tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3806468.post2446828646928700520..comments2023-09-03T09:41:19.680-04:00Comments on Humble Beginnings: Obama: Comments, Criticisms, and Further Thoughtsblbartletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999068808491306447noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3806468.post-2646253943364957112008-03-10T17:07:00.000-04:002008-03-10T17:07:00.000-04:00Ben,Thanks for the mention, and sorry for the dela...Ben,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the mention, and sorry for the delay in my reply.<BR/><BR/>I actually became 'born again' through an AOG church but now attend an independent charismatic sort of church (with Brethren roots).<BR/><BR/>Glad we can see to agree on the abortion issue. The death penalty however..<BR/><BR/>I'd argue that there is more direct references to forgiveness of sinners than there is indirect references to protecting the unborn in the bible.<BR/><BR/>The murder of an innocent, a baby born or otherwise is a tragedy, a perversion in some cases. However there are plenty of instances of babies being killed (even being eaten) in the bible where God did not intervene. In fact some of these cases God had brought judgement on a group of people which ended those lives.<BR/><BR/>Finally, there appears to be one instance of such where God actually performs an 'abortion'. The child conceived between David and Bathsheeba. That's a stillborn which God himself 'aborted'.<BR/><BR/>Now before everyone gets outraged at my 'liberal' interpretation of the bible. We have to remember how God views human lives, and indeed the human soul, is very different from how we do. David lamented and said "someday I will go to [my stillborn son], but he will never come to me". Basically David understood that he would see his son again (in heaven).<BR/><BR/>To God, humans are eternal creatures, their souls live on forever and so death is simply a doorway we are all going to go through. Therefore there is the possibility that millions of dead-before-birth-children will be alive and well and ready to receive us into fellowship (as full grown adults- who knows? We will all get new bodies).<BR/><BR/>So on the death of the innocent and the guilty- God will save and condemn. Certainly many children have probably been saved from a life of suffering, pain and hell itself because they were not given a chance to born into this world (naturally or by evil means).<BR/><BR/>I don't advocate abortion, I don't agree with it and would rather see a child 'live', but I have hope and understanding that though their brief and delicate bodies may perish, they are spared the worst this world offers and are alive in God forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com