Ashcroft's final salvo, or sign of things to come?

Ashcroft previously challenged Oregon's assisted suicide law in 2001; yesterday he announced that he'd be taking it to the Supreme Court.

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A decision by the Supreme Court, if they even decide to hear it, would mean decreasing state's rights to regulate medical procedures, which is a step towards a national abortion ban.

The only question is: is he doing this as a last hurrah, or is this part of the administration's strategy? Will John Ashcroft eventually be nominated to the supreme court, or will he eventually become homeland security (KGB) chief?

The Paradox of Evangelical Crusade

Morality arises from intention, knowledge, and action; you have to *want* to be moral, know how to be moral, and then perform the moral action you have chosen. Moral codes are sets of rules. Following the rules is perceived to be moral.

Evangelizing - spreading the "word" and delivering the moral code to others - is also a key part of the moral code of the evangelical.

But doesn't imposing morality on someone defeat the true meaning of any morality? It is one thing to proselytize and convert willing people to your cause... but when one forces another to adhere to a moral code, when conversion becomes a crusade, the free will or choice necessary to exercise true morality vanishes. There is only a focus on the moral action, as if the end result is the only thing that matters without caring if the intent or knowledge of the morality is present.

This is the same logic as "just get baptized/confirmed and you'll never have to go to church again." This logic bankrupts the moral meaning of the act. It's akin to "mandatory volunteerism" - you're not volunteering if you're being forced to volunteer. What does a forced volunteer learn about the true meaning of service?

This is why crusading evangelicals are ultimately wrong and why evangelism can become morally empty. The reactionary agenda of legislating morality removes the ability of people to make their own moral choice, and is not truly moral.