It's Clear - You Shall Not Murder

"You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13

Four simple, straight forward, unambiguous words from the book of Exodus say everything that needs to be said about the actions of the man who shot and killed Dr. George Tiller, the unapologetic late-term abortionist from Wichita, Kansas, widely known as "Tiller the Baby Killer." Almost single-handedly, Dr. Tiller turned Wichita into the abortion capital of the United States, a claim that was either a badge of honor or a deep moral stain, depending on which side of the abortion debate a person stood.

There is no need for discussion. There is no room for debate. Dr. Tiller's murder was wrong.

So, what's with all the chattering on cable news shows and talk radio, and the thousands of editorials and blogs written across the nation since Sunday morning?

Political posturing.

It's disturbing and uncomfortable to watch, and it only serves to illustrate the underlying problem in the abortion debate in America. The supporters of the efforts of Dr. Tiller do not appear to value his life any more than they do the lives of the 43 million babies murdered through abortion since Roe versus Wade became the "law of our land," an ironic term used by people on both sides of the abortion issue since the right for a woman to have an abortion was never a bill voted on by congress or signed into law by a president. We should be calling it the illegitimate law of the land. If the supporters of Dr. Tiller truly valued his life rather than the work that he did while he was alive, they would be mourning the fact that a fallen, Christian man, a husband and father, was slain. They would say a prayer for his eternal soul, offer prayers of support for his wife, his children, and his congregation. The only value they appear to see in Dr. Tiller's life is the value of the air time and print space they garnered in order to score points for their side of the abortion debate. They will use his name as long as it is useful and then they will move on. He will be forgotten as soon as a new source provides them with a fresh opportunity to make their argument. His entire life was smelted into a single strike hammer used to nail their political opponents.

It can be difficult for Christians to understand the application of the concept that all sins are equal. We are taught that all sins are equal in the eyes of the Lord, but when we see the work of someone like Dr. Tiller we say, "Yeah, but I never did that!" It is a reflection of the limitations of the human mind. It is safe to assume that since Dr. Tiller did attend church regularly that he had some sort of relationship with God. We'll never know the depth or quality of that relationship, or whether he was truly saved. We do know from his life's work that George Tiller unashamedly and unapologetically flaunted God's support of life, from His creation (He breathed life into man) through His command not to murder, to Christ's death for our sins and His gift of the Holy Spirit. His behavior appeared to say, "I'm killing babies, God. Deal with it." George Tiller has some explaining to do, and I would hate to be standing in his shoes on judgment day. That's okay. You'd hate to be standing in mine.

The only winners in the entire episode are the babies who will not be aborted by Dr. Tiller. It's time to pray that his clinic is shut down, and that no one steps into the void left by his passing to continue his life's work.