Local pastor says "No place for hostility in abortion debate"

So, like if I am really a Christian I should just shut up

Today, the Knoxville News Sentinel  published an op-ed by The Reverend Jill Sizemore.  The Reverend Sizemore is Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Knoxville.  The article, which I have linked to here, is entitled "No place for hostility in abortion debate".

Although in her article, The Reverend says there is " tension, unrest and utter hatred" on both sides, she only discusses the "confrontations and gun violence" at reproductive/family planning facilities where doctors, workers and the workers' families are harassed.  So, I guess the true title is "No place for hostility by those who oppose abortion".

Sizemore writes that abortion does not need to be discussed, but the hostility of the actions and dialogue needs to be discussed.  She says that "supposedly God-fearing, God-following" people are "utterly dismissive" about the way we talk to each other.  She posits that "until this divide between us is closed.......".

Nevermind, I won't bore you with what she blathers on about with the feel good philosophy of a kind of religion of here and now.

My son at 20 weeks gestation in 1987

She says this is about an individual woman and that by not affirming her decision, we are turning our backs on her.  Sizemore says that we have complicated the whole issue.  Then, she goes on with that old saw (and I know this one is old because I had sex ed in school in the 70's) about how we don't talk to kids about sex in the right way or teach them about contraception.

Then, there is the blah, blah, blather about a woman deserves the right to choose. And, she says that "Pro-choice advocates do care about both mother and child."  Yes, that would be the dead child.

Reverend Sizemore, I write this directly to you.  I recognize that your brain pan is probably bigger than mine.  I recognize that you are far better educated than I and I am totally sure that you converse with God far more often than I do. 

Do you really think that we do not talk to kids openly about sex?  Do you really think that there are people in this country who believe that sex outside of a loving, committed relationship won't ever happen?  Do you really believe that fetus lovers believe that abortion will never happen?

Do you really believe that there can be rapprochement between two diametrically opposed ideas....life and death?  What can we agree on?  The baby is dead.  Well, that is one thing.

Do I believe that God would be really, really stoked if I said, "Y'all go and do what you want and I will be totally supportive."  We all need to be healed and when I am God says to me "Go and sin no more." (John 8:11)

Color me trying to figure all this heavy stuff out here in this scruffy little city.