Sunday, March 20, 2005
Judged By Man
Judge Rowland Barnes protected the Constitution of the United States of America. I'm sure he let men go free who he knew in his heart were guilty, but there was not enough evidence to convict them. I'm sure many of his rulings didn't completely agree with his personal beliefs, but judges aren't supposed to be about personal beliefs, they're supposed to be about upholding and interpreting the law.
I don't know much about Judge Rowland Barnes other than he was a judge in the Superior Court in Atlanta, Georgia. He was gunned down in the courthouse this past week by a prisoner who overpowered his guard, took the guard's gun, killed a court reporter and Judge Barnes, wounded others and then escaped on foot. A tough day for all of those involved I'm sure and I certainly hope a troubling day for us all.
Judges defend our rights, the rights guarenteed us by the Constitution. Sometimes their decisions don't agree with what we think we'd do in their shoes, but Judges don't make law, they interpret it. Their decisions are, ideally, not their own, but simply a carrying out of laws that already exist. I don't know much about Judge Rowland Barnes, I don't know if he was considered a liberal or a conservative on the bench, I don't know if he was in any way controversial. I don't know how or if he had ruled on some of the more controversial subjects of the day. The one thing I do know about Judge Rowland Barnes is that he didn't deserve to die.
Perhaps if I did resarch on Judge Rowland Barnes I would find out that he interpreted laws in a way that I didn't agree with. Maybe I'd find out that he was one of those judges who overstepped his bounds, who tried to wield more power than his office deserved. I simply don't know. I do know that if a judge is a bad judge, there are ways that the judicial system can deal with him. I know the system isn't perfect, but the system is designed to get rid of bad judges. Given time, it will eventually rid itself of those who don't belong there. I believe in the system.
This week in Florida, another judge interpreting the laws of this country ordered a feeding tube removed from a brain-damaged woman, a decision that, if allowed to stand, will eventually kill Teri Schiavo. I know even less about the judge or judges who made this decision than I do about Judge Barnes. I can tell you with the utmost confidence though, that those who made this decision are human. Being human, they are not celebrating a decision that causes the death of another human. Also, this was not a single person's decision, rather a judge's interpretation of existing laws. It is an example of a judge doing his or her job, a job that I'm sure isn't easy on the best of days. One thing I can tell you about the judge that made this decision is that, just like Judge Rowland Barnes, he or she does not deserve to die.
Shortly after 11am this morning in a Palm Sunday sermon at Zion Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota, Pastor Tom Beaverson, a former non-commisioned officer in the United States Air Force stated that when he heard the news that a judge in Forida had ordered the feeding tube removed from Teri Schiavo, that Pastor Bearverson wished that God would strike that judge dead. He went on to state that, at that point, he wished that judges who allowed abortions and gay marriages be struck dead by God as well. He was making the point that Jesus came to earth as King on Godly terms, not earthly terms and that God had a much more lasting plan for his Son, one beyond the confines of our earthly existence. I understand completely the point Pastor Beaverson was making, God acts on this earth on his terms, not ours. Yet in a week where a judge was murdered in a courthouse, where the family of another judge in Chicago was killed because of rulings that judge had made, this was the most shocking thing I have ever heard in a church.
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod has every right to be opposed to gay marriage and abortion. The LCMS should celebrate and protect the sanctitiy of life. That is, among other things, their duty. When an ordained member of this religious body reveals that he wants God to visit death upon duly appointed members of the government who don't agree with his church's teachings, a line has been crossed. I'm not comfortable being anywhere near this line. I'm certainly not comfortable with this as a topic in sermon celebrating the triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jersusalem the week of his death and resurrection.
This is the type of attitude that has lead misguided people to bomb abortion clinics, to kill doctors who perform abortions, to kill a young gay man just a few hours away from Rapid City in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The most shocking thing about this morning for me, is that I seem to be the only person who was shocked by this. I truely hope not. I hope at least one other person out there was as upset by this as I was and continue to be. Under this type of leadership, I'm affraid of what the congregation at Zion is capable of. I'm not sure I want to continue to be a part of this congregation.
BOJ
I don't know much about Judge Rowland Barnes other than he was a judge in the Superior Court in Atlanta, Georgia. He was gunned down in the courthouse this past week by a prisoner who overpowered his guard, took the guard's gun, killed a court reporter and Judge Barnes, wounded others and then escaped on foot. A tough day for all of those involved I'm sure and I certainly hope a troubling day for us all.
Judges defend our rights, the rights guarenteed us by the Constitution. Sometimes their decisions don't agree with what we think we'd do in their shoes, but Judges don't make law, they interpret it. Their decisions are, ideally, not their own, but simply a carrying out of laws that already exist. I don't know much about Judge Rowland Barnes, I don't know if he was considered a liberal or a conservative on the bench, I don't know if he was in any way controversial. I don't know how or if he had ruled on some of the more controversial subjects of the day. The one thing I do know about Judge Rowland Barnes is that he didn't deserve to die.
Perhaps if I did resarch on Judge Rowland Barnes I would find out that he interpreted laws in a way that I didn't agree with. Maybe I'd find out that he was one of those judges who overstepped his bounds, who tried to wield more power than his office deserved. I simply don't know. I do know that if a judge is a bad judge, there are ways that the judicial system can deal with him. I know the system isn't perfect, but the system is designed to get rid of bad judges. Given time, it will eventually rid itself of those who don't belong there. I believe in the system.
This week in Florida, another judge interpreting the laws of this country ordered a feeding tube removed from a brain-damaged woman, a decision that, if allowed to stand, will eventually kill Teri Schiavo. I know even less about the judge or judges who made this decision than I do about Judge Barnes. I can tell you with the utmost confidence though, that those who made this decision are human. Being human, they are not celebrating a decision that causes the death of another human. Also, this was not a single person's decision, rather a judge's interpretation of existing laws. It is an example of a judge doing his or her job, a job that I'm sure isn't easy on the best of days. One thing I can tell you about the judge that made this decision is that, just like Judge Rowland Barnes, he or she does not deserve to die.
Shortly after 11am this morning in a Palm Sunday sermon at Zion Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota, Pastor Tom Beaverson, a former non-commisioned officer in the United States Air Force stated that when he heard the news that a judge in Forida had ordered the feeding tube removed from Teri Schiavo, that Pastor Bearverson wished that God would strike that judge dead. He went on to state that, at that point, he wished that judges who allowed abortions and gay marriages be struck dead by God as well. He was making the point that Jesus came to earth as King on Godly terms, not earthly terms and that God had a much more lasting plan for his Son, one beyond the confines of our earthly existence. I understand completely the point Pastor Beaverson was making, God acts on this earth on his terms, not ours. Yet in a week where a judge was murdered in a courthouse, where the family of another judge in Chicago was killed because of rulings that judge had made, this was the most shocking thing I have ever heard in a church.
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod has every right to be opposed to gay marriage and abortion. The LCMS should celebrate and protect the sanctitiy of life. That is, among other things, their duty. When an ordained member of this religious body reveals that he wants God to visit death upon duly appointed members of the government who don't agree with his church's teachings, a line has been crossed. I'm not comfortable being anywhere near this line. I'm certainly not comfortable with this as a topic in sermon celebrating the triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jersusalem the week of his death and resurrection.
This is the type of attitude that has lead misguided people to bomb abortion clinics, to kill doctors who perform abortions, to kill a young gay man just a few hours away from Rapid City in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The most shocking thing about this morning for me, is that I seem to be the only person who was shocked by this. I truely hope not. I hope at least one other person out there was as upset by this as I was and continue to be. Under this type of leadership, I'm affraid of what the congregation at Zion is capable of. I'm not sure I want to continue to be a part of this congregation.
BOJ
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 12:31 PM 
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This isn't the sort of thing that ought to be included in a sermon. I, too, am a member of an LC-MS congregation and have never heard a pastor include such an explicit reference to current events in a sermon. Why? Because in the case in question, there would be this unsafe mixing of the Kingdoms of the Right and Left. While one should govern according to their principles, discussion this explicit of public policy from the pulpit is just asking for trouble because you are no long there to call people to repentance and direct them to Jesus for their forgiveness. Instead, you're there giving a sermon that has nothing (as far as I can tell) to do with those things. At this point, the focus of what church is supposed to be about is lost and you become nothing more than yet another one of these third-rate "evangelical" congregations.
# posted by 
: 8:29 PM
: 8:29 PM
Thanks, and you're absolutely correct.
My biggest problem now is that I never heard from anyone connected with the church that this was wrong. It was wrong, but I was left with the feeling that the church and congregation approved of advocating the death of publicly elected officials. That can't possibly be, but I've been told nothing different.
Judge Greer, by the way, was kicked out of his congregation. The BTK Strangler was visited in prison by a Lutheran minister. Which of these two men actually committed murder?
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My biggest problem now is that I never heard from anyone connected with the church that this was wrong. It was wrong, but I was left with the feeling that the church and congregation approved of advocating the death of publicly elected officials. That can't possibly be, but I've been told nothing different.
Judge Greer, by the way, was kicked out of his congregation. The BTK Strangler was visited in prison by a Lutheran minister. Which of these two men actually committed murder?
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