Christian leaders speak out against violence in the name of pro-life

By Jerry Newcombe

Killing in the name of being pro-life is an oxymoron. This includes last Friday's tragic shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood. As of this writing, the alleged shooter's motives are unclear at best.

For this column, I asked a number of Christian, pro-life leaders to provide a statement. I received many comments. Here are some highlights, with the full responses available here:

*Dr. Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor of First Baptist of Dallas: "What this Colorado gunmen did was horrible and there is no justification for it – just as there is no justification for the slaughter of 50 million innocent children through abortion since Roe v. Wade. Murder is murder."

*Father Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life, said, "The hardest part of the phrase 'respect every human life' is the word 'every.' Violence isn't a solution to any problem."

*Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue: "[V]iolence against other human beings is never an acceptable pro-life ethic."

*Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch: "In contrast to the broad approval of Islamic jihad among various Islamic sects and schools of law, no Church, no sect, no denomination, no Christian group has ever approved of doing evil to prevent evil."

*Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, author / columnist: "Violence of any kind is abhorrent. Taking a life in the cause of life is deeply pathological."

*Dr. George Grant, author of the Planned Parenthood expose, Grand Illusions: "The Gospel calls believers to be a light in the darkness, to be champions of life and hope and love in the midst of this poor, fallen world. Violence of any sort therefore has no place in our work or our witness."

*Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy, co-host of [D. James] Kennedy Classics: "What this 'extremist' did does not reflect the values and views of the pro-life movement – we stand for life and liberty."

*Chelsen Vicari, of the Institute on Religion and Democracy: "Violence in the name of the pro-life movement only perpetuates the evil we work to erase."

*Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League: "The intentional killing of innocent persons is never justified. This is an unremarkable position for pro-life Christians to take, though it is unfortunately problematic for those in the abortion industry."

*Deacon Keith Fournier of the Common Good Alliance: "Murdering the innocent is intrinsically evil. It has been condemned by everyone who supports the fundamental human right to life from conception to natural death."

*Dr. Michael Milton, CEO of Faith for Living: "We...plead with all of our political leaders and public policy professionals to address the escalating crises of mental health care that is the sad and undeniable common denominator in these tragedies."

*David Gibbs III, director of the National Center for Life and Liberty: "Any stand for life should be done the right way with a right spirit."

*Rev. Dr. Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action in D. C.: "Acts of violence against innocent, unarmed victims is sinful, cowardly, and ant-life."

*Donna Rice Hughes, President of Enough is Enough: "Returning evil for evil is evil and is never justified."

*Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis: "Bible-believing Christians are naturally pro-life. In Genesis 1, we're taught that all people are made in God's image..."

*Mathew D. Staver, founder/director of Liberty Counsel: "His actions speak only to his mentally deranged state and have nothing to do with the pro-life movement."

*Dr. Ted Baehr, founder/director of Movieguide: "The heart of being pro-life is loving our neighbor, no matter what age, and loving our neighbor's Creator God, who loves our neighbor so much He redeemed us and took the penalty for our transgressions."

*Alex McFarland, Christian apologist: "My heart breaks for the victims and families impacted by the deplorable actions of Colorado shooter Robert Lewis Dear. This killer should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

*Dr. Peter Lillback, president of Westminster Theological Seminary, notes: "1. A belief in ultimate justice embraces the profound truth of the Scriptures – "'Vengeance is mine', says the LORD, 'I will repay.'" And 2. Earthly justice is to be addressed by the work of the courts and not by vigilantes."

*Bill Federer, author and speaker: "Crimes against innocent victims are condemned..."

*Tony Perkins said the following in a Family Research Council press release: "Only through peaceful means – not violence – can we truly become a nation that once again values all human life, born and unborn."

*Dr. Michael Brown, author and radio host, told me: "I tweeted these statements out shortly after the news broke: 'In light of today's news about a shooter at a Planned Parenthood, we state again that this is NOT the way of Jesus or the way of pro-life.'"

Through this tragic incident, we are reminded once again of what God's Wisdom says in the Bible: "All those that hate me love death."

© Jerry Newcombe