Dr. Russell Moore: A Gospel-Centered Response to the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood

Dr. Russell Moore struck gold in his comments Friday on the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s reversal of their decision to remove funding for Planned Parenthood. I really appreciated his viewpoint and wanted to share some of his article posted on Christianity Today here.

Some pro-life persons might wish that the Christian churches had as much influence in the public arena as Planned Parenthood, that we were able to mobilize as many callers and threaten as many boycotts. Some might see this as a sign that we need more money and respect. After all, if some Christian foundation had more financial firepower than Planned Parenthood, Komen might have stood firm…

In all of this, though, we can gain an opportunity to see what the abortion culture is all about: cash. Planned Parenthood and their allies use the thoroughly American language of freedom of choice and women’s empowerment, but what’s at stake, as seen here, are billions of dollars…

The answer for those of us who cherish the lives of women and their children, regardless of stage of development, isn’t to long to compete with Planned Parenthood in the influence that comes with massive amounts of wealth. It’s instead to see, first of all, how our own captivity to Mammon devolves us in the same way…

We don’t need a Christian foundation to compete with the merchants of death. We don’t need one more coalition with enough signatures to counter the threatened boycotts of the abortion rights peddlers. And we sure don’t need to sell bumper stickers with a line drawn through a pink ribbon.

What we need, first of all, are churches who recognize that this isn’t all that surprising. Mammon is a jealous god, and he’s armed to the teeth….

And then we need to demonstrate what it means to believe that a person’s life consists in more than the abundance of his possessions.

Let’s stop highlighting how God “blesses” the millionaire who tithes. Let’s stop trumpeting the celebrity football players and beauty queens as evidence of God’s blessing. Let’s show that God has blessed us in a Christ who never had a successful career or a balanced bank account, but who was blessed by God with life, and with children that no one can number, from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language.

Planned Parenthood has won this one. They spent a lot of money, and they’ll make a lot of money. And they’ll do so off the shredded corpses of children and the raped consciences of women. If Jesus’ kingdom were of this world, we’d be fundraising to keep up with them.

But what we have is greater than that. We have a word that tells a pregnant young woman that we believe her Down Syndrome baby is a gift, not a health care burden. And we can offer the kind of gospel that cleanses the conscience and offers what outlasts money and power: life and that to the uttermost.

Let’s work to legally protect women and children. And let’s grieve that old Mammon has won the day, again. But let’s not grieve like the pagans who have no hope. When it comes to the struggle for life, the color of victory isn’t pink like a ribbon. It’s red like a cross. [Read the full article]

Bob’s Blog Finds: Magic, Polygamy, Abortion, Politics & More

In my blog finds I highlight some of the best articles I’ve found online recently. You can see all my blog finds in my sidebar, under the Bob’s Blog Finds & Bob’s on Twitter sections.

Magic

Barry Wallace of Who Am I? has an interesting post examining the question “Is All Magic Evil?” It has special reference to reading books about magic such as the Chronicles of Narnia or even Harry Potter. I left my reasons for reading (and enjoying) the Harry Potter series in the comments there.

Polygamy in America

Albert Mohler directed my attention to a fascinating article in National Geographic re: polygamy in America. The profile of the Mormon Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints is shocking, interesting and sad at the same time.

Abortion

Speaking of Al Mohler, he has a good article on a new trend among abortionists. They are leaving the profession largely due to their encounters with ultrasound images of babies and abortions. Read his post entitled, “Mugged by Ultrasound“.

Politics

I didn’t listen to the State of the Union address. And all accounts I’ve seen of it make me glad I didn’t. I don’t like to get mad over politics and I would have been! La Shawn Barber pointed out (via her twitter feed), a good review of the speech at Politics Daily.

Profiles: Tony Dungy & Don Carson

I also found a fascinating write up of Tony Dungy by ESPN. It examines his character and his role as one who helps troubled sports starts gain reconciliation. The article elevated my respect for the man (which was already quite high). It’s worth the read.

Sharper Iron also recently posted a tribute to Don Carson. He truly is the epitome of a Christian Scholar who serves the church. It is good to see fundamentalists learning from people like Carson, and respecting him while disagreeing with his “non-fundamentalist” actions. I appreciated the article and you might to.