The Economics of Sin

History should teach us something about ourselves. Sadly, the aphorism by George Santayana that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it is true of us also. We are pig headed and do not learn from the past. We are determined to make the same kind of mistakes over and over again. The sins of previous generations are repeated among us.

I recognize that history is not always easy to understand. Put three historians in a closed room and you will get four theories about what happened, eight theories about their meaning, and sixteen ideas about the manner this should influence our national policies. Santayana also said, "History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't there." Caveat lector!

Three statistics to consider:
1) Joseph Stalin is thought to have been responsible for 20 million deaths.
2) Adolf Hitler is generally acknowledged to be responsible for 42 million deaths.
3) All the Wars of the US (Revolution to Viet Nam) took approximately 1.1 million lives.

These three statistics represent staggering loses personally. The economic losses are probably beyond accurate counting. No reasonable person admires Hitler or Stalin. They are bywords for great evils committed on the basis of evil ideologies. We mourn the deaths of American citizens in her wars. As evil as Stalin and Hitler were, as sad as the death of our soldiers is to us, we tolerate something far worse in our nation.

Another staggering statistic:
Since 1973 an estimated 52 million deaths by elective abortion have occurred in the USA!

We are approaching a national election. The biggest issue is the economy, followed by health care, terrorism, Iraq, and immigration. Pro-life issues do not even make the key issue list in the polling. About half the voters consider abortion to be not that important. Of those who do consider it to be an important factor, not all are in favor of making it illegal. What does this say about our national priorities? We have brutally murdered about as many infants as the total deaths attributed to Stalin and Hitler combined. (Not to even argue that the ideology of the "culture of death" is very much like Stalin and Hitler's ideologies.)

Recently there have been several news items indicating that some supposed "pro-lifers" are voting for the Obama/Biden ticket because of economic problems in our nation. (I am sure other factors are part of these defections but the economy is cited.) Obama and Biden both have pro-abortion voting records. Economics trumps morality!

This is where the title of this article comes in, just what are the economics of sin? Is the dollar more important than morality? Can we be bought off so cheaply?

I am not that enamored of McCain's stand on all of the life issues (especially embryonic stem cell research). However, in good conscience I cannot vote for candidates and a party (Democrats) that stand firmly in the death culture camp. The Republican candidates have their own problems, but they at least do not vote for the culture of death agenda.

Another question concerning the economy and abortion—how do we dare think that God overlooks this evil? If God does not bring upon our heads the recompense of our sin, then he will have to apologize to Stalin and Hitler. But our economy apparently comes before morality. This is a building built over an abyss. We carelessly live as if there is no Judge and no judgment.

Gal. 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

So, I will vote, but not for those who support abortion. I may not like my choices. I may have to hold my nose as I pull the lever. But I will never vote for those who think that killing an infant is a choice.