To most evangelicals the Sanctity of Life day is just another way to say Pro-Life Day or Abortion is Wrong Day. I agree that abortion is wrong and I totally believe that all life is precious. A fetus is a life, but there are other forms of "life" that we are forgetting. This link will take you to George Bush's proclamation about it in the official press release.
To me this whole thing is a total joke because I don't think most evangelicals really believe in the Sanctity of Life. They care more about American unborn fetuses than mothers and fathers in Iraq. They believe in the Sanctity of Fetal Life, but not the Sanctity of Criminal Life. They believe in taking away a woman's right to choose, but not in taking away guns from people who would use them to kill.
See my previous post about this stuff.
Bush says this in his speech,
National Sanctity of Human Life Day serves as a reminder that we must value human life in all forms, not just those considered healthy, wanted, or convenient. Together, we can work toward a day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected.
I wonder if innocent Iraqi civilians who have been killed by American bombs would consider themselves a part of "human life in all forms." I know I count them as human life. But maybe it isn't "convenient" for the President's plans.
Hypocrisy.
You might disagree and that's OK, but just don't talk to me about the "Sanctity of Life."
7 comments:
I agree..the abortion issue has been marginalized in recent years by most Christians. Maybe it's because more Christian women are having abortions. But I do take exception to a few things you've mentioned, my friend.
#1 Christians are called to stand up for and protect the innocent. I have a hard time comparing innocent unborn with criminals on death row. Abortion does not equal capital punishment. I believe the fight for the rights of the unborn and support of the judicious carriage of justice to it's fullest extent (the death penalty)can logically coexist. We could debate more on this at another time.
#2 I'd really like to see your data on American bombs killing innocent Iraqis...I find those kinds of accusations rather(ok, hugely)suspect. Sounds like you're just quoting the LA Times. It seems to me Iraqis are killing each other off at a pretty quick clip without our help and doing it in the most hideous, cowardly ways. I believe that accidental death of Iraqi people at the hands of American military is rare and NEVER intentional - quite a different situation in my opinion. #3 I think we've lost control in the wrap up of the middle east situation and I'm rapidly losing confidence in what the president is doing (if you know me you know how huge that comment is), BUT, I thought that was a pretty cheap shot at the Prez, Eric. Not "convenient?" You can't really believe he regards the lives of American military so lightly, can you?
TESTIFY!!!
Preach it, Lois! Eric, my friend, my peer, my little liberal... you are "dead" wrong. War does not equal a disregard for innocent or any life. A just war values the sanctity of life quite a bit. In fact, I would go as far as to say that those who believe in a just war value the sanctity of life than pacifists. I believe in our intent in Iraq and that we are saving more lives than we are destroying. Our methodology might be questionable, but I don't think our motives are suspect. We are trying to save lives.
Just because someone thinks they are trying to save lives doesn't mean they actually are saving lives. It's still wrong. Plus, which is better. Invading Iraq to liberate it or to use the military to stop the genocide in Sudan or Rwanda.
Also, there have been somewhere between 50,000 and 65,000 civilian deaths caused by the war which conservative estimates place around 40% on actual US military actions - not just factional violence. Check this website http://www.iraqbodycount.org/editorial/defended/4.1.php
Not to beat a dead horse here, but this struck me just now.
You say that our efforts should be in other places such as Sudan and Rwanda.
Fact: Genocide was happening in Iraq.
You don't like the death toll in Iraq.
Questions: Assuming that there would be a death toll in Sudan and Rwanda as well, do we bail when the death toll reaches a certain number? What number are you comfortable with? At what point are we no longer valuing human life?
Josh is right. When do we "call it a day" in a conflict/war? Besides, the conflicts in Africa, especially Darfur, are about the same thing that's happening in Iraq...Radical Islam against the rest of the world: kill whom ever doesn't agree with you.
P.S. Maybe Obama has the answer.
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