The Pensacola News Journal explains:
Benham said Hill showed the same “blatant disregard” for life as abortion providers and should “die for his sin. Killing Paul Hill is not murder,” [Rev. Flip Benham, national director of Operation Rescue] said. “It’s justice. I’d pull the switch myself and have no problem with it.” A few moments later, Benham quoted the Bible - Genesis 9:6, to offer his justification for hoping Hill’s execution will take place: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed - for in the image of God made he man.”
Of course, that’s the same argument used by violent anti-abortion groups. They cite the same verse to justify killing abortion doctors. Benham offers the same justification: Hill showed a blatant disregard for the lives of others, so he should die; abortion doctors show a blatant disregard for the lives of others, therefore they should die. He explicitly compares the two as being guilty of the same sins — so why should they not receive the same punishment? When this was pointed out to him, he responded:
The strange thing is, that’s the verse posted on a Web site for the Army of God - another abortion- opponent group - to justify Hill’s actions. “They have that up there?” Benham asked. “Well, the Army of God is such a joke. Some groups think it’s all right to kill an abortion doctor. Not us. Killing two unarmed people is murder. Killing Paul Hill is not murder. It’s justice.”
Violent anti-abortionists use the same argument. This exchange shows that people like Benham really aren’t the far away from extremists like the Army of God and Paul Hill. Their theology is basically the same. The lessons they draw from their religion are basically the same. The violent activists are simply honest about the conclusions that need to be drawn from their theology. Is Benham?
Benham is clear that it is just to kill Paul Hill for a sin committed by abortion doctors, so there can be little doubt that he realizes that, according to his own beliefs, it would not be murder to kill abortion doctors. Paul Hill and Flip Benham appear to believe the exact same things, but Hill acted on those beliefs. Will Benham?
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