Smoky Mountain Reflections
March 2012
There are times when I am more proud of my church body than others. Not to boast or to be condescending, but because
of our stand on biblical truth, and that was particularly evident when the
president of our church body, LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, appeared before the House
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Thursday, February 16. Our president unapologetically took a strong
stand defending the sanctity of human life.
He did this by discussing the recent U. S. Health and Human Services ruling
regarding contraceptives. He explained in a very clear and concise manner how
it violated citizens’ freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. He did this alongside Catholic, Baptist, and
Jewish leadership as they all strongly protested this violation of conscience
and the first amendment, and a ruling which places in peril our right not to
participate in the murder of unborn children.
Our church
body is not in the habit of taking positions on political issues, however with
this HHS ruling, the line into the realm of moral truth has been crossed, and
we cannot sit quietly by while our government makes laws that can and will
force us and our churches to take part in the murder of innocent life. The recent clause grandfathering and
exempting religious groups is clearly a temporary step toward an eventual one-payer
goal that has no regard for religious freedom or the rights of the unborn.
The
following is an excerpt from the official statement released by President
Harrison on February 15th:
"In response to President Obama’s
announcement Friday concerning an ‘accommodation’ to a previous mandate that
health plans must cover all forms of birth control (even those that can kill
the unborn), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod remains deeply concerned. We
strongly object to the use of drugs and procedures that are used to take the
lives of unborn children, who are persons in the sight of God from the time of
conception. Drugs such as Plan B ® and Ella®, which are still included in the
mandate, can work post-conception to cause the death of the developing child,
so don’t be fooled by statements to the contrary. ......
..... the ‘accommodation’ did not expand the exemption for religious
employers, nor did it restrict the mandate in any way. It simply described a
temporary enforcement delay and a possible future change—a change that,
unfortunately, would not adequately protect religious freedom or unborn lives.
We remain opposed to this mandate because it runs counter to the biblical truth
of the sanctity of human life. ....... Freedom of religion extends beyond the
practice of our faith in houses of worship. We must be free to put our faith
into action.......
The government has overstepped
its bounds. This controversy is not merely about birth control and the Catholic
Church’s views about it. It’s about mandating that we provide medications which
kill life in the womb. And moreover, and perhaps even more ominous, it is about
an overzealous government forcing coercive provisions that violate the
consciences and rights of its citizens."
To
read the whole statement, visit our synod website (www.lcms.org) or our church website (www.SPLCTN.com ). One of the blessings of being a Christian is
freedom to serve and love our neighbor. One of the things I have always loved
about being an LCMS Lutheran is the strong apolitical stand our church body has
always taken and continues to take on political issues. You can be Democrat,
Republican, Independent, Green, or whatever your political pleasure, however
when our Government crosses into the moral realm, we must as good citizens and
as members of the body of Christ take a strong stand for the weak and
defenseless. The infirmed and the unborn
deserve strong and unequivocal support from the whole body of Christ on
earth. We must pray for our President
and our legislators that God would guide them to protect and preserve the
rights of every human being. LIFE,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness begin with LIFE. We cannot have liberty or the pursuit of
happiness if someone else takes our LIFE.
Sadly, one of the most dangerous places to live in America
Enjoy your LIFE today—a precious
gift from God! He loves you because He
loves all LIFE.
In Christ, Pastor Portier
