By Dr. Jim Ferguson

I have previously written about the Christian-Newsom torture-murders, and concluded that “Sometimes, the best explanation for the otherwise inexplicable, is evil.” I continue to reflect upon the notion of such a force which is the opposite of absolute good, a concept I know as God.

Recently, I read that the ringleader of those horrific acts, Lemaricus Davidson, convicted of torture and murder, was back in court for a “post conviction hearing.” The poor parents of Channon Christian were again forced to sit in the courtroom with the abomination who savagely abused and killed their daughter 12 years ago. This monster, this personification of evil, continues to torture the Christians and all of us.

In his play “The Merchant of Venice,” Shakespeare wrote,

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven…

and earthly power doth then show likest God’s
when mercy seasons justice.

Beautiful and poetic wordsmithing, and profound. Through the ancient prophet Micah, God said we are to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly” with him. There is an order to God’s command in Micah 6:8. So, perhaps the lawyers and judges should ask themselves and the Christians, if mercy can be shown before justice is done?

The downside of the information age is that we are made aware of abominations all over the world. There have been great injustices throughout history and apparently continue in Knoxville courtrooms. The most recent abomination is the third trimester abortion law was just passed with cheers by New York State Senate Democrats, and championed by Governor Cuomo, who gleefully signed the abomination into law. Cuomo then lit up the world trade center in pink to celebrate the progressive Democrat victory. Cuomo even escapes damnation by his Catholic Church because Cardinal Dolan opines that the Church extends mercy rather than excommunicative justice.

In my admittedly non-scientific survey, I was disturbed to learn only nine of the twenty-eight people I asked were even aware of the NY law which allows abortion up to the time of birth and can be done by non-doctors. Even more disturbing was an interview with the Democrat Governor of Virginia who supported ending the life of an “infant” after delivery if the mother says so. The abomination of infanticide is what happens when progressives and socialist Democrats are given power.

Recently, Becky and I attended the Violins of Hope concert. During the Holocaust 6 million European Jews perished at the hands of the Nazis. After the war fifty violins of the tens of  thousands stolen or destroyed by the Nazis were found, restored and sixteen were played by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, giving voice to those murdered and saying we will never forget that abomination or let it happen again. But are we allowing “The American Holocaust”?

I agree with Hillary Clinton who once said, “Abortion should be legal, safe and rare.” It is legal in the United States since Roe v. Wade in 1973. I have no arguments with abortion in situations of severe fetal anomalies or where the safety of the mother is assured by experienced medical doctors. Unfortunately, abortion is not rare and in NY it can now be done by non-doctors anytime up to delivery. And if the infant survives an abortion attempt, the child may then be dispatched after delivery. Ghoulish.

I don’t presume to pass judgment on people who become pregnant by accident. A woman may feel she’s incapable of caring for a baby. But is it just that someone has to pay for another’s mistake with their life? At Planned Parenthood only one in a thousand are referred for adoption, though tens of thousands of childless couples seek to adopt a child. Apparently, others have similar concerns, because the Governor of Iowa signed into law a prohibition of abortion when you can hear the baby‘s heartbeat. This occurs by the end of the first trimester, and as expected abortionists appealed and a judge put a hold on the law.

The abortion debate hinges on when human life begins. Is it when the sperm and egg merge and produce a full complement of DNA, the blueprint for human life? Is it when the growing collection of cells are allowed to flourish and produce what science calls an embryo? Is it when organs are formed in the nascent human, in what science calls a fetus to avoid the term child? Is the developing entity human when it can exist outside the nurturing womb? Or is the life form only a child when it passes through the birth canal, as I was informed by two rabbis? Until religious experts, philosophers, ethicists and scientists can pinpoint the moment when life begins, I feel compelled to err on the side of life.

You may have heard the famous poem by the German Lutheran minister, Martin Niemöller, written during the Nazi reign of terror. He said,

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—

and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Now, I challenge you to substitute “the unborn” for socialists, trade unionists or Jews. If we do not believe in the sanctity of human life then it won’t matter whether we build Trump’s wall, balance the budget or cure cancer. We will have turned a blind eye to injustice and are already gangrenous and rotting away from the inside.