuality is wrong” or “marriage is between a man and woman” is a hate crime. Hate crime means fines, imprisonment, and the full weight of the State falling on your little head; or so they hope.

So when Liberals take away my freedom, attack my God, my marriage, and my family and I dare to defend myself within the law, then I’m a hatemonger and should be banned from the public square. That’s the clear message of this news story. In addition, many Liberals believe I should forfeit my job, my children, and my freedom because I disagree with them. Such beliefs are being implemented now in California. I’m warning you here and now (once again) that these beliefs will shortly be enacted into law here in California. Folks we aren’t far behind Canada.

For different view than Disney’s see:
Link: ABC—Christians Who Defend Religious Liberty Hate Group

California Moves Toward Test Oath for Citizens

If you want to see where California is heading in the next few years then look to The Great White North. Canada has implemented some of the most far reaching and onerous laws promoting homosexuality on the planet. Canada has erected a series of human rights commissions that are charged with enforcing these laws. Both freedom of speech and religion have been severely curtailed in the last few years. Parents are in danger of losing their children to the state and preachers are forbidden to talk about sin from the pulpit.

To see where California is heading between now and the end of Gavin Newsom’s administration (and yes I think he will be the next governor) let’s look north. In Canada, a Christian group had created a charter school a few years ago. Now that these human rights commissions and other legislation are in place, the environment has become hostile to Christianity. The school district mentioned in the article below is Battle River School Division (BRSD). The charter school is Cornerstone Christian Academy.”

Christian School Defunded Over Bible Verses
But that has come to an end in a dispute over the school’s use of two biblical passages that BRSD board members contend “denigrate” and “vilify” LGBT individuals.
•Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
•Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. – Galatians 5:19-24

Please note that these verses in the Bible were written almost two thousand years ago. The Scriptures didn’t change in the nine years that the charter school has been running.

Earlier this year, Cornerstone removed the Corinthians passage from its website at the request of BRSD, but planned to include it and the Galatians passage in the student handbook.

BRSD sent the email following last month’s change in legislation adding “gender expression” and “gender identity” to Canada’s Human Rights Code and to the Criminal Code’s hate-crime section.

A BRSD spokesman said trustees believed the verses might contravene Alberta’s human-rights legislation.

BRSD chairwoman Lauri Skori called it inappropriate to share “any teachings that denigrate or vilify someone’s sexual orientation.”

Note: Colorado also has a human rights commission. In 2012, this commission was responsible for prosecuting a baker for refusing to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. (This happened two years before the Supreme Court forced “gay marriage” upon the fifty states.) This is the case scheduled to be heard this fall by the Supreme Court.

It is my belief and has been for several years that California will eventually require a test oath in order to allow access to employment, student loans, and other government benefits. But we Americans always do things to extremes so why not include the private sector as we implement these rules?

The first sign of this oath was last year in the bill to restrict student loans to schools that affirmed the gay rights agenda of the State as a condition of giving loans to California college students. This bill was withdrawn but I fully expect it to be passed by the end of the next legislative cycle (2018).

Today in the news is the next plank of this movement.

California Bill Would Require Workplace Transgender Training

The bill would apply to every employer in California with 50 or more employees requiring training on gender harassment, as part of current sexual harassment training. And it reaffirms that transgender workers are allowed to go by their preferred names and pronouns.

If this bill doesn’t get signed by Jerry Brown it certainly will by Newsom. So how will employers prove they are complying with the law? They will have to have another poster in the breakroom and a signed form from each employee that they have been trained about the special treatment that must be given to sexually and morally deviant people. Failure of businesses to comply will eventually mean they will be forced to cease operations and failure of employees to sign will eventually cost people their jobs.

This law is not the end; it’s just the next step. These laws are to legislate morality (or in this case immorality) and to attack traditional Christianity. Remember that all law is religious. This is an establishment of religion albeit a foreign one.

We are very close to going full circle back to Rome. In ancient Rome you could have any god you wish as long as you acknowledged Caesar as Lord. Those that said Jesus is Lord were attacked not on religious grounds but as political enemies of the State. Christianity was high treason.

California is trying to criminalize Christianity—not just banish it from the public square but cleanse it from the culture.

Flee the Wrath to Come

John the Baptist warned those of his generation to “flee the wrath to come.” Instead of heeding his warning, he was beheaded for his trouble. Those that crucified his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, a few years later said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

True to their wishes, the wrath-to-come arrived in the form of a Roman army about forty years later. The wrath visited upon them and their children resulted in the death of most, the systematic and total destruction of their nation, and the enslavement of the few survivors. True to his warning, no loss of life is recorded for the Christians that obeyed the prophecy given by Jesus to flee when they saw the signs foretold.

Whether any of us can truly avoid the wrath to come upon our nation is doubtful but clearly some areas and people will do better than others. In my opinion, ground zero of the “wrath to come” is California. The late columnist Herb Caen used to call San Francisco “Bagdad by the Bay.” That was seventy years ago. Now, I think California can be thought of as “Sodom by the Sea.”

California is hell-bent on becoming “anti-America.” The people of California wish to remake the State into a dystopian socialist paradise devoid of petroleum, hydroelectric or nuclear power, water storage, commercial farming, privately owned automobiles, liberty, Christians and other bigots that insist on such Victorian ideals as right and wrong or personal responsibility, firearms, prisons, and small businesses. Instead, they want free college for all, publicly subsidized transportation, free healthcare, their own foreign policy, only electric vehicles within their borders, more government jobs, multiculturalism, legalization of recreational drugs, government backed pensions for all, and a bunch of other neo-Marxist crap dreamed up by baby-boomers. Oh, and all this will be paid by taxes on “the rich” whoever they are.

Liberals here have successfully turned the Constitution from a document that insures liberty into the suicide pact that protects evildoing and punishes the righteous. Nothing in California escapes the corruption of the almighty State. They are going places that not even George Orwell envisioned. California and other places dominated by Liberals have metastasized into a Tim Burton-like modern twist on the Roman Empire.

While many have attempted to stem this precipitous decline in Western Culture, my wife and I, like many before us have concluded that our time in California is coming to an end. As a result, my family has developed an exit strategy. Seven years from now, we plan to be far away from the formerly golden state. The apocalypse is coming but hopefully we will time it so we are long gone when everything comes apart.

Casablanca or Armageddon?

One of the most memorable lines of the movie Casablanca is, “We’ll always have Paris.” This line refers to the time in Paris when Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) had a summer of love with Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). The only problem was that Ilsa was married, but not to Rick. Yeah, the back story which is shown in the movie as flashbacks ultimately boils down to adultery and poor judgment. Just to make their love affair ok with the audience, Ilsa begins their romance with the belief that her husband is dead.

When I heard what President Trump did yesterday with the bogus global warming agreement that Obama entered us into in Paris, this movie line came to mind. What a shock it was to the Liberal establishment—including both the mainstream media and Hollywood—when they learned that they won’t always have Paris.

President Obama played the harlot and entered into illicit relationships with many of the world’s evils. Obama was a lover of thugs, murders, and charlatans. Obama was hell-bent to reduce the prominence and prestige of the United States. Obama was fine letting both Iran and North Korea advance their nuclear weapons ambitions. Obama was fine with the genocide of Christians in the Middle East. Obama even made sure that our country imported huge numbers of Muslims with no screening or background checks and then placed them in areas of the country without coordinating with state and local officials. Obama refused to enforce the laws on the books to protect our borders and citizens. He also hamstrung our economy with regulatory burdens and federal overreach—mostly via regulations. He also unilaterally entered us into many international agreements without following the Constitutional requirements for such agreements or doing what was in the best interests of our nation. In short, he violated his oath to protect and defend the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic. In fact, he did exactly the opposite.

The Paris agreement on global warming is “junk science” of the worst sort. It is based on a number of false premises not the least of which is a false view of that humans are somehow responsible for controlling the climate.

Much of the argument surrounding global warming “science” revolves around carbon. Carbon in our environment has become viewed as something bad. Believers claim that releasing carbon—often via fossil fuels—is bad. Yet these same folks ignore all the natural sources of carbon in our environment. Can anyone say, “Volcanoes”? Oh, these are the guys that love trees, right Al Gore? So if nature is so great, why is it that you so-call environmentalists are the first folks screaming about forest fires? Lightning causes many fires—especially in remote regions—and the natural thing to do would be to let them burn. Eventually the fire would go out. It would either run out of fuel by burning everything up or be doused by water when it rained thus being deprived of oxygen.

Even public school children know that much of the world used to be tropical from pole to pole. The world that we live in now is a virtual desert compared to what it was once like when dinosaurs roamed the world. Plants were everywhere and in abundance. Plants are made primarily from carbon. Trivial question Al Gore, which animal released more methane gas Apatosaurus or Bovine?

By any metric, there is less carbon in our world now than in the past. This being undeniably true, what is the real issue behind global warming?

Philosophically, it’s simple to see. However, before I go on, just remember that believers in global warming and Liberals in general cannot be persuaded by facts. They have no use for them. They are into emotions and have no consistent and coherent way of looking at the world. They are fragmented in their inner being and thus when they look at the world around them, all they see are fragments. Some fragments they embrace and others they despise or ignore. They cannot see the whole because they have no framework to reassemble the broken pieces into their original form. Sadly, when their Creator tells them that they are broken vessels made in His image they reject His counsel. Rejecting the Creator has consequences. Instead of loving their Father in heaven they hate him and anything made in His image.
They hate:
• God—idols, false gods, lovers of self
• Themselves—suicide, transgenderism, body mutilation
• Others made in His image—abortion, murder, genocide
• His creation—pollution, erosion, cruelty to animals

Despite their brokenness, men still bear the image of their Creator. But God is not just our Creator; He also sustains and controls His Creation. Nothing happens to us or our world that is not in accordance with His will. This is another point of contention that I have with the Paris accord folks. This is God’s world and He controls it. It is hubris to think that we can do anything that meaningfully impacts the fate of the planet or its climate.

The believers of things like the Paris accord are worshipers of the creation and not the Creator. Their god is Gaia—Mother Earth—not YHWH.

Such ideas as Paris are a feeble effort to usurp God and replace him with man as the ones controlling the climate—as if we really had any power to do so. Such an assertion is arrogant. Man’s pride was the original sin as it was Satan’s.

President Trump is right in his contention that this accord is trying to put us at a competitive disadvantage to other nations. His job as President is to do what is best for our country. Christ is the ruler of all nations—King of kings and Lord of lords. Trump is our President because right now that is God’s will for our nation.

I’m glad that we have a President that is actually tearing down the strongholds of the enemy. God bless you Donald Trump.

More Proof Political Divide is Spiritual

Lest you needed more proof that the political divide is primarily spiritual, check out this from Todd Starnes yesterday.

Link: Town hall agitators explode at the name of Jesus
Below are a portions of the story.

A group of enraged protesters exploded in anger after a chaplain prayed in the name of Jesus at a town hall meeting in Louisiana hosted by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy.

The Feb. 22 town hall meeting in Metairie, was quickly overrun by the angry mob – much like other town hall meetings hosted by Republican lawmakers across the country.

The mainstream media would have us believe the unruly demonstrations are part of an organic, grassroots effort.

But I sincerely doubt many in the mob were actually residents of Louisiana – because I know the good people of Louisiana and nobody behaves like that in the Bayou State.

Folks are raised right in Cajun Country. There’s no way anybody would embarrass their mommas by acting the fool in public.

I’d be willing to bet a cup of Community Coffee that the Jesus-hating rabble-rousers were shipped in from some God-forsaken place like Berkeley or Brooklyn.

But they became absolutely unhinged when he concluded his prayer in the name of Jesus.

“Wow, they booed the name of Jesus,” Cassidy said in remarks reported by the Times-Picayune

Thoughts as We Near Christmas

Normally I don’t get so personal on this blog but this time of the year, isn’t that—at least in part—what Christmas is about; preparing for Christ and what He is doing in your life?

This last month or so I have been experiencing many changes in my life.

First two friends have died rather unexpectedly.

At Thanksgiving time, I learned that Bishop Royal Grote had died.

Bp. Grote was based in Texas and for much of the time that I knew him, he was in charge of the Missionary Diocese of the West for the Reformed Episcopal Church. Bishop Grote was a fine man. He smoked cigars on important occasions, enjoyed adult beverages and loved the Lord. He was charitable with other believers and tried to be the best shepherd that he could for his flock. He took his vows of marriage and to serve God very seriously. He jealously guarded The Table from error and those living in it. Only once did I see him discipline a minister in his charge (although I am aware of other occasions). He acted firmly and decisively when needed. Like it or not, Grote was also instrumental in the formation of the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America). Grote hoped this organization would be an umbrella group to unite various splinter groups fleeing the heresy of the Anglican Church.
Link: Wikipedia Royal U Grote Jr.

A week later, another friend—George Fincke—also died.

George was also ordained a Bishop in the REC. George started out as the son of a Presbyterian minister in Cape May, New Jersey. He attended college at Bob Jones University and occasionally made life there a living hell for the Jones’. He attended college there in the 1970’s. While a student, George did a play at Bob Jones that was a parody of the original Star Trek. In the play, Spock was replaced by Bob Jones and the results, while hilarious, were unsatisfactory to Mr. Jones and his family. George also admitted to putting laundry detergent in the water fountain at the college’s main gate and creating a layer of foam three feet high in the fountain. He had a wonderful sense of humor and maintained a friendship with Bob Jones Jr. who was also a student there when he was.

Later George attended the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia and spent the next twelve years in the Presbyterian Church. Finally, he “saw the light” and moved to the Reformed Episcopal Church. I met George when he was recruited by Bishop Grote to be the minister of the parish in Vacaville California. At the time, many people were hoping to recruit Ray Sutton as their pastor but Grote had other plans for Sutton.

George and I became good friends. While in Vacaville, George suffered a stroke. He had to learn to speak again and also to walk. I spent many hours at his home during this time. That was 16 years ago. George had been made a Bishop about two years before the stroke but his life changed when this happened. He was effectively stripped of his duties and became a Bishop without a flock. It was an awkward period. Once he was recovered enough to resume preaching, he was transferred to Fargo North Dakota. Despite many years of labor, the Mission in Fargo faded away and about two years ago, George moved to Prescott Arizona and took a church there. At this point he transferred from the REC to the Anglican Provence of America.
Link: All Saints Prescott, AZ

It was a fresh start for his family and much closer to his grandchildren. Two months before he died, he and his wife had finally purchased a home in Prescott.

I miss his emails and posts on Facebook; mostly his wonderful friendship and sense of humor. He always was laughing and enjoyed life.

I have another friend that is in the last stages of his life and will soon go to his reward. Unlike the other two that I mentioned, he hasn’t made his peace with God. Should you happen to see this post Frank, I’m praying for you to find the peace that only Jesus Christ can give you.

Also in the last month, the wife and I decided to pull our son from the private school that he has been attending for the last 8 ½ years and send him to a different school. The academic rigor is not there this year and the mandatory purchase of an Apple product for the second trimester was the beginning of the last chapter there. We had to buy him this device not for learning but so he could play even more games than he already does at home. Now he can play games at school too. It was time to go.

Back in November, the oldest child moved out. We are enjoying the relative peace and quiet. This move has provided us with the opportunity to do lots of cleaning and organizing. The biggest beneficiaries so far are Goodwill and Ikea.

Adding to this cleaning opportunity is the weight that my wife and I have lost this year. I’m back to where I was in my 20’s and the wife will be there soon if she survives the Holidays. (-:

Our first trip to Goodwill this fall was over one hundred clothing items, many that still had tags on them. This has been followed-up by several more trips.

Lastly, I was given a promotion at work. God is good and we keep pushing that Dave Ramsey snowball down the hill. A debt-free scream is still in our future but we’re getting there.

I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas.

Thanks Mr. X for your contributions this year. I hope to see you at the salsa bar real soon.

A Prayer for the Election

Last Sunday, I was tasked with doing the congregational prayer. Below is a prayer that I wrote and used concerning the upcoming election. I think that Dave Ramsey would approve this message.

Proverbs 21: 1
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turns it wherever he will.

A Prayer for the Election

Oh Lord who has foreordained all according to your will, we ask that as our country prepares to cast ballots that the outcome would be to move our nation to repentance and restoration to fellowship with you. Help voters to see through myriad of disinformation and empty promises made to them and not choose to burden future generations with debt and slavery in exchange for our leisure today. Instead help us to choose the path of thrift and honest labor that we may have an inheritance to give to our children’s children. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

On Friday, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, had his opinion piece published in the religion column of the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper. This article was titled “Is abortion sin?”

In it, this alleged minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ wrote about a women that came to him in a crisis pregnancy situation. Here is a portion of the column.

She, too, had a good reputation or I wouldn’t have let her babysit my kids. She didn’t want the embarrassment of a child born out of wedlock.

“You don’t want to keep this child, do you?”

She shook her head. Not even for adoption.

She raised her head, knowing that my wife and I had an adopted sibling group of three.

“No,” she said, tears soaking her blouse.

“Is abortion a sin?” she asked.

Some would give a quick answer, but I couldn’t. This was the woman I trusted with my children. I knew her heart.

She continued her worry list. She wanted to go to school. She wanted to date without having a baby in tow. She couldn’t handle the perceived embarrassment to her family.

I could’ve spouted Bible verses, but so could she. Instead, we talked pros and cons. I told her that abortions are never easy on anyone, pro-life or pro-choice. I told her that the spirit of Christianity is on the side of life and redemption and that I’d known women to suffer from abortion trauma for years.

After an hour, Sandy stood to leave. As she did, I reminded her that God had room for both mom and baby on this earth. However, no matter what she decided, nothing would separate her from the love of God.

Sandy had her abortion the next week. While she eventually finished school, married and had children, her decision to still a beating heart still troubles mine. That’s because there’s no easy answer to Sandy’s sin question. There never is.
Link: EG Citizen: Is abortion sin?

This case of spiritual malpractice really makes me angry. Did you get that “I knew her heart” and “her decision to still a beating heart still troubles mine”? He also says that he could have “spouted Bible verses” I wonder which ones?

Romans chapter 6 immediately comes to mind. Paul writes,

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

The real situation was this. The woman in this article liked to practice fornication (sex outside of marriage) but after repeatedly practicing that behavior she became pregnant. Her pregnancy was the direct consequence of sin in her life. She was following the lust of her flesh not the biblical standards of righteous living. She knew what God’s standard is in this situation; namely, bear the responsibility of her actions, have the child and give the child up for adoption or raise the child.

Killing her baby is a second sin, not a corrective to her disobedient lifestyle. Going to this pastor was her attempt at taking the weasel way out of this situation. She wanted absolution for killing her child. The pastor knows that he gave bad council or he wouldn’t be haunted by “her decision to still a beating heart”.

There is a reason that I used to carry the sign “Abortion: One dead, one wounded, one rich” in front of the local abortion clinic. Abortion is an evil and violent act that has lifelong consequences. The premise that justifies abortion is a lie.

This lady and her pastor have both refused to acknowledge their sin. They conspired to sin so that grace may abound. They have cheapened the blood of Christ and made it to no affect.

Suppose there were two brothers. One brother decided to kill the other because that brother seems more loved by his parents. Well he knows that God wouldn’t like him to commit murder. He needs an out, a loophole if you will, to justify the crime in his own mind. So the brother seeks the advice of Reverend Scratch. Rev. Scratch says,

I could’ve spouted Bible verses, but so could he. Instead, we talked pros and cons. I told him that murders are never easy on anyone, pro-life or pro-choice. I told him that the spirit of Christianity is on the side of life and redemption and that I’d known men to suffer from murder trauma for years.

After an hour, he stood to leave. As he did, I reminded him that God had room for both him and his brother on this earth. However, no matter what he decided, nothing would separate him from the love of God.

He murdered his brother the next week.

Oh, and God’s response to this exercise of “choice” can be found in Genesis 4:8-11

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

The Christian counselor wrote, quote
“Who is the only humane choice ahead
If you can’t support it
Why don’t you abort it instead?”

You say you pray to the sky
Why? When you’re afraid to take a stand down here
‘Cause while the holy talk reads like a bad ad lib
Silence screams you were robbing the crib

Say it ain’t none of my business, huh?
A woman’s got a right to choose
Now a grave digger, next you pull the trigger what then?
Whatever happened to sin?

—Steve Taylor
Whatever happened to sin? 1983