On getting censored

One of my Facebook friends, Larry, posted an article today about abortion. It was written from a pro-life perspective, and unlike so many that fall into this category, it was written well. I don't know Larry well, he is a friend of my friend Jay. He is a pastor and has, in the past, posted some pretty controversial threads. He tends to lean pretty heavily to the right and mixes up his politics with his faith, and we don't always agree. He is very pro-gun, I'm not. Still, I choose to believe we both love Jesus, and that means that we have more in common than we don't.

But I admit, I was surprised tonight that he deleted my comments from the thread. Basically, a man suggested that he could not be pro-life and also pro-death penalty. Another man came up with some ludicrous hypothetical scenario asking this man if he witnessed an unconscious man being stabbed and had the ability to kill the man and stop the stabbing, what would he do? He was trying to make the age old point that killing and murdering are not the same. That abortion is murder, which makes it wrong, whereas killing in defense (or as punishment for crimes, as in the death penalty) is not wicked, but allowable.

I wrote in suggestion that, as a Christian, I am pro-life, from womb to tomb. I reminded them that Jesus told us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek... That, to me, basically means not to stab, shoot or kill them. I would die protecting my own children, but I would not kill.

Then he asked me, if I saw a man stabbing a child, and I just happened to be on the roof with a sniper weapon and the ability to take the shot, would I take him out?

My answer was to point out that this hypothetical line of reasoning is silly. The truth is, I don't have a gun, and I won't have a gun. So his point is moot. I would never be on my roof with a weapon looking out for men stabbing children in the hood. That's insane.

But I reiterated, I would be willing to die, not to kill, to protect a person in danger. I am all for non-violent means of action. (I could go on about this, but I won't since it's not the main point.)

Instead, what happened was that Larry deleted all my comments. I PM'd him, asked if he had done so, and he admitted he had. His reasoning was that he doesn't think it looks good to see Christians argue on Facebook. What's sad to me is I think the man who challenged him in the first place was right! But now the thread is left to the men explaining, in rather condescending language, why abortion is wrong but killing a person they find deserving of death is not.

Sigh.

I've written about this before HERE and HERE, the things I believe about what it really means to be pro-life, my views on guns, and all that loving your neighbor as yourself stuff.

I know forcing my way in at this point isn't going to change any minds, but it always shocks me that Christians find this line of thinking so radical. This is exactly how Jesus lived and died, and how his disciples were taught to live and die.

I am open to other opinions, but I'll be honest, it stings to be censored.

Oh well, it is what it is.

From a loving but frustrated place in my heart,
Amy