Only an individual with the most daft understanding of poetics would fail to appreciate the tragic irony of Dr. George Tiller, famed late-term abortionist, being murdered by a “pro-life” advocate in the lobby of his Lutheran church as he served as an usher.

The horrific zealotry of Christiansim (a term used to isolate the fundamentalist from the non) is as frightening and disturbing as that of its Islamic cousin. The imbued convictions to which the proponent clings, as well as defend to the extent of murder, so grotesquely foreshadows the inherit and obvious apprehension to violence that their respected faith traditions admonish.

The irony would be comical were it not so painfully tragic: a supposed follower of Jesus Christ murdering a fellow individual (let alone a fellow Christian) in a house of God. Yet, Scott Roder (who, at this writing is the current suspect in the killing) felt it justified to execute abortion doctors, serving as the only means of defense for the unborn fetus. The parallels to the pious Islamist, who detonate bombs in Israel’s public squares in retaliation for Israeli bombing that takes the lives of children, is blatant. That behavior is dubbed as terrorism: using violence to achieve political aims.

Undoubtedly, Roder is an atypical representative of what is, by and large, a fringe element in religion: fundamentalist zealotry. But how many sympathizers will he rally (perhaps already rallied?) should he be the man convicted of the crime?

Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, an organization devoted to the cause of making abortion practices illegal, said this:

George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller’s killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder. And we still must call abortion by its proper name; murder.

Those men and women who slaughter the unborn are murderers according to the Law of God. We must continue to expose them in our communities and peacefully protest them at their offices and homes, and yes, even their churches.

Terry’s response did not echo that of the organization he founded, as Operation Rescue said that they, “…denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place [on Sunday].” How many other individuals and organizations will go through the motions of acknowledging a publicly-acceptable censure of the act, but all the while feeling a perverse sense of pride that one of their own acted in a way that they themselves could not? That their cause has been in some way legitimized a bit more?

The hypocrisy of this matter begins with Operation Rescue. Below is a video the organization made about Tiller. Operation Rescue has focused upon the doctor for quite some time, even outfitting ChargeTiller.com (the website was unavailable for access at the time of this writing) whereon current suspect Scott Roeder posted about Dr. Tiller’s Kansas clinic:

It seems as though what is happening in Kansas could be compared to the “lawlessness” which is spoken of in the Bible. Tiller is the concentration camp “Mengele” of our day and needs to be stopped before he and those who protect him bring judgement upon our nation.

Additionally, there is this video Operation Rescue made about George Tiller. WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC.

What is most frustrating to sensible people who deplore these acts of domestic terrorism is that it seems very little can be done to remedy them. The stalwarts of such extreme thinking, and its corroborative behavior, are too far-gone to be reunited with the sensible flock. The surreptitious bastions provided by groups like Operation Rescue will serve as a sanctum for vile musings and rhetoric that may just lead to aspirations of murder, and a misnomered “pro-life” ideal.

(Special thanks to the Daily Dish for its coverage of the George Tiller murder)

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