George Tiller Shot Dead at church [Jay]

It has been confirmed that late term abortionist George Tiller was shot and killed today at his church. As abhorrent and morally repugnant as I and others found the manner in which Dr. Tiller pursued his chosen profession, it is impossible to argue that all human life has value and is precious to God while condoning murderous violence as a solution to the abortion issue. The violence and disregard of human value demonstrated in the practice of abortion is the very thing that we stand against as those dedicated to the principle that all human life ought to be treated with dignity and respect.

This is a terrible end to a life that was tragically misspent.

LTI Podcast Episode 12 [Serge]

In this podcast, Scott, Rich, and new contributor Bob Perry discuss the recent news that abortions for the purposes of sex-selection are legal in Sweden. Rich also addresses an article in the Journal Contraception that claims that the Partial Birth Abortion Ban has had a significant effect on 2nd trimester abortions performed in Massachusetts. You can subscribe via Itunes or download the podcast directly here.

Amazon.com Slow to Fix "The Case for Life" Hacker Problem? [SK]

Why has Amazon.com removed, then retitled, my book "The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture?"

Don't know, though it's removal looks to me like a hacker's job.

Meanwhile, you can buy the book at these sites:

Christianbook.com

crossway.org

Westminster Bookstore

Barnes & Noble

Stand to Reason

Scott Klusendorf's "The Case for Life" Hacked on Amazon.com?

It sure looks that way for now. Wrong title. Wrong description. Order the book directly from the publisher here.

Scott Klusendorf to Debate Nadine Strossen, Former President of the ACLU

Just booked moments ago: I will debate Nadine Strossen (President of the ACLU 1991-2008) at the University of North Carolina October 13. This will be our fourth debate in two years, and the first since Nadine left her post as President. Topic: Abortion: Legal Right or Moral Wrong? I highlight one of my recent exchanges with Nadine in my new book, The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culutre.

You can read the first chapter of the book on-line here.

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LTI Podcast Episode 11 [Serge]

After some technical delays, The Life Training Institute Podcast episode 11 is now available. In this podcast, Rich and Scott discuss one of the more challenging questions asked of pro-lifers: if Roe V Wade is overturned, what should the punishment be for those who have abortions? Rich also reveals more evidence from the pro-abortion choice literature that emergency contraception is not effective in decreasing unplanned pregnancies or abortions.

Our hosting company has changed, and the new link for the direct download of the podcast is http://media.libsyn.com/media/serge13102/LTIPodcastep11.mp3. You can also subscribe via Itunes. For past subscribers, you should be redirected to the new feed automatically.

Killing Two Birds With One Clone [Bob]

I recently wrote on my own blog about the moral questions surrounding organ donation. In a nutshell, the topic has become more morally controversial in recent years as technology -- and a redefinition of what it means to be dead -- have "evolved" with the times. It used to be that one was considered dead when they became cold, blue and stiff. But as medical technology advanced to the point that organ donation became more viable, transplant medicine demanded that vital organs not be degraded beyond a useful state — a state that “cold, blue and stiff” often violates. So, in 1968, a Harvard committee proposed a more updated definition of death based on the brain dead criteria that has become a part of the national lexicon.

Even more recently, another definition of death has been put forward for organ donor candidates. The notion of cardiac death is defined as an “irreversible cessation of cardiac function.” This questionable criterion hinges on the definition of "irreversible," especially when you consider that the heart from one patient who has been labeled thus can be removed and instigated to go on beating in the chest of another patient. In that case, does irreversible mean that "we can't" restore cardiac function, or that we "won't." [re: Salvo, Spring 2009, Issue 8, p. 32]

In each case, there is a dilemma in play that begs us to consider the morality involved in not only choosing between offering one -- or several -- individuals a new lease on life through organ harvesting and taking the life of another by doing so.

These are difficult decisions. At least they have been in the past. But now, thanks to the insight of Sir Richard Gardner of Oxford University, they no longer need be. Gardner has found an ingenious solution to avoid the moral and medical difficulties of organ harvesting by completely bypassing the need to tiptoe along the hazy line that defines death ...

An Oxford University stem cell expert has urged the use of aborted children in organ transplants as a solution to the shortage of available organs. Sir Richard Gardner has called for a feasibility study on the possibility of obtaining organs from the bodies of aborted babies.

He said, "It is probably a more realistic technique in dealing with the shortage of kidney donors than others."

Brilliant!

But, as if Gardner's clever solution isn't despicable enough, a careful reading of the announcement shows that there may be a method to his macabre madness and that his outrageous suggestion may be nothing more than floating a trial balloon.

Notice that Dr. Gardner is described as a "stem cell expert."

No doubt he, or someone like him, will soon propose that, in order to mollify the moral objections that the "extremists" may see in using aborted fetuses to harvest body parts, we could avoid all such controversy by creating embryonic stem cells for the specific organs we need to replace. In other words, utilizing IVF embryos or engaging in therapeutic cloning for the purpose of embryo destruction to produce needed organs would be touted as a morally superior option. No ripped up babies! No motivation to abort babies! We'd just be doing "therapy."

This is the place where stem cell research and harvesting organs meet. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that there is a slippery slope here and that we have been on it for many years. Those who have constructed the slope are doing nothing but covering it with grease.

One is Incredibly Vapid and Ignorant, the Other is an Heiress [Serge]

Maybe its just my strange sense of humor, but I found this article in Yahoo news comparing the wrong views on the flu pandemic by Joe Biden and Paris Hilton quite entertaining. Starting with this headline:

Flu confusion spreads fast

Paris Hilton and Vice President Biden aren't the only ones mixed up about the new flu.

Its amazing, comparing our Vice President with some celebrity. I think we should outraged. For Paris.