Abortion And The Religious Left
By Hans Zeiger (03/19/04)
There is talk of the high places in the Old Testament. Kings were judged in history on the basis of whether they removed the high places. What are the high places in America today? Though there are many, the most vile and despicable of all are the thousands of abortion clinics scattered across our land.
America's Christians have allowed the high places to survive and thrive. We could have stopped it long ago if we were faithful to God, but most churches are afraid to talk about abortion. And mainstream, liberal churches are the ones rolling the dice on this gamble with human life.
It was no surprise that Planned Parenthood created a new wing of its multi-million dollar operation last week by ordaining Rev. Dr. Ignacio Castuera as the official Chaplain of Planned Parenthood. Rev. Castuera is pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in Los Angeles and he has served on the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Advisory Board since 1994. Castuera has been active in the Planned Parenthood Pro-Choice Religious Network and he headed the Latina Outreach Project of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Castuera will be the new spokesman for America's leading purveyor of abortion by marketing the pro-death message in America's churches.
Abortion rights became a central tenet of liberal church doctrine several years before Roe v. Wade. In 1970, the Presbyterian Church USA was the first major denomination to declare its support for abortion. Soon after, the United Methodists, Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ declared themselves in favor of abortion. The Evangelical Lutheran Church also supported abortion when it was formed from mergers in 1991. And the ELCA health care plan covers pastors and church employees who choose to have abortions.
In 1972 the Presbyterian Church USA stated that abortion is a "personal choice." In 1983 the PCUSA General Assembly declared abortion a "stewardship responsibility." Their most recent resolution in 1992 asseverates, "The decision of a woman to terminate a pregnancy can be a morally acceptable ... decision."
The United Church of Christ advocates abortion coverage in their national health care proposal. Before President Clinton vetoed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act in the 1990s, the UCC joined the National Abortion Rights Action League in condemning the congressionally approved ban. The United Methodist Church has also been a staunch advocate for partial birth abortion.
The United Methodists organized the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in the 1970s. Their motto is "We're pro-choice because of our faith." Organizations that make up the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice include the American Humanist Association and the Society for Humanistic Judaism. Its branch organizations include the Clergy for Choice Network and Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom.
I took note of a prayer on the RCRC website entitled "A Woman's Prayer." It reads, "We renew our strength. We are one with you. The world is not finished. We are co-creators with you."
I could have refuted that "prayer" when I was five years old and for Sunday School I had to memorize all of the 100th Psalm which includes, "The Lord, He is God! It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves." God does not need a co-creator.
Those who justify abortion on the basis of religion understand that if there is a co-creator, and we are the co-creator, we have the authority to decide whether our own fellow human beings live or die. It is quite true that these liberal churches believe in a god. But who is that god's co-creator? It is man. Man is like a god.
If our churches have any concern for sin, pastors and laymen alike must find their place at the frontlines of this war against abortion and yes, against liberal churches. God-fearing Christians must protest at abortion clinics and go to school board meetings and lobby to keep organizations like Planned Parenthood out of schools. Groups like Crisis Pregnancy Centers need new volunteers and new financial supporters. And we must put an end to taxpayer funding of abortion.
But our churches must preach the Gospel before all else. Because this is not a physical battle. This is not even a merely cultural battle. It is spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
It's not too late. Are we ready for spiritual warfare?
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