Posted on 05/14/2013 4:33:19 PM PDT by Morgana
I am vehemently against the death penalty. Now stay with me…this is not a post about my opinion regarding that. You can disagree or agree with me on that some other time. I did want to share a little bit about why I take the words of prolifers so seriously. I have heard so much vitriol spewed from the mouths of “Christian prolifers” since the Gosnell trial has concluded. I feel like I must address it.
When I was confirmed as a Catholic, I chose Mary Magdalene as my confirmation saint. I felt an immediate connection to her. She had sinned so much…and was forgiven in even greater amounts. She knew she didn’t deserve forgiveness…but she received it anyway. And because of this, she clung to Christ. She knew she was nothing without Him.
I have also done my fair share of sinning. And I have also been forgiven much more than I deserve. I abused and betrayed women in the worst possible way. I convinced them to kill their children. Did I slit the necks of children after they were born? No. But, I was an accomplice to murder. Thousands of times…women I knew, women I didn’t, my friends, even my family. I lied to people. I lied to women when they came to me for accurate information. I was among the worst sinners…those that help to take and destroy life. I am no better than Kermit Gosnell.
I took my own children’s lives…twice. Not because I was coerced. Not because I didn’t know better. But because I thought children would be an inconvenience to my lifestyle. I am responsible for their deaths…no one else.
So when someone talks about Gosnell and says things like, “murderers and people like him don’t deserve to breathe the same air as I do,” or “I hope he burns in hell,” it hurts a little. Because that was me. But I am still here…breathing that same air…and trying to spend my life righting my wrongs. And it’s not just me. I know they hurt others like me, as well. People who have left the abortion industry and will work every day to recover from their sins. People who are still in the industry and think they will be shunned by the pro-life movement…maybe they would reach out to us if they knew we would accept them. I am always terrified that clinic workers will see some of the words from prolifers. I have been told by several former workers that they will NEVER come forward with their stories because they are so scared of how they will be treated by us…by US…the supposed “Christian” movement. Their fears are real AND legitimate.
I know some will say, “but you repented, that is the difference.” But what if I hadn’t…not yet. What if I was still inside the abortion industry? What if I was still an accomplice to murder? What if it took me longer to realize the truth? Do I deserve to die? Are we saying repentance is about our timing? Certainly, it is not about us. It about God and His perfect timing.
Right now, I shouldn’t be in this movement. I should be the COO of the 4th largest revenue generating Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country. I should be overseeing the largest abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere. I should be making 6 times the amount of money that I make in the pro-life movement. But I’m not. Why? Because of forgiveness. Because of mercy. Because of grace. Because of God. And because of REAL pro-lifers. The people I turned to accepted me for me…baggage and all. They knew that I was a broken person, and they loved me anyway. They knew I needed significant healing, and they helped to provide it.
I remember one story in particular which always makes me tear up when I think about it. One of the ladies, Karen, that immediately befriended me after I left Planned Parenthood was asked a question by a reporter. He asked her, “So, what was Abby like before she became pro-life? I mean, how nasty was she?” Karen’s answer was so genuine, and so Christ-like. She simply said, “I don’t remember that person. She is a new creation in Christ. I won’t talk about her past, I only want to talk about her future.” Wow. What grace. What forgiveness. She could have really spilled the beans on me, but she chose not to. Why? Because she truly loved me…and she always had, even while I was working at Planned Parenthood. She always believed the best in me, always believed that my conversion would happen.
It was Christ who changed me. It was the merciful and compassionate words of His people. It was no condemnation. It was not prayers that I would burn in hell. It was not those who yelled and called me names. It was the words of people like Karen. Those who prayed that I would, one day, walk out of that clinic. Those who had constant faith…even when that faith was a struggle to have. I am here because of THEM and because of their Christ-like witness.
Don’t we want that for every abortion clinic worker and abortion provider? Don’t we want that for Kermit Gosnell? I smile every time I imagine his conversion. What a heavenly victory that will be! Can it happen? If you say no, then you do not know the God that I do. My God is in the business of miracles. And my God does not want anyone to suffer in hell. He wants ALL of his children to come to him…yes, even those of us “monsters” that are in or have been in the abortion industry.
Hate comes from hell. Mercy comes from Christ. When we have hate in our hearts, our spirits are damaged. Be careful with your words. Not only are you a living witness of Christ and His truth, but you could put your own soul at risk. “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” 1 John 3:15 When we hate, we are no better than those who kill.
I am not the sweetest person. I’m not the one who catches all the flies with honey…sometimes I am all vinegar. What do you expect? You expect the most tender hearted to work in the abortion industry? Maybe we aren’t like all of you. Maybe we aren’t the most kind-hearted. Maybe you don’t understand how we could do what we have done. But those of us that leave…we are fighters. We are willing to take hits for our former sins. We are willing to stand up in places that are uncomfortable. We are willing to be bruised by others because we know that we have to…we know that will be the price we pay…it just hurts more when the bruises come from those who should be rejoicing in our repentance. We are passionate. We don’t waste time beating around the bush…not when it comes to life…especially the lives that we helped take.
Those of us that have worked in the industry all live our lives with a constant burden. One that will not be free from us until we reach heaven. We can’t let our burden slide off of our shoulders…it is what keeps us on fire. It reminds us of why we fight so hard. We have seen death and evil in a way that most haven’t…and we participated. We are forgiven.
So, should I be able to “breathe the same air as you?” That’s not really up to me to decide. But if you say things like that, know that a small piece of our heart is broken, and I have to believe that it grieves Christ. But even if you break our hearts, we forgive you. Even if you bruise us, we forgive you. He who has been forgiven much, loves much. And we love a lot. I am eagerly awaiting the day when I can call Kermit Gosnell a former and REPENTANT abortion provider.
The scriptures also teaches us that we are to judge but we are to judge righteously as best as we can.
Christians like to take part of the bible while ignoring the rest.
Thank you for posting, Morgana.
A question I have is did that not changed when Jesus was confronted with the woman who was taken into adultery and was threatened with being stoned to death which is based on John Chapter 8 which put a stop to the practice of stoning?
May God have mercy on Dr. Gosnell.
Complete nonsense, but not unexpected
God tells us we are to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him. If one doesn't think that we should judge others, one might as well throw out all laws and rules.
And some Christians think that authorizes them to desire another person's damnation.
The scriptures also teaches us that we are to judge but we are to judge righteously as best as we can.
Of course ... how else can we call others to repentance, or even repent ourselves, if we to not rightly judge that some things are sin?
We don't hate the man but we certainly can past judgment on the evil acts that he caused
There, at lease, you are correct.
-including putting him to death for the crimes that he committed.
And at no point have I rejected the death penalty, though I do not particularly trust our current government(s) to get it right.
But to desire another's damnation, to actively seek it, is the opposite of doing justice, loving kindmess, and walking humbly with The Lord. It is trying to be The Lord. It is blasphemy.
Time travel is the stuff that is seen so often in the movies.
This part I don't understand. Let us forget about two of the three spatial dimensions. Then you have the continuum (X,T). Two axes, the observer in the center (0,0). A particle of light is at (x,t). Its speed is dx/dt, and that is constant. The triangle is (0,0) - (0,t) - (x,t). Where is speed through time and speed through space?
John 8
8 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Well reportedly Gosnell took the plea bargain in part “for closure” and has said he’s relieved of the burden. So in a way, that is repetnance. If he truly thought there was nothing wrong about his actions then he would be outraged at the travesty of justice that saw him convicted.
Yup! But they pay the earthly price meted out by man.
Good question. Christ did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved (John 3:17). It wasn't His mission to bring judgment. That is reserved for another time when Christ returns.
As far as others judging this poor woman, this wasn't a legal issue but one pertaining to the law. Our Lord purpose wasn't to excuse or show mercy to her sin (which would have violate the law (Deut 13:5)). This is what her accusers hope would happen. Rather He highlighted the sins of her accusers. They had no choice but to agree that they were equally as guilty of violating the law and equally guilty of stoning.
Christians say all sorts of weird things. I've heard people right in church use the Lord's name in vain. I wouldn't call it blasphemy. Rather I would call it their sin nature.
But if this person believes that they're "no better than Kermit Gosnell", then they have a very low opinion of the work that God has done in their life or a false sense of humility. King David certainly knew the wicked from the righteous. How many of us would say we're no better than Hitler?
LOL! Last time I discussed degrees of sin with a pxrotestant I was “informed” tbat sin is sin. There are no degrees. In that protestant’s opinion. Now protestantism is telling me there are degrees of sin after all. It’s quite amusing.
Exo 1:18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?" Exo 1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them." Exo 1:20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
The midwives deliberately lied to Pharaoh in order to save the babies. But God knew killing babies was far worst than telling lies and rewarded the midwives for their effort, even though they were sinning.
So, yes, God ranks killing babies rather high on the "sin" list.
Ah, wait. I got it. dx/dt is speed through space. dt/dx (time elapsing per mile of traveled space) is speed through time. Both are constant.
So where are we going from here?
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