Let Her Live

SC Right to Life Act (Personhood) is Dead in House

2010-02-04T21:38:00.004-05:00

I attended the Constitutional Laws subcommittee hearing on the state House version of the Personhood bill (H. 3526) in Columbia, S.C., today.

The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Greg Delleney, will almost certainly not recommend the bill to the next stage.

I had hoped to speak in support of the bill, but the two members of the public who spoke took the entire hour, including the time they spent responding to questions and comments from the subcommittee. Several others also had hoped to speak. I was surprised there was no time limit which would have allowed more members of the public to have a say.

Rep. Delleney made it clear that he wants to save babies' lives, but he did not see a convincing case that the definition of the right to life beginning at fertilization would save a single life. He said he is pushing two bills that will save lives immediately (Born-Alive Protection and 24-Hour Waiting Period) and he isn't going to jepoardize these bills by also pushing the personhood bill, which he views as merely symbolic.

One speaker, Steve Lefemine, advanced a weak argument (the law is a schoolmaster, therefore this definition will lead people to value life more and abort less) to suggest the bill would save lives. The other speaker focused on the fact that the representatives would have to give account to God for the way they vote on this bill, so they must vote as they believe Jesus would.

Rep. Delleney is right that this bill would not save any babies at first, because it does not specifically address abortion. I see it as more than symbolism because it sets the principle forth so that a later abortion ban could be backed up by our state law. An abortion ban could be successful under only two scenarios: the Supreme Court upholds it (requiring a change in the composition of the Court); or South Carolina declares abortion law to be a power reserved to the states under the 10th amendment, and defies the federal government. Lefemine hinted at the latter possibility.

The possibility of a conservative shift on the Supreme Court prior to 2013 seems remote at best. And it is just as hard to imagine a scenario where a majority of state lawmakers and the governor would be willing to defy the federal government or Supreme Court--especially over abortion.

Of course Congress (if the makeup changes dramatically in November) could remove jurisdiction of abortion law from the Supreme Court, but that opens up constitutional issues we have not yet encountered. Again, having such a law signed into law before 2013 would be impossible.

I am disappointed in the subcommittee's decision, because the right to life should be declared to vest at fertilization, whether we can make meaningful policy changes yet or not. I hope to see the state senate go farther with their version (S. 450). (Rep. Delleney pledged to pass it through the state house if the senate passes it first.)

But regardless of the success of a personhood bill, abortion will remain legal for at least a few years. For now we must save as many lives as possible through prayer, education, intervention, pregnancy centers, sidewalk counseling, and legislative restrictions such as Delleney is currently fighting for.

Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Personhood -- Back on the Table in SC

2010-02-02T20:37:00.004-05:00

On Thursday morning, a S.C. House subcommittee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the personhood legislation in our state, the Right to Life Act of South Carolina, H.3526. It states that legal personhood vests at fertilization.

We know that medically and scientifically, human life begins at fertilization. From that moment, this brand new life is genetically 100% human. It is time that our state and nation declared that we will protect all human life from fertilization on.

This legislation does not repeal the abortion laws of our state. It will not prevent a single abortion by itself. It does not put that principle in the context of abortion or any other specific area of law. It is more a statement of principle than policy. But as such it does lay the groundwork for an abortion ban at some later date that could stand up to scrutiny from the Supreme Court.

With this statement of principle in place, if enough state legislators get the courage to ban abortion outright, without exceptions based on the circumstances of conception, the ban could be upheld under portions of the reasoning of Roe vs. Wade.

While the Roe vs. Wade decision made up a right to privacy that included the right to abortion out of whole cloth, the justices made a valid point when they criticized the Texas abortion ban currently in place. You can't logically say that all human life is sacred and deserves protection--unless that life began with the crime of rape. Either human life is sacred or it isn't.

The Roe decision includes this statement: "If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [Fourteenth] Amendment."

Of course the court decided that there was no clear definition of a child in the womb as a person under the law. The Right to Life Act currently under consideration provides just such a definition.

Recognizing the personhood of the unborn does not automatically satisfy Roe vs. Wade, however, as some believe. The decision went on to say: "[W]e do not agree that, by adopting one theory of life, Texas may override the rights of the pregnant woman that are at stake."

They then make it a balancing act between the right to have an abortion, the state's interest in protecting the mother's health, and the state's interest in protecting what they call "potential life," which in our day is of course recognized scientifically as very real and existing human life. The Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision further affirmed a right to an abortion prior to "viability."

Roe vs. Wade is an evil and poorly reasoned decision, especially when it extends the right to privacy from government intrusion to include a right to kill a child in the womb.

The S.C. attorney general issued an opinion on this personhood bill indicating that it would probably be upheld as constitutional by the courts, however, it would be held to not apply to abortion, because (1) it doesn't specifically mention abortion, and (2) the courts would interpret it so as to make it conformable to the Roe vs. Wade and Casey decisions.

The personhood of the unborn should be declared, and it provides an important step in supporting a case to prohibit abortion, but it too is subject to judicial interpretation.

So after enacting personhood legislation, we can ban abortion and either wait for the courts to decide whether they will allow it, or we as a state stand up for our laws and assert that the state has the power to ban abortion reserved under the 10th Amendment (as a power not specifically given to the federal government).

The latter course would take courage on the part of our legislators--and probably our governor as well. And courage seems to be lacking among most politicians these days. It might also require some sacrifice on the part of the state's citizens, as federal funding for roads and education might be held back, but that sacrifice would be a very small price to pay in order to stop the killing of over 7,000 babies in South Carolina.

Personhood is a logical and necessary statement that flows from under the Declaration of Independence (“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”). This declaration of personhood also follows from the medical knowledge we have today of life before birth. It follows from the biblical statements about life in the womb. And it follows the constitutional guarantee against depriving anyone of life without due process of law.

This is only the first step down a road that our legislators must commit to with courage--or get out of the way and let real statesmen take their place.

Devaluing Children (and Motherhood)

2010-02-02T19:55:00.004-05:00

Recently I had a conversation with a conservative friend I'll call Jay and a liberal acquaintance I'll call Nancy.

Nancy does contracting work with various companies, and she had recently lost her main contract. She told us how much she liked her free time, but wasn't happy about losing the income. She said her husband asked her how she likes being a stay-at-home mom. She told him, "Don't call me that. That's not what I am!" She said she preferred to be considered unemployed.

My friend Jay, whose wife is a homeschooling mom of five, said, "There's honor in taking care of children."

Nancy replied that she doesn't look down on women who take care of their children, but it's not for her. She said, "There's a reason for daycare!" Then she talked about how in the summer she has a full-time babysitter for one child and how she keeps the other child in camps all summer.

I didn't really comment to her, as nothing I could say would make her view her children differently.

Yes, there is a reason for daycare, just as there is a reason for kennels. Some people use daycare for short intervals when they need someone to watch their children, much as others would use a kennel to care for their pets while they are on vacation.

But if someone boarded his pet at a kennel for months at a time, it would make you wonder why he had the pet if he didn't want to spend any time with it. For people like Nancy who don't want their children near them any more than is possible, I wonder why they conceived children in the first place. Or why they don't make an adoption plan so their children can have parents who actually care about them.

Nancy is not alone. Our culture views children as a bother and a burden, not as a gift from God. Is it any wonder that so many children have neither affection nor respect for their parents?

No work that I do will ever be more important than the work of raising my children. While some families don't have the financial ability to have a parent take care of their children, I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made to allow my mother to take care of and educate me at home. And I'm thankful for a wife who views our children as her most important responsibility.

Truly, "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

Video - Media Silence on 2010 March for Life in Washington D.C.

2010-02-02T16:31:00.002-05:00

If you can't view the video above, click here.

Leaving God out of Ethics: Dangers of the Woman-Centered Approach

2009-12-05T10:42:00.004-05:00

In an argument, most people who are trying to persuade their opponents will use arguments that make sense to their opponents--not necessarily the most compelling argument to them personally. It just makes sense to appeal to the reasons that matter to the person you hope to persuade. But if we spend all our effort making the secondary arguments convincing, we risk forgetting our primary reasons, and sometimes we lose the moral high ground.

Slavery

In the struggle for the abolition of slavery, some opponents of slavery tried to show the South that slavery was detrimental to their economic system in the long term. That argument may have persuaded a few slave-holders to liberate their slaves. But William Lloyd Garrison and other abolitionists had to convince the public of the evil of slavery before the tide would turn against slavery. Ultimately slavery was wrong because of how it harmed the slaves and because God declared man-stealing to be wrong, not because of the economic impact.

Homosexual "Marriage"

The current debate over same-sex marriage is another example where the opponents of same-sex marriage risk losing the moral high ground when they spend most of their time showing how homosexual relationships are harmful to the people involved and to children in their home, or when they argue about where acceptance of homosexual "marriage" would lead. These are valid points, but homosexual marriage is wrong because homosexuality is wrong. And we know that because God said so.

What is messed up in broader conservative thinking on the subject is this argument that I hear from traditionalists like Bill O'Reilly: People can do whatever they want in private, and that's fine. But don't call it marriage. Let's grant some kind of civil union that gives the legal rights of marriage, but save the term marriage for what it has always meant--a man and a woman.

The real main objection to same-sex marriage is that it legitimizes a wrong behavior. If we really thought men having sex with men was a great thing, why not call it marriage? The logically consistent ground for my side to hold is that homosexuality is wrong because God said so. It's fine to research all the harmful effects and show those, but that's not what makes it wrong.

Abortion

In the abortion debate, we care about both the mother and the baby (as well as the father if he is involved at all). We know that abortion is wrong because it murders an innocent baby. We also realize that abortion harms women emotionally, spiritually, and often physically.

We are trying to persuade women not to abort their babies. When talking to them, it makes sense to take the woman-centered approach and emphasize how abortion is a bad decision for them. Of course most pro-life counselors also share the facts of fetal development, and some pregnancy centers can show the mother her baby's heartbeat on ultrasound, so the mother can get all the information about how an abortion will impact her and her baby.

The culture, however, will never be persuaded to turn against abortion simply because it harms women. If a woman wants to take that risk, why should we stop her, the argument goes. We must persuade our culture of the evil of abortion and the sanctity of life. The campaign against partial-birth abortion, while saving relatively few lives, did a good job of showing the horror of abortion and turning the public against at least some abortions. The pro-life case is one that is built on God and His absolute truth. We can appeal to the cultural acceptance of the self-evident truth that murder is wrong without making it a religious argument, but ultimately our conviction that murder is wrong is based on God.

Let's use the woman-centered approach to persuade women and to show our true concern for women. But we should never be ashamed to say that abortion is wrong because it murders an innocent human life made in the image of God. That is the moral high ground.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Update on Sarasota, Florida, abortion clinic closing

2009-11-29T22:38:00.002-05:00

In August we passed on a LifeNews report on the closing of an abortion facility in Sarasota, Florida.

Jim Styer, the local pro-life advocate that the LifeNews article cited, provides this update:

Abortion office really is empty

A final chapter finally is written.

Earlier this year, we reported that the 2nd-trimester abortion mill in Sarasota apparently had closed. It was run by Matthew Kachinas, who except for a brief several months, had done abortions in Sarasota for well over than 15 years. This was the 3rd abortion facility in the community.

Even though the office suite had closed, artifacts of the business still could be seen inside for several months -- reception-area furniture and magazines, office desks and equipment, files and business materials, even cards on a window ledge thanking the abortionist.

In that interim, we wondered about the privacy of the files and patient records.

However, a week ago, one of our periodic checks showed that the offices on S. Tamiami Trail finally were empty. And there are new lease/sale signs on the windows.

Kachinas was reported this summer to have been doing abortions as a "circuit rider" elsewhere in Florida. I just checked the web and found no new info on him. If any of you come across him elsewhere in Florida, please let us know.

Thanks for the update, Jim. Let's keep working and praying. Every abortion facility that closes is like a hit-man going to jail—there may be others out there, but at least there's one less option for murdering the innocent.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Now Who Wants to Put Mothers in Jail?

2009-11-06T21:49:00.002-05:00

You don't have to be in the pro-life movement long before people start trying to make you look mean-spirited and cruel. "You think abortion should be illegal? So you want to put women in jail just for having an abortion?"

This time it isn't a pro-life activist saying women should go to jail for something that half the population believes should be legal. It's Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in her version of the Obama health care bill.

Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

(Read the full press release here.)

The bill makes refusal to pay a felony in some cases.

And let's not forget that part of those premiums include money for abortions, as detailed here.

So some people of conscience will refuse to pay for abortions, and therefore will refuse to buy the insurance, becoming felons, which means they go to jail and can no longer vote in most states or own guns. Maybe that's the real Pelosi plan?

Whether Pelosi has seen that outcome of her policy or not, this is certainly one of the bills that will be remembered as destroying individual freedom. If it passes. Let's pray that it does not. And if you have a Congressman who might even think about voting for it, call him or her immediately.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Spiritual Personhood

2009-09-22T12:26:00.005-05:00

In one of David's great prophetic Psalms, we read these words of faith:

But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. (Psalm 22:9-10)

David declares not only that God formed him in the womb and had a purpose for his life, as he says in Psalm 139, but also that God is his God from the womb. It seems to indicate some form of spiritual relationship even in the womb. Perhaps this is merely an expression of David's lifelong dependence on God.

Let no one claim that the Bible says spiritual life (when the soul joins the body) begins with the first breath at birth. The inspired writers speak of a spiritual union with God before birth. "Thou art my God from my mother's belly."

To those preparing to denounce me as a heretic, I'm not implying anything about salvation before birth or denying the inheritance of the sin nature.

"Thou art my God from my mother's belly." What a beautiful statement of spiritual identity before birth.

Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Book Review: Just Courage, by Gary Haugen

2009-09-12T13:43:00.003-05:00

Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian

By Gary A. Haugen

(InterVarsity Press: 978-0-8308-3494-5, HB, 150 pages)

Would you rather be safe or brave? Do you want to have a life that is successful or a life that is significant? Gary Haugen challenges Christians with these questions in Just Courage.

Gary Haugen is the founder of International Justice Mission, an organization that defends those who cannot defend themselves against injustice around the world—slaves, women and children imprisoned in brothels, the dispossessed, and the attacked.

Haugen sees a generation of Western Christians who are bored and dissatisfied with their Christian experience. Rejecting yesteryear’s pietism, they want something more. But they don’t know what that “more” is or how to reach it.

However, “more” is found in following Jesus, and that “is about loving people in need.” (page 116) Drawing on Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 58:10-11, and similar passages, Haugen defines justice from a biblical perspective, rejecting the popular Marxist redistributionist theory. Haugen notes that we can understand justice by looking at it its inverse, injustice, which is “the abuse of power—abusing power by taking from others the good things that God intended for them, namely, their life, liberty, dignity, or the fruits of their love or their labor.” (page 46)

Using examples of those who have followed Jesus in the fight for biblical justice in the past, those who are fighting injustice today, and the needs of victims, Haugen asserts that Christians can find significance in their lives as they join with Jesus in loving needy people.

Though he presents the philosophical and theological arguments for promoting justice, this is not a dry theological tome. Rather it is an engaging, lively discussion based on the teachings of Jesus to inspire readers to venture outside their spiritual cul-de-sac into a world of pain and to make a difference.

Some groups will reject Haugen’s argument. Those who reject the teachings of Jesus as irrelevant in this dispensation will dismiss it. Those who embrace pietism will turn their backs on it, and those who want to look good in the world’s eyes will disdain it.

For those seeking “more” Christ, more meaning, in their Christian walk, Just Courage may hold the key for which they are searching. His appendices offer ways to partner with International Justice Mission, a list of other organizations involved in the issues of justice, and serious questions for reflection.

Remember what Lucy said in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when she hears of Aslan for the first time? She asks, "Is he quite safe?" The answer, of course, is, "No, he’s not safe, but he’s good." Even so, as we follow such a lion into the world, it will not be safe. But it will be good. Very good. (page 109)

Reviewed by Debbie W. Wilson

This review was originally published at ChristianBookPreviews.com

LifeNews.com: Sarasota, Florida Abortion Facility Closes, Had Done Second-Trimester Abortions

2009-08-24T06:04:00.002-05:00

Good news about an abortion clinic closing in Sarasota, Florida. I couldn't find the story on their website yet, so here it is in full:

Sarasota, FL (LifeNews.com) -- One of the three abortion facilities in Sarasota, Florida has closed and it was the only one where 2nd-trimester abortions were done. Local pro-life advocate Jim Styer informed LifeNews.com of the news. "Up to 450 2nd-trimester abortions a year were done in the county, according to recent years' figures from the state. Last year, it was down to 129," he explained. Potential clients might go elsewhere, but the nearest second-trimester abortion center is at least an hour's drive from Sarasota, with Sarasota Memorial Hospital reporting it does second trimester abortions for "medical" reasons. The closed facility is Premier Institute for Women's Health, in the Gulf Gate Medical Center on South Tamiami Trail, north of Stickney Point Road. Styer says the abortion practitioner there, Matthew Kachinas, said in July that he is "on assignment" in various locations around the state for up to three weeks at a time. "This is the second time a Sarasota facility where Kachinas worked has closed and he reportedly had left or been dismissed from three other abortion facilities in Florida," Styer said. "Premiere has been closed for at least a few months. But it couldn't be determined for several weeks whether the closure might be temporary. An answering service continued to forward messages. Eventually, the web site was taken down, the phone number ceased service, the property was listed for sale or lease, and web searches didn't find any current information on the business or any references to Kachinas doing abortions elsewhere in the area."

Let's pray and work for more clinics to be closed so it becomes harder to murder the innocent.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

Article of the day: Obamacare: worshipping sex? by Michelle Laque Johnson

2009-08-21T13:21:00.003-05:00

Michelle Laque Johnson is right on in this article: Obamacare: Worshipping Sex?

The philosophy of unhindered immorality drives both abortion and euthanasia, and it is the philosophy of those designing the government takeover of health care.

The Church Impotent

2009-08-19T12:52:00.002-05:00

Theologians refer to the Church on earth as the Church Militant, and believers who have gone to heaven as the Church Triumphant. Too many American Christians are neither militant nor triumphant. I can only think to call them either the Church Impotent or the Church Complacent.

Why do we lack power with God and man? Is it that we, like the hypocrites of Christ's day, have replaced obedience to God with our church programs and religious observances--or worse yet, have we replaced obedience with worldly pursuits?

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23

Jesus did not criticize their carefulness to observe the smallest religious details (paying tithes of even their spices), but He condemned their gross neglect of what is truly important--justice, mercy, and faith.

Justice. When was the last time you heard a sermon on seeking justice? I spoke with a pastor a few months ago about the response of Christians to abortion, and I said that we need to fight evil. He said it isn't the job of the Church to fight evil. Perhaps he was making a distinction between the church as a corporate body and individual Christians. But Jesus said we need to do justice. God hates the shedding of innocent blood, and so should His people. Father, deliver us from our silence about injustice.

Mercy. We think of mercy as the opposite of justice. Biblical mercy is not. When the Bible speaks of mercy, we could usually substitute the word compassion. A good example is found after the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) where Jesus asks the lawyer which of the three passersby was a neighbor to the injured man. The lawyer correctly responded, "He that showed mercy." So when Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy," He wasn't telling us to feel bad when criminals are justly punished. He wants us to demonstrate compassion toward those in need. The criteria for judgment of the "sheep" and the "goats" in Matthew 25:31-46 is primarily about how we have demonstrated mercy to the "least of these."

Faith. How much do we really believe God? Do we believe that all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Jesus, or not? Do we believe that He wants to give us good gifts? If we know God's will about evil (He hates it), why don't we pray that it would cease? We have not because we ask not, or we waste our time asking for nice things for ourselves, rather than for the triumph of God's kingdom. The promises on prayer in Scripture are astounding. Why don't we dare to test them? Because we lack the faith.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.

If we would be obedient to our Lord and have the power we need to advance His kingdom and bring glory to His name, let us pursue justice for the evildoers, show compassion to those in need, and pray to God for all things with confidence in Christ.

Applying justice to abortion, let us seek to end the legality of abortion, drive abortionists out of business, dissuade those who seek abortions (or pressure others into abortions), and make abortion unthinkable to our society.

Mercy compels us to show compassion to the babies whose lives are at risk, to the mothers who are contemplating abortion, and to the women who have been wounded by abortion. Let's not fail to show compassion to the abortionists either as we pray for their conversion and that they may turn from their killing and find God's forgiveness before they stand before Him in the judgment.

Finally, let us resolve to seek God in prayer. Let's pray for justice. Let's pray with compassion. But above all, let us pray with an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

In the Wungle of Antadarita

2009-06-01T20:22:00.006-05:00

In the deep frozen Wungle of Antadarita, there lived a great band of Wungle Setufs. The Setufs lived in great harmony all throughout the Wungle. They met in their Wungle Councils every month and if there was any dispute the great wizened Setufs settled it quickly and fairly.

But one day a powerful Setuf name Jorge announced that he was tired of feeding on the WungleGrass. He would find fat little Setufs and eat them. This he would do out of the goodness of his heart, for that would leave more WungleGrass for the other Setufs in the Wungle.

The smaller Setufs fled to the Wungle Council the very next month. They were sure the great wizened Setufs would not permit such a thing. "It is unlawful", they cried, "for a Setuf to eat another Setuf!" But the great wizened Setufs could not decide for Jorge spoke long and eloquently about the possible shortage of WungleGrass and the hunger that might come upon the other Setufs of all Antadarita.

Over the next month Jorge caught some of the small fat Setufs and gobbled them up. First he did it in secret, but by the end of the month he was catching them right under the eyes of the great wizened Setufs.

Again the small Setufs made their plea before the Wungle Council. Again the cried that it was unlawful for a Setuf to eat another Setuf. They argued long and loudly and then Jorge rose up on his great fins and smiled a condescending smile. He showed pictures of overgrazed fields of WungleGrass and wailed at the plight of those Setufs who were hungry and moaned about the hardship of his change of diet. "But if I do not make this sacrifice for the good of the Setuf band, who will?" he asked the Council.

And again the Council could not decide and Jorge caught another smaller Setuf as they left the Council and ate him right there.

Month after month Jorge ate the Setufs he could catch and month after month they resorted to the Council and month after month the great wizened Setufs could not decide whether Jorge was acting lawfully.

And in the 31st month, the Setufs resorted once again to the Council. "It is not lawful," they cried, "for a Wungle Setuf of Antadarita to eat another!" And the Council again could not decide. And as all the Setufs left the Council to roam the Wungle, a lean hungry hard-eyed Setuf leaped upon Jorge from behind and bit him right behind the gills and settled down to eat him right there.

At this, all the great wizened Setufs shouted, "It is not lawful for a Wungle Setuf of Antadarita to eat another!" And in unanimous judgment they devoured the hungry Setuf on the spot.

Florida Abortion Clinic Owner Kills Baby After Premature Birth

2009-02-05T17:22:00.003-05:00

They're calling it a botched abortion. In reality the abortion had not really begun. The young mother, Sycloria Williams, went into labor at the abortion clinic before the abortion doctor arrived, and gave birth to her 23-week baby. That's when, according to Williams, one of the abortion clinic owners, Belkis Gonzalez, murdered her baby. From the news story:

She says Gonzalez knocked the baby off the recliner chair where she had given birth, onto the floor. The baby's umbilical cord was not clamped, allowing her to bleed out. Gonzalez scooped the baby, placenta and afterbirth into a red plastic biohazard bag and threw it out.

Is anyone really shocked? The result was the same as every other day at this abortion clinic--a dead baby went in the trash. That is what they do. The only difference is that Williams saw her baby alive outside the womb first. If Williams had been sedated, there would be no lawsuit, no news story. Just another day at the abortion clinic.

What is the moral or ethical difference between this murder and any other abortion? The only ethical difference anyone can argue is the mother's desire. In fact, depending on the wording of Florida law, that could be the only legal difference. Killing a baby (even in the womb) is illegal in many states, unless the mother wants to kill it by abortion.

Our laws place the life and death of one individual in the hands of another, and that is immoral.

As a side note, some pro-life people think laws to protect survivors of abortion are at best a waste of time. This case shows otherwise. The law would protect this infant's life, or if ignored, it provides a way to put the murderer, Belkis Gonzalez, behind bars.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

What FOCA REALLY Means

2009-01-23T07:23:00.000-05:00

When he was running for president, Barack Obama promised that one of the first bills he would sign into law would be FOCA. What do those innocuous sounding letters stand for? Proponents tell us that it means Freedom of Choice Act. Of course, choice does not refer to freedom in choosing education, health care, or unions. It means only the freedom to abort unborn children.

What FOCA really means is Fill Our Coffers Again. This is payback to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers for all of their donations to the Democrat Party over the years. State laws protecting youngsters from being taken across state lines by non-guardians or requiring parental consent, laws authorizing women to have the medical facts about abortion risks or the baby’s development have decreased the profits for those who pay for their Porsches by performing abortions. FOCA will increase their incomes. At least, that is what they hope.

FOCA also means Fool Our Children to Abort. Even with state laws intact, Planned Parenthood in several states is being investigated, charged, or tried for concealing abortions on young people who have undergone statutory rape or incest by older men. Lifting the laws that protect these children will help business for the aborters., who will profit from the pain, fear, and rape of girls who have to get parental permission to have their ears pierced or borrow an aspirin from a friend at school. Parents who have no idea what has happened to their daughters will have to try to pick up the pieces of their daughters’ shattered lives.

FOCA could also mean Force Our Citizens to Abort. This could open up the use of your tax dollars and mine to pay for abortions for poor women. We’ve fought it for years. What it could also mean is pressure on women on Medicaid to abort whether they want to or not. One of the dirty little secrets is that most abortions are committed on minorities. How painfully ironic if Barack Obama becomes the King of the Abortion Promoters!

One thing that FOCA will surely do is Fragment Our Culture over Abortion. Though abortion has been a stressor in our society for over thirty years now, FOCA will remove the safeguards. Freedom of speech and the promise that peaceful political changes would save lives of the unborn have been a safety valve. Both sides could influence the culture. FOCA undermines thirty years of work and the opinions of the people worked out in their own states. When the chance for peaceful change is taken away by the elitists in Washington who know better than we little people what is good for us, what remains?

If FOCA passes, citizens in two years need to remember to Fire Our Congressional Abortucrats, those congressmen and senators who keep their positions by voting as the party or the big abortion proponents tell them. Until President Obama’s honeymoon is over, congressmen and senators will be pressured to rubberstamp what he wants. Moderates in the Democrat Party will feel extra strong pressure, but even conservatives will be pressured to vote for FOCA. If you oppose the elitists stepping in and undermining years of safeguards, contact your representative and senators now. If we ask them to hold the line against the liberal media’s assaults, we need to let them and the media know that we stand for life with them and that we hold them accountable.

Debbie W. Wilson

Debbie W. Wilson is a human rights advocate, speaker, and author of Christy Award-winning thriller Tiger in the Shadows. Her weekly prayer list for the persecuted church can be found on the home page of Bound Together Ministries.

Open Letter to Orange County Komen for the Cure

2008-12-02T12:58:00.005-05:00

For details on the grants that Orange County Komen for the Cure is giving to Planned Parenthood, please see http://www.lifenews.com/state3673.html

Below is the letter I sent to Orange County Komen for the Cure. Lisa Wolter is the Executive Director. Erin Touslee is the Programs and Grants Director.

Dear Ms. Touslee and Ms. Wolter:

My wife's family has a history of breast cancer, so it is a disease that I am concerned about. I appreciate the work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in fighting breast cancer.

I recently read about your Orange County affiliate giving large grants to Planned Parenthood of Orange County and San Bernardino County. As I'm sure you aware, Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the United States. I am aware that they also offer other health services. But many other organizations offer health services to women, without being involved in the abortion industry.

I am dismayed by your contributions to Planned Parenthood for two reasons.

First, funding abortion for any non-health-related reason (as Planned Parenthood doesn't require any health reason to perform an abortion) is ethically unconscionable. It certainly does not fit with the stated goals of your foundation. Rather than helping women's health, you are destroying the lives of humans in utero, and simultaneously exposing women to the potential health risks of abortion.

Second, I am sure you are aware of the risk factors for breast cancer. Women who have been pregnant but have never carried a baby to term are at higher risk than women who have carried a baby to term. That is true whether the pregnancy was ended by spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) or an abortion procedure. I know that some studies have questioned this link. But until the link is completely disproven, how can your organization fund an organization that specializes in a procedure that may increase the risk for breast cancer?

As long as your foundation continues to fund Planned Parenthood, I will avoid buying products that benefit your foundation, because I don't want my money going to harm women--or babies. Women's health is too important to play politics with the funds that are given to save women's lives.

Please put women's health first, and stop funding Planned Parenthood.

Sincerely,
Wesley Wilson
President
Let Her Live
http://www.LetHerLive.org

Let Her Live is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) SC nonprofit corporation dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Donations are tax deductible.

The Post-Election Road to Pro-Life Victory

2008-11-29T20:00:00.009-05:00

The recent election is a significant setback for the legislative efforts of the pro-life movement. We have the most pro-abortion president ever, one of the most pro-abortion Congresses ever, and a defeat for several ballot initiatives that would have protected life. But the pro-life movement is not conquered.

The pro-life movement is still strong, and we need to focus on continuing to lay the groundwork for the ultimate triumph of life. We fight this war on four fronts primarily: Political, cultural, personal, and spiritual. I believe the path forward in each area is clear.

Political

The loss of power by the Republican party is a rejection of a party that failed to carry through on its promises of smaller government and fiscal responsibility. It is also the rejection of a party that happened to control the presidency during an economic downturn. It is not a rejection of conservatism or the pro-life agenda. Abortion was simply not a major issue in this election, compared to the economy and world turmoil. So those involved in a political party need to push it to embrace and promote a pro-life agenda.

That agenda at the state level needs to include both incrementalism and aiming for our ultimate goal. We need to fire a barrage of regulations and limitations at the abortion industry. We also need to work for a Personhood Amendment in every state where it is remotely possible. If you favor the incremental approach, fine, but be supportive of the efforts of the purists. And if you favor an all-or-nothing approach, that's fine, but don't sabotage the incrementalists.

The "pro-life purists" who opposed the South Dakota abortion ban this year because it had an exception for rape and incest have blood on their hands. May they repent of this evil. What would you think of a lifeguard who refused to save nine drowning men because he couldn't save all ten?

At the federal level, we need to mount a vigorous defense. Even strongly pro-abortion congressmen want to get re-elected. We must inundate Congress with our voices of opposition to pro-abortion legislation, such as the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

Cultural

The successful education campaign about partial-birth abortion and the resulting ban which was upheld by the US Supreme Court may have saved relatively few lives, but that effort showed Americans that abortion can be horribly cruel and ghastly. The vast majority of Americans oppose it because of that campaign. Now we have to show the country that other types of abortion are also cruel and ghastly, until we build a consensus that all abortion must be stopped.

Winning the hearts and minds of the country is not just about the horrors of abortion. It is also about the beauty of God's gift of life. Personally, I think showing ads of a 14-week ultrasound with a clearly visible skeleton, arms and legs waving, and obvious heartbeat, would do much more than showing the gruesome results of abortion. That's the approach that Let Her Live takes with our pro-life billboards in the immediate vicinity of abortion clinics.

We cannot achieve lasting victory in the political arena without building the cultural support for it.

Personal

The crisis pregnancy centers that help pregnant girls and women in difficult situations save thousands of babies every year. They deserve our full support in both money and time as volunteers. If you are in the medical profession and can help a crisis pregnancy center move to the medical model, where it can offer ultrasounds under the authority of a medical doctor and qualified nurses, please do so. So many women become attached to their babies when they see it on ultrasound.

We will never achieve cultural support for life without continuing to offer loving care to women in need.

Spiritual

If we want power, we must have prayer. God's people must humble themselves before him and seek his face. I'm talking about brokenness over our sin and over our callous disregard for our fellowman. There is no room for harboring pet sins. God must have total rule in our lives.

We can be as active as we want, but we will never defeat the forces of evil in our own strength. Until the hand of God moves, we will gain as much ground as if we are running on a treadmill. I think that's how some people feel about the pro-life movement. I'm not talking about spending ten minutes in prayer every day and spending one or two sentences asking God to save babies and end abortion. We must earnestly plead with God to see His will accomplished in the fulfillment of His Word.

The 40 Days for Life campaign is doing good, but we must not pray during those 40 days only. We need to make it a habit of our lives to seek the face of God. For many, picking one day every week to fast and spend extra time in prayer would be in order.

Achieving Victory

I've addressed the fronts of this war from the top down, but victory comes from the bottom up. Spiritual renewal leads to touching the lives of individuals with the love of Christ, which leads to a culture that grows to respect life and eventually demands laws that reflect their values. Whatever front you are fighting on, do not give up. And make sure that you do not neglect the spiritual arena, for it is the key to victory on every front.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

A Victory Through Prayer

2008-11-07T09:40:00.004-05:00

While many of the results of Tuesday's election are disheartening concerning the battle for life, traditional (biblical) marriage won a great victory even in California. This victory had to be in response to the focused, fervent prayers of God's people. The call for prayer was organized by a group called The Call. Please let me share a post from their blog during the 40-day fast.

One of John Wesley’s disciples was William Wilberforce. At first, he thought he would go into the clergy, but he was led to go into politics. God needs altar builders in every area of life. With the passion and support of Wesley, his spiritual father, Wilberforce used the power of God to change society in England and end slavery there. Wilberforce was greatly influenced by Wesley, who was then 88 and close to dying. Wesley’s last written communication was to Wilberforce:

"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils, but if God be for you who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Oh, be not weary of well doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might, till even American slavery, the vilest that ever saw the sun, shall vanish away before it. That He that has guided you from your youth may continue to strengthen you in this and all things, is the prayer of, Dear Sir, Your affectionate servant, John Wesley."

A few days later, Wesley died, giving to Wilberforce his mantle for revival that would end slavery in England. Slavery was ended in Britain by 1833, throughout the empire, and that began to stir the debate about slavery in the southern part of America.”

Can abortion end in America? Yes, if God can find a generation of Wilberforce’s. God chose, from the time of the Creation, to work on earth through humans, not independent of them. He always has and always will, even at the cost of becoming one. Though God is sovereign and all-powerful, Scripture clearly tells us that He limited Himself, concerning the affairs of earth, to working through human beings.

Dutch Sheets, 10/10/2008

http://thecall.com/Groups/1000034243/TheCall/Get_Involved/Facedown_40/Facedown_40.aspx

The kings of the earth ...

2008-11-05T09:17:00.006-05:00

Psalm 2: 1-3

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

I just read a rundown of the election.

Not only did Barack Obama win, but 5 ballot measures went against life. Some of the votes were close. Some of them weren't. From parental notification before abortion to assisted suicide, the death merchants and their apologists had their way.

The heathen are raging, the American people are imagining all manner of vain things, the world leaders are establishing themselves, and state and party leaders are plotting together. They're plotting to throw off all restraint and eliminate the inconvenient from their lives.

And they're not really plotting against the opposing party or against unborn babies or elderly people or against us.

They're plotting against Almighty God and against His Christ.

And God's not worried about it.

Psalm 2 continues like this:

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Jesus was not defeated by Barack Obama, NARAL, Pelosi, and all the rest. He is not retiring from the field of battle. He will utterly defeat them all.

And we don't have to wait until Armageddon for that victory.

It didn't take Armageddon to bring down slavery in the Western world.

It didn't take Armageddon to bring down the brutal Nazi regime.

It didn't take Armageddon to bring down the powerful and brutal Soviet empire.

And it won't take Armageddon to bring down the abortion industry. But it will take the prayers of God's people. We don't always know God's will, but we know that injustice is always contrary to God's will. When we, if we are abiding in Christ, pray in Jesus' name, in God's will, He hears.

He heard the Hebrew children in Egypt. He heard the cries of the slaves in our land. He heard the believers in the Soviet Union and the Communist Block. Most of us are old enough to remember that one!

And God's promises to hear our prayers are not empty. It is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

We would see our God dash in pieces the forces of evil. So let us fast and pray.

Intoxicated Post-Abortion Woman Loses it at 40 Days Vigil

2008-09-27T22:01:00.004-05:00

My wife and I were part of a small group from our church in front of the local abortion facility the other night as we participated in the 40 Days for Life national vigil. It was around 10:30 PM, and we were just finishing a hymn we were singing when a car pulled up and two young women jumped out.

The smell of alcohol preceding them gave away their condition, and made their initial claim of support for our cause seem doubtful at best. The more intoxicated of the two, Laurie, did most of the talking and asked, "So why do you think it's not OK to kill babies? And what about if someone has been raped?" (I don't understand why pro-abortion people think that "hard cases," such as rape, justify murder--or that these questions will stump pro-life advocates.)

But Laurie wasn't interested in answers. She continued, her voice rising as she told us that ten years earlier, at sixteen, she was raped and had an abortion at this facility. When she had her abortion, she drove past protesters with signs showing the reality of abortion. She said the abortion was a horrible experience, and that we had no right to stand out there and tell people not to do it. We had no right to show pictures of dead babies.

By this time she was screaming profanity in my face and saying it just made her want to punch someone in the face. I was trying to determine if she was going to get violent when a muscular young man--probably her boyfriend--jumped out of the back seat, physically restrained her and carried her back toward the car.

Both Laurie and her less tipsy companion, who was driving, had a few more choice words about how we didn't have the love of Jesus, and how we had no right to judge people or to tell them not to kill their babies. But apparently they had a right to scream profanity at us. Then they drove away.

In their intoxicated state they weren't making much sense, but they also didn't bother with the typical pro-abortion euphemisms. Just how do you answer the question, "What's wrong with killing babies?" Indeed, it needs no answer, as everyone knows what is wrong with it. Laurie obviously did. And even her drunkenness provided no escape from her guilty conscience. May God lead her to repentance.

About fifteen minutes later a different car approached and deliberately ran over several of the white crosses lining the road. I don't know if the driver of the second car was Laurie. (Perhaps the license plate number will reveal that.)

This morning a woman brought her teenage daughter to the crisis pregnancy center, looking for the abortion clinic where they had an appointment. When the mother realized she was not at the abortion clinic, they left immediately (but did accept some pro-life literature).

Where will that girl be in ten years? Screaming profanity through a guilt-ridden alcoholic haze at the very people who want to offer her help?

May God deliver us.

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

McCain and Obama Statements on Abortion (from Baptist Press)

2008-09-18T06:10:00.003-05:00

Michael Foust, assistant editor of Baptist Press, has compiled statements from Senators McCain and Obama relating to various issues including abortion here.

BARACK OBAMA

-- What Obama thinks about Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion (taken from his website): "Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case" (BarackObama.com).

-- What Obama thought about the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the federal ban on partial-birth abortion: "I strongly disagree with today's Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women. As Justice Ginsburg emphasized in her dissenting opinion, this ruling signals an alarming willingness on the part of the conservative majority to disregard its prior rulings respecting a woman's medical concerns and the very personal decisions between a doctor and patient. I am extremely concerned that this ruling will embolden state legislatures to enact further measures to restrict a woman's right to choose, and that the conservative Supreme Court justices will look for other opportunities to erode Roe v. Wade, which is established federal law and a matter of equal rights for women" (Obama campaign statement, April 18, 2007).

-- Obama answering at what point “does a baby get human rights?”: "I think that whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade. But let me just speak more generally about the issue of abortion, because this is something obviously the country wrestles with. One thing that I'm absolutely convinced of is that there is a moral and ethical element to this issue. And so I think anybody who tries to deny the moral difficulties and gravity of the abortion issue, I think, is not paying attention" (Saddleback presidential forum, Aug. 16, 2008).

-- What Obama says about how his administration would approach the abortion issue: "I've made it ... clear that I will never back down from making sure that women have their reproductive rights here in this country. That's what's at stake in this election" (New York fundraiser, July 10, 2008). "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act (a bill that would overturn abortion restrictions and guarantee that abortion remains legal, even if Roe is overturned)" (Speech to Planned Parenthood, July 17, 2007).

-- What Obama thinks about John McCain's views on abortion: "Sen. McCain has made it abundantly clear that he wants to appoint justices like [Supreme Court Justices John] Roberts and [Samuel] Alito and that he hopes to see Roe overturned. I was proud to get Planned Parenthood's endorsement [this summer], but I have to say that when you look who's got a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood, and you've got another candidate [McCain] with a zero percent rating from Planned Parenthood, then it's not really a nail-biter [in deciding whom to support]. I stand by my votes against confirming Justices [John] Roberts and [Samuel] Alito" (Speech, July 10, 2008).

JOHN MCCAIN

-- What McCain thinks about Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion (taken from his website): "John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat" (JohnMcCain.com).

-- What McCain thought about the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a federal ban on partial-birth abortion: "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of life and integrity of the judiciary. The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children. It also clearly speaks to the importance of nominating and confirming strict constructionist judges who interpret the law as it is written, and do not usurp the authority of Congress and state legislatures. As we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life" (McCain campaign statement, April 18, 2008).

-- McCain answering at what point “does a baby get human rights?”: "At the moment of conception." (Saddleback presidential forum, Aug. 16, 2008).

-- What McCain says about how his administration would approach the abortion issue: "I have a 25-year pro-life record in the Congress [and] in the Senate. And as president of the United States, I will be a pro-life president. And this presidency will have pro-life policies.... That's my commitment to you" (Saddleback presidential forum, Aug. 16, 2008).

-- What McCain thinks about Barack Obama's views on abortion: "In 2002, Congress unanimously passed a federal law to require medical care for babies who survive abortions -- living, breathing babies whom Sen. Obama described as, quote, 'previable.' This merciful law was called the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Illinois had a version of the same law, and Barack Obama voted against it. At Saddleback, he assured a reporter that he'd have voted 'yes' on that bill if it had contained language similar to the federal version of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Even though the language of both the state and federal bills was identical, Senator Obama said people were, quote, 'lying' about his record. When that record was later produced, he dropped the subject but didn't withdraw the slander. And now even Senator Obama's campaign has conceded that his claims and accusations were false.... His extreme advocacy in favor of partial birth abortion and his refusal to provide medical care for babies surviving abortion should be of grave concern to reasonable people of goodwill on both sides of this issue" (John McCain weekly radio address, Aug. 23, 2008).

Abortion and God's Forgiveness

2008-07-22T06:28:00.002-05:00

"Will God forgive me if I have an abortion?" It's a question many women have. I didn't realize how common a question it is until I wrote about this subject last time. Perhaps you are thinking about an abortion or already had one and are wondering about this. If so, please keep reading, and I think you'll find your answer.

If you are asking this question, you already know that God views abortion as a sin--as murder in fact. So the question is, what is God's criteria for forgiveness of a sin? Or more simply: What do I need to do to be forgiven?

In a word, Repent. To repent is to change your mind about your actions so completely that you change your actions. Part of that is being sorry for what you've done. Not just sorry for the circumstances that you feel forced you into doing it, but sorry that you did it, regardless of the circumstances.

Some people will think about a sin (abortion or something else), decide that they will repent the next day, and go ahead and do it. Perhaps the next day they tell God, "I shouldn't have done that. Please forgive me." And they think every time they want to commit that sin they can do it, and then just smooth things over with God. That isn't repentance. And God does not forgive someone who hasn't truly repented.

So if you are thinking about having an abortion, you will either come to deeply regret it, or you will never be forgiven. That mixture of relief and guilt you may feel is not repentance. You have not repented until you come to the place where, if you were in the same situation, you would not commit the sin that you did.

If you already had an abortion and you are sorry that you ever did it, and you wish you could undo it, and you have committed that you will never do it again--in other words, if you have repented of the sin--you are ready to find God's forgiveness and healing.

But when you come to God for forgiveness, you can't come to have one sin removed and hold on to the rest. With God it is all or nothing. You only come to God through Jesus. He paid for your sins when He died on the cross for you. To receive the forgiveness He died to provide, you must trust in Jesus. That means you depend on what He did to pay for your sins. It also means you believe what He said about being God--you trust Him enough to obey Him. You don't come to the bargaining table with God. You have to surrender everything.

Imagine God as a king with subjects. Someone has led an insurrection against him, and he is going to punish the rebels. If a rebel comes to him and says, "I'm sorry about one crime I committed, but I'm not sorry about all of the rest," the king won't have much mercy on him. But perhaps the rebel comes to him and says, "I'm ashamed of everything I did. I can't make it up to you. I have nothing to give you to repay the damages. But I submit to you now, and I'll do anything you tell me now." Then the king forgives him, and adopts him as his own child, and gives him an inheritance in his kingdom.

God wants complete repentance and a complete submission to Him. In return, He forgives completely. He never brings your rebellion up to you again. He chooses to forget it, and treats you as if you had never rebelled. He gives you peace instead of guilt. He heals your broken heart. He assures you of His love for you. He gives you help to do what you ought to do when you feel like giving up. He promises that He will never leave you. He adopts you as His child and gives you a supportive family of His other children. He guarantees that no power or circumstance, including death itself, can ever rob you of your relationship as His child.

Some people try to prove their repentance by punishing themselves. They think that if they cause enough pain to themselves, God will be more likely to forgive them. They may cut themselves or develop an eating disorder. That's trying to pay for our own sin and satisfy God on our terms. Rather than submitting to God and accepting His free forgiveness, that's telling God you don't need Him. It's a sign of continued rebellion.

Whatever your situation, depend on what that Jesus did for you, submit to God and obey Him. Enjoy His forgiveness, and allow Him to heal you.

Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

"Among these are Life..."

2008-07-04T09:34:00.002-05:00

This Independence Day we celebrate a declaration, not only of the independence of 13 colonies, but also of some timeless truths that our Founding Fathers recognized: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

When Congress or the Supreme Court or anyone else tells us what rights we have or don't have, let us never forget that it is God Himself that has given rights to all men, based on the fact that He created them in His own image. Human rights come from God, not from government. Our Founding Fathers knew that, and we must not forget it.

The rights to life, liberty, and property are all under assault, but the chief among these is the right to life--a right which our laws fail to protect before birth (and in some cases after an injury or debilitating disease).

There are many fronts in the battle for God's gift of life. Some battle the forces of death in the legislatures. Some in the courts. Some in the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans. Some educate young people about the dangers of immorality and urge them to abstain until marriage. Others volunteer at pregnancy helping centers, persuading women not to abort. Still others stand as a last line of defense at the abortion clinics themselves, either protesting or doing sidewalk counseling. With so many different fronts, there are many gaps in which to stand.

Our Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to defend the freedoms they held dear. As we honor all the patriots who have risked and given their lives in defense of our freedom, let us commit to defend the God-given right to life with equal resolve--and with equal reliance upon the Author of life and the Giver of liberty.

Wesley Wilson

--
Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

The Supreme Court and a Culture of Life

2008-06-27T07:15:00.004-05:00

Although none of the Supreme Court's decisions this session directly impact abortion, I believe some of these cases relate directly to our culture's respect for life.

In District of Columbia v. Heller, the court overturned the D.C. gun ban--a victory for life. It makes little sense, indeed, to say a person has a right to life, but lacks the right to protect that life. The right to self-defense flows from the inherent worth of the individual created in the image of God.

As William Blackstone explained in his Commentaries on the Laws of England, "Both the life and limbs of a man are of such high value, in the estimation of the law of England, that it pardons even homicide if committed ... in order to preserve them." Blackstone also wrote that the right of "having arms for their defense" is an auxiliary to "the natural right of resistance and self-preservation, when the sanctions of society and laws are found insufficient to restrain the violence of oppression."

Of course the Bible, upon which much of England's common law was based, encourages self-defense. As one example of many, Nehemiah instructed the people of God, "Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses." (Nehemiah 4:14)

The Supreme Court's recognition of the right of self-defense, and the corollary right to own handguns as a means of self-defense, is a welcome affirmation of the value of life. Life is, and always will be, worth fighting for.

The court's decision in Kennedy v. Louisiana, overturning death penalty laws in six states for the crime of child rape, is a blow to the culture of life. If our society truly valued its children, would we not apply the death penalty to those who commit the most heinous crime against them? The "cruel and unusual punishment" phrase used to justify the ruling must be understood by its original intent. What did James Madison and his contemporaries mean by it? Did not their states allow the death penalty for rape--and how much more in a case where the victim was a child?

To defend the sanctity and worth of every life, we cannot allow perverts to violate children. It makes no sense to protect children's lives but fail to protect them from the worst kind of assault. What penalty other than death could fit the crime of child rape? It seems to be a self-evident law of nature that child rapists have forfeited their right to live. The Kennedy ruling devalues life. All of our lives just became that much cheaper.

The constitutional balance of power between the branches of government is out of kilter when the most important job of a president is to appoint judges. But these cases show us once again that the course of our nation depends on electing a president who will appoint judges who respect the Constitution. Someday, we must limit the judiciary to its constitutional authority. Until then we celebrate the victories, grieve the defeats, and elect presidents and legislators who will give us good kings--I mean, judges.

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Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.

So Much for Free Speech

2008-06-16T20:30:00.004-05:00

I commented recently on penalties imposed on "hate speech" (a.k.a., speech the government doesn't approve of) in France. With the political left pushing for hate speech laws in the United States, it is a battle that every American who values his or her right to say things that are unpopular, will soon have to fight.

But we don't have to wait long. Elaine Huguenin, a wedding photographer in New Mexico, will be brought before the New Mexico Human Rights Division because she refused to photograph a lesbian commitment ceremony.

It remains a mystery why the agency has even agreed to hear the complaint, as a spokesman for the state said the agency handles discrimination claims "in the areas of employment, housing, credit or public accommodation." Last time I checked, wedding photos didn't fit in those categories. I haven't read the New Mexico constitution, but I seriously doubt it protects the basic human right to have photographs taken of you. But we all know about the rights that courts can find in "living" documents.

How can minor "rights" override major ones? How can a supposed right not to be discriminated against trump the right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment? For that matter, how did the "right to privacy" discovered in Roe v. Wade trump the right to due process of law before an individual is deprived of life?

As we have just seen in the California rulings banning home schooling and legalizing homosexual "marriage," the courts are free to make up the rules as they go. The judiciary was intended to be the most conservative branch (in the sense of resistant to change) of government. It has become the most radical. Change should come as the people's representatives propose it and pass laws. The judges should see that the laws of the land (and in some cases, its traditions) are followed.

The courts are out of control, and the legislature is the only body capable of removing the judges who violate their trust and make new laws. We must get our representatives to undertake that responsibility. And it might not be a bad idea to start working toward constitutional amendments at the state and federal level allowing voter recall of all judges.

If we don't get the courts to follow the laws of the land, we won't have a Constitution left, nor will we have the freedoms it guarantees.

Wesley Wilson is the President of Let Her Live, a nonprofit dedicated to saving babies by showing the beauty and value of life to women considering abortion. Please learn more about the Let Her Live pro-life billboard campaign. Donations are tax deductible.