Thirty-one percent of young Republican women and forty percent of young Democratic men approve of making threats. Forty percent of the women and forty-four percent of the men approve of assassination.
The other demographics work the way you might expect, with harsh words being more acceptable than actually killing people. The only older demographic that breaks single digits on assassination is older Republican women, and just barely at 10%. Opposition among older people is about 90% for all older men, surprisingly less -- 86% -- for older women regardless of party affiliation.
Young blood runs hot I guess, but the inverted response on actual murder surprises me. (Young Republican men underperform their Democratic peers by ten points on killing people, by the way, in case you were worried about the wave of right-wing fascism you have heard so much about lately.)
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From the Westminster Larger Catechism:
134. Which is the sixth commandment? The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.
135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment? The duties required in the sixth commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just defense thereof against violence, patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit; a sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor, and recreation; by charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness; peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behavior: forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil; comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.
136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment? The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life; sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge; all excessive passions, distracting cares; immoderate use of meat, drink, labor, and recreations; provoking words; oppression, quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any.
Killing a politician or judge on the opposite side of the abortion debate is very problematic. For both sides, the consideration of where to draw the line is crucial. Do you kill the doctor or nurse at the abortion/pro-life clinic? Do you kill the police outside guarding the clinic, enabling the work to go on inside? Do you kill the medical supply driver or the owner of the company supplying the clinic? Do you kill the utility worker who provides power and water (no lights/heat/AC no work)? All of these people are more closer to the action going on inside a clinic than a politician or judge who advances/restricts abortion. I am not going to take upon myself the authority and judgement from God for personally taking this matter of justice into my own hands.
The Bible is clearly pro-life with regards to abortion. If someone accused me of cowardice for not immediately killing workers at the nearest abortion clinic to protect the unborn being murdered there, I would own it and counter with the example of David when King Saul was unjustly seeking to kill him, and also of David when he appealed to God in Psalm 10:
Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?...
Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
BB1
It’s a grey area even Biblically. Judith comes off reasonably well in the book named after her, but it’s troubling enough that only some churches include that book in the Bible. The Catholic Church does.
I asked my parents this very question when I was in my mid twenties, I think. I think their answer was a wise one- that it would do more harm than good to the pro-life movement, and ultimately cost more lives. It's hard to say for sure, but that abortion is the one issue that we've made progress in the conservative direction for is some evidence they were correct.
When you look at all those responses, one starts to think a GOP that was smart and able would go after young Democrat men, as they seem far more ready to think differently than the party line. Could be an opening there, but I doubt the GOP will be able to exploit it to with any efficacy.
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