Planned Parenthood Prayer Breakfast

The New York Times published an interesting article about Planned Parenthood and some members of the clergy. I found myself reading this article in utter disbelief that there are members of any church that reads the same Bible that I do that can sit down with Planned Parenthood and not only condone what they do, but wholeheartedly support it and claim that it is "sacred work". These are the words of the Rev. Thomas R. Davis of the United Church of Christ. He has written a book entitled "Sacred Work: Planned Parenthood and its Clergy Alliances".

He is not the only clergyman who believes that what Planned Parenthood is doing is righteous work. The Rev. W. Stewart MacColl told a story of how a Presbyterian church he led in Houston worked together with Planned Parenthood to open a family planning center. This was, of course, protested by many Christians. He said that that he and his wife brought refreshments to the protesters, "out of respect for their understanding of faith". Of course when a parishoner complained that it was difficult to explain to her 4 year-old why the protesters were waving signs that said "Your church believes in killing babies", MacColl responded "She (the protester) would, I suspect, count herself a lover of life, a lover of the unborn, a lover of God. And yet she spoke in harshness, hatred and frightened a little child." He went on to quote the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, saying, "'Sometimes the worst evil is done by good people who do not know that they are not good."

So I suppose in his twisted world, the Rev. MacColl would say that I am not good. Funny...I had the same thought about him. I wonder if he even realizes how ironic that statement is, considering I am not in favor of the killing of an innocent life, and particularly not doing so with the false idea that I would have God's blessing in this action.

Perhaps the most chilling words of all came from the Rev. Susan Thistlethwaite, president of Chicago Theological Seminary. She said, "The more we are able to cultivate the capacity in every person — women and men — to make informed ethical judgments both in ourselves and our society, the more we are coming into relationship with the transcendent, with God".

So let me get this straight. It's not only okay to kill innocent unborn babies (in any circumstance, apparently), but in doing so and thereby making an ethical judgement that we know who should live and die, we can be more God-like? Is this what she is saying? If so, I believe this type of thinking among the more liberal clergymen and women is very frightening. There is a huge difference between desiring to have the characteristics of Godliness (the Fruits of the Spirit) and wanting to BE God. It is a dangerous difference and this type of thinking needs to be categorically denounced by the more Biblical churches, otherwise it will slowly but surely work its way into the more conservative churches, as sin left untended has a way of doing.