Jesus the enabler

June 3, 8:33 PMAtheism ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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I was reading an article written by fellow Examiner, Jake Jones, and found that I was amused. Perhaps it was because I was in a silly mood or maybe I just have a strange sense of humor - either way, I chuckled.  (You know Jake... he is the Evangelical Examiner.) It wasn't that what Jake said was funny or out in left field so much as I was amused by the unintended irony of the piece. His article is titled "George Tiller and churches in 'apostasy'." In it, he called into question the character of Dr. Tiller's church, pastor, and Church Council.

Essentially, his article was "...about churches that [enable] sin, it's about churches who [enable] sinners to continue on their path of sin...."  Jones claimed that Dr. Tiller's church enabled him to sin.

Of course, we know that in the eyes of someone who believes in the notion of sin, Dr. Tiller's life was rife with it. According to Jones, not only did the doctor sin when he performed abortions but he sinned when he took money for it. The fact that he sinned "every time he allowed his employees to make another appointment for an abortion," seems a trivial sin compared to his other two, but it was a sin, nonetheless.

But, how exactly did his church enable him to sin? Jones said that "[i]t would [seem] evident that there was no counseling for Tiller, or of his profession within that church." He added a bit further into the article that "[he] find[s] it hard to believe that [Tiller's] church would approve of abortion, yet allow him to go un-confronted by the Pastor or the Church Council, but from the looks of it, that's exactly what did happen."

Now, I find it amusing that a Christian, of all people, could point a finger at any institution, individual, or group for being enablers of sin. After all... isn't Jesus Christ the greatest enabler of all? Really, all one has to do to have eternal life is believe in Jesus. The Bible says so in John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Of course, I am going straight to hell. I know, I know. I've heard it all before. Interestingly... those who are condemned to hell are sent there forever - aren't they? So, see... everyone wins... eternal life one way or the other, and I don't even have to believe to get it. But, I digress.

How disabling is that verse? Where is the incentive not to sin? God made it okay to sin by sending his son to die for you... he died for your sins, right? Isn't that how the story goes? So sin on lambs... you are forgiven... just believe in Jesus and you will live forever... because Jesus enabled you to do so.