As you have noticed I have removed the previous post from the blog, after much thought and reading of peoples comments, so I can clarify my position a little bit more. It was not an easy decision as I have never removed a post before, and I really hate to do it. My goal here is to have a discussion around issues, and academic theological discussion of the issues and that only works is the speaker in clear in their thoughts.
I clearly have offended some of you and I am sorry for that but as a priest I see my job as moving us to discussion and not away from it. We should be able to have discussions about issues for clarification, we may not always agree but I strive to respect all opinions here as I request that my opinions are respected, we do not have to agree but we need to respect each other as Christians.
The post is not gone just on hiatus for a bit whilst I think about it more.
You actually took down a post last time I commented. And enabled comment moderation, not because I was unChristian or so derrogatory, but because I pointed out then as I did this time that you are leaving a paper trail of opinions for anyone to see.
While it is certainly true that one cannot mend hearts with legislation, acts not committed even if only because of their legality spare one from intentional sin, broken hearts, regret, injury, death, etc. If the only thing stopping a maniac from drowning a sack of puppies is the law, the praise be to God. We can pray for his change of heart still and he has not committed any acts of animal abuse.
In the case of abortion, how do you get back that life, how do you heal the mother or the father or the family of all those injured by abortion? While it may not have been the intent to get pregnant (regardless of how horric or common the circumstances) is God the King of the Universe? It was clearly His intent to bring life forth from such circumstances. Laws ought to protect us, and sometimes from ourselves. You cannot legislate a change of heart, but that hasn't stopped us protecting the innocent with laws.
Thanks as always for your comments. If I was worried about leaving a paper trail I would not blog at all. Asking question is not against the rules, I was not clear in my comments obviously by the comments that were left.
I did not moderate comments becasue of you, and I do not recall taking a post down. I am perhaps wrong, but I do not recall ever doing that, change things, yes, but remove after posting. I cannot remember, but I do have thousands if posts over the last three or four years.
Healing is difficult but if you say it cannot happen that you deny the work of the grace of God in that persons life. LIke I said I think aboriton is an abomination.
You deleted at least one before. I do not know if Svetlana and I are remembering the same one. I beg your forgiveness as I was shocked at your post and did not respond charitably.