Nobel Peace Prize or Piece Prize?

Nobel Peace Prize Medal

Since late last week people have been trying to understand the surprising news of President Barak Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.  Much of the surprise revolved around the perception of many that President Obama has done little to date for world peace. The announcement was even more surprising because nominations had to be in by the end of January making President Obama's body of work in this area only twelve days old. One online news service ran a tongue-in-cheek article detailing how to win the Nobel Peace prize in twelve days. The list was what you would expect for a new President but included little to do with the world peace process.

We shouldn't be too surprised by the Nobel Peace Prize committee. These folks gave their peace award to Yasir Arafat in 1994 apparently for killing slightly less civilians than the year before. Al Gore got one too for making a movie about global warming where he was filmed driving around in a big Cadillac while owning a mansion which has a pool house with a $500 a month heating bill. I don't write this to be anti-global warming, anti-Gore, or anti-Palestinian. I write it to illustrate a growing public comfort with incoherence.

This incoherence is further illustrated by President Obama's first twelve days and his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. On his third day in office President Obama overturned the Mexico City Policy originally instituted by President Reagan. This freed up tens of millions of dollars to advance the cause of abortion around the world. Since then he has reiterated a stand for universal abortion on-demand and tax-payer funded abortions are part of his national health care plan. I wonder how bringing deadly violence to the womb merits a "peace" prize?

There is an abortion procedure which actually cuts the aborted child into pieces, so they can be suctioned out through a tube.  In a sick way a "piece" prize might be more appropriate than a "peace" prize. I know this sounds graphic and harsh; however, the reality of abortion is much more graphic and harsh than anything I could write here. The reality cannot be equivocated by pleasant sound-bites about choice.

This is not an anti-president post.  It is a post to a world that fails to recognize pre-born children as humans. The callousness of peoples' view on this matter is typified in the sheer madness of awarding our current president and the ideas he embodies about life a medal representing peace. This is not a militant post either. It is a post to remind and encourage those who bend their knee to the authority of Jesus Christ, that we are to be Christ to the world. We must make Christ known by building a culture of life through our everyday interactions and decisions. As always, be the Church.