Rasmussen: Nothing Wrong with Abortion Petition in Church

In today's Rapid City Journal, Randy Rasmussen writes in the "Theirs" column normally reserved for local non-Journal columnists. I've lost track of where Randy is working at the Journal these days, but he used to be the Opinion Page Editor. I think the Journal is having trouble filling the local columnist spot, which is why he is filling it today; others Journal employees, including the current Opinion Page editor Mary Garrigan, have filled that spot recently.

Randy talks about the recent "controversy" in some Black Hills Catholic churches when abortion ban petitions were circulated in the churches.

I highlight "controversy," because I suspect there was no real controversy, outside one or two malcontents like Bernadette Gorszich-Usera, who was cited in one of the articles as opposing the petitions, and certain journalists who would probably rather see unfettered abortion remain legal.

I must strongly commend Rasmussen, because his piece today provides the balance that was sorely lacking from Kevin Woster's fear-mongering piece.

(Of course, the Journal had to get in another bit to reminder churches of their "proper place" even on the same opinion page, as they included a political cartoon that shows an IRS agent walking out of a church and shaking hands with the pastor as he says, "Fine sermon, Reverend. You'll be hearing from my office.")

Rasmussen points out the complete fallacy of the whole "separation of church and state" argument so often used as a club to silence people of faith from being the "salt and light" Christ has commanded them to be.

The phrase “separation of church and state” usually arises in these situations. That phrase, which appears nowhere in the U.S. Constitution, is most often used by nonreligious people to silence the political speech of those they disagree with.

I find it odd that well-known religious leaders come under heated criticism because they speak out on political issues.

As I pointed out recently, what in our society anymore is not political? Is marriage political? Family? Our cars? Our toilets?

If we ignore the First Amendment for a moment and actually seriously indulge the proposition that churches, pastors and people of faith are not allowed to address "political" things, then they're going to be a pretty quiet bunch, since pretty much everything is political in our bloated, over-weaning governmental bureaucracy...but perhaps that's exactly what the secularists want: church people to keep their mouths shut while they sanitize any vestige of faith from our culture.

Rasmussen puts the matter of the petitions themselves into perspective:

I don’t know what the big deal is about petitions being circulated in churches. No one’s being forced to sign the petitions, even if your pastor or bishop thinks it’s a good idea. And, if it should make it on the ballot, you’re not required to vote for or against it.

If the idea of abortion petitions being circulated in church bothers you, find a church that’s more to your liking. There are many more religions and churches than there are political parties, so you have plenty of choices where to plant your faith.

Well said. If you like one of those churches that's content to be a social club for people who own Bibles, there are plenty of those around. If you want to be a member of a church that doesn't care about teaching what God has said about the kind of behavior he expects from us, there are plenty of those, too.

But if you find yourself accidentally straying into a church that believes God when He said, "Be holy, even as I am holy," then don't go blaming the church for actually repeating what God has said. Either examine your own heart and admit your sin...or go find one of those churches that will pat you on the back as you make your way blissfully to Hell.

Meanwhile, there are men of God like Bishop Cupich, Pastor Steve Hickey of Church at the Gate in Sioux Falls, and any number of other God-fearing pastors around South Dakota who will be busy telling people what God has said and warning them away from the gates of Hell.

Thanks, Randy, for putting the balance back in the Journal on this issue.