Why Stop There, Mr. Mourdock: More on God's Will

Last night, Indiana Senatorial candidate Richard Mourdock (apparently learning nothing from Todd Akin--who, in case you missed it, was repeatedly arrested for anti-abortion protests in the 1980's) explained how he'd done a lot of soul searching on the topic of rape and abortion and had come to the conclusion that his anti-abortion stance was A-OK because, after all, pregnancy resulting from rape was "something that God intended to happen."

Okay. I'll play.

Obviously, Senator-hopeful Mourdock's version of God is a interventionist one, one who steps into our lives and makes individual things happen. He also seems to ascribe to a God of predestination, a God who determines when an individual life begins, even if that means sending a rapist to visit a woman who isn't complying with his will by getting pregnant in some other way.

Fine. Let's take this version of God and see how it fits with Mourdock's other views, which can be found on his own website.

Issue #1: Repeal Obamacare

Richard believes that Obamacare is unconstitutional and wrong for America. As a U.S. Senator, he will work to ensure that it is repealed immediately.

This is pretty consistent. After all, if God is an interventionist who determines when life begins at any cost, He should also be able to decide when people die. In fact, we really don't need health care at all. We probably shouldn't take Tylenol (God gifted you that headache!) We definitely shouldn't remove cancerous cells (God intended them to grow!)

Issue #2: Secure Our Borders 

Richard opposes the DREAM Act and any other legislation that would provide amnesty for illegal immigrants. He believes that we must act immediately to secure our borders and enforce the law.

Wait a minute here, sir. Why do we need to secure our borders? Why isn't God doing that? He's so concerned with our individual actions that He'll send a rapist over to impregnate a woman but He can't keep people in their own countries if He wants to? No, no. If those "illegal" immigrants cross the border, it was clearly God's will that they do so. Who are you to intervene?

Issue #3: Stop Liberal Judges

Richard believes that judges should respect the original intent of the Founders when interpreting the meaning of the Constitution. He will oppose the appointment of activist liberal justices like Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! "The original intent of the Founders?!" Some of our Founders weren't even Christian!  How can you support these men who were so clearly going against God's will? Furthermore, if God didn't want Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor appointed to the Supreme Court, doesn't He have the power to stop that? I think you're getting a little full of yourself here, Senator.

Issue #4: Preserve Social Security and Medicare

The solvency of these programs must be maintained in order to ensure that we keep our commitment to those currently receiving benefits as well as those nearing retirement.  Richard supports the “Ryan Plan” as a good first step to preserving these programs.

Wait a second! If God wanted these people to have access to money and health care, He'd give it them, wouldn't He? Why should we intervene on God's behalf and provide these extraneous services? If God wants these people to live, they will.

Inconsistent in Upholding God's Will

His list goes on, but the bottom line is that it appears Mr. Mourdock doesn't have all that much faith in God's will after all. Again and again he sees reason for human beings--specifically elected officials like himself--to intervene on God's behalf.

This leads me to suspect that maybe Mr. Mourdock's hard-line anti-abortion stance isn't really so much about making sure that God's will is done so much as it is making sure that women don't have control over their own lives or health, especially in the face of the violent victimization of rape.

Following Mourdock's reasoning out to its logical end would completely crumble the foundation of liberty and justice in our society. After all, if it's God's will for that woman to get pregnant, then how can we punish the rapist, who is now just an agent of an act of God? And if God is so minutely involved in pre-determining when each life begins, then He's surely equally minutely involved in determining when each life will end. If that's the case, then we should view all medicine as an affront to His will and we certainly can't blame murderers for simply carrying out what has been divinely ordained. In fact, if he's an omniscient, omnipotent God who carefully pre-determines every act, then aren't those abortions themselves a part of the plan?

If you think that Mourdock's stance is both dangerous and completely unhinged, I want to remind you that--as of this writing--he still has the endorsement of Mitt Romney, the only Senatorial endorsement the Presidential candidate has made an ad for.

Picture: sacks08