I was at a meeting recently when the discussion of the “use of pain relief” legislation being considered in congress came up.  It is a difficult situation with implications on the Oregon law that allows assisted suicide.  According to some, the legislation would effectively overturn the Oregon Law.  If it does or doesn’t, I don’t know. 

 But the discussion lead to a rather severe comment about our congressman, Charles Canady.  Apparently Canady supports this legislation. The comment was “If he (Canady) is for it, I am against it!  He does not understand that he is not God.”  I didn’t go ask the commenter to clarify, but I suspect that this is an outgrowth from his firm stand on abortion and “partial birth” abortion as well as this current legislation. 

 Just a side note, I would like to say that I am very supportive of the representation by Mr. Canady.  He has been articulate, he has been passionate and has represented us well (We would be Gods got to stick together!)

 At that point in the discussion, for me, the explosive abortion issue was put into perspective.  Playing God.  Each side is pointing at the other and accusing them of playing God.  In the minds of the players it is a fight over just who will play God; the Congress by regulating abortion and denying a woman’s freedom and choice about “her body”…  or, a woman with an unwanted pregnancy retaining the right to make the “God like” Choice.

 Of course both sides will deny that they are playing God.  The pro-abortion side of the issue will say that it is a privacy issue.  The woman should have the right to make that choice until some point in the pregnancy; the most extreme position would be until the baby is fully out of the birth canal.

The anti-abortions side will say that it has nothing to do with privacy or the woman’s body.  It is all about the life of the baby.  

 But in reality we have made a “God” decision.  Current law says that it is currently acceptable to our society that a baby can be killed in the womb.  When that baby is out of the worm it is not.  The real rub comes just where in that process does it cross the line.

 With this thinking at some point in the birth we convert from “acceptable” to ‘murder”.  Currently it is acceptable to abort when the baby is partially out of the birth canal.  If you support the right of “choice” (isn’t that a nice clean little term for abortions) you have to have the confidence that you know that exact point when the line is crossed.

 There is a “society” decision on this.  We know the limits, we know what we can and cannot do, and when we can do it!  But not always.  It is all right for the woman to abort a baby up until the point of delivery.  But on the other hand there has been some problems with someone causing a accident where a unborn baby is killed.  Or if a woman chooses to take drugs and the baby is effected there may be legal implications.  But generally a woman and a doctor know the limits and they take comfort in operating under those limits.

 But if there is a God… and both parties seem to indicate there is, what is his limit?  Would he approve of a partial birth abortion?  Would he approve of any abortion?

 It seems to me that we are taking too much comfort in the laws of man made in the harshness of partisan politics and in doing so we assume that God will go along.

 With God’s judgment much harsher than man’s it seems to be prudent that we err on the side of caution.