I watched “Valkyrie” this past weekend. It is the story of some German officers who opposed Hitler and worked behind the scenes to assassinate him. The movie is pretty historically accurate and the only drama is to see how far they got before they failed (Spoiler: Hitler wasn’t assassinated). It raises a timely ethical question: Would you take a life to save many lives? In the case of Hitler it seems like a no-brainer. He dies, millions are saved, case closed, right?

But isn’t that the same basic logic used by the rogue abortionist murderer in Wichita? One life taken will save many lives, right? Both would argue that there was no way to work within the law to stop the senseless mass-murders so they felt compelled to take matters into their own hands.

A few thoughts:

• First, these two ethical situations have many differences as well as similarities.
• Second, it is an extremely serious matter to go against established authorities as the scriptures command us to obey them unless they tell us to do what God forbids (i.e. Daniel 3) or not do what God commands (i.e. Daniel 6).
• Third, God ordains ‘means’ as well as ‘ends’. The way we do things is just as important (more important?) than the things we do.
• Fourth, Randall Terry noted that any opportunity to repent from his actions was taken from the abortionist when he was murdered. This is no small thing. We DO ‘play God’ when He authorizes us to do so. We are called to be God’s hands and voice, under His terms. When we play God apart from His commandments we are committing blasphemy.

Would I participate in the assassination of Hitler? I’m still thinking…there are quite a few variables and a pastor more godly than me (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) answered the question ‘yes’. But would I condone or participate in the murder of an abortionist? No. Never. It is a blasphemy.