The Evangelical church’s approach to politics is an “Ishmael.” Evangelicals got tired of waiting for God to fulfill “His” agenda, so they decided to do it for Him. Consider abortion. Didn’t this movement go from prayer and speaking out to a political movement to overturn Roe vs Wade? Was it God who spoke to Christians and said, “You must start voting for conservative politicians”?
Was it God who said, “You must pass laws that harass women who want to abort”? Did God come up with the idea to close medical clinics that perform abortions, leaving their constituents without any healthcare?
The God I know would not be pleased with forcing women to undergo invasive and unnecessary medical procedures. Transvaginal ultrasounds carry potential harm to the mother and have no legitimate medical purpose. The only purpose is the hope that the mother will see that that’s a real baby in their whose life she is ending. Requiring this procedure is an abuse of the legislative process and a textbook examples of the ends justifying the means. Is that how your God operates?
Did the idea to force clinics that perform abortions to be subject to the same rules as hospitals come from God? There is no justification for such legislation and would cause clinics to close. If the clinics close many women will lose all kinds of healthcare. It may limit abortions, but does this honor God? Does this show trust in God that He can bring justice?
“Justice” brought about by unjust means is not justice.
When God wins a victory, you know it is from God.
This is not an argument for or against abortion. This is an argument for trusting God. The end result is not the only thing that matters. How you do it matters too.
Think of the unintended consequences. Women losing health care. Women hating Christianity because in a time of distress, instead of love, they got harassment. Voting for conservatives has not gotten Roe vs. Wade overturned, but it did get us Citizens United. Now corporations are people and there is no way to limit money in politics.
Solomon also warned us that there is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in death (Proverbs 14:12). Are you relying on your own understanding, doing what makes sense to you? Where does it end?
This is exactly what James is talking about, “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God” (4:2). You may have asked God, but when He didn’t give it to you, you decided to go out and get it on your own. Even if you are convinced that God wants this, if you quarrel and fight to get it, you are not in his will.
So, again I ask, are you acting out of trust in God, or have you decided to do it yourself? Are you at peace? Is this an act of love (agape)? Is there joy behind it? Are you patient in your approach? Can this action be described and an act of kindness and goodness? Are you truly being faithful? Gentle? Are you under control?
The bad news it has to be all of those things to be of God.
Your argument is that Roe v. Wade, a legal decision made by men, is somehow divine? Wow, I didn't see that coming.
ReplyDeleteRuss, you got that from what I wrote? Since the purpose of this site is to show the error in the argument, can you please show how my words would lead one to conclude that. I don't see it. In fact, while I take to task the methods of the Pro Life movement, it is not a comment on the cause at all, but only on the methods.
DeleteIn your opening, those that seek to overturn Roe v. Wade are being compared to Abraham taking Hagar and having a son with her and not waiting for God to fulfill his promise, an Ismael. By making this comparison, the Supreme Court decision making abortion legal would then be compared to the promise from God, divine, that Abraham would have a son. In other words, it’s God’s will that babies are being killed and we should do nothing about that because God will stop it, if it is his will, in his own time.
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DeleteThat makes no sense. The Evangelicals in the analogy are Abraham. If Ishmael represents man's attempt to fulfill the promise of God instead of letting God do it, then the parallel here is the Evangelical's attempt to end abortion through political means. The "Isaac," the promise, is the assumption that what God wants is an END to abortion. I purposely do not take a stand on that goal, because I want call into question the means.
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