SAN ANTONIO, June 1 /Christian Newswire/ -- Doug Phillips, a constitutional attorney and the president of Vision Forum Ministries, issued the following statement concerning the murder of late-term abortionist, Dr. George Tiller:
"'Tiller the Killer' is dead. Who will mourn for this man?
"Perhaps the bigger question is this: Who will mourn for the more than 60,000 babies that Dr. George Tiller brutally murdered in the most horrific manner imaginable over his lengthy career as America's most notorious provider of late-term abortions?
"The names of these babies are unknown. On the other hand, we do know what happened to the bodies of these children made in the image of God: 'Tiller the Killer' would vivisect these children up to nine months into their lives; next, this professing Christian would baptize the mangled remains of the children he murdered; then, he would place their bodies into his Auschwitz-like crematorium; and, finally, he would take the ashen remains of these children and place them in an urn.
"And yet his death is tragic.
"It is not a tragedy that Tiller will never be a killer again. Will anyone argue that it is a tragedy that the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will never again be dishonored by this church-going Sweeney Todd of the medical profession?
"The tragedy is two-fold: First, by breaking the law of God (murder) in order to advance the law of God (punishing a murderer), the shooter demonstrated that he was a lawless individual and that, whatever his motivations, his cause was unholy. He cannot expect the blessing of God on his efforts, but rather the contrary. The ends do not justify the means. Pragmatic responses to evil produces short term victories and long-term heartaches.
"Second, Tiller's executioner has played into the hands of the community of abortion apologists -- those in the press and elsewhere who are look for every opportunity to shift the debate away from the bloodshed of babies. These individuals are hell-bent to justify America's idolatrous practice of child sacrifice to the gods of feminist self-determination, and the wrongful killing of an abortionist only furthers their cause.
"For the cause of the pro-life movement to succeed, we need the blessing and favor of the Lord. Only this will win the day. And we cannot presume to have God's blessing and favor unless we love the Lord with all of our hearts; unless we become men and women committed to his Law-Word revelation; and unless we recognize that judgment begins first in the house of the Lord.
"This means that the millions of professing Christians who use abortifacient contraceptives need to humble themselves before the Lord and change their practices. It means that we must embrace a 100% pro- life apologetic, rejecting all forms of abortion and refusing to embrace 'ends justify the means' reasoning. It means that we need to be serious about not voting for individuals who sanction the murder of even one child. It means that we need to embrace a life-ethic which is different from the world -- we must love life, love children, and embrace them as God's gift.
"Moreover, we must view the cause of Christ as more important than the pro-life movement. This means that our duty to obey Christ and to honor His name is more important than defeating abortion in America, as badly as we may desire that outcome.
"I conclude with this thought: George Tiller is dead. For whom shall we mourn?
"First, we mourn for the many children he murdered whose names will never make headline news, but whose murders were painful, violent, and bloody at the hands of this man. Second, we mourn for the future children who may be killed as a result of the way the pro-abortion movement will capitalize on this unlawful killing. Third, we mourn for a nation that has broken covenant with God, a nation deserving of God's just wrath for its complicity in child sacrifice.
"Finally, our mourning must lead us to prayer for the Church. God forbid that the blood of the innocent would be on our hands. If we would humble ourselves before the Lord and simply refuse to tolerate abortion in our own ranks, who knows what great things might be lawfully done, with God's blessing, to bring murderers like George Tiller to an appropriate and earthly justice?"
To interview Doug Phillips regarding the implications of Tiller's death, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at press@visionforum.org or by phone at (210) 340- 5250, ext. 222.
