Posted on 06/08/2024 10:11:04 AM PDT by Morgana
Churches need to take a more active role in the pro-life movement, especially in conveying the arguments against abortion, according to an activist and author.
Scott Klusendorf, president of The Life Training Institute and author of the book The Case For Life, spoke with Focus on the Family President Jim Daly in an interview posted to YouTube on Thursday.
Klusendorf said he believes "a lot of our churches think that if they're silent on abortion, they'll spare post-abortion men and women guilt."
"In reality, they're sparing them healing because unconfessed sin has them out of full fellowship with Christ. So, we want to tell the truth about abortion, but then compassionately point them to the Savior who can heal it," he said.
Christian pro-lifers should aim to graciously and lovingly give the argument for why abortion is wrong because they shouldn't hope to win an argument but to change a person's heart, Klusendorf added.
“The sin of abortion is a preeminent moral crisis because it involves the shedding of innocent blood, and the Bible is very clear that the shedding of innocent blood is particularly egregious to God. … The shedding of innocent blood requires forgiveness … through our Savior Jesus, [and] we have to respond to the shedding of innocent blood,” Klusendorf said.
“I think this is important because a lot of Christian leaders think that if we talk truthfully about abortion, we're going to drive people away. Far from it. I think they're looking to our churches going, ‘Do you have something relevant to say on this preeminent moral crisis, or are you going to be silent like everybody else?’ And when we demonstrate that we have good arguments, we draw people and it does take courage.”
Klusendorf said he encourages parents to get their students pro-life apologetics training to help them share the pro-life stance with biblical proof of it as a moral truth.
“They need to get that training because here's what's going to happen. You take them to church week after week. And then they're going to turn 18, and they're going to be sent off to college. There's going to be people there for the next four years that are going to work overtime to talk them out of their faith,” Klusendorf said.
“If our kids aren't equipped to engage, they could be at risk. And so, we want to make sure they know the moral logic of the pro-life view,” he continued.
Daly asked Klusendorf how he deals with the argument of some lawmakers who say, “Personally, I oppose abortion, but who am I to legislate what a woman should do to regulate her reproductive choices?”
“When pro-lifers argue that abortion is wrong because it intentionally kills an innocent human being, we are making an objective truth claim. We are claiming it's wrong, objectively. We're not saying we dislike it. In fact, it's possible to like something and still say it's wrong,” Klusendorf said.
“Morality is about what's right or wrong regardless of our likes or dislikes. And when people say, ‘if you don't like abortion, don't have one,’ they've reduced our claim to a mere preference claim as if we're talking about ice cream flavors, not objective right and wrong. And we need to correct them on that.”
Klusendorf said he teaches youth at Summit Ministries about how to argue the pro-life case, telling Daly that "the most common thing I hear" from young people is "we've never heard any of these arguments for the pro-life view."
"They're coming from some of the best churches in the country, but they haven't heard the pro-life argument. We've got to train them,” Klusendorf said. “The basic pro-life argument is, namely, it's wrong to intentionally kill innocent human beings. Abortion intentionally kills innocent human beings, therefore it's wrong."
"We need to teach them to defend that with science and philosophy. And once we do that, we've given them tools to not only maintain their faith, but to engage others and put those pebbles in the shoe where they need to be.”
Let’s not talk about abortion until after the election. Winning the election is more important than scoring any extra brownie points with the pro-life movement.
In church they should be talking about abortion and I don’t mean some of the articles I’ve had to post in here about these nutty “churches” that support it.
They should be telling people it’s a sin and if they have had one or supported it to confess that sin.
Never mind the election that is in God’s hands.
Your sin is what needs taking care of.
Most churches, even ones I’ve talked to, (churches outside of my own mind you) think abortion is political. Even when I tell them multiple bible verses that show abortion is a sin.
You know what I think? I really wonder if they secretly support it or have had one and don’t want to say so. I mean I have to wonder why they don’t come out against it.
Oh, you are Scott? Super, thanks for the good work you do!
Thanks for all your work.
Many pastors preach against the prosperity gospel but they themselves preach the love gospel. Sin has no place in the love gospel.
“They should be telling people it’s a sin and if they have had one or supported it to confess that sin.”
A key recommendation in the thread. Thank you.
Agreed. Trump said the best thing. “Leave it to the states.”
The pope needs to be the one coming out and excommunicating the evil pro-abortion “Catholics” like Biden and Pelosi.
Correct.
My church stays out of politics for the most part, since that is why we ended up here.
Be consistent, don’t say what the itching ears want to hear.
There is only one argument against abortion and it is either accepted or rejected. Abortion is the taking of an innocent humans life. Can that be proven? Not yet, but as no human female has ever given birth to a non human it is undeniable that at some point the life within the womb becomes human. So the abortion believers are the ones who must prove the entity they are destroying is not a human. They cannot do this. Neither can thepro life side prove the entity is human, but their message is simple Do nothing. Let nature take its course.
It’s easy.
The majority of women are pro infanticide.
Most American churches have more women than men in the pews.
Being consistently pro life is a great way for a pastor/priest to lose a lot of money in the collection plate. Seen it happen.
Sure it can be proved the baby was human.
Human egg and human sperm = genetically identifiable by DNA human child.
Since the baby is clearly an identifiable human being which is living and growing, the deliberately stopping that life is murder.
Actually, these days, it is easy to prove the humanity of the fetus.
Just check the DNA.
DNA doesn’t lie.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.