Must see video on abortion rights vs. life rights
October 12, 2011
This important new video, offered for free, is a must see. Street preacher/ evangelist Ray Comfort produced this powerful 33 minute video with real life reactions to real life questions. One of the nicest things about this work is the not just the underlying message, but the fact that all participants are random people- not actors. This is real life at its most crucial.
CLICK HERE and watch for FREE: http://180movie.com/
Consider this article from WND.com:
The new movie “180,” with its “power of truth” is turning out to be an abortionist’s worst nightmare.
The intensely stunning new production from author, evangelist and street preacher Ray Comfort has drawn more than 600,000 views in just a few days, and hundreds more are purchasing a copy for their home.
And the reactions have been flooding in.
“I watched this today – three times,” wrote Sonya Shirk. “Each time I was overwhelmed with the power of truth. I have shared this everywhere I can think of. I can’t begin to tell you how this video has changed my perspective.”
Added another poignantly, and to the point: “Your film just led a 17-year-old girl away from abortion.”
“I am very thankful for the Internet,” Comfort told WND. “It is so often used for evil, but in this case it is being used for good. In just 10 days 180Movie.com has had over 600,000 views.
“Keep in mind that this isn’t a one-minute humorous clip that doesn’t bite into your day. This is a commitment of 33 minutes of intense film, giving the viewer a rollercoaster ride of emotions,” he said.
For those quick with math, that’s more than 12,500 days that have been dedicated to watching “180.” Or more than 34 years.
“In an age where there’s more chance of flossing the back teeth of hungry lions at the LA Zoo at feeding time than getting ‘180’ on secular television, millions are going to see it uncensored via the Internet … and many will change their minds about abortion,” he said.
Wrote one viewer, “It’s so powerful. And although I have thought about abortion and Hitler on a passing note, this really made me think and did change my mind about abortion. I am not Christian or even know if God exists but this really does make you think. Thank you, it could be life-changing.”
Another: “The day after wearing a 180movie T-shirt to school, my daughter found out fellow classmates had seen the shirt and went to the site. Several commented they had never really thought about the issue of abortion but now know it’s wrong.”
Of course, Comfort noted, there’s another perspective. He cited this comment, “You rude anti-choice pig! Pro-choice doesn’t mean pro-death; Pro-choice just means freedom for women to choose! If you don’t want abortion, don’t get one! Oh, and no one cares about that stupid 180 *$@!*! Grow up, you zombified, conservatarded hypocrite!”
“These emails make me smile, because when a person has no justification for the killing of a child in the womb, they will resort to personal abuse, something called ‘ad hominem,'” Comfort said.
Comfort initially thought he would produce a video to go with an upcoming book called “Hitler, God, and the Bible” to be published by WND Books and soon to be available at the WND Superstore.
Join the discussion about “180,” at WND’s Forums.
That book is soaring on Amazon even though it’s not scheduled to come out until February.
It exposes Hitler’s theology and abuse of religion as a means to seize political power and ultimately instigate World War II and genocide. It mines the depths of Hitler’s beliefs and convincingly argues that without Hitler’s misuse of Christianity, the Third Reich would not have had its terrible rise, resulting in the deaths of millions.
“‘180’ wasn’t the video I meant to produce,” Comfort told WND.
Comfort explained his idea: “I decided to go out to the streets with a camera and find out what people believed about Hitler.
“I ended up with 14 people – mainly university students – who had no idea who Adolf Hitler was. This really bothered me, because I believe that when we forget our history we are more apt to repeat it,” he said.
In fact, recent media reports highlighted a sports day at a school in Thailand where students proudly paraded in Nazi costumes, including one student dressed as Hitler, to celebrate.
According to the London Daily Mail, the students and teachers were oblivious to “what all the fuss was about.”
It’s about life and death, Comfort explained, and not just during World War II
Comfort said his research for the book turned up a recurring theme regarding the Holocaust and the deaths of an estimated 11 million people, including some 6 million Jews: Moral apathy.
“I realized that the same kind of moral apathy that permitted such an incident to take place is still present today when it comes to the matter of abortion,” he said.
“While making the video I was amazed at how quickly people did a complete 180 after this connection was pointed out to them in a particularly effective way. They changed from being adamantly pro-abortion to being pro-life in a matter of seconds.”
The name “180” came from just that observation.
“As we watched ‘Steve’ – a proud, Jew-hating, foul-mouthed, anti-black, ‘I hate America’ neo-Nazi atheist with a 14-inch blue Mohawk – do a complete 180 and almost become likeable, it suddenly dawned on us that the same thing happened to most of the people on the video. They were all doing a 180 … their worldviews radically changed,” Comfort said.
The video follows Comfort’s winning formula of colorful, fast paced street interviews popular in the award-winning “Way of the Master” television series.
The series, in its fifth season, is co-hosted by Kirk Cameron and is viewed in 70 countries on 42 networks.
Comfort told WND that “180” is already considered “transforming.”
Message after message that reach his desk say things such as:
“I confess, I have committed 7 murders! GOD forgive me, I will never NEVER AGAIN trivialize abortion. NEVER again will I agree with the lie.”
And:
“This video has been popping up all over Facebook. I finally clicked on the link. I am a history buff with a passion for WW2. My attention was immediately grabbed. As soon as the switch to abortion began I wanted to stop watching, but I couldn’t. Part of me needed to keep watching. I don’t know what to do with this information, but I think it is changing the way I view these things. I might need to watch it again. That’s something I never thought I’d say.”
And
“I had always thought I was an ‘open-minded person’ when it came to abortion. But after viewing this movie, my stance has changed.”
Not everyone is thrilled with the powerful message of “180,” though. One Internet forum for atheists featured a number of bloggers scheming on how to ruin the video release or even hack into the video for an “atheist version.”
One post said this:
“There are many ways to spoil his release …
“For one, link up to every group of interest and offer a download. This will really hurt the b——. A lot of money went into this video production and an atheist-controlled version which he cannot profit from would hurt his finances.”
Comfort said the project has nothing to do with profit and everything to do with transforming lives.
“We will also distribute 200,000 free copies of the ‘180’ DVD in 100 of the top U.S. universities (in one day) sometime in 2011, and we will invite pro-life organizations, churches, and individuals to join us by having additional giveaways in their own area,” the movie website says.
In a WND interview, Comfort said about the atheists that attack him: “We have a love/hate relationship. They hate me. I love them.”
He said the issue today is that there is a generation “that has been hardened.”
“I was horrified that youth I spoke to lacked compassion for other human beings.”
“180” tells how many of the people of Germany also lacked compassion while Hitler murdered 11 million people, 6 million of them Jews.
By comparison, “This country [the USA] has killed over 50 million babies,” Comfort said.
Comfort believes that “180” has the ability to change peoples view on abortion and maybe the way they vote for candidates who favor abortion.
“In ‘180’ we have a nation changer,” says Comfort.
Viewers of the movie have been deeply moved. Living Waters recently checked into the possibility of billboard advertising for “180” in California.
“When we looked into billboard advertising, a woman representative asked us what ‘180’ was about, so we invited her to come to the ministry for a special screening,” Comfort said. “She did, and afterwards she sat there biting her pencil. She said that it made her rethink her stance on abortion, and she wanted her teenage daughter to see it.
“We ended up praying with the woman for salvation.”
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abM0synF
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abLu7Zbn
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abLpYSjY
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abLdSBUy
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abLJxAqQThe new movie “180,” with its “power of truth” is turning out to be an abortionist’s worst nightmare.
The intensely stunning new production from author, evangelist and street preacher Ray Comfort has drawn more than 600,000 views in just a few days, and hundreds more are purchasing a copy for their home.
And the reactions have been flooding in.
“I watched this today – three times,” wrote Sonya Shirk. “Each time I was overwhelmed with the power of truth. I have shared this everywhere I can think of. I can’t begin to tell you how this video has changed my perspective.”
Added another poignantly, and to the point: “Your film just led a 17-year-old girl away from abortion.”
“I am very thankful for the Internet,” Comfort told WND. “It is so often used for evil, but in this case it is being used for good. In just 10 days 180Movie.com has had over 600,000 views.
“Keep in mind that this isn’t a one-minute humorous clip that doesn’t bite into your day. This is a commitment of 33 minutes of intense film, giving the viewer a rollercoaster ride of emotions,” he said.
For those quick with math, that’s more than 12,500 days that have been dedicated to watching “180.” Or more than 34 years.
“In an age where there’s more chance of flossing the back teeth of hungry lions at the LA Zoo at feeding time than getting ‘180’ on secular television, millions are going to see it uncensored via the Internet … and many will change their minds about abortion,” he said.
Wrote one viewer, “It’s so powerful. And although I have thought about abortion and Hitler on a passing note, this really made me think and did change my mind about abortion. I am not Christian or even know if God exists but this really does make you think. Thank you, it could be life-changing.”
Another: “The day after wearing a 180movie T-shirt to school, my daughter found out fellow classmates had seen the shirt and went to the site. Several commented they had never really thought about the issue of abortion but now know it’s wrong.”
Of course, Comfort noted, there’s another perspective. He cited this comment, “You rude anti-choice pig! Pro-choice doesn’t mean pro-death; Pro-choice just means freedom for women to choose! If you don’t want abortion, don’t get one! Oh, and no one cares about that stupid 180 *$@!*! Grow up, you zombified, conservatarded hypocrite!”
“These emails make me smile, because when a person has no justification for the killing of a child in the womb, they will resort to personal abuse, something called ‘ad hominem,'” Comfort said
Skeptics may say that no one could possibly change their mind so quickly. Comfort would have shared that thought had he not seen the extraordinary changes before his own eyes.
A viewer had this to say on the “180” Facebook page: “When I first saw the link [to the video], I knew it wasn’t the best time for me to view it, so I clicked on it to watch the first five minutes. Needless to say, I did not stop viewing it to the very end.”
Many big names in Christian circles have wholeheartedly endorsed “180.”
- “Brilliant and powerful,” says Joseph Farah, CEO of WND.com
- “Riveting,” says Joni Eareckson Tada of Joni & Friends
- “You don’t view this video. You experience it!” declares Gary T Ansdell, pastor of Hosanna Christian Fellowship
Mark Hall, the lead singer for Casting Crowns, said the video rocked his world: “I dare you to watch ‘180.’”
There even have been endorsements from the unexpected.
“I’m not a fan of Ray Comfort, but I have to hand it to him, he did a great job putting this video together. As a prolife atheist, I was afraid this video was going to be arguing against abortion using Christian rhetoric once again … good job Ray, and as a pro-life atheist – I support this video!” wrote one person.
“I am a witch but am prolife and have always been. I have no desire to share the Gospel part of this but some of it seemed pretty interesting,” added another.
Evident throughout the “180” video is Comfort’s passion for exposing the abortion lie. He told WND why he has such passion for the issue.
“The taking of the life of an unborn child is murder, and for that we should all be more than concerned. We should be horrified,” he says.
He tells of a time in the 1980s when he learned about a new Christian named “Fran” who was scheduled for an abortion.
“When I found that she had already checked into a hospital, I jumped into my car, sped into the city and ran to the second floor and into her room. She was sitting on a bed and had already been given the pre-operation medication. I pleaded, ‘Please don’t do this!’
“She smiled and said, ‘It’s okay. I’m not going to have an abortion. I just prayed, God, if you don’t want me to have an abortion, make Ray Comfort come and see me.’ I didn’t have to say a thing.”
Two years later, Comfort had the privilege of seeing Fran’s child at a picnic.
“Then it dawned on me that I had been used in a small way to help save a human life,” he said.
On abortion, Comfort said, “We should all be horrified. I think that there are many people out there that want to do something to stop this horror, but they don’t know what to do.
“If they stand outside an abortion clinic and protest, the media paints them as doctor-killing, narrow-minded, hate-mongering religious bigots,” he said.
But he believes “180” has the potential to change many lives.
“It already has,” he said.
Read more: Video facts and logic becoming abortionists’ nightmare http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=352741#ixzz1abMPAwse
by: Justin Lessard
Recently, America and the world were shocked by a brutal shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Seemingly, only moments after the attack which left a security guard dead, the media began to label the shooter, suspect James von Brunn, as a “right-wing extremist” and terrorist. Suddenly the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) brought to attention the hand that was sent to every law enforcement agency in the country, before it’s recall was demanded. In the document, DHS warned law enforcement officials to be on the lookout for potential terrorists which include pro-lifers, returning war veterans, anyone who supports traditional marriage as between one man and one woman, and anyone who believes in Bible prophecy. That document available here: http://wnd.com/images/dhs-rightwing-extremism.pdf DHS has since agreed to rewrite some of the offensive and prejudice language in the letter, but as of this point, I have seen no such thing. In fact, they are referencing the retracted copies, stating that such motives prompted the shooting in question, as well as the recent assassination of abortionist George Tiller and several other isolated acts of violence throughout the nation.
What is less than ironic, and quite predictable is that the U.S. Government has once again jumped the gun and spoken without evidence. It took very little journalistic research for conservative media to determine that von Brunn is not a “right-winger”, but in fact is quite the opposite. He is not a Bible believer, stating quite clearly and publically that he finds it to be a “hoax.” Von Brunn is also a follower of Darwinism and the teachings of Adolf Hitler, citing those as his reason for his anti-Semitism. Typical of our current presidential administration, they are fast to blame the right side conservatives, painting a picture of violence where there is none, and blaming violence by their own left wingers on the other side. The following article from World Net Daily explores this further.
To visit WND, click here: http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100882
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Darwin-loving museum shooter hates Bible, Christians
Suspect in death of security guard defies easy stereotyping
Posted: June 11, 2009; 11:45 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
James von Brunn, the man who allegedly shot and killed a guard at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., was a Darwin-lover who hated the Bible and Christians, and defies media efforts to classify him as a stereotypical “right-winger,” according to reports.
The Moonbattery blog revealed von Brunn advocated the socialist policies espoused by Adolf Hitler and used Darwinian theory to support his anti-Semitism.
And in statements that later were stripped from an anti-religion website, he wrote, “The Big Lie technique, employed by Paul to create the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, also was used to create the HOLOCAUST RELIGION … CHRISTIANITY AND THE HOLOCAUST are HOAXES.”
The blog had an answer to how to classify von Brunn, who remains hospitalized after being shot while attacking and shooting a guard at the museum: “If it barks like a moonbat, it’s a moonbat.”
Von Brunn’s diatribe on religion, according to the website, included:
“The New Testament was written in Greek. Paul – who believed the World was flat, that Joshua made the sun stand still, and Jehovah spoke from a burning bush – wrote one-third of it, perhaps more. The events described in the 24 Books are often contradictory, fail the time-line, defy both archaeology’s and nature’s immutable laws, and are suicidal if practiced. Nevertheless, the shamans bought it, taught it, and the illiterate public was coerced, brainwashed, threatened, tortured, murdered, and enthralled. … The Gospels profess that only Christians may enter Yahweh’s Kingdom of Heaven. To qualify, among other demands, Christians must LOVE THEIR ENEMIES (Jews); give away their personal belongings; eschew knowledge; judge not, despise nature, abandon earthly pleasures, acknowledge that all YHWH’s children are equal; and above all else worship YHWH, the jealous, wrathful, vengeful, unforgiving, genocidal, anthropomorphic tribal god (Jesus’ father) created by Hebrews in their image and likeness. Omnipotent, omniscient YHWH promises Hebrews that they alone shall inherit the earth, that it is commendable to steal from Gentiles, better yet — kill them. Whereas Gentiles, if they fail to worship YHWH, are transported straight to Hell. And it is written, ‘A little child shall lead them.’ These dangerous, imbecilic, concepts, tenets, and teachings, often treasonous, DESTROYED the Roman Empire and drenched the soil of Europe with Aryan blood for almost 2000 years!”
According to writer Kathy Shaidle at Examiner.com, von Brunn left a trail of “unhinged” writings.
“The anti-Semitism of von Brunn is the first thing one notices when visiting these bizarre websites. However, like those of most ‘white supremacists,’ many of von Brunn’s political views track ‘Left’ rather than ‘Right.’ Clearly, a re-evaluation of these obsolete definitions is long overdue,” she wrote.
Von Brunn, for example, hated both President George H.W. Bush as well as George W. Bush, and the writer confirmed his posting “reveals a hatred of, say, big corporations that is virtually indistinguishable from that of anti-globalization activists.”
“None of this will surprise readers of Jonah Goldberg’s bestseller ‘Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Change,’ which clearly demonstrates that ‘fascism’ of the kind advocated by the British National Party (BNP) and the likes of James W. von Brunn is just as likely to reflect ‘leftwing’ views as ‘rightwing’ ones,” Shaidle wrote.
She noted anti-Semitism, in fact, is something the “New Left” and the “Far Right” have had in common since the 1980s.
“That this shooting occurred shortly after President Obama’s former mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, blamed ‘the Jews’ for his lack of access to his former parishioner is a troubling confluence of events as well,” she wrote.
She wrote that von Brunn clearly was “deeply confused,” but isn’t the “mainstream conservative and/or rightwinger currently being depicted on leftwing blogs and by liberal commentators.”
“In short, von Brunn’s connection with conservative thought and action today – be it talk radio or ‘tea parties’ – is tenuous. Those trying to puff up such ‘connections’ are acting in bad faith, out of blind partisanship – of the sort which is as corrosive to the health of the body politic as von Brunn’s own b[l]atherings,” Shaidle wrote.
On the Examiner forum page, the assessments on von Brunn ran along similar paths:
- The man is a lunatic irrespective of ideology.
- This loon is now responsible for the same number of dead as Teddy Kennedy is!
- The guy is a nut, as was the abortion [doctor] killer, and the Army recruiter killer. There is extremism across the political spectrum. Have you ever heard that stereotyping people can be unhealthy and even dangerous, and something I hope we discourage in this liberal society.
Author Jame Glazov, whose book “United in Hate: The Left’s Romance With Tyranny and Terror,” is a rising star, also has examined the links between the left and tyranny.
Glazov, who is managing editor of Frontpagemag, wrote, “As history shows, leftist beliefs have spawned mass carnage and misery. Put into practice, they have caused the deaths of millions. Until now, it has been extremely difficult for rational people who value personal freedom to understand the motivations of those who live in comfort and yet embrace monstrous dictators, ideologies, and policies that leave only death and destruction in their wake.”
Glazov in his book “presents startling new insights into the toxic beliefs and torturously contorted thought processes of the leftists who lust to destroy the very freedoms that allow them to exist.”
Glazov, a refugee from the Soviet Union, contends there is an unholy alliance between jihadists and people such as Michael Moore, Sean Penn, Ted Turner and Noam Chomsky. At the heart of the mutual admiration, he says, is a willingness to accept massive numbers of deaths to achieve their objectives.
What’s bound to be most infuriating to those Americans and many other westerners mentioned in the book is the way Glazov uses their own words to make the point.
“Not only do I think it’s possible [a Muslim-leftist alliance] but I think it is vitally necessary and I think it is happening already,” explains leftist British lawmaker George Galloway. “It is possible because the progressive movement around the world and the Muslims have the same enemies. Their enemies are the Zionist occupation, American occupation, British occupation of poor countries, mainly Muslim countries.”
The Cost of Being Christian
June 10, 2009
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3-12)
“Persecuted.” “…people insult you…” “…evil against you…”
Upon Jesus’ saying this, the outlook of being a follower of Jesus changes greatly. Prior to this, all of the “Blessed are…” verses contain instruction on being humble, merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. Then the whammy: You will be hated, pursued, bullied and harassed because of Jesus. You may die for Jesus.
To many, this is a shock to the system. Churches and evangelists often paint the picture of coming to Christ and having a peaceful, wonderful life without worry or fear. Many falsely believe that they will become a Christian and no longer have financial burden, family struggles, relationship issues, or disrespect.
Unfortunately, saying, “I’m a Christian,” is not a magical phrase that makes all needs and problems go away. Jesus never said, “I’ll make your life easy.” In fact, those last verses point to life being anything but easy. Jesus let us know that you may die for His cause, being persecuted for being righteous, by Jesus’ Godly standard. Yet, the reward is heaven. Jesus let us know that they will revile, mistreat and abuse us, and even persecute us because we belong to Jesus. Of course, the ultimate persecutions are torture and even death. And let us not forget the prophesied end-times in which all believers will be hated, sought and killed based entirely on their faith.
This is not to say that there are no benefits to being Christian. First of all, there’s heaven. We also do have immeasurable amounts of mercy upon us, peace that surpasses understanding, Spiritual gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, wisdom, etc. We are allotted blessing upon blessing for both the present life and our eternal life, all according to the Holy Spirit. The rewards always outweigh the concerns of being Christian.
What many do not understand is that being persecuted is not all bad. Surely, it is terrible for the moment. It is horrific to undergo the suffering that some brothers and sisters in Christ endure, even to this day. Yet in the end the reward is amazing. We live eternally in the presence of God; we get to look on the face of Jesus the Christ.
Jesus also said, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) He will give in return an eternal reward. A blessing that lasts not for a day, but forever. The joy is forever. The peace is unending. The harmony is eternal. The presence of the Almighty, Creator God, the Christ who died in our place, such a presence you will be in ceaselessly. These will never, ever go away. Should you suffer for Christ for your entire life of 70, 80, even 100 years, yet in ten-thousand-million years your joyous reward will have only begun.
Love Vs. Sex- A brief story of encouragement
March 5, 2009
She ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone. She wasn’t afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away.
As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked God to keep her safe from harm and danger.
When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she decided to take it.
However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her.
She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God’s protection.
Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped round her, she felt as though someone was walking with her.
When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there.
Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep.
Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station.
She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.
The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him.
She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before.
When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed.
The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her.
She asked if they would ask the man one question.
Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her.
When the policeman asked him, he answered, “Because she wasn’t alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.”
Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you’re never alone. Did you know that 98% of teenagers will not stand up for God?
PS: God is always there in your heart and loves you no matter what…..and if you stand up for Jesus, He will stand for you.
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. “ –Matthew 10:32-33
“But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” -1 Timothy 1:5
Growth- A Spiritual Look at Our Standing (or Running)
February 4, 2009
GROWTH
One of the biggest, if not the biggest problem that Christians face is a lack of growth. So many just, kind of stop. Wherever they happen to be in life, they cease going to Bible studies, and prayer meetings, and the worship thing that all your friends were going to at that other church, and… You get the idea.
I’m not saying its your fault or their fault, I’m just pointing it out. Maybe the church put the men’s group on hold for the holidays and just never picked it up again. Maybe the prayer meetings were canceled for the summer when the leader was out of town and they haven’t restarted. Maybe the worship thing is too far away, or maybe, whatever it is, just fell off your radar. That happens. Unfortunately, though, life goes on. The world continues.
The thing we need to do, is find another place to plug into. What group, activity, fellowship, etc. could-
a.) benefit from your presence;
b.) be a blessing to you;
c.) act as a continuance of your worship and/or exaltation of the Lord
The first thing to do in order to find the right fit is to find what’s missing. While you’ve been “doing your thing”, the planet has been spinning. That means that there have been multitudes of people answering God’s call without you. Thousands around the world, even millions, have been praying, fasting, worshiping, studying; all to keep up the work of the Lord. For you to plug back into that, think back. Think of the time when you feel that you were doing the most for God. Meditate on that time and remember what it was that you were active in. Was it High School? College? When you joined a new congregation? When was growth at its peak; when did you shine the brightest?
Take that time and hold it in your mind. Now, from then to today, divide that in half. For example, if my high point was 3 years ago, then my half way point is 1 ½ years ago. Measure your growth as a Christian from beginning to halfway, and from halfway to now. Which has the bigger growth? If you said the first half, then you are behind schedule. What stopped? What took place to move you from that place of substantial Spiritual growth to a stunted growth? That is what you must rectify. If you cannot return to the same group, for whatever reason, find another one that is both available and Biblical.
In some cases, it isn’t the group that had problems; it might’ve been you. Perhaps you weren’t ready to go to the next level at the time when everything else seemed to be doing just that. Perhaps the growth is in an area that you are now able to achieve. Here is a list of things that every believer should strive for. Not only to do, but to do better.
1. Forgive others freely
2. Worship God wholeheartedly
3. Be readily available and willing to witness your faith to others
4. Serve God unselfishly in any capacity
5. Give cheerfully, not just monetarily, not just materialistically, not just emotionally, but entirely
6. Generously offer encouragement
7. Be a Scriptural leader (maybe that means you lead the new Bible study)
8. Receive correction humbly
9. Accept thanks respectfully
10. Pray over others in any circumstance (even if you have to find one to pray about)
11. Discern spiritual traps, don’t give the devil an inch
12. Overcome addictions and pleasures of the world
13. Control the tongue
If you constantly work at these, you will become increasingly better equipped to serve God, your church, and others. You will notice a distinct difference in your life and the lives of people you encounter. You will be able to look back and see that the last half has had an increasingly improved Spiritual growth, and that it will continue to grow even more. The beauty of growing with God is that we never quite arrive; we just keep improving in ways that we may never have thought possible for us. Remember what Jesus said, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Don’t hesitate. Now that you know what you need, and where you need it, go to God with it. Whether you are at home or sitting in a coffee shop or online with your phone, humble yourself before God in prayer right now (or as soon as possible). Shut the door and turn your phone off for a few minutes and just talk to God. He will always welcome you back and He always has more for you. In closing, carefully read this selection of Scripture and meditate on it as you consider God’s faithfulness to His prodigal, even when that prodigal is you.
From Luke 15:
11And He said, “A man had two sons.
12“The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me ‘ So he divided his wealth between them.
13“And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.
14“Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.
15“So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16“And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.
17“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!
18‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;
19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”‘
20“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
24for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26“And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.
27“And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’
28“But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
29“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;
30but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’
(Luke 15:11-32)
Beauty of Math!
January 28, 2009
Beauty of Math!
Check this out!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn’t it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=123456789 87654321
Now, take a look at this…
101%
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here’s a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
If:
H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the Love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will
get you there, It’s the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Parking the Problem
December 5, 2008
I just wanted to randomly rant for a moment. I made an interesting connection, and wanted to share it. There is a point to this, so try to stick with me.
I had this thought as I was driving home last night. While at the coffee shop downtown, I struck up a discussion with one of the employees who knows me well by now. We talked about parking downtown, about the high cost of tickets and the lack of spaces. I mentioned how it’s a very detrimental pain to have to go through.
First of all, there is a strict limit to when you can park, and the rules of parking and times and lengths vary from block to block. Then, if you don’t move your car, you get a $20 ticket (but it goes up after a few days).
If you are mindful of the time, you have to stop what you’re doing, no matter what it is, to go do one of two things (depending on the time). 1. Put more money in the meter, or the new machine at the other end of the block (but at least it gives a receipt). 2. Move your car.
So let’s say you’re shopping downtown. You have two hours to spend your money. Now, my wife can take two hours in a store, let alone the entire mall. Or maybe you work downtown. Then you spend your break looking for a new spot or putting your paycheck into the meter. Or you could be like me, enjoying a coffee shop, researching online, and writing blogs. No matter who you are, you have to stop what you’re doing to move a car. What if there’s not a spot? Too bad. That means that every two hours (the time limit for most areas of downtown Milwaukee) I have to pack up my laptop, wrap the cords, bundle up and look for a new parking spot. If I find one, guess what happens to my table at the coffee place? Gone; and I can’t risk leaving my stuff there in case I don’t get a spot. Shopping? You only have two hours, then you can’t spend any more (or spend $20 and stay put).
Here’s what I realized: There are meetings and meetings and all kinds of public and official agendas to find out why downtown is suffering and what they can do to improve it. Here’s a thought: “Stop making it such a pain to be there!”
It seems like they want your business, but they don’t want you to be there. They put it on the news, they report it in the paper, and they send mass emails and newsletters inviting the public and a ton of agencies to rallies and conferences. They ask how they can improve the downtown economy, improve businesses, and be more inviting. They put money into painting and decorating and street repair and give businesses a start-up advantage. The solution always seems to be this: Pay for it with more parking tickets. Send out the checkers and “generate some income.” This isn’t the solution. It’s the problem.
Downtowns are suffering. Not just in Milwaukee, but all over. If you want people to be there, you have to welcome them. Why make it so difficult? Why tell someone, “You only have two hours to spend your money in our district,” and then wonder why they aren’t spending more? The mall has come very close to closing in recent years. Many businesses have gone under, and others are struggling. There is nothing wrong with the business, just the streets around them. There isn’t too much crime (although, any crime is too much). The stores are nice, the jobs are good, and the restaurants are superb. But, I don’t want to go down there.
As I dwelt on this conversation, I thought, “What if we applied that principal to the country?” America has changed. Dramatically. We have a wild generation behind us. We have higher crime, greater risk of terrorism, rampant diseases, a housing crisis, crashing stocks, massive layoffs, and an economic crisis that some are calling “unparalleled”. And what is our countries attitude? “This is America. You can do whatever you want.”
It’s true that we started out as a Christian nation. Early settlers were trying to escape religious dictatorship. Thomas Jefferson said that we should have a separation of church and state, meaning that the government should not be allowed to control religious beliefs. Of course, most of America took that the other direction, saying that we can’t mix the two. The intention was that neither would control the other.
In our country’s youth, we encouraged church, faith, family values, and a solid moral standard. We built schools for the sole purpose of teaching Scripture, using the Bible as a tool to learn to read, write, and the mathematical practices implied therein. Harvard, Yale, Notre Dame. All started as Christian schools. Now they’re liberal.
As a young, Christian country, we were blessed with farming, industry, economic stability, and an increase in population, advances in science, medicine, and technology. It didn’t take long for us to screw that up. We took the Bible out of schools, the Ten Commandments out of courtrooms, and faith off the grid. President-elect Obama once said in a public speech, “We are no longer a Christian nation.” What a shame. In the land of “freedom”, there is one group who’s being silenced- the Christians.
As we said everyone could do what they want in our wonderful free land, some said, “I want to be atheist,” and we said that it was okay. They said, “I want to be gay,” and we said that it was okay. They said, “I want to kill my unborn child because I’m not ready to have responsibility,” and we said it was okay. Then they all got together and said, “Those Christians are telling me I’m wrong.” And what did America, the land of freedom, tell the Christians? “You can’t do that. It’s not okay.” No more Bibles; no more preaching; no more commandments; no more talking about abortion; no more talking about homosexuals; no more campaigning from the public pulpit; no more evangelism anywhere; no more praying in public. In fact, you have to accept them and support them or you’ll get a fine and go to jail.”
Then September 11th happened. And the hurricanes in the gulf. And the wildfires in California. And all the people said, “Where was God?” God said, “I’m not allowed here.”
New York. Known for being liberal. A large homosexual population, widespread drug usage, gangs and violence. New York barely survived the eighties.
New Orleans. Known for the sanctified orgy called Mardi Gras, where hundreds of thousands expose themselves in shameful ways, get drunk, do drugs and brag about it with pride, often on video.
California. Known for gay marriage and bikinis. They’ve outlawed homeschooling, almost intentionally to attack Christian values. They won’t teach them in schools, and won’t allow you to teach them at home. They allow gay couples all the legal rights straight couples have. In fact, they encourage them to sue anyone who disagrees with their practices.
In every instance, people wonder why God doesn’t heed their call. If I were God, and I thank Him I’m not, I would most certainly be fed up with it. “You kick Me out and then ask Me to protect you?” Perhaps the problem with the country is the same as my parking issue: The solution is the problem.
America has taken so much pride in being “free”, that we’ve given ourselves away. We have sacrificed everything that made us great in the first place. If we don’t have a president, governors, mayors, councilmen, aldermen, representatives, and every other member of public office get down on their knees and repent, we are in for some SERIOUS trouble! They must repent of the raping of this land, the beheading of our blessing, the utter destruction of all forms of holiness, or we will see more deaths, more destruction, and we will be handed over to our enemies, both known and unseen. God promises blessing for those that follow Him. Right now, America is so far behind God, that she can’t even see His shadow. I believe that the only reason this country hasn’t been utterly obliterated is due the millions that remain faithful to Christ.
If you want this country to have a dramatic turn around to the positive, write, email and call your elected officials, all of them, and tell them that they need to repent. They need to reach out to God, ask for forgiveness, and walk uprightly according to God’s principals, and no longer their own. Then have everyone you know do the same. Should enough people ask of this, some might actually respond. Some publically, some in their own homes, out of sight. Whatever their response, we cannot sit idly by and watch our nation be handed over to darkness and evil at our leaders’ hands. Pray for your officials, contact them, and tell them how our solution might just be our problem.
Just for fun- Here’s a slice of Pi
November 18, 2008
What is Pi? Symbolized by the symol π, pi is a mathematical constant which represents the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter in Euclidean geometry, which is the same as the ratio of a circle’s area to the square of its radius
Here are the first ten thousand digits of Pi (π)
3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 5028841971 6939937510 5820974944 5923078164 0628620899 8628034825 3421170679 8214808651 3282306647 0938446095 5058223172 5359408128 4811174502 8410270193 8521105559 6446229489 5493038196 4428810975 6659334461 2847564823 3786783165 2712019091 4564856692 3460348610 4543266482 1339360726 0249141273 7245870066 0631558817 4881520920 9628292540 9171536436 7892590360 0113305305 4882046652 1384146951 9415116094 3305727036 5759591953 0921861173 8193261179 3105118548 0744623799 6274956735 1885752724 8912279381 8301194912 9833673362 4406566430 8602139494 6395224737 1907021798 6094370277 0539217176 2931767523 8467481846 7669405132 0005681271 4526356082 7785771342 7577896091 7363717872 1468440901 2249534301 4654958537 1050792279 6892589235 4201995611 2129021960 8640344181 5981362977 4771309960 5187072113 4999999837 2978049951 0597317328 1609631859 5024459455 3469083026 4252230825 3344685035 2619311881 7101000313 7838752886 5875332083 8142061717 7669147303 5982534904 2875546873 1159562863 8823537875 9375195778 1857780532 1712268066 1300192787 6611195909 2164201989 3809525720 1065485863 2788659361 5338182796 8230301952 0353018529 6899577362 2599413891 2497217752 8347913151 5574857242 4541506959 5082953311 6861727855 8890750983 8175463746 4939319255 0604009277 0167113900 9848824012 8583616035 6370766010 4710181942 9555961989 4676783744 9448255379 7747268471 0404753464 6208046684 2590694912 9331367702 8989152104 7521620569 6602405803 8150193511 2533824300 3558764024 7496473263 9141992726 0426992279 6782354781 6360093417 2164121992 4586315030 2861829745 5570674983 8505494588 5869269956 9092721079 7509302955 3211653449 8720275596 0236480665 4991198818 3479775356 6369807426 5425278625 5181841757 4672890977 7727938000 8164706001 6145249192 1732172147 7235014144 1973568548 1613611573 5255213347 5741849468 4385233239 0739414333 4547762416 8625189835 6948556209 9219222184 2725502542 5688767179 0494601653 4668049886 2723279178 6085784383 8279679766 8145410095 3883786360 9506800642 2512520511 7392984896 0841284886 2694560424 1965285022 2106611863 0674427862 2039194945 0471237137 8696095636 4371917287 4677646575 7396241389 0865832645 9958133904 7802759009 9465764078 9512694683 9835259570 9825822620 5224894077 2671947826 8482601476 9909026401 3639443745 5305068203 4962524517 4939965143 1429809190 6592509372 2169646151 5709858387 4105978859 5977297549 8930161753 9284681382 6868386894 2774155991 8559252459 5395943104 9972524680 8459872736 4469584865 3836736222 6260991246 0805124388 4390451244 1365497627 8079771569 1435997700 1296160894 4169486855 5848406353 4220722258 2848864815 8456028506 0168427394 5226746767 8895252138 5225499546 6672782398 6456596116 3548862305 7745649803 5593634568 1743241125 1507606947 9451096596 0940252288 7971089314 5669136867 2287489405 6010150330 8617928680 9208747609 1782493858 9009714909 6759852613 6554978189 3129784821 6829989487 2265880485 7564014270 4775551323 7964145152 3746234364 5428584447 9526586782 1051141354 7357395231 1342716610 2135969536 2314429524 8493718711 0145765403 5902799344 0374200731 0578539062 1983874478 0847848968 3321445713 8687519435 0643021845 3191048481 0053706146 8067491927 8191197939 9520614196 6342875444 0643745123 7181921799 9839101591 9561814675 1426912397 4894090718 6494231961 5679452080 9514655022 5231603881 9301420937 6213785595 6638937787 0830390697 9207734672 2182562599 6615014215 0306803844 7734549202 6054146659 2520149744 2850732518 6660021324 3408819071 0486331734 6496514539 0579626856 1005508106 6587969981 6357473638 4052571459 1028970641 4011097120 6280439039 7595156771 5770042033 7869936007 2305587631 7635942187 3125147120 5329281918 2618612586 7321579198 4148488291 6447060957 5270695722 0917567116 7229109816 9091528017 3506712748 5832228718 3520935396 5725121083 5791513698 8209144421 0067510334 6711031412 6711136990 8658516398 3150197016 5151168517 1437657618 3515565088 4909989859 9823873455 2833163550 7647918535 8932261854 8963213293 3089857064 2046752590 7091548141 6549859461 6371802709 8199430992 4488957571 2828905923 2332609729 9712084433 5732654893 8239119325 9746366730 5836041428 1388303203 8249037589 8524374417 0291327656 1809377344 4030707469 2112019130 2033038019 7621101100 4492932151 6084244485 9637669838 9522868478 3123552658 2131449576 8572624334 4189303968 6426243410 7732269780 2807318915 4411010446 8232527162 0105265227 2111660396 6655730925 4711055785 3763466820 6531098965 2691862056 4769312570 5863566201 8558100729 3606598764 8611791045 3348850346 1136576867 5324944166 8039626579 7877185560 8455296541 2665408530 6143444318 5867697514 5661406800 7002378776 5913440171 2749470420 5622305389 9456131407 1127000407 8547332699 3908145466 4645880797 2708266830 6343285878 5698305235 8089330657 5740679545 7163775254 2021149557 6158140025 0126228594 1302164715 5097925923 0990796547 3761255176 5675135751 7829666454 7791745011 2996148903 0463994713 2962107340 4375189573 5961458901 9389713111 7904297828 5647503203 1986915140 2870808599 0480109412 1472213179 4764777262 2414254854 5403321571 8530614228 8137585043 0633217518 2979866223 7172159160 7716692547 4873898665 4949450114 6540628433 6639379003 9769265672 1463853067 3609657120 9180763832 7166416274 8888007869 2560290228 4721040317 2118608204 1900042296 6171196377 9213375751 1495950156 6049631862 9472654736 4252308177 0367515906 7350235072 8354056704 0386743513 6222247715 8915049530 9844489333 0963408780 7693259939 7805419341 4473774418 4263129860 8099888687 4132604721 5695162396 5864573021 6315981931 9516735381 2974167729 4786724229 2465436680 0980676928 2382806899 6400482435 4037014163 1496589794 0924323789 6907069779 4223625082 2168895738 3798623001 5937764716 5122893578 6015881617 5578297352 3344604281 5126272037 3431465319 7777416031 9906655418 7639792933 4419521541 3418994854 4473456738 3162499341 9131814809 2777710386 3877343177 2075456545 3220777092 1201905166 0962804909 2636019759 8828161332 3166636528 6193266863 3606273567 6303544776 2803504507 7723554710 5859548702 7908143562 4014517180 6246436267 9456127531 8134078330 3362542327 8394497538 2437205835 3114771199 2606381334 6776879695 9703098339 1307710987 0408591337 4641442822 7726346594 7047458784 7787201927 7152807317 6790770715 7213444730 6057007334 9243693113 8350493163 1284042512 1925651798 0694113528 0131470130 4781643788 5185290928 5452011658 3934196562 1349143415 9562586586 5570552690 4965209858 0338507224 2648293972 8584783163 0577775606 8887644624 8246857926 0395352773 4803048029 0058760758 2510474709 1643961362 6760449256 2742042083 2085661190 6254543372 1315359584 5068772460 2901618766 7952406163 4252257719 5429162991 9306455377 9914037340 4328752628 8896399587 9475729174 6426357455 2540790914 5135711136 9410911939 3251910760 2082520261 8798531887 7058429725 9167781314 9699009019 2116971737 2784768472 6860849003 3770242429 1651300500 5168323364 3503895170 2989392233 4517220138 1280696501 1784408745 1960121228 5993716231 3017114448 4640903890 6449544400 6198690754 8516026327 5052983491 8740786680 8818338510 2283345085 0486082503 9302133219 7155184306 3545500766 8282949304 1377655279 3975175461 3953984683 3936383047 4611996653 8581538420 5685338621 8672523340 2830871123 2827892125 0771262946 3229563989 8989358211 6745627010 2183564622 0134967151 8819097303 8119800497 3407239610 3685406643 1939509790 1906996395 5245300545 0580685501 9567302292 1913933918 5680344903 9820595510 0226353536 1920419947 4553859381 0234395544 9597783779 0237421617 2711172364 3435439478 2218185286 2408514006 6604433258 8856986705 4315470696 5747458550 3323233421 0730154594 0516553790 6866273337 9958511562 5784322988 2737231989 8757141595 7811196358 3300594087 3068121602 8764962867 4460477464 9159950549 7374256269 0104903778 1986835938 1465741268 0492564879 8556145372 3478673303 9046883834 3634655379 4986419270 5638729317 4872332083 7601123029 9113679386 2708943879 9362016295 1541337142 4892830722 0126901475 4668476535 7616477379 4675200490 7571555278 1965362132 3926406160 1363581559 0742202020 3187277605 2772190055 6148425551 8792530343 5139844253 2234157623 3610642506 3904975008 6562710953 5919465897 5141310348 2276930624 7435363256 9160781547 8181152843 6679570611 0861533150 4452127473 9245449454 2368288606 1340841486 3776700961 2071512491 4043027253 8607648236 3414334623 5189757664 5216413767 9690314950 1910857598 4423919862 9164219399 4907236234 6468441173 9403265918 4044378051 3338945257 4239950829 6591228508 5558215725 0310712570 1266830240 2929525220 1187267675 6220415420 5161841634 8475651699 9811614101 0029960783 8690929160 3028840026 9104140792 8862150784 2451670908 7000699282 1206604183 7180653556 7252532567 5328612910 4248776182 5829765157 9598470356 2226293486 0034158722 9805349896 5022629174 8788202734 2092222453 3985626476 6914905562 8425039127 5771028402 7998066365 8254889264 8802545661 0172967026 6407655904 2909945681 5065265305 3718294127 0336931378 5178609040 7086671149 6558343434 7693385781 7113864558 7367812301 4587687126 6034891390 9562009939 3610310291 6161528813 8437909904 2317473363 9480457593 1493140529 7634757481 1935670911 0137751721 0080315590 2485309066 9203767192 2033229094 3346768514 2214477379 3937517034 4366199104 0337511173 5471918550 4644902636 5512816228 8244625759 1633303910 7225383742 1821408835 0865739177 1509682887 4782656995 9957449066 1758344137 5223970968 3408005355 9849175417 3818839994 4697486762 6551658276 5848358845 3142775687 9002909517 0283529716 3445621296 4043523117 6006651012 4120065975 5851276178 5838292041 9748442360 8007193045 7618932349 2292796501 9875187212 7267507981 2554709589 0455635792 1221033346 6974992356 3025494780 2490114195 2123828153 0911407907 3860251522 7429958180 7247162591 6685451333 1239480494 7079119153 2673430282 4418604142 6363954800 0448002670 4962482017 9289647669 7583183271 3142517029 6923488962 7668440323 2609275249 6035799646 9256504936 8183609003 2380929345 9588970695 3653494060 3402166544 3755890
The ‘Hot Topic’ Issue- ABORTION
October 19, 2008
Its one of the hottest and most frequently fought about issue surrounding our politics. Millions of people, and almost every “Eveangelical” votes pro-life. While some argue that a woman has the right not to be pregnant, most agree that a baby shouldn’t die for her comfort. (Try saying ‘no’ next time.) The information I have gathered here comes mostly from the web site http://abort73.com, which I highly recommend. They have very little commentary and a lot of fact. The facts are brutal, cold and honest. This is purely statistical, so there is really no room for argument here. Still, feel free to comment, whether you support life or not.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
WHAT IS PERSONHOOD?
(From http://abort73.com )
There are essentially two issues which must be resolved concerning unborn embryos and fetuses. The first is, “Are they human beings?” The second is, “Should they be recognized as persons under the law?” We’ve already established that there is no debate on the first question. It is a matter of plain, objective science. Embryos and fetuses are fully and individually human from the moment of fertilization on. If this were not true, if unborn children were not demonstrably human, there would be no need to even talk about rights of personhood. “Removing a fetus” would be the moral equivalent of pulling a tooth. This, however, is not the case, and so the debate must now enter the political arena.
There is a very real sense in which the need to answer this second question is, in itself, an absurdity. If you look up the word “person” in your average dictionary (we’ll use Webster’s), you’ll find something like this:
Person n. A human being.
A person, simply put, is a human being. This fact should be enough. The intrinsic humanity of unborn children, by definition, makes them persons and should, therefore, guarantee their protection under the law. For more than thirty years, however, this has not been the case. The situation we are left with is this. In America today, there is a huge and singular group of living human beings who have no protection under the law and are being killed en masse every day. Is that not astounding?! It is astounding, but not wholly unprecedented.
There have been at least two other instances in American history in which specific groups of human beings were stripped of their rights of personhood as a means of justifying their horrible mistreatment. African-Americans and Native-Americans both felt the brunt of a system which denied their humanity, stripped their personhood and subjected them to horrors beyond measure. While the legal framework that made such injustice possible has now been removed, it remains firmly in place for unborn Americans.
There remains one, and only one, group of human beings in the U.S. today for which being human is not enough. The inconvenience of their existence has resulted in a legal loophole of shameful proportions. What is a person? A person is a human being (unless, of course, you haven’t been born yet, in which case we’ll define personhood in any way possible so as to exclude you, kill you and forget you).
Welcome to America.
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
Since abortion advocates must concede that abortion kills a living human being, many try arguing that embryos and early fetuses aren’t developed enough to be morally significant. The following timeline will help put such claims in better perspective.
FERTILIZATION
At the moment of fertilization, a new and unique human being comes into existence with its own distinct genetic code. Twenty-three chromosomes from the mother and twenty-three chromosomes from the father combine to result in a brand-new and totally unique genetic combination. Whereas the heart, lungs, and hair of a woman all share the same genetic code, her unborn child, from the moment of fertilization, has a separate genetic code that is all its own. There is enough information in this tiny zygote to control human growth and development for the rest of its life.
EIGHT DAYS (from fertilization)
At about eight days after conception, the fertilized ovum (called a blastocyst) implants in the lining of the uterus. It emits chemical substances which weaken the woman’s immune system within the uterus so that this tiny “foreign” body is not rejected by the woman’s body.
THREE WEEKS (from fertilization)
By the third week of pregnancy (approximately 21 days after fertilization), the heart begins to beat, pumping blood throughout the body, and the brain begins dividing into three primary sections (forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain).
FOUR WEEKS (from fertilization)
Arms and legs begin taking shape at four weeks, and the embryo is now surrounded and protected by the amniotic sac.
FIVE WEEKS (from fertilization)
Permanent kidneys appear during the fifth week, and the external portions of the ear begin to differentiate. Hands and wrists are also beginning to take shape.
SIX WEEKS (from fertilization)
By the sixth week, the brain emits waves which register on an EEG (electroencephalogram). This is the legal standard for determining if someone is alive after birth. The heartbeat can be heard with an ultrasonic stethoscope, the embryo responds reflexively to stimulus and may be able to feel pain. Bone ossification begins at this point as well.
SEVEN WEEKS (from fertilization)
Startle responses can be observed after 7 weeks, and female ovaries are now identifiable. Fingers and toes are now distinctly separated, and knee joints are present.
EIGHT WEEKS (from fertilization)
By the eighth week of pregnancy, every organ is present and in place. Ninety percent of the structures found in an adult human being can now be found in this tiny embryo which is only about an inch and a half long. The brain, at this point, makes up almost half of the embryo’s total body weight, and 75% of 8-week embryos demonstrate right-hand dominance. Intermittent breathing motions (though there is no air present in the uterus) occur, the kidneys begin producing urine, and male testes are releasing testosterone. As the skin thickens, it loses much of its transparency.
NINE WEEKS (from fertilization)
The eyelids close at this point, and fetuses are now capable of sucking their thumb, swallowing amniotic fluid, grasping objects and responding to touch. The uterus can be recognized in female fetuses and external genitalia become more recognizable.
TEN WEEKS (from fertilization)
Fingernails, toenails and unique fingerprints all appear .
TWENTY-ONE WEEKS (from fertilization)
Viability generally begins at 21-weeks (barely 1/2 of full gestation) when a baby has a 15% chance of survival outside the womb.
BIRTH
The fetus initiates labor by stimulating the adrenal cortex to secrete a hormone that induces the mother’s uterus to begin contracting. It is the fetus who determines when it’s time for birth.
ABORTION TECHNIQUES
Abortion is not a benign procedure. It is the violent and unnatural destruction of a living human being. Listed below you will find information on the various methods used to “terminate a pregnancy”.
Suction Aspiration or Vacuum Aspiration Abortion (See images A-C below):
Suction Aspiration abortion (also called Vacuum Aspiration) is the most common abortion procedure in practice today. About 90% of all abortions happen in the first trimester, and this method accounts for the vast majority of those first trimester abortions. For the procedure to begin, the woman’s cervix must be manually dilated with a series of rods to allow for the insertion of a hollow plastic tube with a sharp cutting-tip. This tube is connected to a suction machine that is able to pull the tiny embryo or fetus apart (killing him or her in the process). The remains are sucked out of the mother and deposited into a collection canister. The placenta must then be cut away from the inner wall of the woman’s uterus before it, too, can be sucked into a collection bottle. Suction Aspiration Abortions are not generally performed before the 7th week or after the 15th.
This is how the procedure is described by a typical abortion provider.
Medical Abortion (like Mifepristone / RU-486):
Recently, non-surgical abortion techniques have increased in frequency, but have not taken hold like many predicted. Medical abortions are a two-step procedure, generally requiring three trips to an abortion facility, and can be performed on embryos in the first six or seven weeks of pregnancy. Patients that smoke, have asthma, high blood pressure or are obese cannot take the necessary drugs for a medical abortion. Those that do qualify begin the process by taking the first pill (RU-486 or mifepristone) to block the hormone (progesterone) that maintains the uterus‘ nutrient lining during pregnancy. Once the uterus is compromised, the embryo starves and dies. Two days later, the woman returns to the abortion facility for a dose of misoprostol to initiate uterine contractions. Most women will expel the dead embryo within four hours of taking the second drug. The final visit must take place two weeks later to ensure that the abortion has taken place. If it hasn’t, which is true in 5-10% of all cases*, a surgical abortion will then be required.
This is how the procedure is described by a typical abortion provider.
This is one abortion provider’s comparison between medical abortion and suction abortion.
* Élisabeth Aubeny and É.É.Baulieu, “Contragestion with Ru 486 and an orally active prostaglandin,” C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris (III), Vol. 312 (1991), pp. 539-545, obtained a 95% completion rate with women 49 days amenorrhea or less. Carolyn McKinley, et al, “The effect of dose of mifepristone and gestation on the efficacy of medical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol,” Hum. Reproduc., Vol. 8 (1993), pp. 1502-1503, obtained a completion rate of 89.1% for women 50-63 days amenorrhea.
Dilation & Curettage (D&C) or Sharp Curettage Abortion:
In a Dilation & Curettage abortion, a sharp curette is used to dismember and remove the embryo or fetus from the mother’s uterus (instead of the suction cannula used in the above procedure). The curette is inserted directly into the mother’s uterus and used to scrape, first, the baby and then the placenta out of the uterus and through the cervix. Bleeding is generally profuse. Dilation & Curettage may also be used in non-abortive circumstances to treat abnormal uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, etc.
Dilation and Evacuation (D and E) Abortion (see A-D images below):
Dilation and Evacuation is a 2nd trimester abortion procedure. For the procedure to take place, the woman’s cervix must first be dilated, usually with laminaria, over a two or three day period prior to the abortion. Laminaria sticks are made of sterilized and compressed seaweed that can be inserted into a woman’s cervix. Here, they begin expanding from moisture absorption, resulting in an enlarged cervix. When the woman returns for the actual abortion to take place, forceps are inserted through the enlarged cervix into the uterus. The abortion provider then uses the forceps instrument to dismember the fetus by seizing a leg or arm and twisting it until it tears off and can be pulled out of the uterus. This will continue until only the head remains. Finally the skull is crushed and also pulled out. The body parts must then be reassembled to ensure that the entire baby has been removed.
This is how the procedure is described by a typical abortion provider.
Saline Injection Abortion:
Dilation & Evacuation abortions have largely replaced the saline variety). Their extreme risk to the mother has removed them from common practice today. In saline abortions, done after the 16th week, a large needle is inserted through the woman’s abdominal wall and into the baby’s amniotic sac. A concentrated salt solution is injected into the amniotic fluid resulting in acute hypernatremia or acute salt poisoning. The baby breathes in and swallows the solution and is usually dead within a couple hours. Dehydration, hemorrhaging of the brain, organ failure, and burned skin also contribute to the fetus’ demise. The mother generally goes into labor the next day and delivers a dead baby.
Dilation and Extraction (D and X) / Partial Birth Abortion:
Dilation and Extraction (often called partial birth abortion) is used during the 2nd or 3rd trimester and is usually performed on a viable baby. The Ultrasound-guided procedure is essentially the breach delivery of a live baby. Forceps, inserted through the cervical canal, are used to position the fetus so that it can be delivered feet first and face down. The child’s body is then pulled through the birth canal, but the head (too large to pass through the cervix) is left inside. With arms and legs exposed (and likely flailing), the abortion provider then inserts blunt surgical scissors into the base of the fetal skull and spreads the tips apart. A suction catheter is inserted into the skull and the brain is sucked out. The skull collapses until the baby’s head can pass through the cervix.
Degree of Dependency:
One of the favorite rationales abortion advocates have for stripping embryos and fetuses of their rights of personhood is this issue of dependency. “Since a fetus can’t survive on its own,” they argue, “it has no inherent right to life”. What’s the problem with this argument? It could just as easily be extended to cover the whole of humanity. There isn’t a person alive anywhere who is radically independent from this biosphere in which we live. We are all dependent beings. Some of us are less dependent than others, but we are all dependent. The differences in dependencies that separate fetuses from the rest of us are differences of degree, not of kind.
We must never forget that newborn babies, too, are utterly dependent upon their parents for survival. They are helpless and will die if left to themselves. Such dependency doesn’t make them non-persons, and it shouldn’t make unborn children non-persons either. Human beings outside the womb who must rely on kidney machines or pace-makers or insulin shots for their survival do not lose their rights of personhood for such dependency. Neither should human beings inside the womb lose their rights of personhood for being dependent upon an umbilical cord for their survival.
What is most absurd about this whole line of thinking is the fact that dependency should merit more protection under the law, not less! This kind of reasoning is an utter perversion of the natural parental instinct. The younger and more dependent a child is, the more care and compassion we have for them. The U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention expresses it well when they say, “Homicides are always tragic, but our sympathies are heightened when the victim is a young child or adolescent. Thus, the deaths of juveniles raise understandable public concerns.” The nation is far more outraged at violence directed towards children than at violence directed towards other adults. The reason is simple. Children are more helpless, and less capable of defending themselves. And the younger the child is the truer this becomes. How we ever got to the place of using dependency against children rather than for children is a tragedy of staggering proportions.
ABORTION STATISTICS:
Abortion statistics in the U.S. is only available from two sources, privately from The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) and federally from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Since Alaska, California and New Hampshire do not provide abortion data to the federal government, and since California accounts for more abortions than any other state in the U.S, the CDC numbers are not complete. AGI, on the other hand, is the research arm of Planned Parenthood, the world’s largest abortion provider. While their data is helpful, they certainly have a position and agenda in regard to abortion. The following information has been gleaned from both sources and should give you a better idea of the frequency and distribution of abortion statistics.
ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS
- In 2005 (the most recent year for which there is reliable data), approximately 1.21 million abortions took place in the U.S., down from an estimated 1.29 million in 2002, 1.31 million in 2000 and 1.36 million in 1996. From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions have occurred in the U.S. (AGI).
- In 2004, the highest number of reported legal induced abortions occurred in Florida (91,710), NYC (91,673), and Texas (74,801); the fewest occurred in Wyoming (12), South Dakota (814), and Idaho (963) (CDC).
- There are 43 abortions per 1,000 live births in Idaho and 770 abortions for every 1,000 live births in NYC (CDC).
- Overall, the annual number of legal induced abortions in the United States increased gradually from 1973 until it peaked in 1990, and it generally declined thereafter (CDC).
- In 1998, the last year for which estimates were made, more than 23% of legal induced abortions were performed in California (CDC).
- The abortion rate in the United States was higher than recent rates reported for Canada and Western European countries and lower than rates reported for China, Cuba, the majority of Eastern European countries, and certain Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (CDC).
- The national legal induced abortion ratio increased from 196 abortions per 1,000 live births in 1973 to 358 abortions per 1,000 in 1979 and remained nearly stable through 1981. The ratio peaked at 364 abortions per 1,000 live births in 1984 and since then has demonstrated a generally steady decline. In 2001, the abortion ratio was 246 abortions per 1,000 live births (for the states that reported, a 0.4% increase from 2000 (CDC).
- Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended; about 4 in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion. (AGI).
WHO HAS ABORTIONS?
- 82% of all abortions are performed on unmarried women (CDC).
- The abortion ratio for unmarried women is 572 abortions for every 1,000 live births. For married women it is 65 abortions for every 1,000 live births (CDC).
- Women between the ages of 20-24 obtained 33% of all abortions (CDC).
- 50% of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25; women aged 20-24 obtain 33% of all U.S. abortions and teenagers obtain 17% (AGI).
- Adolescents under 15 years obtained less than 1% of all abortions, but have the highest abortion ratio, 744 abortions for every 1,000 live births (CDC).
- 47% of women who have abortions had at least one previous abortion (AGI).
- Black women are more than 4.8 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are 2.7 times as likely (AGI).
- 43% of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% identify themselves as Catholic (AGI).
WHY ARE ABORTIONS PERFORMED?
- On average, women give at least 3 reasons for choosing abortion: 3/4 say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities; about 3/4 say they cannot afford a child; and 1/2 say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner (AGI).
WHEN DO ABORTIONS OCCUR?
- 87% of all abortions happen during the first trimester, prior to the at 13th week (AGI/CDC).
HOW ARE ABORTIONS PERFORMED?
- 95% of abortions were known to have been performed by curettage (which includes dilatation and evacuation [D&E]). Most curettage abortions are suction procedures(CDC).
- Hysterectomy and hysterotomy were used in less than 1% of all abortions (CDC).
- Medical abortions make up approximately 3% of all abortions reported (CDC).
WHO IS PERFORMING ABORTIONS?
- The number of abortion providers declined by 11% between 1996 and 2000 (from 2,042 to 1,819). It declined another 2% between 2000 and 2005 (from 1,819 to 1,787) (AGI).
- Forty percent of providers offer very early abortions (during the first four weeks’ gestation) and 96% offer abortion at eight weeks. Sixty-seven percent of providers offer at least some second-trimester abortion services (13 weeks or later), and 20% offer abortion after 20 weeks. Only 8% of all abortion providers offer abortions at 24 weeks (AGI).
ABORTION FATALITY
- In 2000 (the most recent year for which data are available), 11 women died as a result of complications from known legal induced abortion (CDC).
- The number of deaths attributable to legal induced abortion was highest before the 1980s (CDC).
- In 1972 (the year before abortion was federally legalized), a total of 24 women died from causes known to be associated with legal abortions, and 39 died as a result of known illegal abortions (CDC).
THE COST OF ABORTION
- In 2005, the cost of a nonhospital abortion with local anesthesia at 10 weeks of gestation ranged from $90 to $1,800, and the average amount paid was $413 (AGI).
MEDICAL ABORTION
- In 2005, 57% of abortion providers, or 1,026 facilities, provided one or more types of medical abortions, a 70% increase from the first half of 2001. At least 10% of nonhospital abortion providers offer only medication abortion services (AGI).
- In 2005, an estimated 161,100 early medication abortions were performed in nonhospital facilities (AGI).
- Medication abortion accounted for 13% of all abortions, and 22% of abortions before nine weeks’ gestation, in 2005 (AGI).
ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTION
- Induced abortions usually result from unintended pregnancies, which often occur despite the use of contraception (CDC).
- 54% of women having abortions used a contraceptive method during the month they became pregnant. Amont those women, 76% of pill users and 49% of condom users reported using the methods inconsistently, while 13% of pill users and 14% of condom users reported correct use (AGI).
- 8% of women having abortions have never used a method of birth control (AGI).
- 9 in 10 women at risk of unintended pregnancy are using a contraceptive method (AGI).
ABORTION AND MINORS
- 40% of minors having an abortion report that neither of their parents knew about the abortion (AGI).
- 35 states currently enforce parental consent or notification laws for minors seeking an abortion: AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA,WI, WV, and WY. The Supreme Court ruled that minors must have the alternative of seeking a court order authorizing the procedure (AGI).
ABORTION AND PUBLIC FUNDS
- The U.S. Congress has barred the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for abortions, except when the woman’s life would be endangered by a full-term pregnancy or in cases of rape or incest (AGI).
· 17 states (AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MA, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA and WV) do use public funds to pay for abortions for some poor women. About 14% of all abortions in the United States are paid for with public funds (virtually all from the state) (AGI).
WHY DOES HUMAN LIFE MATTER?
You can only get so far in the abortion debate before you eventually run up against the bigger and overarching question of human existence. This is a good thing. We would do well to think more deeply about what it means to be human and why human life is significant. Virtually every pro-life argument hangs on the notion that the humanity of unborn children qualifies them for recognition and protection. Pro-lifers can argue this way because our country, both in law and practice, places a unique value upon human life, giving us rights that transcend those of all other life forms.
Nevertheless, while our society clearly operates on the premise that there is something special, unique and noble in being human, the philosophical basis for such a conclusion grows increasingly vague. Almost everyone lives on the assumption that human life does matter, but if you press them, very few are able to tell you why. Even the earth-worshippers who decry the destructive environmental influence of the human species rarely put their rhetoric into action and actually kill themselves. People can say (as some have) that human beings are no more valuable than slugs, but nobody really lives like that. We are all born with the innate conviction that our life does matter. It is only the rationale for such persuasion that we need work on.
Ultimately, human life matters because God matters, and God is the author of human life (Genesis 2:7). The unique significance of human existence does not stop here, though. Not only did God create human beings, but Genesis 1:26-27 and James 3:9 tell us that God created us in His own image. This is huge. It is an honor and responsibility bestowed upon no other creature in all the universe. Even the angels, while bearing a moral responsibility similar to human beings (though without the opportunity for redemption) are never said to have been made in the image of God.
Those who argue against the transcendent value of human life often do so on a genetic basis, pointing out that humans, in terms of our physical make up, are roughly 95% identical to Chimpanzees. This misses the point entirely. Humans are not physically or genetically superior to the rest of the planet, we are “spiritually” superior, for the simple fact that God made us in His image. It is not an external likeness (God is Spirit and has no body), but rather an internal, moral, spiritual and relational likeness. The very ability to ponder the essence of existence is itself a manifestation of this reality.
It is not the raw genetic material which gives human beings significance, it is the unique attention given to us by our Creator. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is not valued for the pigment that makes it up but rather for the form given it by a master craftsman. Human value, in the same way, is a combination of the supreme worth of Him who created us and the place we hold in the body of His creative work. We can be assured that any painting Michelangelo ever produced, no matter what the aesthetic merit, would be extremely valuable today for the mere fact that Michelangelo painted it. Likewise, everything that God creates has value simply because God is God, but humans, like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, stand out as the pinnacle of God’s creation. As such, human beings have a value which goes well beyond the rest of God’s creative work.
For those who refuse to believe that God is the author and creator of human life, they have no basis for assigning to human beings any special significance. The secular, humanist worldview has no answer for why human life matters. The only answer it can give us is that life doesn’t matter. We are all just random accidents whose life is not a result of thought or design, but rather of blind chance. Human existence could have just as easily never happened as happened. This has been taught in most public schools for the last few decades, but despite the massive endorsement it receives from the academic community, evolution is a worldview that people can accept in theory but not in practice. Evolutionists the world over still manage to live their lives on the assumption that life matters, that life is good, and there is a reason for their being. Even animal rights advocates expect of humanity what they do not expect from the animal kingdom at large. When they urge their fellow humans to refrain from eating meat and to refrain from hunting or killing animals, they demand a type of behavior which certainly isn’t kept among the carnivorous “lower” animals. Such expectation reveals something. It reveals that for all their talk of animal equality, they know that humans are qualitatively different.
The reason that so many people reject the plain biblical explanation of human origins and human significance is because of the moral requirement inherent in such acceptance. Anyone who yields to the authority of the Bible must concede that every human being to ever live is morally accountable to a Holy and perfect Judge. Moral culpability, in fact, is one of the major dividing lines between man and beast. Unlike the rest of the world’s creations, humans were created with the freedom to rebel against their Creator, and Genesis tells us that this rebellion began at the very outset of human history. Deep-down, underneath all of the baggage and all of the humanist ideology, all of us, atheists and agnostics alike, know there is a God. Scripture makes it clear.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Romans 1:18-25
The natural man, man left to his own devices, will always suppress the truth about God, so as to pursue his own selfish appetites. Those whom God does not rescue from such pursuits are eventually given over completely to them. They suppress the truth about God until they cease to believe in Him altogether. Ironically, it is not the hedonistic drive, itself, that has led so many souls to damnation. Souls are condemned not for seeking pleasure, but for pursuing it in the sinful wastelands that have no capacity to satisfy the human soul. Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis notes that:
If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the reward promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.1
In the end, the value of one human soul transcends the value of the whole of the material universe. One human soul is more valuable than the Sistine chapel and all of Michelango’s other work put together. One human soul is more valuable than all the art and the architecture and jewels and precious metals the world has ever known. This is true not because humans are further along the evolutionary chain, but because we were created in the very image of God and will exist for the rest of eternity either in heaven or hell. If you reject this premise, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to find a sufficient basis for condemning the killing of unborn human children. Of course, such rejection also makes it impossible to condemn the killing of human beings in general. Without an absolute moral standard, even the most heinous “evil” in the universe, by definition, ceases to exist. We can’t have it both ways. Either God made us and assigned to us a special value, or God didn’t make us, and human life is utterly meaningless.
Referances:
http://www.wrtl.org/ Wisconsin Right to Life
http://abort73.com Abort73
http://www.abortionthefacts.com/ The facts of abortion are explained at this helpful site. You’ll find photos of fetal development, resources and links all compiled by O’Meara Life Resources.
http://www.aspi.wisc.edu/ The Alliance of State Pain Initiatives (ASPI) is a network of state-based Pain Initiative organizations that work to remove the barriers that impede pain relief through education, advocacy and institutional improvement. Dedicated to improving the care of persons experiencing pain, the ASPI website has several helpful brochures available including, Eight Facts about Cancer Pain and Cancer Pain Can Be Relieved.
http://www.123givelife.com/ Afraid you might be pregnant? 123GiveLife can help you find a pregnancy help center in a Wisconsin city near you.
http://www.christianliferesources.com/ Maintained by Christian Life Resources this helpful website is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
http://www.lifenews.com/ Pro-life news and headlines collected and displayed daily on their home page and available via free email subscription.
http://www.nursesforlife.org/ NAPN is a not-for-profit organization uniting nurses who seek excellence in nurturing and caring for all, including the unborn, newborn, disabled, mentally and/or physically ill, the aged and the dying.
http://www.nrlc.org/ National Right to Life State Affiliates – To find links to each of the state affiliates of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC)
http://www.standupgirl.com/ features Becky, who tells how she dealt with her unexpected pregnancy. The site also features an “Inside Scene,” which gives the visitor a beautiful in utero tour of the developing baby.
http://www.teenbreaks.com/ Teen abortion experiences, facts, stats, complications, survivors. Think you might be pregnant? Dating, hooking up? There’s a special section just for guys! Do you have questions about pregnancy, abortion, adoption or cutting? You owe it to yourself to check out TeenBreaks.com!
http://sites.google.com/a/wrtl.org/wisconsin-teens-for-life/ The home page for Wisconsin Teens for Life. Find info, a newsletter, leadership training events, cool stuff and fun for Wisconsin teens.
Recommended in the Milwaukee area:
October 10, 2008
You know you want a clean house. Here’s someone I truly believe in. This company is honest, reliable, and worthy of my posting a blog about them. If you are in Milwaukee, Washington, Waukesha, Racine, or any of the nearby counties, check them out.
They are NeatNiks! Visit them at http://neatniks.wordpress.com and read their info! They have some great ads.
To the Unbeliever
October 1, 2008
Christians. Bible-Huggers. Born-Agains. Religious Nuts. Holy-Rollers. I’ve been called them all. And, yeah. I’m one of ‘em. I am a Christian. With that statement is usually followed, by non-believers and self-described heathens, with a list of my shortcomings.
“Well, if you’re a Christian, then how come you….?”
How come I what? Smoked? Drank? Fornicated? Had a porno when I was 18? Screwed a girl who’s last name I didn’t know? If I’m a Christian, WHAT??
Since we’re on it, you do the same and claim no moral basis whatsoever. You do it and you’re proud of it. So then, why are you judging me? I’m the one with the, as you put it, impossible standard. I should be judging, shouldn’t I? But then, I never claimed to be perfect, or to have it all together. But the fact is, I’m trying. And when I make a mistake, I have what’s called “remorse” for what I’ve done. I am genuinely sorry when I screw up or have a lapse in judgment. So what do I do? I pick myself up and try again.
Either way, yeah, I’m a Christian and I’m into the whole “God thing”. Yes, I’m reading the Bible, and I sure will quote it to you. Yes, I quit doing a few of the things I used to do, then a few more.
Why is it that you, a non-believer, non-Christian (or atheist, Satanist, pagan, wiccan, agnostic, etc.) are so concerned with my new life?
Is it that you don’t want me to have godly standards? Is it that you like me better when I’m a drunk? Or when I’m high? Do you like when I steal things? Swear? Listen to music about sex, and grinding hot, sweaty body parts against total strangers? The music about “tappin’ hoes” and getting stoned? You like when I’m like that?
Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, you feel that, when I quote the Bible, or display an act of Christianity, could it be that YOU feel convicted? Maybe it is that way. Maybe it should be. Maybe, when I take on a lifestyle of complete peace, feeling the love that no person can ever give, when I decide its not good to get wasted, trashed, high, screwed, or chance being busted- maybe that’s good for ME. I like feeling good. Not “good” like a crack binge, or temporary buzz that goes away leaving me feel like human waste, but good in the sense that there is actually a bigger purpose to life, a God out there who actually loves me as though I was perfect. I like feeling like I’m doing the right thing, not just my thing. And maybe my God, who I know is real, wants you to feel that way too. Whatever your argument is, He already sent me and every other Bible-toting, cross-wearing, Scripture-quoting Christian your way. There’s a Bible in almost every book store, a church on almost every corner. The little flyer you found on the counter in the public bathroom, the billboards, the TV channel that EVERYONE gets with preacher after preacher telling you that Jesus loves you.
You know what I hear? “If God loved me, He’d…”
You know something? He already has. You know how? Everything I’ve just mentioned is getting to you. That’s the conviction of the Holy Spirit. You will either fight it and become even more embittered, or you will accept it.
If you can say that I, and the millions of others who have GENUINELY felt the very presence and love of God are wrong, then quit here. If you can push past your pride and selfishness, keep going. If you feel that I might be right in some way, carry on.
Jesus lived. That’s a fact. Some 2000 years ago, He walked the earth and taught great things. It didn’t end there.