Truly Sad Business - Answers

     In response in the comments for my post Truly Sad Business, my friend the Canadian Atheist presented some very thoughtful questions.  I believe that they were presented both as respectful challenges as well as inquiries to my understanding.

     I very much admire the manner of presenting these questions as well as the depth of thought that they display.

     Here are his questions, followed by my response:

NA,

Just say that they outlawed abortion tomorrow. Do you seriously think abortions would stop? Do you think unwanted children would be better off? Do you think there wouldn't be sick people with coat hangers doing the work instead of trained professionals? Would these women be any better off in the hands of a man swinging a coat hanger?

And finally, what do you think the solution is?

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Dear Canadian,

     You are asking some wonderful questions.  Thank you for the opportunity to address them.

     In order for abortion to be outlawed again as it was in times past, a major shift in understanding would have to occur.  Decades of misinformation and treacherous indoctrination would have to be reversed.  The entire mindset of the people would have to be turned back from what has been systematically inculcated over several generations.  While this could happen overnight as you suggest, it rarely does.

     If such a return to valuing human life did occur, then abortions would most certainly stop, even without the force of the law being imposed.

     From my world view, from my understanding of reality, there are no unwanted children.

     I believe in Yahweh, the Everlasting Father, the Creator of all that exists, the Father through whom all families have their name, the Redeemer who counseled from eternity to sacrifice Himself to save His beloved children from their self-destructive rebellion through His life and sacrificial death as one of us.  He has declared that He wants all children to be counted as precious even as He counts them thus.

     The concept of unwanted children is the product of selfishness and of turning from the understanding that all children are planned by their Everlasting Father, who graciously blesses the coming together of man and woman to bring forth new children into the world. When people return to considering children from this perspective, there are no unwanted children.  Rather, all children are counted as blessings and as beloved.

     Parents who love their children do as the Father of all and they selflessly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their beloved children.

     Early in our marriage, my wife and I discussed this as we drew close for sharing as husband and wife.  I initiated the topic, saying that if she were to become pregnant and the doctors were to determine that her life were threatened, that from my side, as frightening as the thought of losing her would be, that I could not say that her life was more important than the baby’s, that I could not turn from trusting the Lord in this matter and that if the decision were left to me I would have to insist that the doctors work to save both lives, no matter what.  She agreed.  I stated that I feared how I would feel if she died from such a decision, and she assured me that it would nevertheless be the right and loving choice.

     Being at least somewhat informed about “professional” abortion procedures, I cannot see the professional as any less sick than the person who uses a coat hanger, especially since the professional supposedly has full medical training and is fully aware that the mother is being put at risk by these procedures.  The person with a coat hanger is not going to advertise and openly try to convince people that this is a valid choice.

     In the days when abortion was illegal, abortions were relatively rare.

     As for a woman turning to coat hangers and twigs, such tactics are ordinarily only utilized early in the pregnancy, when the risk is somewhat lower to the mother.  But that really means nothing in this issue.  When women make this choice, instead of letting the pregnancy follow its natural course, they have made a very dangerous choice.  This is on their head, not society’s.

     Society’s responsibility lies in the overturn of viewing sexual relations as properly belonging only within the lifetime commitment of the marital union, where family and lifelong loving union is the mindset.  Society is also at fault for treating the pregnant woman and her unplanned pregnancy as the issue rather than teaching the great blessing of honoring sexuality for what it really is.

     So I believe that the solution is a return unto the source of Life for our understanding of our lives, both individually and communally.  When the Life is honored our lives are treasured.

     As you already know, for me absolutely everything is founded upon the continual communion of people with and in the Lord.  When this communion is genuine and unbroken, life is restored to what it should be.  Everything is again made right and good.  For people with this understanding, the notion of abortion and all of the associated troubles is not even existent.  For such people, people who make mistakes are offered forgiveness and help and healing.  For such people the pain of guilt and the continual need for the promise of absolution are felt personally to such a degree that this is their desire for all others who honestly face their own iniquity.  Among such people those who face the results of their thoughtless actions, those already feeling their own self-chosen and self-applied condemnation, turn to those who know the promise of God’s forgiveness and healing and reconciliation.

     This is the purpose of the true Church of God on earth.  The true Church does not seek to change society or to promote laws and regulations.  The law is given to restrain wickedness.  The Church does not seek this.  The Church is the congregation of the communion of saints unto their Lord in His holiness poured out through the means of grace.  The Church cries out against wickedness, calling everyone to be turned from the wickedness to receive forgiveness and reconciliation and restoration.

     The solution to abortion is not outlawing abortion.  The solution to abortion is Love, which is of God.  Love does no wrong to its neighbor.  Love defends its neighbor, especially the helpless.  Love forgives its enemies and prays for them.  Love is patient and longsuffering.  Love is of God because God is love.  Love never fails.

     In this world of wickedness laws are necessary.  Laws are not the answer, but when they are just laws that are rightly enforced, they do help to restrain the wickedness.  But the answer is Love, which overthrows wickedness and replaces it with righteousness. If this were the one and only way, we all would live together again as one big and happy family.

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Christian-Spiritual Leaders

Within the last few days I heard a statement from a man who was speaking on American Family Radio. When I cannot tolerate anymore of the pretend conservativism on talk radio and I am frustrated with the secular trash music I often switch to AFR until I have to turn off the radio altogether. I do listen for tidbits of the local, national, and world news. I also listen for the sake of the challenges that urge me to dig deeply into the Scriptures. While most of what I hear is contrary to the faith, nevertheless I do find the challenge to be certain to be a worthwhile challenge.

What I heard on AFR was a comment that proclaimed the exact opposite of what is taught in the Scriptures regarding the form that leadership takes within the Church. I cannot remember the comment so as to give a precise verbatim quotation, but the man said that leaders do not always have all of the answers and in fact, in his experience, the best leaders have more questions.

Does this statement even remotely match what the Scriptures declare?

To St. Timothy St. Paul writes:

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. (1 Timothy 3:1-9)

Again, to St. Titus he writes:

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (Titus 1:5-11)

Do either of these leave one with the impression that Christian leaders have more questions than answers? What does it mean for a man to be apt to teach? How does one set in order the things that are wanting unless that one knows the answers? Can one silence the gainsayers with more questions than answers? Can a gainsayer be silenced by asking, “Well, what do you think?”

How can a pastor/teacher lead if he does not know the way?

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14)

The way that the Lord provides is the way of knowing the truth.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)

If a leader does not know the way, does not know the truth, does not know the answers that are to be taught, that person should stop imagining himself to be a leader, shut up, sit down, and listen and learn. A teacher who has more questions than answers is not a teacher but a propagator of ignorance, and worse, stupidity and rebellion and false self-reliance.

The Lord has given the answers, and to those who hear Him through the means that He has ordained, the answers are brought forth and proclaimed for the benefit and edification of all who have ears to hear. Moreover, the answers that God has given have the miraculous power to restore life, peace, contentment, love, holiness, and all that is good and worthy. Is this not the kind of leadership that is worthy of following?

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