Christianity's war against abortion...
Abortion clinics, providers and workers often live
in fear of Christian activists. Only recently captured, Eric Rudolph has been charged with a deadly bombing at the Olympics and with two other blasts in Atlanta at abortion clinics. Although the choice of the Olympics as a target may sound strange, it must be remembered that many far-right Christians regard anything which smacks of internationalism - the UN, the IMF, and the Olympics - as tools of Satan. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regards the other recent attempted bombings and attempted arson attacks at Alabama abortion clinics to represent a heightened threat to life and property.
Government officials in both Canada and the United States have issued warnings to abortion doctors to take extra precautions. Anti-abortion extremists in Britain have warned the public that there "
will be casualties" in the coming war, and that they did not intend to "turn the other cheek." As the anti-abortion rhetoric has increased over the years, so has the anti-abortion violence - property is destroyed, people are killed, and women are denied access to medical care.
When Muslim extremists place a bomb at a bus station in Israel, it is justifiably regarded as an act committed by "Muslim Terrorists." When are we going to wake up and recognize that similar acts here are being committed by "
Christian Terrorists?"
Unfortunately, that label won't be used by anyone prominent any time soon. Conservative Christian groups are very quick to jump all over anyone who even so much as hints that Christians, as Christians, are responsible for any act of violence. It's one massive attempt at clinical denial, and the media and government rarely disturbs the fantasy.
Two recent examples show how dangerous such a disturbance can be. In one case the FBI and the Justice Department suggested that Eric Rudolph might be receiving aid or even a hiding place from any one of a number of anti-abortion groups in America. The reaction to this suggestion was swift and brutal as it was labeled "irresponsible, biased, and scurrilous."
Anti-abortion activists are quick to take offense at the idea that their movement might have anything whatsoever to do with helping an accused murderer - of course, this is the same movement which has produced "hit lists" of abortion doctors. We have also seen the widespread use of violent, war-like language on the part of major figures in the anti-abortion movement, and anyone who thinks that such rhetoric cannot have a negative impact is themselves in serious denial.
In another example, Katie Couric of the Today Show questioned whether or not the murder of Matthew Shepard might be linked with the increasingly hostile displays of intolerance on the part of various right-wing Christian groups like Focus on the Family. The reaction from members of such organizations was quick and massive - so massive, in fact, that NBC had to ask Focus on the Family to cease and desist with the phone calls. James Dobson, president of the organization, has also asked for an official apology from NBC.
Apparently, he is free to accuse homosexuals of whatever he wants - linking them to crime and drug use, if that is his whim - but any suggestion that his rhetoric encourages a climate of hate and violence is to be considered libelous. Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center considers it "one of the most insidious and bigoted attacks against Christians ever seen" for someone to suggest that Christians bear any responsibility for the Matthew Shepard's death. Somehow, I doubt he takes the suggestion that Christians are exhibiting any bigotry towards homosexuality very seriously.
Christianity & Abortion in America: Violence, Murder, Fear
Originally Posted by Gotterdammerung.2
don't turn this around.
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