There are thousands of Christians, Catholic and Reformed, who went to jail in many states in Operation Rescue and similar movements.
The Baptist pastor whom you reference was not alone. I represented many folks, Catholic and Reformed, who went to jail rather than pay court costs or fines or even promise not to break the law in the future or most certainly not to go back to the abortion mills.
You are absolutely correct that the attitude in the pews is vitally important and that it is the folks in the pews that vote.
It was my privilege, as an attorney, to repeatedly represent the late Fr. Norman Weslin in my previous home state. He was the elderly priest arrested at Notre Shame University for simply carrying a cross onto the campus in protest on the day that Obozo defiled that already defiled campus by speaking there at graduation.
Fr. Weslin sometimes seemed to be serving life in prison on the installment plan as he absolutely refused to obey any court order perceived as supportive of abortion. If Fr. Weslin was jailed, an entire network of Christians of all persuasions would come to the abortion mill from which he had been jailed and hammer that mill day in and day out. Enter the premises. Flood the premises with many pro-lifers. Desterilize the instruments. Put broken raw eggs into the suction machines. Resist being dragged off to jail. Resist in jail. Provide a Biblical witness in court and otherwise to judge, jury, court personnel, general public and especially to fellow prisoners. Be released as impossible prisoners. State after state. Mill after mill. Last May (2012), worn out in service to God, ravaged by Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, he passed away.
Fr. Weslin had also worked for Mother Teresa in New York fishing alcoholics and narcotics addicts out of the gutters and putting them on their feet, restoring their faith and self-respect, often turning them to the task of combating the abortion mills. I had the privilege of representing them as well. Those folks, along with Fr. Weslin, were among the very toughest Rescuers in this country.
He often addressed very pro-life Reformed congregations to recruit Rescuers and spread the message. He did so with respect, with humility, with charming good humor and unvarnished truth and on a few occasions with a singing voice like chalk on a blackboard. The singing voice was the one flaw I ever noticed in the man.
Let's pull that wedge out, shall we? I know that Reformed you and Catholic I differ on some important religious matters but the 95% that unites us is also important. Your Savior and mine knew that His flock would not be as one. That flock need not be as one for us to join together as fellow Christians in service to Him on matters such as resisting abortion.
I hope that I have never denigrated you or your faith here. I hope never to do so in the future. If I have, I assure you that I have adjusted my attitude and will strive not to do so again. I apologize for any offense I may have ever given to you.
May God bless you and yours!
Thank you for that wonderful post.
For the record, I do not identify as Reformed.
I take some issue on their position of election and choice.