The ends don't justify the means

Some may feel that my words were harsh in questioning the Schinder's credibility. I'll concede that.

The truth of the matter is that I feel betrayed, and it ticks me off.

Because of my involvement in pro-life and other conservative Christian issues, I get mail---snail mail and e-mail. For some years now, I've been getting mail asking me to join the battle for Terri's life. I've been told, in those pleas, that Terri could "talk", "laugh", "sing", and "joke".

And I believed it. Every word.

But then I began to wonder. Why did this talking, laughing, and singing take place in front of the Schindlers only? Where were the videotapes of these remarkable improvements in her condition?

And why was everyone else lying? Or were they?

I believe that, as Christians, we should be on the side of truth. In our "battles"---in fact, in all our dealings---we should be known as those who mean what they say and say what they mean. If we say, "Christ rose from the dead", we should mean exactly that. If we say that someone "talks", we should mean exactly that. We should have no need to distort the facts, embellish the truth, or purposefully misuse words.

Even if we are on the side of life.

Especially if we are on the side of life.

If truth is on our side, then we had better be certain that we are on the side of truth. We had better choose our words with care.

And what if it was my daughter whose life was being threatened? You can be sure that my mother bear instinct would rise up in full force. I would fight for her very life. But I hope and pray that, in that fight, I would be honest and forthright---especially with those whose help I tried to enlist in the battle.

I don't entirely blame the pro-life groups for passing on misinformation, although I hope that, in the future, they will work hard to regain their credibility. But why should they not have believed the Schindlers' compelling story?

I did.