How to arrive at the concept that there are some lives that have no value at all

Once a man ceases to recognize the infinite value of the human soul… then all he can recognize is that man is something to be used. But then he will also have to go further and recognize that some men can no longer be utilized and he arrives at the concept that there are some lives that have no value at all.

– Helmut Thielicke

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The mere state of being worried

Of course, there is much to be said about this (with plenty of footnotes and caveats), but Lewis’s perspective in this letter is valuable.  The sheer magnitude of suffering to which modern media expose us, can paradoxically paralyze us and make us less likely to give, sacrifice, and serve.  And I agree with the concept of moral proximity.  As Kevin DeYoung says, “The closer the moral proximity of the poor the greater the moral obligation to help. Moral proximity does not refer to geography, though that can be part of the equation. Moral proximity refers to how connected we are to someone by virtue of familiarity, kinship, space or time.”

It is one of the evils of rapid diffusion of news that the sorrows of all the world come to us every morning. I think each village was meant to feel pity for its own sick and poor whom it can help and I doubt if it is the duty of any private person to fix his mind on ills which he cannot help. (This may even become an escape from the works of charity we really can do to those we know.)

A great many people (not you) do now seem to think that the mere state of being worried is in itself meritorious. I don’t think it is. We must, if it so happens, give our lives for others: but even while we’re doing it, I think we’re meant to enjoy Our Lord and, in Him, our friends, our food, our sleep, our jokes, and the birds’ song and the frosty sunrise. 

– C.S. Lewis, The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume 2 (via)

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One Thought for Sanctity of Life Sunday

Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday.  There is much that could be said (and much has been said) when discussing the issue of abortion.  However, if I could only make one argument for the pro-life position, it would probably be the following, which is adapted from something I heard from Peter Kreeft.  It’s simple but, I think, compelling.

In the discussion of abortion, there are two main factors: the status of the fetus and our knowledge of that status. Either the fetus is a person or it is not.  And either we know this fact or we do not.  This creates four potential scenarios (A, B, C, D), which can be diagrammed as below.

	The fetus is a person	The fetus is not a person
We know	A	B
We do not know	C	D

Abortion involves the deliberate destruction of the fetus.  Let’s see how this plays out in each of the four scenarios.

• In situation A, the fetus is a person, and we know that it is a person.  To abort a fetus in this context is tantamount to murder, for it is the deliberate destruction of an innocent person.
• In situation B, the fetus is not a person, and we know that it is not a person.  To abort a fetus in this context is morally acceptable, because we are not destroying a person.  Rather, it is comparable with removing an appendix or gallbladder—a piece of tissue that is living, but does not carry the status of personhood.  Furthermore, to prevent a woman from engaging in such a process would be a violation of her rights.
• In situation C, the fetus is a person, but we do not know whether it is a person or not.  To abort the fetus in this context is essentially criminally negligent homicide.  Perhaps a couple of examples would help illustrate why this is the case.  Suppose that a hunter is in the forest looking for a bear.  In the distance he sees a furry object moving.  Because it is so far away, he is unsure whether it is, in fact, a bear or another person wearing a fur coat.  However, he decides to shoot anyway.  It turns out, that it was a person wearing a fur coat, and he has killed him.  Or suppose a university caretaker is to fumigate a dormitory during the summer to rid it of pests.  He is unsure whether there are any students inside the dormitory, but he decides to fumigate it anyway.  It turns out that there were students inside, and he has poisoned them.  These actions are criminally negligent, resulting in the death of real individuals.
• In situation D, the fetus is not a person, but we do not know whether it is a person or not.  To abort the fetus in this context, is grossly irresponsible even though it does not result in the death of a person.  Again, let’s return to our examples to illustrate this point.  The hunter sees a furry object in the distance, but does not know whether it is a bear or a person wearing a fur coat.  He decides to shoot anyway.  It turns out that it was a bear, and he has killed it.  The university caretaker is unsure of whether there are any students in the dormitory, but he decides to fumigate it anyway.  Fortunately, there were no students inside, and he has only killed the pests.  Although there was no death of actual persons, the actions of the hunter, the caretaker, and the abortionist were irresponsible because of their uncertainty.

Of all of these scenarios, abortions are morally acceptable only in situation B.  However, we do not have the certainty that situation B demands.  We do not know that the fetus is not a person.  In fact, there are many compelling arguments that suggest the opposite—that the fetus is a person.  At the very least we find ourselves in situation C or D.  And performing abortions in these contexts is either criminally negligent homicide or gross irresponsibility.  It seems to me that our uncertainty regarding the status of the fetus should prompt us to act with caution and prudence.

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Bloodlines

A powerful short documentary released along with John Piper’s recent book, Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian, in which he chronicles his journey from growing up in the segregated South to experiencing the transforming power of the gospel and the beauty of racial diversity and harmony in Christ.

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Motivation for Doing Good

Some thoughts to consider this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

Looking around the world, it appears that if all men are brothers, the ruling model is Cain and Abel. Neither reason, nor love, nor even terror, seems to have worked to make us good.

- Arthur Allen Leff

We can see what an important and powerful resource the Bible gives us when it provides not merely the bare ethical obligation for doing justice, but a revolutionary new inner power and dynamism to do so.  The Bible gives believers two basic motivations—joyful awe before the goodness of God’s creation, and the experience of God’s grace in redemption.

- Timothy Keller, Generous Justice

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Deselecting Our Children

A “fantastic achievement”? No, this is cause to grieve and pray.

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Ray of Hope

If you’re not familiar with International Justice Mission, this 12 minute video is a powerful introduction to their work.

Consider supporting them.

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