By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
A few years ago, I was flipping through the seemingly thousands of channels on our television set, not having any luck in finding something worth watching.
I finally settled on a program entitled “Homicide Hunter,” a television show detailing the criminal investigations of Joe Kenda, a retired detective with the Colorado Springs, Colo., police department. The real-life Joe Kenda narrates the program which has a younger actor investigating the cases. Kenda is known for his dry wit. I became “hooked” and now watch it regularly.
Basically, every show begins with: “Murder, a life has been taken.” The programs feature cases that Kenda solved throughout his career. He always utters his now famous phrase, “If you murder, I will find you.” In today’s culture and world, we can paraphrase Kenda and substitute the word “abortion” for “murder.”
Lonnie Wilkey
We all know there is no difference. Well, most of us know there is no difference. The liberals of the world either have their head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge their support of abortion is the same as murder or, worse yet, simply don’t care.
I’m against abortion and always have been. I will acknowledge that I can’t judge the person who has to make one of the most difficult decisions I could ever imagine: Do we allow the doctors to save the mother’s life at the expense of the unborn child? Only the person faced with that decision can ultimately answer that question and I would not dare question their decision.
But there is no “gray” area when it comes to abortion for abortion’s sake. Abortion is deliberately choosing to end a baby’s life.
Up to now, there have been restrictions as to when abortions can or should take place. Even Planned Parenthood acknowledges that “abortions are available later than 24 weeks only in rare cases for medical reasons.”
That has changed dramatically in recent weeks. On Jan. 22 of this year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) which legalizes abortion until birth for the mother’s “health” which is not defined and has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to include basically any reason (see story on page 12). In addition, controversy is swirling in Virginia over proposed legislation that would loosen restrictions on late-term abortions.
Regarding the legislation in New York, Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission called the passage of the bill “alarming.” He noted that the bill strips “all possible legal protections for children past 24 weeks in the womb.”
It’s more than alarming. It’s murder. I don’t need Joe Kenda to tell me that.
We live in a nation where there’s no sense of “right or wrong” any more. “Anything goes” is the mantra of many people, especially those who have no Christian or religious background. And, sadly, there are too many Christians who bury their heads in the sand and allow this ungodly behavior to take place .
In the Baptist Press article, Cuomo said, “With the signing of this bill, we are sending a clear message that whatever happens in Washington, women in New York will always have the fundamental right to control their own body.”
No, he gave women the fundamental right to end a life — apparently without any consequences.
What a hypocritical world in which we live. An individual can run a red light or stop sign, hit a car and kill a pregnant mother and be charged with TWO counts of vehicular homicide. A woman in New York could decide to have an abortion at the time of delivery and nothing happens.
Our world is in trouble. Pray like never before that God will change the hearts and minds of people. Future lives are at stake. B&R
