Please...Just Close the Church Doors ...Please

Life Source Ministries ^ | Phil Magnan

[cpforlife.org]

An open letter to Pastors and Christians

Please...Just Close the Church Doors ...Please By Phil Magnan

I read an editorial in a Christian newspaper, that was a well intentioned constructive criticism of my article Pastoral Censor of the Pro Life Message. Some of her suggestions were very good and some were the very same ideas that I have espoused for many years. But there were shock waves in my mind as I considered the way that we have tried to win the churches to be pro life.

For so many years I have tried to believe the notion that we have to take the time to win churches and pastors to our pro life stance. You know ...over time we'll convince the Christians to not kill their own children. But the lives of so many children have been lost in that process, and you might ask why? Long term plans should produce long term results. To be sure there are churches out there who are awesomely pro life and active, but that is not the norm, it's the exception. Sadly in most churches it's too late. I really mean it, it's too late. It is time for mourning the loss of truth, justice and righteousness in the church. At this point you may be saying that I'm playing the blame game...you're right! It is time that we the church take the blame for being weak in our condemnation of the horrific promotion of child killing in the church. It is time for pastors to weep because they must take responsibility for the deaths of so many unborn children in their flocks. God forbid, but perhaps our pastors love peace more than truth and fear their flocks more than God.

It makes me wonder what Jesus would say to the church community today if he had to rebuke us as he did the Pharisees. Also, would we hate Him like the Pharisees and end up crucifying Him? Probably not, besides why would Jesus rebuke us? We're a lot better than those Pharisees or are we?

But what if Jesus were to say.... "Woe to you pastor's, hypocrites! Because you preach the love of your fellow man, but you have turned your backs on the most helpless members of your church, the unborn child!

Woe to you churches, you have said we have built wonderful churches for ourselves. So you admit that you have monuments to your indifference to the unborn child and pregnant woman in crisis! You have tithed for your own ease and status, but your use of tithes will witness against you as the neglecting of the weightier provisions of the Law, justice, mercy and faithfulness.

Woe to you body members, who sit idly by as the children in the womb are torn apart and you say I see nothing! (Proverbs 24:11-12) Woe to you Christians, for you expect the Christ to be your advocate at the moment of your death and have neglected to advocate for the least of these at the moment of their death. (Matthew 25:45)

Woe to you Pastors and Church members, who honor the government with your lips, but will not be part of it, saying its too political, and did not understand that it is a ministry of God. (Romans 13:1-4) It was I who gave you the authority to vote and run for office so that righteousness and justice would prevail, even for the unborn, but you have given the government to those who blaspheme my name. You will passionately demand justice for yourselves, but will not lift a finger for the unborn.

Woe to you pastor's, preachers of the Word! Hypocrites! You say that you rightly divide the word, but are afraid that you might lose your building, livelihood and church members, if you offend church members with the words "thou shalt not kill the unborn!"

Woe to you board members, committees! Blind guides! You will fund a missionary to travel land and sea to make one convert, but it is in your own churches that the pagan teaching of 'choice' and child killing prevail! Judgment must first start with the household of God!

Behold I am sending to you prophets and wise men and gentle warriors. Some of them you will ostracize in your churches and others you will forbid to speak out in defense of the "least of these", that upon you may fall the guilt of the pre born child's blood." If a church or pastor cannot feel the gravity of murder by abortion, then how can we say that the church is the pillar of truth?

How can we open the doors of our church saying that we love one another and not speak clearly that abortion is murder, even in cases of rape, incest, or deformity? We have no right to call ourselves Christians if we embrace murder. For we know that no murderer has eternal life. (1 John 3:15) How can we say that we hate the violence of the world while affirming a woman's right to kill her unborn child? The unborn child's blood has cried out to God each day. May that witness not be against us!

It is time for the whole church to mourn the loss of truth, righteousness and justice concerning the unborn. I am pleading for all Christians to weep and repent over the sickening condition of the church. It must not be business as usual in which we pat each other on the back about our so called God blessed ministries. It is a time for mourning the fact that so many are willing to defend and make excuses for their pastors lack of spiritual backbone to preach the truth about abortion. Any pastor who cannot openly and passionately condemn abortion has no right to be in the pulpit. This is not just another issue, it's murder. There are thousands of unborn children dying by the hand of church members each day! We can make all of the excuses in the world, but our actions speak louder than words.

If it is not natural for a church to tell the truth and defend the unborn, stop calling yourself a Christian church, you have no right or authority to do so, just close the church doors,.... please!

[cpforlife.org]

I saved this article years ago and could not find a direct URL. However, the HTML file had imbedded links, so I linked to the home page.

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[cpforlife.org]

PING with Question, no mayo or onions.

The reason I post this now is because Sunday Oct. 5 was “Respect Life” Sunday. I would not have known that based on what was said from the pulpit on Sunday. In 10+ years I’ve heard 2 homilies on the life of the unborn. The second one was very powerful - but the congregation did not like it and Father got visibly nervous and stopped. The silence is deafening!!!!

Could you good Freepers share your experiences about your places of worship regarding preaching about the sanctity of life.

Thanks in advance.

[nickcarraway]

At </I>Our Lady of Peace</I> in Santa Clara, CA, you will hear about the life of the unbron... frequently. And most parishioners take part is some kind of pro-life activity at one time or another.

[nickcarraway]

Did they at least announce the local Life Chain in the bulletin?

[nickcarraway]

Also, would we hate Him like the Pharisees and end up crucifying Him

Definitely. Osama Bin Laden would be treated better. A movie about Him can't even be shown, let alone Jesus Himself.

[cpforlife.org]

I don't remember.

Ironically, the pastor has been at the life chain for the last several years. And yet I've never heard him preach about the unborn. The parochial vicar was the one mentioned previously.

[Delphinium]

good article, I plan to send it on.

Maybe some day the church will wake up!

[First Amendment]

I am responding - but NOT to what you are asking! Although it is relevant, maybe....

I was moved in the last few weeks to volunteer for the local crisis pregnancy pro-life center. I am willing to put time in every week to counsel and whatever else I can do. But it turns out that I must be enough of a "born again" Christian to fit in. I cannot claim that I agree in every respect with the people who run it as far as religious beliefs. I haven't turned in my application yet because I am sure they will not accept me. I don't attend any church, and I read other holy books besides the Bible. I am not angry with them, they have a perfect right to limit their volunteers to Christians of any type they want. But I am sad that I will probably be rejected as a volunteer.

I am hoping that those of us who believe in God (whichever religion or sect we may belong to) and His moral absolutes will focus less on disagreements we may have on theological points, and realize that we are all brothers and sisters because we recognize that God exists, and that His laws are supreme. Those who are bent on destroying civilization are the secular humanist moral relativists.

[cpforlife.org]

If you have been moved, try till you find the place you can do the most good.

If a hero is running into a burning building to save lives, they shouldn’t have to first prove a specific spirituality.

[First Amendment]

I live in a tiny community, so finding another pro-life center won't be a doable drive. But I am also applying to volunteer at a local hospice organization (have helped with the dying before) so that may work. Thank you for the encouragement!

[diamond6]

Unfortunately, its a sign of the times. I have often gotten angry that priests don't say enough about abortion, contraception, etc, but then, its so easy for me to criticize as I sit back in the pulpit. Imagine having to stand in front of hundreds and hundreds of people and say things that are uncomfortable. Doesn't make it right, but I am sure its very difficult. We all commit sins of omission. But I agree with you totally and its very frustrating. I will say this though, the priests out of Africa are very conservative. The one at our parish, St. Anthony's in Fresno gave a "politically incorrect" homily on the family, mostly referring to politicians, judges and legislators passing laws legalizing gay marriage. He didn't use the word gay, but I am sure everyone knew what he was inferring to. I wanted to jump to my feet and give him a standing ovation afterwards. That man was very courageous and I know God was smiling on him. The last part of his homily basically said that these judges etc might pass laws but that "God will have the last laugh" and there will be no one to plead your cause and your "going down, deep down". You could have heard a pin drop. Its so refreshing to hear "the truth" from the pulpit.
D's wife.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

You can give your priest a pass for not speaking out against abortion because it's "uncomfortable" and "difficult," but I doubt God will be so obliging.

Why don't you suggest he speak up?

He didn't use the word 'gay'...

Why not?

There was a time when the Catholic Church actually stood at the forefront of these fights.

Now, they've joined those who shrink from discomfort and difficulty. Too bad.

[OpusatFR]

The sermon at our church was without qualification. Not only is the woman who has an abortion excommunicated, but anyone who assists at an abortion is excommunicated. Life unequivocally begins at the moment of conception.

The right of those suffering terminal illnesses was also discussed. We cannot end their lives just because we do like or care for their suffering. Measures must be taken to care for them and provide medical and medicinal comfort. The right of the elderly to live and be cared for by us and not discarded like useless trash was made clear.

God created each and every soul and each belongs to him. A fetus is not some amorphous blob of tissue but a human child.

I belong to a Tridentine church.

[Desdemona]

I hear A LOT of homilies on the unborn, and where I live it's preaching to the choir. The bumper stickers in the parking lot tell me that.

Yesterday, though, the readings were on commitment and marriage, so that's what the homily was about, when you could hear it. The REALLY expensive sound system was going nuts and had a voice of it's own.

[Gone_Postal]

this past sunday Congressman Walter Jones(R-NC) spoke to the church I attend.
He did speak of sanctity of life, and how congress has just passed to do away with the late term abortion and that Bush will sign it. He also said that he just introduced a bill to give back the power of the pulpit. since 1954 preachers, pasters,etc are not allowed to speak of political ideas to sway the congregation, or lose thier 501-C .
THis bill will change that

[concerned about politics]

Now, they've joined those who shrink from discomfort and difficulty. Too bad.

The Bible refers to them as "cowards."
What they sow so shall they reap.
"Away from me. I don't know you."

[nina0113]

Down here in Arlington Diocese, we not only hear frequent homilies on abortion, we hear them on contraception as well. Though with as many 5 or more kid families as we have, that seems to be preaching to the choir as well!

The family in front of us yesterday had seven, and she looked to be about six months pregnant with the eighth. Not one of those children (ranging from about 14 down to 2) made a peep. The only instance of discipline was when the mother directed the six year old's attention back to the altar during the Consecration.

It's not kids we need to clone - it's parents like those.

Since our parish is rural, we participated in the Life Chain with St. Mary's downtown. I notice the ratio of thumbs-up to middle-fingers-up is getting higher - only one flip-off, and one thumbs-down yesterday. Many, many positive responses - very heartening.

[hardhead]

Our pastor of St. Margaret's was on fire - but he always is about life. He talked about the horror and inhumanity of PBA. He does not wait until 'Respect Life Sunday' to talk about it, but all year round. He also takes part in the 'Marches for Life' at the capitol. He is not hesitant to talk about the subject. When his homily was over yesterday he led the parish in a special prayer of thanks to God that a PBA ban is eminent. He's a good man.

[PeterPrinciple]

I attended a church where the pastor stood up in the pulpit and said he could prophecy. Got my attention that morning. He defined prophecy as saying "If you don't change your ways, something bad is going to happen to you."

With that definition, we should all be prophets.