Comments for The Christian Watershed

Comment on Did McCain Lie? by Alden

Alden — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:27:33 +0000

This is nice to know. Thanks for researching this!

Comment on It’s not about race by annihilist

annihilist — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 02:01:24 +0000

agreed. By making the issue about race, the democrats are unecessarily flipping a coin; if they win, then its great because they made a step forward for black people; if they loose, then its a step back for black people and maybe minorities in general. It would seem that Democrats are much too desperate to win. If they just ran with the promise of being the opposite of the current administration they would probably win. Instead, they are trying to win by pushing issues like race and personally attacking the Republican candidates. Its like a mounted knight choosing to fight hand to hand in the mud. It gives the knight a decided and unnecessary disadvantage.

Comment on It’s not about race by jonolan

jonolan — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:10:35 +0000

Actually, the more I’m told that I’m a racist if I don’t support Obama the less likely I am to vote for him. I think a lot of other middle of the line voters feel and would react the same way.

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by jborofsky

jborofsky — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:02:51 +0000

We are held to a higher standard, but the post was meant to address the government. As Christians we simply cannot support a pro-choice stance. It was not meant to address all other issues.

My own personal beliefs concerning war is that Christians should be slow to their support in war - however Romans does make it clear that the State holds the right to exact justice. There is a role for the State and a role for Christians and often times the two are different and contradictory. This doesn’t negate, however, that sometimes taking a life is necessary.

More importantly, however, is that war and the death penalty are different issues than that of pro-choice or abortion. While pro-choice simply deals with the question, “Does the mother have the right to take the life of an innocent child” (innocent being the operative word here), the war/death penalty issues deals with the question of if it’s wrong for the Government to exact capital punishment. The two are separate issues. One deals with innocent life while the other deals with a supposed threat to the state or convicted criminal.

The point of the post, however, was to show that allowing the taking of a life without any justifiable reason is something Christians cannot support. Just as a Christian should not support genocide, murder, unjustified warfare (though this can be debated heavily), or other acts that needlessly take life, we should not support a mother’s ‘right’ to take the life of her own child.

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by jeffcstraka

jeffcstraka — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:53:14 +0000

I think Christians are held to a higher standard the governments of this world:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by jborofsky

jborofsky — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:45:41 +0000

Not necessarily. As pointed out there is a hierarchy within ethics. Thus, taking a life out of necessity is different than taking a life of innocence. In the case of the death penalty it can successfully be argued from Scripture that because one has taken a life, his life is owed as payment. In other words, because one has caused harm, harm is due unto him (not within a personal Christian ethic, but in a government ethic, which even the New Testament supports). Likewise, war would something be viewed as necessary - in order to save multiple lives it might be necessary to take other lives. In order to prevent the death of 6 million Jews, it might be necessary to take the life of thousands of German soldiers. This certainly doesn’t leave for a clean ethic or something that is easily understood, but a complete anti-war stance doesn’t make much sense either (and really isn’t Biblical).

As for starvation and malnutrition, of course we should be concerned with these issues. However, these are effects of something bigger that can sometimes be outside of our control. Abortion, alternatively, is allowed by law - thus it is the most pressing political issue (or at least should be) for Christians.

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by jeffcstraka

jeffcstraka — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:24:30 +0000

I fully agree that Christians should be pro-life. But many Christians seem to apply that selectively to unborn children and not to ALL areas. In other words, to be truly pro-life shouldn’t we be against the death penalty? Shouldn’t we be against war? Shouldn’t our top priority be to find ways to end starvation/famine (in developing countries nearly 16 million children die every year from preventable and treatable causes. Sixty percent of these deaths are from hunger and malnutrition)? In my opinion, there are Christians that are anti-abortion, and then there are Christians who are pro-life. The latter is a much more narrow path, but isn’t it where we are supposed to be if we follow Jesus?

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by darlajune

darlajune — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:19:58 +0000

Joel,
A well-thought out article. I have been pro-life since the mid-80’s and I completely agree with you on this issue. Only a pseudo-Christian or an ill-informed Christian could be “pro-choice” in the true sense of the word–(pro-abortion). I will look forward to future posts!

Darlajune

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by raimov

raimov — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:23:29 +0000

Hi! I really like your material( I am a political scientist from Ukraine)

Comment on Why a Christian can’t be Pro-Choice by goodtimepolitics

goodtimepolitics — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:17:58 +0000

These are so called self serving Christians that are for abortions. They will have to answer to God for their actions!