The Rev. Don Spitz and His Message of Hate.

The internet is rapidly making the world a smaller, more intimate place. This can contribute to a sense of interconnection or it can force our awareness of the breadth and depth of difference that separates us from others, regardless of interpersonal contact. Shortly after I posted yesterday's entry, in which I mentioned Eric Rudolph (the Christian Identity terrorist), I received a comment mistakenly addressed to another thread. The poster was one Rev. Don Spitz. I present his comment here verbatim:

"Eric Rudolph is not a terrorist, but an anti-terrorist fighter. Those who have killed babykilling abortionists have done so to protect the innocent. People use force everyday to protect the innocent and no one has a problem with it, except when it comes to protecting unborn human beings, then they go ballistic. It's very simple, the unborn deserve the same protection as the born. Born people are protected with force quite often. Force that you would be glad if it was to protect your children against a murderer. Force that you yourself might use to protect your own children from being murdered. The unborn deserve the same protection. SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life."

It turns out that Don Spitz was spiritual counselor to both Paul Hill and Eric Rudolph during their high-profile murder trials. Hill was executed in Florida, and Rudolph is serving a life-term as a result of a plea arrangement. Both of these prominent anti-abortionists targeted doctors and others involved in family planning clinics. Spitz is a pentecostal minister who runs the militantly "pro-life" website and organization, "God's Army". He has actively encouraged illegal and violent action against what he deems "babykillers". He has expressed satisfaction after attacks on clinics. He also happens to hate gays and Muslims. His website (which I'm sure you can find if you are truly interested) contains graphic and gruesome photos of late-term abortions, tributes to murderers, and hateful screeds against gays and abortionists

Interestingly, Spitz seems to spend large amounts of time searching the internet for mentions of his proteges Hill and Rudolph. When he finds these references, he drops in a comment chock-a-block with assumptions, invective, accusations, calls for violence, and biblical quotes that he supposes give him the authority to spread his hate-speech. He does not seem to see any of the inherent hypocrisy in his position of support for murderers. Glossing over the most prominent of God's Old Testament commandments ("Thou Shalt Not Kill") he condemns abortionists and propagates the myth that folks like Rudolph and Hill are Christian martyrs. (Evidently organized political opposition to abortion is simply not sufficient.) But despite Spitz's selective Old Testament quotes, the Book itself is not entirely consistent in its position on abortion (see link).

Regardless, there is no logical argument for opposing the abortion of "preborn" children, while simultaneously celebrating the murder of adults. Spitz has claimed that the lives of "babykillers" are a fair trade for the millions of fetuses aborted over decades. But that begs the question. Is killing in the name of God ever justified? Obviously Spitz has much in common with the Muslim fundamentalists he claims to despise. Does the reverend truly believe that his mission is saving souls? I guess that all depends on whether or not aborted fetuses go directly to Hell. Surely if a just God exists then this is not the case. Would these innocent souls not ascend, past the trials and tribulations of an imperfect Earth, directly to Heaven? Yet if we are all born into sin, shouldn't we extend the opportunity of salvation to all living humans (including abortionists)? Murdering sinners simply resigns them to a fate without redemption. But these concerns never seem adequately addressed by people like Spitz.

I believe it to be the duty of Christians to pray for the salvation of sinners... it is not their place to condemn and execute them. It is for this reason that I call on Christians (regardless of their views on abortion) to pray for Rev. Don Spitz's soul. Ask Jesus Christ to come into his heart, and show him the error of his ways. If this happens, perhaps Spitz will spend less time spreading his messages of hate on the internet, and more time seeking true redemption.