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Can We Make the Pro-Life Movement "Cool?"

It depends.  What do we mean by "cool" and what will we do to achieve it?  But I think abortion is the greatest social justice issue of our time (despite a growing Evangelical aversion to the issue) and therefore, we've got to think carefully about how we communicate the pro-life message.  

Check out part one of my "cool" discussion with the Life Training Institute crew, in their most recent podcast.

Comments

Brett, it's come to my awareness that the founder of Life Training Institute believes that fetuses deserve far worse than dismemberment - that they deserve to be punished and to suffer for all eternity.

This strikes me as an uncool belief, if ever there was one. It is certainly distasteful, and it's probably out of step with the wider Pro-Life Movement.

Your thoughts? Do you think that (some?) unborn babies are an abomination to God?

Hey Reader, clarify for me. How does Scott Klusendorf think fetuses should be punished for all eternity? Is this something you read on his website?

Klusendorf believes that fetuses deserve eternal suffering in hell on the basis of Ephesians 2:1-5 and Romans 5. He believes that unborn babies deserve far worse than prenatal dismemberment.

See his discussion in the comments section here: http://trevinwax.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/the-current-state-of-the-pro-l...

The context of that discussion is important so people need to go back and read it in its entirety. Klusendorf actually says he's not sure of the fate of the aborted child: "Biblically understood, the entire human race is under the wrath of God for rebellion against its maker. That is to say, we not only do bad stuff, we ARE bad by nature (see Eph. 2: 1-5, Romans 5), meaning God would be just to send the entire group of us to Hell without comment. In short, unborn humans, like all humans, are not innocent. They come into being with a sin nature (thanks to Adam) and justly deserve Hell just like the rest of us. Unlike some pro-lifers, I am not convinced that each and every unborn child that dies before birth goes to heaven. Frankly, the Bible doesn’t speak directly to the question. I confess I simply don’t know and it will take a greater theological mind than my own to resolve that mystery."

To be accurate, Klusendorf believes ALL human beings are guilty of breaking God's moral law and thus, are deserving of punishment (hell). That's a pretty standard Christian view. Of course, if fetuses are also human beings, the same applies to them. There is debate amongst Christians regarding the eternal destiny of babies and children--some holding to an "age of accountability" before they can be held culpable. Klusendorf explicitly he says he doesn't know the answer to this one.

Brett, it wasn't clear in your response, but apparently you agree that I have not misrepresented Klusendorf in saying that he does believe that unborn babies deserve far worse than prenatal dismemberment, and that fetuses do deserve to suffer for all of eternity.

Am I right to understand that you also accept these claims?

Brett, any thoughts on the question put to you?

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About
Brett Kunkle is the Student Impact Director at Stand to Reason. He is a huge fan of his wife and 4 kids, surfing the Point in Newport Beach, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, in that order.


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