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Dobson and Pigskin Politics

January 28, 2010, 2:21 pm » bo.and.jon

So I’m scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook the other day and see a link to a story on ABC about Focus on the Family running an anti-abortion ad during Super Bowl XLIV starring Tim Tebow. I may have been the last person on the 'Interwebs' (that’s what my 65 year old dad calls it) to see this, but it sparked a few thoughts.

In the article, Gary Schneeberger, a Focus on the Family spokesman, is quoted as saying, “There is nothing political or controversial about the spot.” Are you kidding me? Nothing political or controversial… right. Focus on the Family has become synonymous with both politics and controversy due to its strong alignment with crazy right-wing ideologies.

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

December 15, 2009, 4:55 pm » Brett Kunkle

A discussion of pro-life "cool" with the crew from Life Training Institute (www.prolifetraining.com).

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

December 15, 2009, 4:04 pm » Brett Kunkle

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.

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Part 2: Did Tiller Get What He Deserved?

June 5, 2009, 10:50 am » Sean McDowell

Late-term abortion is despicable. Except for extremely rare circumstances, a baby at this stage is fully viable (it can survive outside the mother’s womb). An unborn child at this stage is a precious member of the human community who deserves our protection. Some people deny an embryo full human status because they say it doesn’t look human (this ignores the fact that an embryo looks exactly as a human being is supposed to look like at that stage of development). But the same reasoning cannot be applied to a baby in late term. It is obviously human.

Every clear thinking American—and in particular, Christians—ought to condemn the actions of Dr. Tiller. Taking the life of 60,000 precious unborn human persons is a grave wrong that we cannot, and must not, ignore. If we don’t speak out on behalf of these people, who will?

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Did Dr. Tiller Get What He Deserved?

June 2, 2009, 1:34 pm » Sean McDowell

The title of this blog may have shocked you. So I better clarify something right up front: I am NOT endorsing the actions of the killer who took Dr. Tiller’s life in ANY way. I agree with the conclusions of Dr. Robert George:

Whoever murdered George Tiller has done a gravely wicked thing. …No private individual had the right to execute judgment against him. For the sake of justice and right, the perpetrator of this evil deed must be prosecuted, convicted and punished. …Every human life is precious. George Tiller’s life was precious. We do not teach the wrongness of taking human life by wrongfully taking a human life.

My point is simply to raise some troubling questions about the justification that has been offered for why the killing of Dr. Tiller should be condemned. My criticism will be applied to both the right and the left.

Tags | Morality | abortion | Dr Tiller | Tiller

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Pro-Lifers, Make Yourself Useful

May 23, 2009, 12:20 am » Kristen Howerton

There has been quite a bit of press this week about the abortion debate, fueled by a slew of protests at Barack Obama's recent speech at Notre Dame's commencement. Most notably, people in the crowd were shouting "baby killer" at the president, while a march outside the auditorium featured protesters pushing strollers that held blood-smeared baby dolls.

I am unembarrassed by my beliefs about abortion. I don't like it. But as Mark Meehan wrote in a recent blog post, it feels like the term Pro-Life Movement represents a contingency of screamers that are not taken seriously by those outside their camp. I'm pro-life, but I'm not sure I want to be a part of this Pro-Life Movement.

Tags | abortion

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How Pro-Lifers Lost Their Place at the Table

May 20, 2009, 6:42 pm » MarkM

We knew this was going to happen. A couple of weeks ago, as we were discussing the Christian support of torture, we could see it coming. Suddenly, without warning, Christians were going to emerge miraculously “Pro life.“ Like a mythological Phenix rising from the still hot ashes of a failed Presidential campaign, they would rise.

OK, so I’m being dramatic. But really, we did know this was coming, right?

I had to take a very deep breath the other night, as CNN showed the President looking campaign-like in glorious South Bend. Now,I’m no fan of Fox, but I have to say that he looked a little smug in the graduation regalia, with his blue velvet robe stripes glowing in the bright camera lights. Like he had won somehow, before he even spoke. And he was right. He did.

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The issue of abortion

March 30, 2009, 11:43 am » Sean McDowell

"Above is one of the most powerful speeches I've seen for pro-life (it's only 5 minutes). And it's by a 12 year old! This is a great video to show to your kids, students, and to study yourself. I wish there were many more young girl's like this out there. Enjoy!"

Tags | Morality | abortion

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The CatholicVote.org Video Sends the Wrong Pro-Life Message

February 3, 2009, 11:45 am » Brett Kunkle

Alright, since I'm on a pro-life blog kick, let me get out one or two more posts on the subject...

CatholicVote.org has put out a compelling pro-life video.

Tools like this are a powerful way to put our pro-life arguments into narrative form. Unfortunately, I think this video inadvertently gives the wrong justification for the pro-life message. Watch it and then ask the following question: "According to this video, what is the grounds for human value?" The video mistakenly communicates that human life is valuable merely in virtue of its instrumental value.

What's instrumental value? Something that has instrumental value is only valuable in that it leads to something else that has intrinsic value. A classic example of something that has instrumental value is money. Money itself is not valuable, but it's valuable in that it can get something that has intrinsic value. Money might get you happiness. Money might get you pleasure. Money might get you friendship. Money might buy you mercy. In other words, the money has value in that it leads to something else that is valuable in itself. This is very important because something that has instrumental value is valuable in a very tenuous way.