Is Sharing a News Item

by Nic Samojluk

Can the simple act of sharing a news item with a few friends and acquaintances be treated as a cardinal sin? It depends on the circumstances, the type of news, and the bias of the individuals who are the targeted recipients of said news. Consider the following events. On March 22 the news media reported the tragic crash of an airplane in the State of Montana which resulted in the deaths of 13 passengers and its pilot. The lives of three families were cut short, including seven children. The story of this terrible tragedy was widely reported by the general media and also by Christian organizations, including the Adventist media, since most of the adults were graduates from the Loma Linda University.  

Most of the reports mentioned the fact that the majority of the victims were related to Irving "Bud" Feldkamp, owner of Allcare and Hospitality Dental Associates and CEO of Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardino, but failed to mention that Feldkamp’s major investment is the Family Planning Associates, a chain of 17 abortion clinics in the State of California, a major provider of abortion in the State. Other Christian news service organizations did include Feldkamp’s connection with the abortion industry. I thought that this omission by the general and the Adventist media might have been intentional instead of circumstantial, and I decided to share one of these more candid Christian news items with a limited number of friends and acquaintances on my mailing list. The reaction of some of the recipients was positive, while that of others rather negative and even vitriolic.

Some of the recipients thanked me for taking the time to share with them a candid reporting of the news, while others insisted that I was revealing a lack of judgment, that the timing of my action was inappropriate, that I was heartless in the midst of tragedy, that my action revealed a lack of Christian love, and that I was suggesting that God had punished three innocent families, including seven children for the alleged sins of the parents. I responded that I was willing to apologize for the  inappropriate timing of the news item and asked what would have been an acceptable timing for me to share said news item. No one did ever take the time to answer my question. 

I explained that I was not the author of the “offensive” news item, and added that writing about tragic events was not new to me, and that as the editor of the www.sdaforum.com news reporting web site, I had written about events such as the Tsunami, Katrina, the 9/11 terrorist attack, and even about the tragic death of my daughter in a car accident. In all of these stories, I had declared that I did not believe that God was directly responsible for such tragic loss of life, and cited Jesus’ explanation for such happenings: They were not evidence that the victims were more sinful than others, but that all needed to repent of their sins. I assumed that this explanation would solve the problem. It didn’t. It merely fanned the flames.

I received from my pastor, the man I did admire as the best preacher in the Adventist denomination, the sternest rebuke of my entire life. He sided with those who insisted that my explanations simply were evidence that I was guilty as charged, and that I was merely attempting to soften the blow I deserved. He also faulted me for the “deplorable” way I had interpreted Scripture, and asked me to delete his name from my mailing list. This I promptly did, and responded with a lengthy explanation of my position regarding these two related issues: My alleged sin of sharing a news item at a time of mourning and the sin of the church of justifying the death of millions of unborn babies under a variety of circumstances including rape, incest, when the pregnant female is a minor, when having a baby interferes with school or career, and even when the pregnancy seemed to affect the mental health of the pregnant woman.

Regarding the first issue, I do admit that it would have been much wiser to have waited a week or two before sharing said news item with others. What I probably should have done was to share said story only with those I knew were on the pro-life side of the abortion controversy and avoided including those who believe that there is nothing wrong with killing the unborn before they have had a chance to take their first breath. This was an error in judgment on my side, and I do apologize for having offended the sensibilities of those who do not share my views about the evils of abortion.

Having said this, I would like to ask those who were offended by my action to contrast my sinful behavior with that of those who see nothing wrong with justifying the genocide of the unborn. Every day, approximately three thousand innocent babies are sacrificed on the altar of convenience in honor of the modern counterpart of the pagan god Moloch and we, the “Remnant” people of God who have the last message of warning for the world, instead of sounding the trumpet, have been siding with God’s enemy, finding excuses for this terrible crime, and justifying the execution of the innocents in order to satisfy the whims of women faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Please, as you condemn my sin of sharing a story at a time of mourning, compare it with the sin of looking the other way while thousands of babies are mercilessly butchered before they are born.

This experience reminds me of an editorial published some years ago by William Johnson, the former editor of the Adventist Review in which he explained why he refused to report certain news items in the church official magazine. He cited what King David had stated in his lament following the tragic death of King Saul: “Publish it not in Gaza.” Of course, Johnson misapplied the biblical text, because though it is true that David did not publish the tragic news of Saul’s death in the Philistines’ city of Gaza, yet he published this in Jerusalem; other wise we wouldn’t be reading it today in the Bible. Biblical writers were candid reporters, and did not make an attempt at sanitizing the sacred pages of Scripture.

We need to bear in mind that the awful sin of King David with Bathsheba was published in Jerusalem; likewise the shameful denial of Jesus Christ by Saint Peter was also published in Jerusalem. This is the reason I felt it was proper to publish the airplane crash  news item in Jerusalem; and for the same reason I am publishing this material in Jerusalem; but do not tell this to my pastor. He will tell you that I am doing a “deplorable” eisegesis of Holy Writ. Perhaps I should have consulted him before making such application of Scripture to this case, but how can I do this, since he did cut the spiritual umbilical connection between him and myself? This means that I am forced to rely on my own wisdom.

I need to assure the readers that I think I do understand what the Feldkamp family is going through. The last couple of decades have been rather painful and even tragic for me. I did experience the loss of my parents, my father and mother in-law, my sister and my brother in-law, and even my own daughter who died in a tragic car accident in the city of Redlands. Loosing loved ones is something I have no desire to experience again. Nevertheless, we need to bear in mind that as we mourn the loss of loved ones, every time an abortion is performed, our heavenly Father mourns the loss of one of his precious children; and we must not forget that God has mourned already the deaths of fifty million unborn children since that awful day when nine unelected Justices of the Supreme Court removed the protection from the most vulnerable members of humanity: the unborn.

Those who criticized me for sharing a story I had not even written which established a connection between the airplane crash and the abortion industry should remember that, if they really believe that our church’s official position regarding the killing of the innocent is morally justifiable, then common sense would indicate that there should be no stigma attached to activities connected with abortion. If taking the life of unborn children is morally acceptable as our church teaches, can someone explain to me why sharing a story of morally acceptable behavior should be so offensive? If performing an abortion is morally comparable to removing an appendix, why would it be offensive sharing a story about such activity or investment in said type of business?

We can’t argue that performing abortion is morally neutral and at the same time condemn anybody who reports such activities through Emails or the Internet; can we? How can we have a double standard for this? If taking the lives of the most innocent members of human kind is ethically acceptable, there should be no stigma associated with the investment of funds in this kind of business. If our church justifies the practice of abortion under so many circumstances, including when the pregnancy interferes with the woman’s studies or career, or when it affects her mental state, then there should be nothing wrong with profiting from the abortion business; and if there is nothing wrong with abortion, then reporting that someone is connected with such a business should not be condemned either.

If you argue with me over abortion and are convinced that the Adventist “Guidelines on Abortion” are morally acceptable, then you can’t at the same time condemn me for reporting the fact that someone is engaged in the abortion business. It would be akin to publishing the fact that a member of the church is engaged in the dental, the real estate, the insurance, or any other morally and legally acceptable business. You can’t have it both ways: Justify the killing of the unborn and at the same condemn someone who reports such allegedly noble enterprise whose objective is to solve the problem of women’s’ unwanted pregnancies. You can’t condemn my action of sharing a news item written by someone else and insist that abortion is a morally neutral behavior.

I have no problem apologizing for sharing said news item at an inappropriate time for those who were victims of such a terrible tragedy; nevertheless, I think that the Adventists needs to also apologize for blessing an activity which the Lord has not blessed, but rather did condemn. I am willing to participate in a joint repentance and contrition over a sin which was condemned by our earliest pioneers, including James and Ellen White, John Andrews, John H. Kellogg, and many others. Our modern practice of abortion is no other than the modern counterpart of the child sacrifices offered to the pagan god Moloch which was the target of the strongest condemnation by Old Testament prophets.

You are probably aware that my doctoral dissertation dealt precisely with the dramatic shift of the Adventists attitude towards the practice of abortion, a practice which was condemned in the strongest terms by the Adventist pioneers, including James & Ellen White, John Kellogg, John Andrews, and many others. If this topic if of interest to you, you can access my dissertation online at http://sdaforum.com/page13.html . What follows includes the comments I received from some of those I shared the candid reporting of the above mentioned tragic news event which resulted in the death of 14 precious human lives. But first, here is the offending story I shared with others by Email. You need to click on the Internet link to access the full story.

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Tragedy Strikes Children of Adventist Abortion Clinics Owner. MEDIA ADVISORY, Mar. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- Some of you may have seen the major news story of the private plane that crashed into a Montana cemetery, killing 7 children and 7 adults. But what the news sources fail to mention is that the Catholic Holy Cross Cemetery owned by Resurrection Cemetery Association in Butte - contains a memorial for local residents to pray the rosary, at the 'Tomb of the Unborn'. This memorial, located a short distance west of the church, was erected as a dedication to all babies who have died because of abortion. What else is the mainstream news not telling you? The family who died in the crash near the location of the abortion victim's memorial, is the family of Irving 'Bud' Feldkamp, owner of the largest for-profit abortion chain in the nation. Family Planning Associates was purchased four years ago by Irving Moore "Bud" Feldkamp III, owner of Allcare and Hospitality Dental Associates and CEO of Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardino. The 17 California Family Planning clinics perform more abortions in the state than any other abortion provider - Planned Parenthood included - and they perform abortions through the first five months of pregnancy. ... Read More: http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/646579835.html

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Adventist Review 08CN Three Adventist Families Are Montana Plane Crash Victims1.htm

Family of Irving 'Bud' Feldkamp, Owner of the Nation's Largest Privately Owned Abortion Chain, Dies http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2214377/posts?page=3

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Family of Irving 'Bud' Feldkamp, Owner of the Nation's Largest Privately Owned Abortion Chain, Dies in Montana Plane Crash - Christian Newswire1.htm

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Thanks for the article Nic,

I was saddened to hear a few days ago from my mom that Bud had tried to convince my mom's brother (who had been involved in a dental group with Bud) that he (my uncle) should also join him in investing in abortion clinics.  Fortunately, my uncle declined, even though he is not religious.  I certainly hope the possibility of this tragic event being tied to Bud's support of abortion crosses the Feldkamp's minds, but I also hope nobody confronts them with this possibility during their excruciating grief right now.  God will do the convicting.  I haven't talked to Amy in years, and I pray that she and her husband lived a Godly life so that we can see them in heaven soon.  Their family has been through a lot.  Buddy lost a child a few years ago due to a crib accident where his baby got trapped in an antique crib.

I hope all is well with you and you are surviving the Real Estate troubles.  My uncle in the Mortgage business had to shut down his business this year.

Anonymous,

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Anonymous,

Thanks for your comments. God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us.

As far as real estate is concerned, this is the worst I have ever seen in my 30 years of experience as a Realtor. I hope this ends soon. I expect to close one escrow soon which has been in the works for over six months. It is a Short Sale. The bank will be loosing around $ 170,000 on this deal.

I was reading the other day a report reminding us that 60 years ago we were the largest creditor in the world, now the U.S. is the largest debtor. How can God bless a nation which had the audacity to legalize the killing of the most vulnerable members of the human race?

Nic  

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Nic,

 May God give you encouragement and wisdom for your endeavors!

Anonymous  

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Nic:

I don't normally respond to any of your postings on abortion but I think you have seriously misjudged how people will react to the linking the tragic death of these families in an airplane crash and the fact that one of the individuals on the plane owned a clinic that was involved in medical abortions.

Are you or anyone writing about this event seriously even hinting that God caused or allowed the death of so many children to somehow "punish" an adult involved in medical abortions? You referred readers to the “Christian (sic) News Wire…nbsp; that says: “We warned him, for his children's sake, to wash his hands of the innocent blood he assisted in spilling because, as Scripture warns, if "you did not hate bloodshed; bloodshed will pursue you" (Ezekiel 35:6).  This is a grotesque use of that text and I hope, for your own credibility, that you disassociate yourself from even such a hint that it applies.

I certainly don’t agree with you about your views on abortion, but, at least, you have raised your arguments on the subject within a reasonable context.  However, in my view, if you support the kind of discourse quoted above, no reasonable person will ever, from now on, take anything you say seriously

Regards,

Erv

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Erv,

Thanks for your concern about my reputation. I have a few comments in my response to your Email. First, I think that you missed the fact that the title I assigned to the story was "Tragedy Strikes Children of Adventist Abortion Clinics Owner," which was designed to alert readers that the owner of the abortion clinics did not die in the crash. Second, I did not write the story. Third, the two stories published by the church regarding this tragedy did mention Feldkamp as owning a dental clinic, the airplane company, and the race track, but failed to mention that he also owns one of the largest for profit abortion service companies in California, exceeding in number of abortions to that of Planned Parenthood. Was this omission accidental or intentional? Read the following paragraph from one of the Adventist News:

"Dr. Irving M. Bud Feldkamp III, is reported to have owned the company to which the aircraft was registered. Media reports stated Feldkamp is also owner of the Hospitality Dental Group in San Bernardino, California, and Glen Helen Raceway, a motorsports facility in the same city. Feldkamp is a member of the Azure Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church." http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=2484

How do you explain the omission of the largest investment made by Feldkamp: The "Family Planning Associates" abortion clinics? I just received the news from a friend who is glad a relative of his refused to participate in Feldkamp's abortion investment.

I remember that when the discussion took place about the need for starting a magazine that would be impartial in the reporting of news I did vote for it, because the Adventist media was deficient in this respect. The result was "Adventist Today." Now you are faulting me for attempting to supplement what the media is overlooking. Can you explain this? Had the Adventist media failed to make a reference to Feldkamp assets, there would have been no reason for me to share this story. My intention was to correct the biased reporting by our own media. Feldkamp largest asset is his ownership one of the largest chain of abortion clinics, according to the story, which I did not write. I am sold on the idea of true reporting, and you should share this concept as the executive editor of Adventist Today.

Had I been the author of the story I would have included, as I have in the past done with Katrina and the Tsunami tragedies, how Jesus explained a similar tragedy recorded in the New Testament. "Jesus replied to them, 'Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? No! I can guarantee that they weren't. I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." [Luke 13: 2 & 3] What Jesus predicted did take place. The Jewish nation did not repent of their sins, and it is estimated that one million Jews perished when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem.

I know that you do not believe this, but I am convinced that all these tragedies are permitted by the Lord as a warning for us to mend our ways. I believe that this is true about the Tsunami, the Katrina, the 9/11, and this airplane crash tragedies are part of the same warning to us to alter our evil ways. The message is not directed at a single individual, but to all of us. This is the best explanation for this kind of events. We can't improve on the wisdom exhibited by Jesus Christ.

I know that my views are not popular among California Adventists, but I am not participating in a popularity contest. Neither John the Baptist, the Old Testament prophets, or Jesus Christ were concerned about which way the wind of popular opinion was blowing. I hope I do not fall for that trap. I simply try to fulfill my mission the best way I know how at great expense to my own real estate business which I have often relegated to second place. I am doing without pay what those supported with my tithes and offerings refuse to perform. I hope one day you will join me in this sacred mission!

Nic

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Thanks for your candid reporting.  What a "coincidence"!  What a sad story.
 
Jason

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Nic,

Personally, all I can say is that, obviously we disagree at the most fundamental level and there we are.

As for Adventist Today, we will continue to report relevant--repeat, relevant--facts without fear or favor.

Erv

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Erv,

Thanks for your comments. God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us.

Nic

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Nic,

In my opinion it is extremely insensitive to ever send or be associated with distributing such "news items" as you sent - ever.  The implications are harmful and hurtful to the families of the innocent and by no means actually imply what you are suggesting - that God is punishing the innocent for the "crime" of abortion. 

Again, what you see as clearly criminal is not so clear to others who are equally as Christian and interested in the sanctity of human life as you are.  Any time you imply that God showed his outrage against anyone associated with abortions by destroying the innocent is a desperate move Nic.  It is simply not a loving or a Christian act to make such a suggestion or to endorse such an article by sending it to your mailing list (and yes, I do endorse the views I send to my mailing list). 

There are much more tactful and Christian methods to make your views known on abortion without resorting to this sort of tactless maneuver.  I'm afraid that you've only hurt your own position here.  You certainly haven't put your views in any sort of favorably light by doing what you've done.  Perhaps something can be salvaged with a sincere apology . . .  

Sean

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Hi Nic,

The suggestion of your "story" here is that God was punishing a man for investing in the business of providing mothers with unwanted pregnancies with the option of having an abortion.  You then tried to soften this obvious interpretation of this story by suggesting that God is actually punishing the entire nation because of the issue of abortion.  While I know and understand your position on this issue, it is hardly a black and white moral issue for many. It is almost like you'd be happy if someone were to go up and directly shoot the owners of abortion clinics.  Isn't that what you are promoting here?

There are many far more obvious sins of the nation and of the world for which God might be withholding protective care and allowing the cause and effect consequences of living in a sinful world to be revealed - to include the death and suffering of the innocent.  Your personal stance on the issue of abortion isn't one of them.

In short, posting your article at a time like this, at a time when the innocent have suffered and died, is very insensitive and really cold hearted.  In order to promote your own views on the issue of abortion, you take advantage of the grief and suffering of innocent families.    It seems to me that you should apologize for this, but I don't think you realize what you have done and are doing . . .

Sean  

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Sean,

Thanks for your frank opinion regarding this issue. I do agree with some of the things you are suggesting. I have no problem apologizing if I have offended the sensibilities of some of the recipients of my mailing. My intention was not to hurt but to inform.

I do agree with you that the apparent purpose of the author of the story was to suggest that "God was punishing a man for investing in the [abortion] business." You refer to this news item as my story. Are you under the wrong impression that I was the author of the story? I merely received that news item and decided to share it with those I often correspond. Do you consider this a great sin? I sent it without any comments of my own. Evidently, you concluded that I was agreeing with everything included in the story. I have a question for you: Do you always agree with every detail of what you share with those in your email list?

You suggest that my timing was bad, and perhaps you are right. Tell me: How long do you think I should have waited before sharing the story with others: one week, a month, a year, five years? As the editor of the "SDA Forum" my job is to report the news. Do writers normally wait a long time before reporting the news? How long did the mass media wait before reporting the tragic events? How long did the Adventist media wait before reporting what had taken place?

Did you notice that the mass media and the Adventist media did mention that Feldkamp was the owner of a dental clinic, which is a relatively minor investment, but seemed to be blind to the fact that he was also the owner of the largest for profit company providing abortions in California? Do you think that this was a fair way of handling the news. Suppose the Bible had omitted the sin of David with Bathsheba, would you have the same confidence in the Bible? Imagine if Peter's shameful denial of his Lord had been whitewashed by the Gospel writers, would this have increased your reliance in the New Testament?

You know my views about abortion. I believe that it represents a cancer growing in our church and our country which threatens the stability and health both of our church and our country. The church membership in the U.S. is not growing, while in other countries where our Adventist brethren have not yet adopted our compromising views of abortion is growing by leaps and bounds. Have you ever considered the reasons for this? Have you ever thought that there might be a close connection between our Adventist problem with the theory of evolution and our acceptance of abortion?

You are a physician, and quite often you probably have to deal with patients affected by cancer. My question to you is: When you receive the tests from the lab and discover that your patient has a malignant tumor, how long do you wait before revealing to him the true condition of his disease? Do you hold to the bad news because you don't want to hurt the delicate sensibilities of your patient?

You have provided me with good advice regarding the issue of creation in the past, which is a hot topic for you and for me. Should I not take your advice on abortion with a grain of salt considering the fact that you are on the opposite spectrum when dealing with abortion? Should one involved in the smoking cessation program rely on the advice of someone connected with the tobacco company? I hope you understand!

Nic

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Sean,

How about a deal with you? I publicly apologize for sharing a news item unfavorable to those who believe in the killing of the unborn and you apologize for justifying the breaking of the Sixth Commandment and for any abortion you might have supported or performed in your work as a physician, except those done to save the life of a pregnant woman? Is this a fair deal for you? I might have offended the sensibilities of some of my friends who believe in abortion, but I have not taken the life of any human being yet. Have you? And by the way, how about answering some of the questions I included in my Email to you? Those were not rhetorical questions!

I don't know whether you are on the mailing list for NARAL, the North American Religious Liberty web site. If you are, you might have noticed that I have had an exchange with one of the most adamant defenders of abortions in the Adventist Church I have ever known. I would be interested in your opinion about his argument in defense of your position on this issue. The Internet link is: http://www.religiousliberty.info/blog/?p=92

You may also try other NARAL blogs dealing with the same issue like http://www.religiousliberty.info/blog/?s=abortion Another Adventist source for discussion about the same topic is Spectrum. The link to the blogs is http://www.spectrummagazine.org/search/node/abortion I have participated in some of those blogs lately. I wish I had done this earlier, but I was busy with my doctoral program then.

Nic

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We've already gone over this issue extensively Nic.  I have no interest in rehashing it again with you.  If you don't understand the very insensitive and hurtful thing you did, I can do no more.

Sean

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Nic:
 
An interesting and odd situation--something Sean and I agree on.  Amazing.
 
Erv

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Erv,

Really incredible.

Nic

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Nic,

I received your email also and did not respond. I have a very bad feeling inside with regards to the implications of the "facts" that you present within the context of a whole family being wiped out. I do not know Dr. Feldkamp but I do know some of the extended family so I cannot judge him.  It’s not necessarily what you say regarding the holdings of Dr. Feldkamp, its the timing.  Also with regards to your implications that God is bringing these tragedies as punishment appears to me to be a completely erroneous exegesis of the texts. I think Jesus was saying that we need to repent not to gain our mortal life, but so we will not miss out on the life to come.

The issue of abortion and how we handle it is evolving within a political and religious context. Your outing of this man and the suggestion that his kids were killed because of his misdeeds as you have judged is similar to apologists using the bible as Gods word justifying the slaughter of peoples in the promised land. These arguments do not hold up to reasonable people and can turn people away from God as opposed to bringing them closer.

I recognize you are not running a popularity contest, but tragedies such as Katrina and this plane crash are random events and if people get in the way then some will perish. We do not have an entire history of Dr. Feldkamp and his family so it’s very difficult to judge him at this point. Why don’t you just give this a rest for awhile and wait a bit before you jump to any other conclusions.

Regards

John Buchholz

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John,

Thanks for your comments. God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us. I was reading the other day a report claiming that 60 years ago our country was the largest creditor in the world. Today the U.S. is the largest debtor.  God cannot continue to bless a nation that lead the world in the legalization of the killing of the most vulnerable members of humanity.

I still believe that Jesus was concerned about the Jewish nation future and of course about their eternal destiny. This is why Jesus lamented over Jerusalem with the following exclamation: "If you had only known what pertains to your peace." The term translated as "peace" comes from "Shalom," which includes physical and spiritual well being.

I recently finished reading the book of Jeremiah. It records the repeated warnings God sent to his chosen people warning to repent and thus avoid the destruction of the Holy City and the Holy Temple. Jeremiah asked them repeatedly to stop shedding the blood of innocent people. They wouldn't listen, and finally God's protection was removed. This is repeated today with our nation.

I agree that most tragedies are random events; nevertheless, God is able to protect people from random events. If he doesn't, it means to me that he is sending a warning message to humanity. This does not mean, as Jesus argued, that those who perish are worse sinners than those who survive.

Anyhow, thanks for writing!

Nic  

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Nic,

So your thesis here is that God can protect with regards to random events, but does not protect (which appears to be the fact in most cases) and this non-protection serves as  a warning. Thus, deaths that were incurred during Katrina, tsunami or your own daughter all served as warnings? What warnings? To the rest of us? We are all mortal and death will come for us all. The issue is one’s spiritual life.  Nic your argument makes no sense. If I hear you correctly you are making an association, Feldkamp owning clinics where abortions have been performed, that is evil, so a random event which is a plane crash occurs and he and all his family are killed, and this serves as a warning to anyone that would perform abortion? What twisted logic serves you?

This email sounds like it is coming from a fanatic as opposed to a kind and loving man of God. I am speechless. I have no more to say.

Regards

John Buchholz

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John,  

Thanks for your frank assessment of my philosophy. I can understand your frustration. When Jesus was facing death and he begged God to protect him from his enemies, it must have been excruciating for him and those who loved him to watch as God seemed silent in the darkest hour of his earthly life. Can you explain God's justice in the way he dealt with the one who he had declared to be his Only Begotten Son? I can't. Can I explain by logic the death of my own daughter and that of the children and grandchildren of Feldkamp? I can't, and you can't either.

The best we can say is: Those are random events. Nevertheless, the question remains: If there is a God, why does he permit those random events to take place? Here is where some decide that the belief in the existence of God is no better than our belief in Santa. This is an option which I am not planning to take. Jesus did not accept such an option. He continued to believe in God loving providence under the most trying circumstances. He died saying: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." Was it worth for him to hold to this belief in God? I say, "Yes." On Sunday morning he came out of the tomb triumphant over death. This is why I believe that I will see my daughter again.

John, you are not rejecting my philosophy. You are rejecting Jesus opinion about why God allows tragedy to strike in a randomly fashion. Look how Jesus explained these random events:

"Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, think ye that they were offenders above all the men that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." [Luke 13: 4 & 5]

My question to you: Did Jesus manifest unkindness and an unloving spirit in giving his followers this kind of response? Jesus declared that said tragedy had a meaning which his hearers were not willing to accept. What do the annals of history tell us? Was Jesus' prediction fulfilled? We do know that the Jews did reject Jesus warning, and refused to repent of their evil ways, and the Romans came, slaughtered one million Jews, and destroyed the city and the Holy Temple they revered so much.

History is being repeated today. The nation which God blessed above all other nations on earth did legalize the killing of the most vulnerable members of the human race. According to the philosophy of Jesus, all these random events which God fails to prevent are a reminder that we need to repent of our evil ways. If we don't, the day will come when the entire world will suffer the fate of the city of Jerusalem and of all the world empires which preceded our own.

You say you are speechless. Have I changed? Is what I believe today different from what I believed when I attended Dalton's SS? So why are you speechless today? You should have been speechless then! Were you? Perhaps you were, but never told me. I did believe then that the Bible is a record of what God's people believed and did in the past. I do not believe that God is the author of the Bible, but I am convinced that God inspired people to record for posterity the things which we find in the Bible, both good and bad. I reject the notion that the New Testament is historically unreliable, but I do reject the theory that the Bible is infallible.

There is a story in the Bible of a man who refused to believe what God was telling him. He became speechless. His name is Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist. When what God predicted did take place, he regained his ability to speak. One day what Jesus predicted will take place. I am willing to place my trust in his wisdom. He did predict his own death and resurrection, and it was fulfilled. We have reason to believe.

If you have a more logical explanation for the recurring tragic events which take the lives of good and bad people, please share it with me.

Nic

*********

Nic,

Recurring tragic events? Let’s just take Tsunamis which are usually generated by earthquakes. Before humans occupied in great numbers particular islands Tsunamis being random events caused very little human suffering. However, as the human population explodes, resorts are built in areas that are surrounded by ocean and the area is seismically active. Then if a Tsunami occurs there is a much greater chance of human death.

We have always been looking for answers to tragedy. Sometimes things just go wrong such as plane accidents. Every year billions of miles are traversed by aircraft and 100s of million travelers fly safely. Suddenly a few go down because of mechanical failure which although rare, does happen from time to time. These are random events and if you are in the way you probably will get hurt. You are using the bible and words spoken by Jesus in an attempt to establish a cause and effect relationship. That is someone is doing something wrong and then a random event occurs and they pay with their lives because God does not afford them protection presumably due to their evil ways.

Well Nic the argument does not work. Evil people prosper and live long lives also. God does not seem to protect the good and punish the evil. Good people are killed every day in seemingly random events. The key here is to be at peace with God because at anytime your number could be up. But, if you believe in a resurrection, no worries. This is not the life we should be to concerned about but the life to come.

With regards to the Romans and Jesus admonitions. Come on! The Jews were a thorn in the side of the Romans and unrest was a constant issue in that region. The Jews engaged in a mass rebellion and they were destroyed. The conflict came about because of the clash between believers in Yahweh and a pagan tyrant. It had nothing to do with the life of Jesus. It was a political struggle that turned into a military struggle. The Jewish nation lost.

I do not think God killed that family because Feldkamp owned an abortion clinic. Why not just kill Feldkamp? Why 3 families? God is one tyrannical son of a bitch if he cannot separate the guilty which in your mind is Feldkamp from the non-guilty. If the hand of God is involved here then his hand is very non-selective.

What got you into this mode of thinking?

Regards

John

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John,

Thanks for your response. I did not expect additional comments from you because you indicated that my previous mailing left you speechless. Nevertheless, it appears that your speechless condition does not prevent you from being able to type. This is good. I did read your comments and I am trying to figure out where is it that we disagree. Let me start with things we do agree on. You made the following statements:

1. "These are random events."
2. "Evil people prosper and live long lives also."
3. "God does not seem to protect the good and punish the evil."
4. "Good people are killed every day in seemingly random events."
5. "The key here is to be at peace with God because at anytime your number could be up."
6. "This is not the life we should be  concerned about but the life to come."
7. "The Jews engaged in a mass rebellion and they were destroyed."
8. "I do not think God killed that family because Feldkamp owned an abortion clinic."

As you can see, we do agree on almost everything you have written. Now I would like to make a few comments about the things we seem to disagree:

A. You seem to imply that I believe that God killed the family of Fedlkamp. Where did you get this unwarranted notion? Random events are not caused by God. They are events caused by nature, and nature is blind. Do we need to redefine randomness?

B. You seem to believe that the Jewish rebellion "had nothing to do with the life of Jesus." I disagree. Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah and their rightful King. He was destined to rule from Jerusalem and free the Jews from the Romans. The Angel Gabriel gave this explanation to Mary, the mother of Jesus: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." [Luke 1:32 & 33]

This promise was in line with the mission of all the great men of God who in the past had liberated the Israelites from their enemies. They led the people to a repentance of their sins and then fought against their enemies and prevailed. Read the story of Moses, Gideon, Samuel, David and so on. The Old Testament is full with predictions of a glorious future God had planned for the nation of Israel. Jerusalem was destined to be the capital of the entire world. God's original plan failed when the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as their rightful Messiah and King.

This is why Jesus wept over Jerusalem following his triumphal entry into the Holy City. He lamented with the following words: "If you had only known what pertains to your peace." Jesus did everything in his power to convince the Jews that he was in fact the promised Messiah. When everything failed, he wept. When the Jews rebelled against the Romans, there was no way God could bless their efforts, since they had rejected the one sent to them to free them from their sins and from the Roman domination. Jesus predicted that, unless they repented, they would perish, and perish they did.

Nic

*********

Nic -

I have to say that I agree with Erv on this one, although I would not put it as harshly as he.  Whether or not it is true, your creating a headline like this one makes it appear that you are linking Dr. Feldkamp's ownership of abortion clinics with this terrible accident and implying that God somehow intended it.

Surely, Nic, your God is not Someone who would impose a fiery death on small children in retribution or to teach adults a lesson.  What a horribly distorted view of the God of love and the Universe. 

This is not to say that I don't agree with you about abortion [though I have reservations] - only that I hope you do not mean to say what it appears you might be saying.

Name withheld

*********

Name withheld,

Thanks for your comments. God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us.

Nic

*********

Nic -

I just cannot believe that God has anything to do with these awful events.  I know you suffered a terrible loss when your daughter died in the car accident in 1995 - just as I suffered a terrible loss when ... died in one 4 years ago (not to compare them; I know that the loss of a child is much worse than the loss of a spouse).  At first, I was very tempted to blame God - why couldn't He have just let ...  turn out of the gas station 15 seconds later?  Or earlier?  Was it because of something I did (Looking back, I saw that I was probably a very bad ... I nagged a lot!)  But I have come to see that this kind of thinking is not only wrong, but an unfair representation of God and His nature.  He would not allow ...  or your child - to be killed just to warn us about something.  These were random accidents - for you and your grieving wife, for ... , for me and our children, and for God. 

Name Withheld

*********

Name Withheld,

What you went through, what I went through, and what Feldkamp is going through is hard to explain. There are many alternative theories as to why tragedies like these take place, and none of them seem to make sense. Some of the possible explanations might include the following:

1. God did it to punish us for our sins.
2. "An enemy has done this." [Matt. 13:28]
3. They are simply acts of randomness.
4. God never intended human beings to travel at high speed, and much less to fly.

Regardless of which explanations we pick, the fact remains that if God exists, and if he can intervene, it is hard to avoid the logical conclusion that God seems to elect not to intervene in most cases. You seem inclined to vote for randomness. So my question is: Is randomness more powerful than God? Can God overrule the acts of randomness? If he can't, then he is not God; and if he can but prefers not to intervene in the majority of tragic events, then there must be a reason for this. This is where Jesus explanation comes in handy:

“Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” [Luke 13:4 & 5]

History tells us that Jesus' hearers did not repent, and they did perish as predicted when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

History is being repeated. I was reading a report claiming that 60 years ago the U.S. was the largest creditor in the entire world. Now our nation is the biggest debtor. Is this a coincidence? Is it possible that the Lord is removing its special protection over our country the way he removed his protection over Jerusalem and over all the world empires that ever existed? Tell me why should the Lord continue to protect a nation which legalized the killing of the most innocent and the most vulnerable members of humanity?

As you can see, according to Jesus, those who are subject to these tragic events are no worse sinners than the rest of humanity. Now, since you seem to disagree with this philosophy of mine, then you probably have a better explanation. Remember that by labeling these random acts of nature you have not solved the problem, because my suspicion is that you probably agree with me that God has the power and the option to control said random acts. What is your solution? I am curious!

In my case, what seem to have eased my pain following the death of my daughter was the realization that when Jesus begged God to intervene on his behalf, God decided not to do so. Neither did God intervene in the lives of millions of martyrs.

Nic

*********

Dear Nic,

I want to urge you not to let pride and self-righteousness stand in the way of your making an apology - a true apology, not just an insincere "I'm really right but I'll go ahead and say I'm sorry" apology - for having hurt people dreadfully - and perhaps for having unintentionally misrepresented God.  You have said, essentially, that He operates on some kind of "eye for eye and tooth for tooth" principle.  Jesus came to tell us that we should not treat our fellow human beings like that - so do you really think God does? 

Nic, you may also want to think about some of the traditional assumptions we hold about God and how we have interpreted scripture. We have defined God in a certain way - as all-powerful and all knowing.  Maybe we are wrong. Maybe we have made God in our own image rather than trying to find out what He is really like.   C.S. Lewis once said that we don't make sense out of nonsense by prefacing a statement with the words "God can."  So maybe He can neither foresee nor prevent events that have not yet occurred. 

Perhaps, like us, He is bound by time and the laws of nature and physics as He has set them.  Maybe the pilot made a bad judgment, or the wind suddenly changed, or there was a defect in the metal used to build the plane - these are all things that might well be out of God's control.  Consider too Job and his false comforters - looking for a sin to explain his illness and the loss of his family.  It is understandable that we try to find meaning in horrible events - like untimely death.  But maybe we need to accept, as Job finally had to, that for some things, there is neither explanation nor meaning. 

Name Withheld

P.s.  On abortion, I agree with Bill Clinton (not one of my heroes by any means).  It should be "safe, legal, and [extremely] rare."  But you and I don't have to agree on this issue.  The God who created human beings can keep track of them and bring us all together some day.  This I believe.

Sorry if my thoughts are a little disjointed.  But I truly think you are not right this time.

*********

Name withheld,


You say that you agree with Bill Clinton that we should keep abortion safe, legal, and rare. I would agree with this moral principle if we were willing to apply the same norm across the board to other moral actions like rape, incest, burglary, and child sexual abuse and make them as well "safe, legal, and rare" and refuse to be judgmental on those who choose to violate those criminal acts.

I noticed in the responses I am getting to the alleged offensive news item I shared with some friends that those who are thanking me for sharing it with them are in the pro-life end of the spectrum while those who insist that I apologize are among those who see nothing wrong with either poisoning or dismembering the body of an unborn baby. Does this tell you anything?

I did receive an Email from an Adventist physician in Germany who is an old friend of mine. He told me that in the Adventist medical institutions he had the privilege of administering in Europe, Africa, and South America abortions were not permitted. Another friend of mine who was the founder of our "Universidad Adventista del Plata" in Argentina told me that abortions are not allowed in their medical institution.

The liberal view about the killing of the unborn is an American phenomenon. A SDA pastor back east wrote to me saying that he preached in his church about the evils of abortion, and I just received an Email from an Adventist lady who left the church over this issue because she didn't want her hands stained with the blood of the unborn. Here is what she said about the same story you claim has offended you and others:

"Nic, I appreciate that you shared the news with me. I cannot tell you how tragic the whole thing is. I prayed for the man the moment I saw the article about his children and grandchildren. Maybe God can get through to him as he sees his grandchildren's futures are taken away... that he is taking away the future of some child every time his abortion clinics open their doors. God have mercy on us all...Teresa Beem"

If you want me to apologize for the timing of the story, I can understand. Nevertheless I have no plans for apologizing for my pro-life position. My only regret is that I can do no more on behalf of those destined to the slaughter house. I believe that Loma Linda and those teachers who are training their medical students to view abortion as something that is morally acceptable will one day have to give an account for twisting the original meaning of the Sixth commandment beyond recognition.

The Bible contains the strongest condemnation towards those who in the Old Testament were burning their unwanted children in honor of the god Moloch. We burn the unwanted children before they are born with chemicals. You want me to believe that this is morally acceptable in the eyes of God? God forbid that I should listen to you on this issue!

You are suggesting that I am misrepresenting God and that I believe that he operates on the "eye for eye and tooth for tooth" principle. Please provide me with a quote, because I do not recall having made such an argument. Then you end with a long paragraph suggesting that the airplane crash might have been the result of a random act of nature. This makes me wonder whether you did take the time to read what I have written. What makes you believe that I do not believe in randomness?

The part that I would disagree with you is that if God is unable to control randomness, then he is not God. The storm which scared the daylight out of Jesus' disciples did not make Jesus afraid. He simply uttered a word and the storm obeyed his voice. God could have prevented the airplane crash, he could have prevented the death of my daughter, and he could have prevented the death of John the Baptist, the death of Jesus, and the death of all the Christian martyrs who died for their faith. God decided not to intervene for reasons neither I nor you know.

But this I know for sure. What we sow we will eventually reap. If we neglect the care of our body, we will get sick and eventually be subject to an early death. Our church in the States is not growing. Have you ever wondered why? One of the reasons, I believe, is that we have compromised on our attitude towards sin. Our disregard for God's injunction against the shedding of innocent blood is one of those sins which sucks the moral vitality out of our church.

I could go on, but it is getting late and I need some rest! God bless!

Nic

*********

Nic:

_*This is unreal?*_ Yet, it might be just the last wakeup call to the Adventist Church. Have you shared this with Roberts, and others? I did sent a copy to Ivan Blazen!

The Argentinian gauchos used to say: Dios castiga, pero no se le ve el palo! [God does punish, but you can't see the stick!]

I say: Dear God? Did it have to come to this? By the way, were you aware of this going on, right here in Redlands? All newspapers have clearly stated that the whole bunch was Adventists. So, will this additional story end up in the media? I only hope and pray that it does.

Hugo

*********

My friend,

There is no need to send that story to Roberts, unless you want to be clobbered like I was by him. I will be responding to his Email and perhaps eventually publishing his reprimand together with my answer.

*********

Nic:

Overall, there is no question that those 7 innocent children that perished on that so intriguing spot, had a less suffering death than those that are murdered in the womb, who die slowly, but where it is not seen. Yes, as a Church and our Hospitals, murdering a baby inside the womb seems to be of no consequence! Of course the Church does call the unborn: Magnificent life, but not a human being.

However when a badly deformed, etc., baby is brought into any of our Hospitals, millions are spent even to put a monkey heart into a tiny baby. In summary million of the healthiest babies are sent to the American mass grave even by the Remnant Church.

Hugo

*********

Hugo,

The answer is "No." I was not aware of the connection between Feldkamp and abortion. I decided to research this when Sharon Guengerich alerted me to this fact. A friend of mine sent me a comment telling me that Feldkamp did try to convince an uncle of his to participate in the investment. His uncle is not an Adventists, but he refused to have anything to do with the killing of babies.

Nic

*********

Nic:

I guess a tribute to the dead children, but not a word of consolation for Grandpa and Grandma Feldkamp, who ended up standing there at that cemetery perhaps weeping, if my recollection serves me right? I can only wonder why the pastor ignored them? What good was/is a tribute to the dead but no word of consolation for the weeping living ones? Did he ever even say their name in his sermon?

Hugo

*********

Hugo,

I do not recall having heard the Feldcamp name in the sermon.

Nic

*********

Hugo,

Roberts paid tribute not to Feldkamp but rather to those who died in the tragic accident, among whom were seven children. What was wrong with that?


Nic

*********

Nic:

As a matter of fact, what kind of tribute is this anyway? I think the Church members should react to that in no uncertain terms.

By the way, a niece of ours that lives with her husband in Rio Vista and attend the Lodi Church has called and told us that there are people there in Lodi demonstrating against the Adventist about the Feldkamp incident.

She asked me to e-mail the article to her, in as much the Church members nor the Pastor know anything about this Feldkamp as the owner of this largest of abortion clinic in California.

It would not surprise me at all, if this will now turn into something big against Church as a Denomination. In a way I hope it does happen.

Hugo

*********

Hugo,

Yesterday I got a surprise call from a gentleman who read the controversial story on my www.sdaforumcom website. For several years he was a Sabbath School teacher at our Moreno Valley SDA Church. He is pro-life, and he used to preach to his students about the sanctity of human life. He was forced to leave said church by the church pastor, and he came to Loma Linda. He found out my web site and called me. We talked for almost one hour. His views about the sanctity of human life are as kosher as yours and mine. It is encouraging to know that there is another SDA individual who shares with us our pro-life views. He has accumulated an extensive knowledge connected with this issue.

Nic

*********

To whom it may concern:

Can there be a more sad and disturbing picture, about the present day Adventist Church, when such a most moving tribute is spoken out of a most glorious place for many to hear worldwide, but not a word of consolation is heard for father, mother, grandpa and grandma, and not even their name mentioned; for some, more and more, seemingly evident reason, as thinks unfold?

Yes, where father, mother, grandpa and grandma, Feldkamp hold membership, no public word spoken while yes, mentioned in the bulletin of such immense tragedy. Yes, as information has it, already an Adventist Church being demonstrated against, seemingly because of the business father and grandpa is engaged in!

As for myself, this is a first one for me, a 4th generation Adventist, listening to such tribute where father, mother, grandpa and grandma are not even mentioned, when in reality one of the most devastating disaster ever struck, one family of the Adventist Church, as far as I know!

With all due respect, and should I be not correctly informed, please respond?

H. D. Schmidt

*********

Nic,

You have surprised and disappointed me.

Dave

*********

Dave,

You are not the only one who has expressed similar views. Many others have expressed their appreciation for my sharing with them a news item which the mass and the Adventist news media have ignored. I hope that you are aware that I did not write the original story. It was written by a member of the "Operation Rescue" whose God given mission is to save the lives of babies destined to the execution chamber.

You might have noticed that the mass media is rather biased in their reporting of events. I can't understand what is the point of the media telling us that Feldkamp owns a dental office while ignoring in their reporting his major financial investment in the largest California for profit abortion company. I have a friend who told me that his uncle was invited to participate in this investment, but he refused on moral grounds, and he is not even an Adventist.

You state that I have disappointed you by sharing this news item with you. I understand this. My own church has disappointed me with its justification of the killing of the unborn. I have been trying to fill a moral vacuum in this respect at great sacrifice and great cost to my real estate business, and I am doing this for free. I am trying to do for free what my church should have been doing with my tithes and offerings and the sacred tithes and offering of the church which was called to give the last message to a perishing world.

I was reading the other day that 60 years ago our country was the largest creditor in the world. Today the U.S. is the largest debtor. Do you think this is mere coincidence? Do you think that the Lord can continue to bless the U.S. given that we have legalized the killing of the most vulnerable members of the human race? Unless we repent, our country will follow in the steps of all the world empires which preceded our own.

The Lord could have prevented the Montana airplane crash; he could have prevented the Katrina tragedy, and the Tsunami which resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent human beings. These are random events which result in the loss of a large number of human lives. How can we explain all these tragic events? I believe that the best explanation is found in Luke 13: 4 & 5.

"Those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelled in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish."

And perish they did when the Romans came and slaughtered one million Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple.

I share this view of Jesus as the best explanation for the tragic loss of life. The most tragic event of history was the death of Jesus Christ. He begged God to intervene. God's answer was silence. The same answer was repeated when millions of Christians died for their faith. The Lord gives his rain for the benefits of the righteous and those who are sinners. Likewise, he allows both sinners and saints to die under tragic circumstances. All these events are permitted that we might repent.

Nic

*********

Nic, I appreciate that you shared the news with me. I cannot tell you how tragic the whole thing is. I prayed for the man the moment I saw the article about his children and grandchildren. Maybe God can get through to him as he sees his grandchildren's futures are taken away... that he is taking away the future of some child every time his abortion clinics open their doors. God have mercy on us all...

Teresa Beem

*********

Dear Nic,

I usually don't get involved in discussions of my brother but just to set the record straight.  Both he and I have not and do not plan on supporting abortions or performing them.  However, there is an appropriate place and forum for discussion.  The plane crash of my lab partner and classmate from medical school is not one of them.  I feel that Sean is correct here is his statement.  Just because bad things happen, does not mean that the people involved were bad or that we should dredge up every bad thing they ever did.  I think this is the time to look for the good things and try to pattern our lives after them.  Lets stop being like Job's friends trying to tell him why God was punishing him and more like Job and support him in his struggle.

I am concerned that your focus on the 6th commandment is bringing you to have issues with the other commandments.  It is not just how we respect life but also how we love each other and there are many people that would have a hard time seeing Christ in what you have said about my classmates and friends that were killed in this tragedy.

Sincerely,

Shannon Pitman MD

*********

Shannon,

I appreciate your comments, in spite of the fact that they reveal the same lack of understanding contained in the criticism I have received from several individuals who do not share my views on the sanctity of human life. If I were to try to follow your advice, I would have to undo what I have been doing for the last three decades of my life, including my doctoral dissertation which dealt with the SDA dramatic shift towards abortion which took place recently especially in the United States. [ http://sdaforum.com/page13.html ]

Our Adventist pioneers inherited from the Christian tradition a profound respect for the right to life, and they did condemn the practice of abortion in the strongest terms using language which today is considered offensive and unloving. In fact James & Ellen White, John Kellogg, John Andrews, and many others labeled such practice as plain "murder." What a contrast and how times have changed, but not for the better. Today, even the mention that someone has anything to do with abortion is considered almost  equivalent with murder of the person's reputation, and the mention of the Sixth Commandment an anathema or four letter word.

I have a great admiration for Sean. He is my best source for material dealing with creation. I do admire his uncompromising rejection of the theory of evolution. Several years ago I managed to arrange for him to teach the Sabbath School lesson in Dalton Baldwin SS class. He was superb and his arguments solid as a rock. The next Sabbath, one of the class members made the following remark to me: "He is a bright young man, but his attitude towards those who do not share his views is rather unloving." I never told Sean this, but now I am mentioning this because you are saying the same about me. I am as uncompromising about abortion as Sean is uncompromising about evolution. Does this help?

When Sean suggested that the timing of my sharing a news item might have been inappropriate, I agreed, and I even stated that I had no problem apologizing. He was not satisfied. This attitude mirrored that of others in the pro-abortion camp who insisted that I was trying to prove that God punished the children for the alleged sins of the parents. This attitude of condemnation forced me to adopt a defensive attitude. I asked Sean how long I should have waited before sharing said news item with others, whether one week, one month or more. He never responded. Nobody made a practical suggestion. This led me to believe that, according to them, I should have never shared said news item with anybody. Why? Because it connects Feldkamp with abortion.

This is precisely the reason the general and the Adventist media avoided making said nexus. This would be equivalent to revising the Bible and eliminating all its references to the saint's shortcomings and sins against the God of heaven. Some years ago someone asked W. Johnson why the Adventist Review failed to report certain news items, and he responded by citing what David wrote following the death of King Saul: "Publish it not in Gath." [ http://sdaforum.com/page27.html ] Yes, David did not want the tragic news of King Saul's death published among the enemies of Israel, but David did publish these news in Jerusalem, otherwise we wouldn't be reading this today. That is what I did. I published that news item among a small group of friends, but I did not go to the world media.

Had those who received my initial Email avoided raising Cain over this, the storm which followed would have been avoided. My initial mailing did not include any comments of mine. When criticisms began to pile up, I was forced to explain my true philosophy about why tragedies like this one take place. I did insist that I did not believe that God punished the children for the sins of their parents, but critics were not satisfied. I cited the explanation Jesus gave for these kind of tragedies, but Sean and other argued that I was trying to soften my initial condemnatory message, in spite of my protestations that I had simply shared a news item I had not even written. I tried to explain my belief as follows to no avail:

"God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, [ http://sdaforum.com/page18.html ] he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us."

In my frustration I responded as follows to one of my critics: "Again I say: You must be a clairvoyant. You can read my mind, but you have failed to read what I have stated regarding this tragic event. This is not the first time I write about similar tragedies to this one. If you visit my http://sdaforum.com  website, you will discover that I have written about Katrina, [ http://sdaforum.com/page46.html ] the Tsunami, the 9/11 event, and the tragic death of my own daughter, and in each case I did negate what you are trying to blame me for. In each case I clearly stated my opinion that such events are not caused by God. If God wanted to target the guilty, he could have done a much better job as when he struck Ananias and Saphira dead. God could prevent every tragedy, but he normally does not intervene. They are a reminder that all of us need to repent. If we don't, we will all perish like the Jews when the Romans destroyed the Holy City.

Sometimes I wonder whether we are really aware of the history of abortion in our country. It was masterminded by a woman named Margaret Sanger [ http://www.blackgenocide.org/sanger.html ] whose objective was aimed at controlling the growth of the alleged less desirable members of society. This is the reason most abortion clinics are located in black neighborhoods. This is why it is ironic that President Obama is determined to protect the abortion industry at all costs.

You may also ignore that "Family Planning Associates" was founded by a physician who graduated from LLU back in 1964. He originally was planning to study for the ministry and later switched to medicine. He became a millionaire by killing thousands of innocent unborn children. One day he was asked whether he was proud of what he was doing, and he responded that he was hoping that one day the abortion industry would collapse, but that if he were to quit the business, someone else would pick it up. This took place when Feldkamp acquired this very profitable enterprise.

Abortion is a bloody business. In addition to the death of 50 million innocent children, there are documented cases of hundreds of women who died as a result of a botched abortion. Here is an incomplete list of reported cases, some of them coming from Family Planning Associates: http://abortion-not.org/in_memoriam.htm

Carrying a pregnancy to term is much safer than having an abortion. There is the story of a woman who walked into the office of a physician with a child in her arms asking for an abortion. The doctor, who happened to be pro-life, suggested to her the following plan: "Why don't we kill the child in your arms instead, it is less risky than killing an unborn child."

You stated that neither you nor Sean does support the practice of abortion. Nevertheless, some years ago I engaged Sean in a debate regarding the issue of abortion which lasted several months. His argument was that when a pregnant woman chooses to abort her unborn child before the 20th week of pregnancy, there is no moral guilt associated with such an action, because the developing child's brain is not functioning yet. I consider this a moral support of abortion and I think that this is wrong. [See my debate with Sean over this issue:  http://sdaforum.com/page13.html .

Fortunately, I have received from many others a different kind of response. Here is a small sample:

"Thanks for sending this. I don't have time to respond just yet, but now at least I know what ... is talking about."

"Thanks for your candid reporting.  What a "coincidence"!  What a sad story."

"Thanks for the article Nic, I had wondered if there was any spiritual significance to the crash, but dared not speak of  ... "

"Nic, I appreciate that you shared the news with me. I cannot tell you how tragic the whole thing is. I prayed for the man the moment I saw the article about his children and grandchildren. Maybe God can get through to him as he sees his grandchildren's futures are taken away... that he is taking away the future of some child every time his abortion clinics open their doors. God have mercy on us all..."

I have stopped sharing the comments of others with the rest of the small list of friends, but I may post all these comments eventually on my http://sdaforum.com web site, with the exception of the comments of those who requested to keep their opinions to myself.

May the good Lord bless us all!

Nic

*********

Hi Nic!

I got a note from John regarding an e-mail they got from you regarding the above subject. However, I did not get the actual e-mail you sent them initially, though I did get your subsequent responses to their responses. Would you be willing to send me what you sent them so I can see it for myself?

Dennis

P.S.

Miss you in class!

*********

Nic,

Thanks for sending this. I don't have time to respond just yet, but now at least I know what John is talking about.
 
Dennis

*********

Nic,

Last night, after a worship service in which believers joined together seeking to comfort those afflicted by the tragedy of last Sunday, I read another email exchange which you sent out.  What a contrast to what I heard repeatedly on Sabbath morning from worshipers at church.

I am deeply offended by the tone with which you write.  First, it seems to me that common human decency--not to say a Christian faith that is rooted in the fruits of the Spirit--requires that one NEVER attack a person (or family, in this case) who is in the midst of suffering such unspeakable tragedy.

Second, you make the assumption that anybody who disagrees with the methods you are using is not only wrong but morally corrupt.  That is both arrogant and judgmental--sins which the Scripture condemns repeatedly and unequivocally.

Third, your eisegesis of Luke 13 is deplorable.  An examination of Luke 13 seems to say the precise opposite of what you suggest it says.  In other words, Jesus appears to be responding to stories of tragic incidents that were making the rounds and were being used to suggest that the people who died in these cases died because they were worse sinners than others.  Jesus' response to this attitude is swift and severe.  He says--and I paraphrase--"Clean your own house of the offensive hubris with which it is filled, or you will suffer the same fate that others have suffered that you claim happened for the reason that they are evil."  Read on after v. 5 and it is clear that Jesus makes his statements to a Jewish nation whose principal problem was their certainty that they--and no one else--were right.

Finally, I happen to be one who believes that God sides with the defenseless, including, in this case, the unborn.  HOWEVER, to suggest as you have--for regardless of your protestations, passing along such an offensive email does precisely that--that God somehow "took care of them" is egregious in the extreme.  Your interpretation of mere coincidences surrounding this event serves to portray God in a terrible light, as a harsh, vindictive tyrant.

I want nothing to do with any attitude that kicks people when they are down.  Please remove me from any email list that you send out.  I have heard enough.

Randy Roberts

*********

Randy,

First, let me tell you that I have just deleted your name from all my Email lists as you requested. I have no desire to send news items to individuals who do not appreciate what I am doing. Fortunately, I have received from many others a different kind of response. Here is a small sample:

"Thanks for sending this. I don't have time to respond just yet, but now at least I know what ... is talking about."

"Thanks for your candid reporting.  What a "coincidence"!  What a sad story."

"Thanks for the article Nic, I had wondered if there was any spiritual significance to the crash, but dared not speak of  ... "

"Nic, I appreciate that you shared the news with me. I cannot tell you how tragic the whole thing is. I prayed for the man the moment I saw the article about his children and grandchildren. Maybe God can get through to him as he sees his grandchildren's futures are taken away... that he is taking away the future of some child every time his abortion clinics open their doors. God have mercy on us all..."

You state that you were surprised by the contrast in the exchange between me and those who did criticize what I am doing on behalf of the unborn. I must say that I was also shocked by the contrast between the tone of your letter and the fact that a few hours before I had defended your right to present a special tribute to the victims of the tragedy. Here is what I wrote to one of your church members who had written to me about the event:

"Roberts did not even mention Feldkamp. The tribute was for the three families with deep roots in Loma Linda which perished in the airplane crash."

"Roberts paid tribute not to Feldkamp but rather to those who died in the tragic accident, among whom were seven children. What was wrong with that?"

As you can see, I did what I could to defend your right to pay a special tribute to the victims of the airplane crash. I have always held you in high esteem and I have devoted hundreds of hours in the past for the task of sharing many of your sermon anecdotes with the readers of my SDA Forum website.

When you came to LLUC as our new pastor, I rejoiced and always wondered whether you would be willing to support the pro-life attitude towards the unborn, since you grew up outside the U.S. where most Adventists do share the pro-life views. I have no need to wonder anymore. Your response mirrored the comments I received from those who believe that there is nothing wrong with depriving the unborn from their right to take the first breath. I would be lying if I pretended that I am not disappointed. I should have known better, since you were connected with the LLUMC for many years where LLU teachers share the same views.

Sometime ago you did mention in one of your sermons that our church in the U.S. is not growing. Have you ever wondered why? How can the Lord bless what he had condemned--the shedding of the blood of the innocents? King Pharaoh did that, King Herod did that, Hitler did the same, and now our own country has been doing this for nearly four decades with the blessing of the Adventist Church.

I was reading the other day a report claiming that 60 years ago the U.S. was the largest creditor in the entire world. Now our nation is the biggest debtor. Is this a coincidence? Is it possible that the Lord is removing its special protection from our country the way he removed his protection from Jerusalem and from all the world empires that ever existed? Tell me why should the Lord continue to protect a nation which legalized the killing of the most innocent and the most vulnerable members of humanity?

You state that you were offended by what I did. I agree that the timing was not appropriate. Nevertheless, who is responsible for this storm in a tea cup? Is this merely my responsibility, or also the responsibility of those who responded with acrimony towards my sharing with them a simple news item? My original sin was sharing with a limited number of people on my list a story which revealed a detail regarding Feldkamp's background and his connection with abortion. I had not written the story. I merely passed it along without any comments of my own. [See Tragedy Strikes Children of Adventist Abortion Clinics Owner.
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/646579835.html

Had the recipients elected to read the story and delete it, the storm which followed would not have taken place. This means that in this event there exists a shared responsibility. By reacting in said fashion they created the environment for what followed. They misread my intent, they misconstrued my responses, which forced me to clarify my position and there seemed no way to avert what followed. I could have waited before responding, and they could have done the same, so who is the innocent party here?

The best way to avoid this type of situations might have been to avoid dignifying the comments of those who disagree with what a person has done or said. In this I am guilty and so are those who were determined to teach me a lesson. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of discussing the topic of abortion with someone who occupies a high position at LLU. He made the observation that there seemed to exist an alleged misstatement of facts in one of the chapters of my doctoral dissertations. I suggested that he send me something in black and white so I could correct the record. He responded that he didn't want to dignify my work with his comments. The issue was dropped. Had he assumed an antagonistic attitude, the issue might have escalated because there was a third person involved in the disputed fact.

In your Email to me you suggested the following:  "You make the assumption that anybody who disagrees with the methods you are using is not only wrong but morally corrupt." Evidently you must possess the rare ability to read my mind, but you lack the ability to read what I had stated. Compare what you said with what I had stated:

"God could have protected the children an grandchildren of Feldkamp, he could have protected those who perished when Katrina and the terrible Tsunami killed thousands of victims, he could have protected my own daughter back in 1995 when she died in a car accident, he could have protected the 9/11 victims, he could have protected John the Baptist and all the Christian martyrs, and he could have protected even his own Son, Jesus Christ. God didn't. Why? Jesus answer to such tragedies was: If you don't repent, you will all perish, and perish they did when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. I believe that all these tragic events are a warning to all of us."

You described my eisegesis of Luke 13 as "deplorable," and you told me to read beyond verse 5. I did and here is what I found there:

"Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well ; but if not, thou shalt cut it down."

Was not Jesus' comment aimed at the nation of Israel which were not producing the fruits of the kingdom? Was not Jesus' warning meant to entice the Jewish nation to repent and thus avoid the destruction of the nation by the Romans? Where did I go wrong with my interpretation of this biblical passage to merit the label of "deplorable"? Do you really think that your eisegesis is better than mine? Let the reader decide!

Finally, you stated the following: "HOWEVER, to suggest as you have--for regardless of your protestations, passing along such an offensive email does precisely that--that God somehow "took care of them" is egregious in the extreme."

Again I say: You must be a clairvoyant. You can read my mind, but you have failed to read what I have stated regarding this tragic event. This is not the first time I write about similar tragedies to this one. If you visit my http://sdaforum.com website, you will discover that I have written about Katrina, the Tsunami, the 9/11 event, and the tragic death of my own daughter, and in each case I did negate what you are trying to blame me for. In each case I clearly stated my opinion that such events are not caused by God. If God wanted to target the guilty, he could do a much better job as when he struck Ananias and Saphira dead. God could prevent every tragedy, but he normally does not intervene. They are a reminder that all of us, need to repent. If we don't, we will all perish like the Jews when the Romans destroyed the Holy City.

Sometimes I wonder whether you are really aware of the history of abortion in our country. It was masterminded by a woman named Margaret Sanger [ http://www.blackgenocide.org/sanger.html ] whose objective was aimed at controlling the growth of the alleged less desirable members of society. This is the reason most abortion clinics are located in black neighborhoods. This is why it is ironic that President Obama is determined to protect the abortion industry at all costs.

You may also ignore that "Family Planning Associates" was founded by a physician who graduated from LLU back in 1964. He originally was planning to study for the ministry and later switched to medicine. He became a millionaire by killing thousands of innocent unborn children. One day he was asked whether he was proud of what he was doing, and he responded that he was hoping that one day the abortion industry would collapse, but that if he were to quit the business, someone else would pick it up. This took place when Feldkamp acquired this very profitable enterprise.

Abortion is a bloody business. In addition to the death of 50 million innocent children, there are documented cases of hundreds of women who died as a result of a botched abortion. Here is an incomplete list of reported cases, some of them coming from Family Planning Associates: http://abortion-not.org/in_memoriam.htm

Carrying a pregnancy to term is much safer than having an abortion. There is the story of a woman who walked into the office of a physician with a child in her arms asking for an abortion. The doctor, who happened to be pro-life, suggested to her the following plan: "Why don't we kill the child in your arms instead, it is less risky than killing an unborn child."

Please document where in my mailings I have suggested, as you allege, that God "took care of them;" and I would appreciate if you would show me what led you to believe that I was working under " the assumption that anybody who disagrees with the methods [I am] using is not only wrong but morally corrupt." This shocked me a great deal and I am wondering whether you took the time to carefully digest what I had written. Methinks you did rush to judgment! 

To those who chastised me alleging that the timing of my initial sharing of the story was wrong, I repeatedly acknowledged my willingness to apologize and asked my correspondents to tell me what would have been the right timing to share such a story. I am still waiting for a response. Can you as my pastor answer this question? If you say "never" then my mission to be a spokesperson for the unborn is finished.

This morning, by "coincidence,"  as part of my personal devotion, I was reading in Ezequiel where the prophet says things like:

"And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with thee, ... be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, " [Ez. 2:6]

"But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are of hard forehead and of a stiff heart. Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks." [Ez. 3:7-9]

By the way, I have a disclaimer on my SDA Forum website stating that any comments directed at myself as the editor of the web site may be published in my forum. This is known by most of the recipients on my mailing list. One of those individuals has clearly stated that whatever I receive from this person should be held as confidential. If you have any objection to the publication of your reprimand in my SDA Forum Web site, I need to know this. If you do not ask me to hold your comments confidential, I will be eventually posting the original story which created all this controversy together with the unedited comments which followed.

This is my last communication with you, unless you elect to continue this dialogue.

May the good Lord continue to bless your sacred ministry and mine as well!

Nic

*********

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
“They didn't follow my rules, and they rejected my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, and they looked to their ancestors' disgusting idols for help. I also allowed them to follow laws that were no good and rules by which they could not live. I let them dishonor themselves when they sacrificed all their firstborn sons as gifts [to their false gods]. I terrified them so that they would know that I am the LORD.'” [Ezeq. 20:24-26] “You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? " 'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you won't be allowed to ask me for help.” [Ezeq. 20:31] 

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
“They have built worship sites at Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom in order to burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices. I did not ask for this. It never entered my mind.” [Jer. 7:31] 

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"This is what you must do whenever men fight and injure a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely. If there are no other injuries, the offender must pay whatever fine the court allows the woman's husband to demand. If anyone is injured, the offender must pay a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a bruise for a bruise, a wound for a wound.” [Ex. 21:22-25]

Consider the following: In Old Testament times people would burn their children after they were born in honor of their pagan god Moloch, today we burn them before they are born with chemicals for the sake of convenience. What is the difference? The net result is the same: a dead child. How can God bless what he has condemned?

Concluding Remarks 

If you, the reader,  agree with our current official position on abortion; if you believe that taking the life of the unborn is morally acceptable and that women have the right to sacrifice the life of their own unborn children for the sake of convenience, then it logically follows that there is nothing wrong with being associated with the abortion business, and abortion should be treated as any other noble profession, like dentistry, law, medicine, engineering, nursing, or teaching. If abortion is a noble profession, then why do you fault me for revealing that Feldkamp was connected with said noble profession?

If there is no stigma associated with the practice of abortion, then there should be no stigma associated with sharing the news which reveals such close association with abortion. If, on the other hand, you do not believe that abortion is a noble profession, then there is reason for you to join me in my attempt at motivating my fellow Adventists to get out of a business whose aim is in direct opposition to the will of God.

Abortion runs contrary to the essence of the Gospel. Jesus suffered abuse and shame, and offered his life that we might live. Those who choose abortion sacrifice the life of the innocent for the sake of their own temporary convenience. The Gospel is based on self denial; while abortion is the denial of the most basic human right: the right to life.  

No matter what your reaction is towards the content of the material I have shared with you, I believe that I have given enough evidence that I do believe in candid reporting. I have not omitted any of the criticism which was leveled at me and I haven’t attempted to sanitize what they have written. I did admit that the timing of my action was less than ideal, but as you judge my actions, do it within the proper perspective. I might have offended the sensibilities of those who believe in abortion, but those who support the practice of abortion are depriving millions of their right to life and are offending not a human being like me, but Almighty God.

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