To understand the killing of George Tiller, we must go back to basics.  Peace and harmony are preserved in a society when its citizens obey certain fundamental rules. Departing from Christian standards of right and wrong - as America has tragically chosen to do - cannot fail to weaken and destabilize society.

We cannot make sense of  George Tiller's death in isolation. His killing must be seen in the context of what many have called "A Culture of Death."

The abortion industry in America is injustice on a unprecedented scale: first, because of the extreme innocence and defenselessness of the victims; second, because of the premeditation involved in murdering the unborn; and third, because of the enormous scale of the crime. Despite the enormity of the crime of abortion, it does not move the public to the same degree of indignation as does the killing of George Tiller. But if we grant that the unborn child is a person, then George Tiller was guilty of the murder of countless numbers of innocent victims, whom he killed not from any deeply-held conviction, but for profit.

Whether or not the crime of abortion equals the injustice of slavery is debatable.  Certainly there are many disturbing parallels. Some warning voices  prophesy that abortion may yet bring about a cataclysm of violence as great, or worse than the Civil War.

This much is clear: the shooting of  George Tiller was no more the responsibility of pro-life activists than the killings by John Brown - in a place called 'Bloody Kansas' -  was the responsibility of  thousands of  justifiably indignant Abolitionists.
 
To attribute blame to any party other than the shooter will further polarize America, a nation which is already torn and bleeding. America is in need of healing, and America will be healed only when her people return to God, and serve Him faithfully, with reverence and love, as they did when America was young.

Now is not the time for bitterness, anger, and mutual recrimination, which after all, is a way for each side to avoid blame. It is time for each individual to ponder with deep humility God's commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill."

Photo Courtesy of the National Park Service