Heaping tragedy upon tragedy

There were a number of tragedies that became starkly apparent on Sunday, June 7th when abortionist George Tiller was murdered. It is a tragedy that someone unjustifiably took the law into his own hands and shot George Tiller. It is a tragedy that this man sat in attendance among people who claim the name of Christ and apparently was never called to account (perhaps he was but the fact that he served as an usher suggests otherwise). It is a tragedy that because of the random, unlawful actions of one man that the cause of those who are seeking to outlaw abortion is made harder and perhaps inadvertently more innocent children will lose their lives instead of being saved.

Another tragedy is predictably unfolding as those who adhere to the cult of “choice” are rushing to use this tragedy as an excuse to slander those who oppose murder by linking everyone on the pro-life side with extremists like Scott Roeder or the Taliban. Clearly to any rational person there is no linkage between people seeking peaceful change via changed hearts and the ballot versus those who endorse public beatings and beheadings. That obvious fact has not impeded certain segments of the population from making that very linkage.

There are an increasing number of people in this country and around the world who equate fervent religious belief of any sort as one grouping. It doesn’t matter if they are looking at Muslim jihadists in Tehran or IRA assassins in Northern Ireland, or if they are looking at devout Jews in New York or Christian visitors to the Creation Museum. Anyone who takes religion seriously is suspect and painted with the same broad brush. Some, perhaps many, of these people are merely political opportunists who are using this tragedy to callously advance their agenda. More frightening are those who really have such closed minds that they are unable to make basic distinctions between peaceful, prayerful pro-life advocates and terrorists like the Taliban.

A callous disregard for human life and a basic inability to think rationally is a dangerous combination.

(For an interesting take on this from someone who is NOT on the "religious right", check out this editorial The Religious Right Didn't Kill George Tiller)