Vote Life, Canada blogged about Heather Stilwell's failed attempt to secure the Conservative nomination in the riding of Newton-North Delta. He writes:
Where were the Christians in Heather Stilwell’s riding? Why were they not able to be activated and convinced, on Christian grounds, of their duties and responsibilities before God to support a well qualified candidate such as Stilwell? If Christian leaders in the area have lost sight of the urgency of such support and have failed to teach their people, why were seasoned pro-lifers not able to challenge them to in sufficient measure to ensure success for Stilwell? Perhaps Church leaders have been sidetracked or blindsided in some way by “vain philosophies,” various trends in human thinking, such as the idea that the only hope for Canada is the “pure” Gospel and evangelism, not “pro-life politics.” If so, they need to be reached with a sound and truly Christian corrective through direct and organized contact.
These are hard questions which must be answered. Are we afraid to answer them? Are we saying it cannot be done? Are we saying that Christians cannot be successfully engaged and recruited on this fundamental issue through appeals and cooperation with their Christian leaders? If our reply is essentially in the affirmative, are we suggesting that Church leaders in Canada cannot be depended upon to establish spiritual and moral direction for this nation and that in some manner pro-life activism is the preferred route to accomplish this goal?
(...)
It simply will not do to maintain that pro-lifers waste their time with Church leadership [with the exception of the vocal pro-life church leaders] who have a sad record of disappointing the expectations of those with traditional Christian views on life and family.
I have to disagree.
I think the clergy is largely useless on the fetal rights front.
How can pro-lifers, especially pro-life Christians, conceive of accomplishing anything for the unborn within Canada by largely ignoring and short circuiting, least of all usurping, the teaching and preaching authority of the Church and by extension, the leaders of the Church?
Speaking for myself, I wouldn't say that I'm usurping the authority of the Church.
Would the Church actually exercise its authority!
The problem is the clergy sit on their butts on these issues.
They don't preach about it. In some cases, they actively oppose pro-lifers and traditional-minded people. The fact that in their city, their province, their country, thousands upon thousands of lives are taken is completely lost on them. Their reaction betrays a big "who the hell cares"?
The pro-life movement does try to connect with Church leaders. Some of them are very responsive. Most are not. Many are even sold out to political parties, like the Liberals. Can't oppose abortion, that would mean criticizing the Liberal Party, God Forbid!
The alternative seems rather frightful. Church leaders are failing to defend truth and their God, and to form the morality of their nation. They are likewise failing to call their people to repentance, and nothing can be done about it.
The alternative is the laity rising up and getting the job done. Where the leadership is open, good-- work with them. When they don't care, I say let the dead bury their own dead.
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