"One of the most important hermeneutical constraints one should adopt in order to avoid such reductionism is this: Permit the various attributes and characteristics of God to function in your theology only in the ways in which they function in Scripture; never permit them to function in your theology in such a way that the primary data, the data of Scripture, are contradicted. Thus one must not infer fatalism from the sweeping biblical data about God's sovereignty; one must not infer that God is finite from the constant biblical portrayal of God personally interacting with finite persons. From God's knowledge and sovereignty we must not justify prayerlessness; from the exhortations to pray and not give up, we must not suppose God is coerced by our much speaking (compare Matt. 6:7-8 and Luke 18:1). Precisely because God is so gloriously rich and complex a being, we must draw out the lessons the biblical writers draw out, and no others."
- D.A. Carson
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Jay Nordlinger makes a good point about something that I've wondered about too. How come no one is talking about abortion this political season?
Would like to say a word about abortion — strange how it doesn’t get mentioned during presidential campaigns (general-election campaigns, I mean). Abortion is said to be one of the biggest issues in the country. An issue that roils the country. And it is. But presidential nominees are strangely silent about it — election after election after election.Emphasis mine
I know why the Republicans — the pro-lifers — are silent: They believe that abortion is a losing issue. (Rather, that the pro-life position is a losing one.) So they say something mild, indirect, and brief — like, “Every child should be welcomed in life and protected in law.â€
But why are the Democrats silent? Why is the Democratic nominee silent on abortion, every four years? If the pro-choice position is such a winning one, why not trumpet it? I have a hunch about the Democrats’ reticence: I think the smart ones believe that the pro-choice position is not such a winning one. And I think they’re right.
Barack Obama is a radical on abortion — an extremist. He is for total abortion on demand. He voted against the Born Alive Act. (Of course, this separates him from no other mainstream Democrat . . .)
I'd like Obama to explain his opposition to the Born Alive act, because I think his stance on that legislation is horrifying.
Nordlinger rocks, by the way. He makes a lot of other great observations about the current political scene in his article.
Reading further, Nordlinger offers this snippet:
Was on the streets of New York the other day (as pretty much every day). And these people, spaced about 20 yards apart, were giving away tiny little granola bars. “Free granola bar?†they were saying. “Free granola bar?†And with the bar came a smallish, glossy card, advertising a church.I don't know where Nordlinger stands on the subject of faith. I found his take here to be pretty interesting, especially since I've been a participant in the "pass out water to people with our church's information on the bottle" type of efforts. He saw it as trying to "sell salvation".
Pretty pathetic, I thought: using a miniature granola bar to sell salvation. Almost deceptive. Shouldn’t salvation be the main event? And shouldn’t these folks have enough confidence in their product?
What do you think?
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Comments on "Norlinger on Abortion and Granola Bars":
2. Manders
- 07/31/2008 10:36 pm CDT
The editor of Relevant did an interview with Obama a while ago, and here's a link: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7591
Here's what he said re: the "Born Alive" bill:
There was a bill that came up in Illinois that was called the “Born Alive†bill that purported to require life-saving treatment to such infants. And I did vote against that bill. The reason was that there was already a law in place in Illinois that said that you always have to supply life-saving treatment to any infant under any circumstances, and this bill actually was designed to overturn Roe v. Wade, so I didn’t think it was going to pass constitutional muster.
What do y'all think?
3. Bill
- 07/31/2008 11:06 pm CDT
Well, I haven't read the bill. I still don't see how one can vote against a bill that allows medical treatment for an abortion victim born alive. But I also can't get into the mindset of your typical Democrat on this issue.
4. Andrew
- 08/01/2008 12:36 am CDT
For all our disagreements, abortion is where Obama and I part most clearly. His position has softened over the last few years (a little before his nomination bid started, but mostly since then), but it is still far more accepting than I'm comfortable with.
How come no one is talking about abortion this political season?
I've noticed that it doesn't seem to be a big issue with my generation. I never knew a time before Roe v. Wade, and while people have their opinions, I don't know anyone my age for whom it is a make-or-break issue. We've grown up with it as the status-quo and I personally believe it is a stain that will never be removed from this country. I see it as a losing battle.
6. nhe
- 08/01/2008 8:35 am CDT
He saw it as trying to "sell salvation".
What do you think?
I'm gonna defer to the "a tad cheesey" but still great song by Wayne Watson.....the man on the street corner simply preached:
"New lives for old
Warm hearts for cold
Have I got a deal for you today
C'mon step right this way
Get your new lives for old"
That's pretty much a stand-alone product
7. Karl
- 08/01/2008 9:29 am CDT
On the granola bar issue, I read a very similar argument not too long ago and it was something that I hadn't considered previously. The writer was saying that if you want to go and bless the people in your community by giving out free water (or granola bars in this instance), then by all means do it. And maybe even i.d. who you are via t-shirts or a sign set up near you bearing your church's name, etc. But don't try to slide in a salvation message, or a written invitation to your church, via the label on the bottle, the slip of paper w/ the granola bar, etc. It comes across as a bait and switch, and makes the gospel (or the concept of Christian community) seem weak, not the main event like Nordlinger says.
The more I think about it the more I agree. Not to condemn anyone who does otherwise; I believe their motives are good and God can and does use those types of things. But I think He sometimes uses them "in spite of" our misguided efforts rather than because what we did was a great idea.
8. Walt
- 08/01/2008 12:20 pm CDT
I read Jay's granola piece yesterday and thought it was an interesting take. I think most Christians would say the people passing out the granola bars intention was good but did not consider how others would view the message. I tend to agree with Karl's comment. Anyway, how Christians view a message can be vast. My 14 year old son and I we driving down the road last week and we passed a church with a message board out front that read "No perfect people allowed".... my son said "are they trying to say Jesus is not allowed in their church?" Good observation for a kid.
9. Bird
- 08/01/2008 7:29 pm CDT
And with the bar came a smallish, glossy card, advertising a church.
Pretty pathetic, I thought: using a miniature granola bar to sell salvation.
I don't have a problem with it.
Leave a Comment:
I know why the Republicans — the pro-lifers — are silent: They believe that abortion is a losing issue.
Um, actually, it's because McCain, "our" candidate (I put that in quotes, because that's who the majority of us are going to be voting for, unless we stay home or waste it on a third party) is reliably pro-life. We had that debate back during the state caucuses and primaries. In the case of Obama, there's isn't much point in debating over a candidate you're not voting for.
He saw it as trying to "sell salvation"...What do you think?
I think you use the avenues that you're given. We need to remain conscientious about the message not getting lost, but something that small can work. How many people have come to Christ by reading the back of a Gideon Bible?