The Noble Pundit

An Excellent Sunday Sermon

Also over at One Hand Clapping today is an excellent piece about the common links between The Passion, Saving Private Ryan, and Schindler's List. It is well worth the time to read. Well worth it.

Islam, The Veil, & Tolerance

I know that sometimes I spend a little too much time harping on the problem children and misfits of Islam. Usually I do this in the context of discussing Israel or one of the theothugocracies of the Islamic world - Iran and Saudi Arabia are generally the two main targets.

But in doing so, I always try to bear in mind that there is a reasonable and rational segment of Islam that doesn't want to blow people up, drive the into the sea, decapitate them, push tall walls on them, or throw rocks at them until they die. I know that I can make the distinction within myself mentally, but sometimes it is nice to see an actual affirmation of the tolerance, understanding, and logic emanating from the Islamic world.

As I'm reading along today, I came across an article from Islamicity.com which discusses the role of the veil in Islamic society and deplores the fact that many nations are outlawing it. But unlike many articles of a similar vein, this one does not go into abject whining and complaining that many of others do. This article actually makes a reasoned and reasonable argument for allowing the veils. I don't necessarily agree with the position, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a well-constructed argument.

I also found some of the insights in the article to be very observant. I was particularly interested in the observation about secularism in France vs. the religious foundations of the US and UK and how those two competing philosphies seem to play into the degree of tolerance shown towards the Muslims in the repective countries.

Too often, we look only at the evil side of Islam. This an example of the flip side of the situation. It's refreshing to remember that there are good people out there.

Sharon Thanks The Christians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made an appearance at the opening of the Christian Feast of the Tabernacles and thanked evangelical Christians for supporting Israel during the terrorist bombings, rising tensions and the apparent detour on the road map.

One thing that we never seem to see enough of from anyone today, and from world leaders in particular, is gratitude like Sharon is showing here. Too often, politicians seem to take their supporters for granted and never seem to give them the simple, honest "Thank you" that is all most of them want in return for their efforts.

Most Christians who support Israel are driven by a couple of motives: respecting the common bond between Christianity and Judaism and/or because we feel it is the right thing to do.

Israel is more than a friend, they are like a cousin. They share similar values, a similar history and the Old Testament. Are there differences? Sure. But we can generally view things through very similar lenses, making understanding and empathy with the Israelis much easier than it is with say the Palestinians, with whom we share very little commonality.

Christians also tend to support Israel because we know, as an established fact through practice, that the Israelis will allow us, and even welcome us, to practice our religion freely. We also know that they extend that same courtesy to the Muslims in Israel, which tugs at our religious desire to see everyone treated fairly and equally before the Lord, no matter what the name we may call Him.

Rannan Gissan, spokesman for the prime minister, said, "We don't have many friends around us in the world. It gets quite lonely there. And when you're at the head of the column, you always want the soldiers to tap you on the helmet to know someone is behind you. Your coming here is tapping on the helmets of all the Israelis who are standing in the front lines for freedom, for prosperity, for western society."

OK, it's more than a simple "Thank you," but the basic premise is still the same. The Israelis are acknowledging and showing appreciation for the friendship of the Christians during these troubling times.

It is a simple, yet powerful, gesture.

A Murderer Is Not A Martyr

Today, at 6 pm, the State of Florida carried out the execution of Paul Hill, a convicted - and confessed - double murderer.

Hill declared himself in the days leading up to his death to be a martyr. Death penalty opponents pleaded with Gov. Bush to halt his execution by making the same claim.

Hill was unrepentant to the end:

"If you believe abortion is a lethal force, you should oppose the force and do what you have to do to stop it," Hill said as he lay strapped to the gurney in the execution chamber. "May God help you to protect the unborn as you would want to be protected."

Now it is not my goal to debate the propriety or impropriety of abortion in America. It is not my goal to debate the propriety or impropriety of the death penalty in America.

I do, however, want to take exception with the claim that, somehow, Paul Hill is a martyr.

Paul Hill is not a martyr. He is a murderer. He directly and deliberately took the lives of two men, not as an act of self-defense, but as a premeditated act of hatred.

Paul Hill hated abortion. He hated abortion doctors. And his hatred led him to buy a shotgun and to take it upon himself to act as judge, jury and executioner because he so hated the profession that these two men had chosen.

And for taking the law into his own hands, for his vigilantism, a true judge and jury sentenced him, as permitted under Florida law and as they have hundreds of others, to die for his crime.

Paul Hill was not above the state, yet he acted as though he was. His double murder was an absolute and inexcusable usurpation of the State's responsibilities to enforce the laws as they are decided by the population of the State.

Today, for his crime - not for his belief, his anti-abortion position, or for anything other than his crime - Paul Hill met Florida's legal executioner.

Like it or not, Mr. Hill committed a grand and elaborate form of suicide. He took actions that he knew could, and likely would, lead to his death. When he aimed that shotgun and pulled the trigger, he not only caused the immediate death of his target, he began the process that led to his own death.

In this respect, Mr. Hill wasn't much different from a Hamas bomber who blows himself up at a checkpoint and kills two Israeli soldiers. His intent, like that of the Hamas bomber, was to create an atmosphere of terror. He wanted to scare abortion doctors out of their offices, much like Hamas wants to scare Israelis out of the settlements. And he was about as effective.

No, Mr. Hill was not a martyr. He wasn't persecuted for his beliefs. He wasn't executed for being a pious man.

No, he was a terrorist. He was a murderer. He was a sickening example of extremism gone too far in America.

Paul Hill may have acted for religious reasons, but he was executed for his crime.

A murderer is not, and never will be, a martyr.