A Gospel Perspective On The Chosen Series

          The Chosen, created by Dallas Jenkins, has garnered significant acclaim and widespread viewership for its portrayal of the life of Jesus Christ and His disciples. While the ambition of the series to present the narrative of Jesus in a relatable and accessible manner is the product of good intentions, a critical examination reveals substantial discrepancies between the depiction in the series and the character and mission of Jesus as articulated in the canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This article seeks to elucidate these discrepancies, showing how The Chosen series inadvertently misrepresents the essence of the Christian faith.

          One of the most concerning features of The Chosen is its portrayal of the nature of Jesus. While the series endeavors to humanize Him by illustrating relatable emotional experiences, it often diverges from the authoritative, divine character depicted in Scripture. For example, in Mark 3:1-6, we observe a Jesus who is visibly distressed by the hardness of heart displayed by the religious leaders, thereby revealing His righteous anger. Conversely, this series frequently opts for scenes that emphasize His relatability and compassion. This creates an image of Jesus that may be perceived as overly gentle or accommodating. Such portrayals risk diminishing the significance of His messianic authority and the urgency of His call to repentance. A central theme in the gospels is His mission to confront sin and call people to repentance, not merely offer comfort.

          This series also tends to oversimplify the intricate historical and cultural background of Jesus’ ministry, which is important for a faithful, accurate understanding of His life and teachings. Although The Chosen aims to present a compassionate depiction of Jesus, it often neglects the sociopolitical complexities of first-century Judea. The gospels portray Him as an individual who actively engages with and critiques existing religious structures, a sentiment poignantly expressed in Luke 19:11-27. However, the series frequently provides a sanitized, anachronistic representation of these dynamics that caters more to contemporary sensibilities. This approach leads viewers to misinterpret the true nature of Jesus' mission. It entailed not only building community, but also challenging the prevailing cultural and religious norms of His day.

          Furthermore, The Chosen exhibits a concerning inclination to dilute the theological weight of critical narratives. The series emphasizes personal relationships and emotional connections, but often does so at the expense of significant doctrines central to Christianity. For example, the themes of repentance and atonement are foundational to Jesus’ ministry (John 3:16-17), wherein He emphasizes the necessity of salvation. However, the series occasionally underplays the seriousness of sin, portraying Jesus primarily as a friend rather than as the divine savior who offers redemption through His sacrificial atonement. Such a portrayal imparts a superficial understanding of the Christian faith, potentially undermining the foundational tenets that underpin it. 

          This series frequently exercises selective storytelling, altering key events from the gospels in ways that distort the original teachings of Jesus. At times, it fabricates dialogues and scenarios that, while potentially engaging, do not align with the biblical accounts. For instance, in the series, Jesus performs an exorcism on Mary Magdalene, which takes creative liberties not supported in the known records of His life. In addition, Jesus has been made out to say that He is the Law of Moses, which is a patently false statement to make. He fulfilled the Law of Moses and died to redeem those who were born under it. By modifying these events or omitting crucial elements, The Chosen presents us with a narrative that lacks the transformative power inherent in the authentic gospel message. Such liberties lead viewers to a skewed understanding of Jesus' identity and mission.

          While The Chosen may offer an engaging depiction of Jesus Christ, its deviations from the canonical gospels raise profound concerns regarding the series' fidelity to what we know about His life. By prioritizing emotional relatability and accessibility over theological precision, the creators of the series misrepresent His very character and neglect the historical context of His ministry. It is of utmost importance for viewers to root their understanding of Jesus in the gospels, which furnish for us a reliable portrait of His life, teachings, and divine nature. In doing so, we uphold the integrity and richness of the biblical narrative, ensuring that the real character of Jesus Christ remains central to our understanding of the Christian faith.

The Quiet Toll Of A Broken Spirit

“... for when a man's spirit has been thoroughly crushed, he may be peevish at small offenses, but never resentful of great ones.”

Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables, p. 141

The Enduring Consequences Of Our Actions

“Still, there will be a connection with the long past-a reference to forgotten events and personages, and to manners, feelings, and opinions, almost or wholly obsolete-which, if adequately translated to the reader, would serve to illustrate how much of old materials goes up to make the freshest novelty of human life. Hence, to, might be drawn a weighty lesson from the little regarded truth, that the act of the passing generation is the germ which may and must bear good or evil fruit in a far-distant time; that, with the seed of the merely temporary crop, which morals term expediency, they inevitably sow the acorns of a more enduring growth, which may darkly overshadow their posterity.”

Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables, p. 2

Dispelling Myths: A Critical Assessment Of Progressive Ideologies On Race And Society

• Discussion:

          -The following text expands upon ideas explored in the past few articles on this site. The aim here is to delve deeper into claims about the interplay of race and societal norms in our current cultural landscape. The arguments scrutinized in this piece reflect a spectrum of progressive religious and secular perspectives. Many people seem very confused today about what to believe and fail to discern what truth is. Excerpts from a critic are cited in bold and followed with critical commentary:

          "Even if unconscious, they thrill to the violence, in thought or word or deed, toward objects of their hate. And usually the object’s circuit hate have been objects of hate for centuries of White Americans."

          That sort of assessment rests on a sweeping generalization of an entire people group, millions of whom this person has never met or could meet in a lifetime. It is also impossible for one to know what the "thrills" of one's heart are apart from some outward manifestation of them or a revelation from God, much less that of millions of other people. Further, critical race theorists generally take statements that deemphasize race to be racist.

          "Even white women accede to violence against other white women in order to “preserve” White Supremacy, from where they get their 2nd class citizen status. 2nd class only to white men."

          This is an assumption about what white women allegedly are complicit with and what their motives are in the context of racial relations. It is the product of an ideology which does not demand evidence in the conventional sense of the term to verify it. The guilt lies in the mere fact that one was born with a certain set of genetic characteristics. One does not actually have to do anything wrong to be considered guilty, which is not justice in the traditional sense of the term.

          "They couldn’t care less that black women die in in maternal care much greater numbers proportionately than white women."

          Chronic health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity contribute significantly to maternal mortality rates, not racial biases.

          "They couldn’t care less that black men are convicted at much greater percentages for low level. Times, like drug possession, than white men. That is, if the black man survives being arrested while driving it taking in a cell phone."

          This is a highly contentious claim which oversimplifies the context of alleged racial disparities in our justice system:

          "Using quantile regressions, we estimate the size of racial disparity across the conditional sentencing distribution. We find that the majority of the disparity between black and white sentences can be explained by differences in legally permitted characteristics, in particular, the arrest offense and the defendant’s criminal history. Black arrestees are also disproportionately concentrated in federal districts that have higher sentences in general."

          The above-cited allegation about higher arrest rates based on racial bias describes a scenario that was plausible during an earlier period of American history when racist views actually were a mainstream part of the culture.

          "They didn’t care that Mr Floyd was choked to death over 9 minutes for a misdemeanor. They didn’t care about any of the advertised executive lynchings - no concession that maybe a couple were wrong?"

          Labeling this incident as "choking to death over a misdemeanor" ignores the high-pressure context that law enforcement officers often face. Even if the details surrounding the death of George Floyd are correct as presented, this argument misses the point. It takes much more than isolated incidents to justify the claim of a general trend in society. Further, sympathy should be extended because he is a human being, not because of his skin color being black. The crucial mistake of critical race theory is that it extends generosity to certain groups of people in such a way that the encounters of others get overlooked and minimalized.

          "Thugs are the ones who have killed off their empathy, their compassion, their humanity when it comes to the suffering of those who were the objects of our greatest national crimes - and yet who physically empowered the economy and physically built the infrastructure of a Superpower."

          Innovative minds from a wide variety of backgrounds have propelled technological advancements and policy reforms, further shaping the nation's success. The story of building a superpower is one of collective effort, unity, and shared progress. It includes as a whole the contributions of all who worked toward a better future. Further, America is the only country where one is free enough to brazenly cut it down without any fear of punishment by the government.

          The underlying assumption behind this sort of thinking is that people should be able to make a profit off the suffering of their ancestors, which is despicable in and of itself. If we had the ability to resurrect slave owners from the dead, then by all means, charge them with crimes against humanity! In addition, Christianity is blind to ethnic distinctions. It is a message of grace and forgiveness, not counting the offenses of other people against oneself. We are forgiven of our sins in Christ, and we are to extend that forgiveness to others who truly are our enemies.

Roman Catholic Sexual Ethics, Weaknesses And Red Flags

• Discussion:

          -The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the more problematic aspects of Roman Catholic sexual ethics. While there is much teaching on human sexuality and marriage that is commendable, it often falls short when addressing the practical function of sexual relations within marriage. Excerpts from Pope Paul VI's papal encyclical titled Humanae Vitae are cited in bold and followed with critical commentary.

          "...And if each of these essential qualities, the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is called. We believe that our contemporaries are particularly capable of seeing that this teaching is in harmony with human reason." (paragraph 12)

         While the Bible emphasizes marriage's unitive and procreative aspects, it also values love, mutual support, and commitment (Genesis 2:18-24). Notably, there are respected biblical marriages without children (e.g., Abraham and Sarah before Isaac, Zacharias and Elisabeth before John the Baptist). Jesus emphasized love as the core of relationships (John 13:34), which applies to marriage beyond just procreation.

          "...Hence to use this divine gift while depriving it, even if only partially, of its meaning and purpose, is equally repugnant to the nature of man and of woman, and is consequently in opposition to the plan of God and His holy will. But to experience the gift of married love while respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather the minister of the design established by the Creator." (paragraph 13)

          This sort of thinking appeals to self-righteous individuals who invent standards which suit their biased and silly points of view. However, understanding the different purposes a body part can serve in various contexts does not necessarily mean that it is being misused or abused. For example, consider the mouth: humans use their mouths for speaking, breathing, and even whistling, which goes beyond its primary biological function (i.e. eating). Similarly, contraception can be seen as respecting the natural versatility of human functions, rather than being "opposition" to the divine plan.

          "Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means." (paragraph 14)

          Prohibiting non-abortive contraception, even when a woman is more likely than usual to experience complications or death, seems inconsistent with Rome's pro-life message. It places the potential for new life above the well-being and life of the woman.

          "Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse would merge with procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be qualified by exactly the same moral goodness as these." (paragraph 14)

          Human sexuality is complex and multi-dimensional. It serves not only reproductive purposes, but also emotional, psychological, and social ones. Acts that do not lead to reproduction can still strengthen relationships, provide emotional support, and contribute to the happiness of both partners. There are other factors to consider in judging the morality of sexual acts besides their reproductive potential.

          "If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have just explained.” (paragraph 16)

          The pope gets into nitty-gritty details surrounding the hardships that may arise from childbearing. However, his idea of people creating a fixed timetable for intercourse is simply weird and showing a lack of good sense. Further, the rhythm method has resulted in many children being born. If there were statistically little difference between the effectiveness of natural family planning and artificial methods of contraception, then that would only make Roman Catholic teaching on this issue redundant. Regardless, it has concerned itself with lofty sounding ideas that fail to translate into effective or feasible solutions in the real world. Rome's teaching that contraception in some way violates a higher moral order is a theoretical concept only, fastidiously clung to with a splendid degree of hubris.

          "Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards." (paragraph 17)

          Saying that one course of action leads up to another without adequate demonstration would be the attribution of a false cause. Moreover, any tool can be used in improper or unacceptable ways, opening the door to grave consequences. This sort of reasoning is comparable to the Church of Christ talking point that using musical instruments in worship is a slippery slope for the spread of theological liberalism in churches.

          "...Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. " (paragraph 17)

          A religious organization that has priests who take on vows of mandatory celibacy or teaches as dogma that Mary forever remained a virgin is out of touch with reality. For one thing, creating an environment with exceedingly high expectations when they already are high enough is going to result in moral failure. On the other issue, the Catholic teaching on Mary's virginity goes against the grain of the natural human inclination towards intimacy and the general character of marriage relationships. These sorts of teachings originated from the minds of pedantic men who kept their heads in the clouds.

          "...Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.”  (paragraph 17)

          An effect of the traditional Roman Catholic approach to women and conception is that they can be reduced to baby making machines. It is obvious that "the faithful" are not considered competent to make sound decisions for themselves, taking into account the potential repercussions of their actions. A matter is thus because Rome has specifically dictated it to be thus, not because there are necessarily good reasons behind certain decrees.

       

Roman Catholic Teaching On Contraception, Examined And Refuted

• Discussion:

          -The purpose of this article is to evaluate a contentious aspect of Roman Catholic moral theology, particularly the use of contraceptives. The merits of the stance assessed here rest on highly emotional and speculative presuppositions regarding the nature of procreation, which can truly be perplexing. Excerpts from Pope Pius XI's papal encyclical titled Casti Connubii are cited in bold and followed with critical commentary:

          "...To take away from man the natural and primeval right of marriage, to circumscribe in any way the principal ends of marriage laid down in the beginning by God Himself in the words ‘Increase and multiply,’ is beyond the power of any human law.” (paragraph 8)

          Note that God spoke those words to Adam and Eve, before the world was even populated. That blessing of reproduction after one's own kind has more than since been fulfilled. While large families are not a concept frowned upon in biblical contexts, those who declare such as a "principle end" of marriage do so without divine approval or commandment. Nothing in the original directive of Genesis is said to hold the same weight or necessity today.

          "And now, Venerable Brethren, we shall explain in detail the evils opposed to each of the benefits of matrimony. First consideration is due to the offspring, which many have the boldness to call the disagreeable burden of matrimony and which they say is to be carefully avoided by married people not through virtuous continence (which Christian law permits in matrimony when both parties consent) but by frustrating the marriage act.” (paragraph 53)

          If God is as concerned with couples having children as Rome seems to be, then why did He not simply create us as hermaphrodites? Why would He create man and woman? The approach taken by the pope on this issue is woodenly rigid and short-sighted. It neglects other significant aspects of the marriage bond, which are companionship, mutual support, and love between partners. 

          “Some justify this criminal abuse on the ground that they are weary of children and wish to gratify their desires without their consequent burden. Others say that they cannot on the one hand remain continent nor on the other can they have children because of the difficulties whether on the part of the mother or on the part of family circumstances.” (paragraph 53)

          The Roman Catholic Church would have us believe that all forms of contraception are inherently sinful, except for natural family planning. It would have us believe that divorce is not permitted by God, except when it is called an annulment. This is an absurd effort on the part of Rome to arbitrarily dictate what adherents do with their lives.

          “But no reason, however grave, may be put forward by which anything intrinsically against nature may become conformable to nature and morally good. Since, therefore, the conjugal act is destined primarily by nature for the begetting of children, those who in exercising it deliberately frustrate its natural power and purpose sin against nature and commit a deed which is shameful and intrinsically vicious.” (paragraph 54)

          At its very best, this can be regarded as a subjective opinion stated in unusually strong terms. It is not clear how preventing the fertilization of an ovum is a "crime" against nature. Further, it is not adequate to say that an organization declares a specific concept to be immoral. The Roman Catholic Church is guilty of promoting groupthink. If the decision to enter into marriage can be left up to the individual, then why should the decision on the number of children to have not also fall under personal discretion?

          "Small wonder, therefore, if Holy Writ bears witness that the Divine Majesty regards with greatest detestation this horrible crime and at times has punished it with death. As St. Augustine notes, "Intercourse even with one's legitimate wife is unlawful and wicked where the conception of the offspring is prevented. Onan, the son of Juda, did this and the Lord killed him for it.” (paragraph 55)

          Citing the church fathers as evidence for a theological position is akin to using historical opinions as the ultimate source of truth, regardless of the reasoning's validity. Moreover, the Roman Catholic New American Bible Revised Edition attributes the death of Onan to disobedience to God's Law, not him using a form of contraception: "Preserve your brother’s line: lit., “raise up seed for your brother”: an allusion to the law of levirate, or “brother-in-law,” marriage; see notes on Dt 25:5; Ru 2:20. Onan’s violation of this law brought on him God’s punishment (vv. 9–10)."

          "...any use whatsoever of matrimony exercised in such a way that the act is deliberately frustrated in its natural power to generate life is an offense against the law of God and of nature, and those who indulge in such are branded with the guilt of a grave sin.” (paragraph 56)

          Just as God manipulates biology to create life, we manipulate chemistry to responsibly manage it. Further, Roman Catholic theologians would be taken more seriously on this issue if they stopped using deodorant. After all, that substance deliberately interferes with sweat glands.

          "...Holy Mother Church very well understands and clearly appreciates all that is said regarding the health of the mother and the danger to her life. And who would not grieve to think of these things? Who is not filled with the greatest admiration when he sees a mother risking her life with heroic fortitude, that she may preserve the life of the offspring which she has conceived? God alone, all bountiful and all merciful as He is, can reward her for the fulfillment of the office allotted to her by nature, and will assuredly repay her in a measure full to overflowing.” (paragraph 58)

          This is poor life counsel disguised in the language of personal piety. Allowing non-abortive contraception in high-risk situations aligns with the principle of "do no harm." By preventing a potentially dangerous pregnancy, the woman is making a morally responsible choice to protect her own health and well-being.

Challenging Progressive Narratives: Historical and Cultural Perspectives

• Discussion:

          -The text of this article is mostly a continuation of the previous one. The individual critiqued here raises talking points that represent both progressive religious and secular thought on a broader scale. Many aspects of this ideology are deceptive and harmful. It is desired that this sort of interaction will prove to be edifying to readers:

          "Very moving. Very sad. There is a victory at the end, but there are unnecessary barriers on that road that are unconscious forces polluting the cultural conceptions of our society."

          This talk of "unconscious bias" is really a subtle form of emotional abuse. It is designed to undermine a disputant's sense of reality, to doubt one's own powers of reason or sanity. Further, it is easy to accumulate masses of evidence in favor of any alleged conspiracy, when everything is filtered through that specific lens. 

          "These now antiquarian conceptual forces were at their peak at the founding of the United States and they are hallmarks of the Protestant Reformation."

          On the contrary, it was the Protestant Reformation which laid the groundwork for the traditions of personal freedom that we in the West have enjoyed for hundreds of years. If one wants to consider the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to be "antiquarian" or "destructive" concepts, then there is no way to help him out of his stupidity apart from divine intervention or an earth-shattering event. Even then, some may never catch on to the error of their ways.

          "that ancient scriptures are THE ONLY authority on which to gain a relationship with the Divine; and the isolated individual with intention is empowered to rightly interpret these scriptures absolutely unencumbered by and regardless of any and all networks of social relations in which the individual exists."

          Here is a challenge for people who reject the doctrine of Sola Scriptura: produce a collection of inspired sayings of Jesus Christ and the apostles that cannot be found in the New Testament. No honest person will proceed to do this, for it cannot be done! Therefore, there is no other reliable source for us to turn to in learning about God besides Scripture.

          "These hallmarks are the foundation for sectarian hate and segregationist structures that infect “Western civilization” from the religious wars of early modernity through the Atlantic slave trade, and which continue today in highlighted excess."

          The true hallmark for "sectarian and segregationist" hate in our society is actually those who complain about alleged racism in our society. For example, during a House Oversight Committee hearing on the Dismantle DEI Act of 2024, Rep. Jasmine Crockett made a racist statement, declaring, "There has been no oppression for the white man in this country." This sort of rhetoric dismisses the diverse experiences of white individuals and helps to exacerbate racial tensions. It reveals a deeply prejudiced perspective. Further, if widespread oppression of black people existed in America today, then she would never have been allowed to hold public office. Complaints about the existence of anti-black racism in our societal context are oftentimes historically uninformed. For instance, the Ottoman Empire put white people into slavery. They were treated like black slaves, sometimes being castrated and used militarily. White women were used as sex slaves.

          "This man’s father - an evangelical pastor - is quite courageous. Parts of his personal journals are in the national paper of record. Quite courageous. I celebrate the conviction of belief that has clearly rewritten his relationship with Christ. I’m existentially thankful that by grace I got that same train out at an earlier age."

          Excellent, let us give out certificates and trophies to fathers who can now "tolerate" their gay sons. Meanwhile, traditional marriage, a centuries-old institution designed between a man and a woman, is crumbling right before our eyes. Instead of throwing confetti, we should solemnly ponder what cultural essence that we are chucking out the window.

          "But the immense destruction of radical Protestantism is ongoing."

          False. There were broader factors such as secularization, globalization, and subsequent cultural shifts which affected our ideological landscape. Historical phenomena in many cases cannot be attributed to a single cause. 

          "And it is simply clear that from the first, the Protestantism of Calvin and many others missed the clear Gospel process: “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything…”

          Those words concerning the promise of the Holy Spirit coming to teach were directed to the apostles, not us. What they received from Him, they wrote down in Scripture. So, in that sense, the Protestant Reformers did not miss anything relating to the gospel.

          Progressivism as a political philosophy disregards fixed standards, and utterly lacks in historical cognizance. It robs them of objective substance, importing meanings which are entirely subjective. Progressivism is based on how one feels at any given moment, without due regard to how actions and ideas have consequences.

          "And neither is the Holy Spirit contained by one individual. Only in the devotion of a diverse community can the Spirit be discerned. And never once for all time. Not even by the apostles."

          Traditional Christian theology often emphasizes the individual's personal relationship with God and the Holy Spirit. Verses like 1 Corinthians 6:19 (i.e. "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?") highlight that the Spirit is present within each person who believes.

          "St Peter had a hard time, yet again, when the Spirit was trying to convince him that the gospel of Jesus Christ was open to even Gentiles, and that without any preconditions of law whatsoever! Peter took his story back to the Jerusalem elders and only then was the matter reflected upon, discerned, and decisions made to break with apostolic understanding!!"

           Acts 15:15-18 demonstrates that the early Christian decision to include Gentiles was grounded in Scripture. Further, the text shows that they relied on an objective standard for their beliefs as opposed to some mere mystical prompting.

Debating Ethics: Abortion, Race, and Progressive Views

• Discussion:

          -Following are a series of excerpts with responses to them from an exchange with a progressive democrat. The sort of political ideology which this person has consumed is obviously meant to cause hatred and discord. It is hoped that points made here will prove to be useful in discussing the issues of abortion and race with others: 

          "You may not know it, but thugs is a real word. There are real thugs. You think it has to do with skin color. And that’s the problem: thugs are people who hate with brutality." 

          The skin color of a man is not the prima facie issue. Genetics alone would not be sufficient to determine the likelihood of one committing crimes. There are environmental factors, as well as psychological components, opportunities for education, and sources of influence. Rather than being considered an inherent part of their being, moral problems among black people can be attributed to cultural deficiencies, such as the breakdown of family structures, community cohesion, and personal responsibility. Moreover, critical race theorists oftentimes talk in ways that the abolitionists themselves in all likelihood would have regarded as unlawful. 

          "Like you and Hamas. You’re just an armchair terrorist and insurrectionist. An old bastard thug." 

          Likening people that one merely disagrees with to Hamas is breathtakingly ignorant. That group is comprised of radicals who murder outsiders in the name of global dominance. Just as Hamas terrorists do not really worship any god but the concept of death, so modern progressives worship the self and their own version of reality.

          "And “right to life” is in quotes because it’s a lie you and Craig and the other thugs tell yourselves." 

          We ought to reject any concept of "individual rights" that appeals to our ego. "My body, my choice" does exactly that. Moreover, this sort of thinking is puerile, since it rests on an oversimplified concept of personal property. This is more than a matter of, "I can do whatever I want with this. It is mine and no one can take it away from me." With personal liberty comes responsibility toward oneself and his fellow countrymen, including the unborn.

          "In a free democracy, you won’t let women of child bearing age determine their life." 

           False. Women of child bearing age determine their life by choosing whether to become pregnant. Parents have an obligation to care for their children by virtue of the inherent nature of such an interpersonal relationship. 

          "Because you don’t care about life. Evangelicals didn’t care about life until they needed a better political plan than opposing desegregation." 

          This is deceptive manipulation. Pregnancy centers are available to women in need of them as well as adoption agencies for adults who want to take care of abandoned children. For the record, it was mostly the Southern Democrats who defended the institution of slavery and filibustered civil rights legislation. 

          "Do yourself a favor and learn something for the first time in 40 years: look up Paul Weyrich." 

          The opinions of Weyrich do not carry any inherent authority over anyone else. 

          “Evangelicals considered abortion a “Catholic issue” through most of the 1970s, and there is little in the history of evangelicalism to suggest that abortion would become a point of interest." 

          Granting that, the shift only proves that people can be wrong about an issue and change their minds when presented with more data. It is irrelevant to the question of the morality of abortion itself, since truth is not determined by popularity. The state of medical research has changed dramatically since the 1970s.

          "Even James Dobson, who later became an implacable foe of abortion, acknowledged after the Roe decision that the Bible was silent on the matter and that it was plausible for an evangelical to hold that “a developing embryo or fetus was not regarded as a full human being." 

          Even if the Bible is silent on the topic of abortion, it does not follow that God has granted women permission to get them. Further, Scripture implicitly recognizes that a "developing embryo or fetus" has personhood (Judges 13:3-5; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Luke 1:44). That would indicate the biblical authors accepted the notion that human life begins at conception, challenging the morality of terminating life in the womb. Finally, it is inconsistent for liberal progressives to address the Bible's teaching on abortion, since they generally regard it as nothing but an outdated collection of writings by uneducated men.

          "In the course of the first session, Weyrich tried to make a point to his religious right brethren (no women attended the conference, as I recall). Remember, he said animatedly, that the religious right did not come together in response to the Roe decision." 

          The claim about the Roe v. Wade decision is imprecise. While it is true that the religious right did not initially form in response to that Supreme Court ruling, it was later used as a significant rallying point. Further, many women were involved in that movement from its early days.

          "No, Weyrich insisted, what got the movement going as a political movement was the attempt on the part of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to rescind the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University because of its racially discriminatory policies, including a ban on interracial dating that the university maintained until 2000." 

          Even if there was a federal piece of legislation drafted and signed into law allowing for abortions in certain contexts (i.e. cases of rape, incest, and when a woman's life is in danger), that still would not be enough for modern-day progressive democrats. As an additional point, their ideology is not progressive in the usual sense of the term, since they actually want to take us back to a culture comparable to ancient Greece and Rome.