I never thought I’d see an open defense of Ted Kennedy on FR.
You wrote:
“I never thought I’d see an open defense of Ted Kennedy on FR.”
You still haven’t seen one.
Ted Kennedy, to my knowledge, never performed an abortion in his life.
What he did was provide immediate material cooperation to millions of abortions.
Immediate material cooperation occurs when the cooperator participates in circumstances that are essential to the commission of an act, such that the act could not occur without this participation. Immediate material cooperation in intrinsically evil actions is morally illicit.
That is a different crime than actually performing the abortion or having the abortion.
Do you know, for a 100% beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt fact, that he did not repent of that immediate material cooperation before his death? Confronted by the fact that he was soon to meet his maker, he did not examine his life very, very carefully, confess his sins, and receive the forgiveness that is promised to each of us?
I don't know about you, but I don't experience any joy at the thought of anybody, regardless of who that person is, standing before the judgment seat of God with unforgiven sin. I wouldn't wish hell upon my worst enemy. I understand that there are some (many, in fact) who reject the mercy of God and die in their sins. But I certainly don't rejoice in that. Far better to see repentance:
Luke 15:7 (RSV) Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:10 (RSV) Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.