Bill_Spanjer

On Holy Indignation

My intention is not to blog on the singular subject of abortion or Planned Parenthood, but the moment strikes me as one of the utmost importance; one that demands extended concentration.  I have noticed recently a strain of response from Christians to the rhetoric and anger of other Christians regarding the recently released videos.  Rachel Held Evans and Ann Voskamp are two examples of prominent bloggers from opposite ends of the Christian social spectrum who are pushing back and calling for a response of grace and love.  They are unsettled by the angry tone of many believers on this issue and believe that it will do more harm than good and may in fact be misrepresenting the Christ that loved sinners without a spirit of condemnation.  

On the one hand, I appreciate the concern.  It is important for us all to remember that people are broken and ultimately need God’s grace, that is, mothers who have had abortions and fathers who have insisted on them, as well as abortion doctors and nurses, technicians and baby part purchasers.  Until there is a Spirit wrought change in the heart, our fist pounding, legislating, blogging and protesting will have little lasting impact.  Therefore our anger must be seasoned with the salt of the gospel and with a genuine concern for lost sinners.  We must not be like James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” who immediately wanted to call down fire from heaven  upon the rebellious.  No, ultimately they need the transforming power of Jesus to heal and save them and we should long for that and pray for it.

On the other hand….

Let Us Stay The Course

I wrote in a post a couple of weeks ago, as the first Planned Parenthood video was released, that as Christians we must not look away, but rather let the video stir us to action and outrage over the atrocity of abortion.  Now three other videos have been released and apparently there will be more to come.  I want to restate my charge to everyone who might read this.  Do NOT look away.  These videos are must see for everyone. For those who support abortion, it is essential that they come to grips with what it is they are supporting.  For those already opposed it is essential that we allow these videos to light a fire under us and move to action for the sake of the unborn so that we a re never silent again.  There are a couple of reactions to the release of these videos that I fear may come.  First,...

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

The past couple of months have been an absolute whirlwind of cultural disintegration.  It seems like it was a year ago that Bruce Jenner had his Vanity Fair coming out party; so much water has gone over the dam since then.  From the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage, the $130K judgement against the Klein’s for being unwilling to make a cake for such an event, and the talk of churches losing their tax exempt status, to the latest horrifying videos of Planned Parenthood, it has felt like we are in the middle of a cultural free fall.  We all saw it coming for years now, but these past couple of months have brought the future rushing into the present and with the Obergefell  decision in particular, it seems as if a threshold has been crossed and American Christians are officially on the outside looking in and left to speak from the margins.  While this may be slightly overstated, it has led some….

Don't Look Away

Few things have I found more difficult to watch and listen to than the video that was released on Tuesday of Dr. Deborah Nucatola the Senior Director of Medical Services for Planned Parenthood at a lunch meeting with two people posing as potential buyers of the organs of aborted babies.  To listen to her so casually discussing the high demand for the livers and lungs and even the heads (or as she so professionally calls the calvarium) of babies and how they have perfected the skill of removing “it” (the baby) so as not to damage any of the desirable organs all while she eats her salad and sips her wine was unbelievably sickening and infuriating.  It is utterly incredible and chilling to watch someone who has so lost her humanity that she can talk of dismembering children (eight of which she says she had just done that morning) as if she was discussing shopping for shoes.  How painfully shocking it is to listen to this so called doctor describing all of the particular body parts of the baby with medical clarity and yet with complete blindness to the very fact that….