國家悔改日》 48小時馬拉松式禱告 基督徒和猶太人為生命站立

【綜合報導】美國最高法院(Supreme Court)最近就密西比比州案(Mississippi Law)展開辯論,勝訴的話,將推翻1973年的「羅訴韋德案」(Roe v. Wade),維護滿15週胎兒的生存權利。「國家悔改日」(National Day of Repentance)從11月30日開始推行48小時馬拉松式線上禱告會,來自歐美、亞洲、非洲共70間基督教教會及機構參與,包括國際禱告殿(International House of Prayer,簡稱IHOP)、以色列事工、猶太人會堂等等。
 
「國家悔改日」總監德利牧師(Jeffrey Daly)致開幕詞時表示,因為「羅訴韋德案」,自1973年迄今已殺害6千萬胎兒,是猶太人大屠殺的10倍,在上帝面前,可說是罪有應得。德利牧師呼籲代禱者先為自己、家庭悔改,再為國家認罪。並且宣告悔改的大能,因為「耶和華的膀臂並非縮短,不能拯救,耳朵並非發沉,不能聽見,但你們的罪孽使你們與神隔絕;你們的罪惡使他掩面不聽你們」(賽五十九1-2)。適逢猶太人光明節(又名修殿節),正是認罪悔改、潔淨聖殿的日子。
 

德利牧師。圖擷取自網路片段

「公義訴訟基金會」(Justice Foundation)創辦人派克(Alan Parker)解釋整套法律程序。首先由法官聆聽所有供詞和辯論,再閱讀所有案件摘要,然後安排9位法官作首輪投票,決定密西西比州案是否勝訴,再經資深大法官按法院判詞寫意見書及投票,依照合議(collegial)過程,預計到明年(2022年)6月才會有結果。
 
為優生學悔改
IHOP及「道德呼聲」(Moral Outcry)帶領為「優生學」(eugenics)悔改時段,由與丈夫已在美國走禱3次的「美國走禱」(Prayer Walk America)創辦人哈華遜(Sandy Halverson)解釋優生學來龍去脈。優生學來自達爾文(Charles Darwin)學說,聲稱一切人類問題皆因基因出錯。當時歐洲上流人士恐怕失去社會地位,集資研究清洗某些家族,甚至整個族群的血脈,特別針對酗酒、罪犯、身心殘障及少數族裔人士。1909-1981年期間共有6萬婦女被迫絕育。
 
「道德呼聲」創辦人德保夫婦(Den Tebow and Mindy Tebow)夫婦表示,法國歷史上也有些家族遭強迫絕育。此外,現今文化營造養小孩成本昂貴,影響家庭生活質素。德保太太求主喚醒美國,喚醒眾教會,求主制止如此惡事繼續發生。
 
康保(Diane Campbell)為堪薩斯州巿(Kansas City)悔改,該巿於1893年成立絕育中心,是全美國的先例。「求主用寶血遮蓋這段歷史,醫治我們。求主耶穌關上這門,我們代表為法院的錯誤決定向祢認罪。又求主赦免我們奪去孩子的生命、命定,奪去了他們成為牧師、醫生、宣教士的機會。」

康保及代禱者。圖擷取自網路片段
 
IHOP代禱事工負責人史特賓(Lisa Stribling)及眾代禱者禁食禱告、哭泣,為美國東西岸、中部、法國、德國等地呼求,「求主赦免絕育的罪,以人文智慧取代神的計劃,求主出手推翻惡法。」最後由代禱者湯馬斯(Tim Thomas)主持聖餐,「求主塗抹過犯,奉主耶穌的名宣告與死亡所立的約必然廢掉(參賽廿八18),摧毀一切堅固營壘。」
 
哈瓦遜(左上),德保夫婦(右上),史特賓(左下),湯馬斯(右下)。圖擷取自網路片段

猶太拉比如何看墮胎
會中,派克及「猶太維護生命基金會」(Jewish Pro-Life Foundation)創辦人柔曼(Cecily Routman)介紹3位猶太人拉比,解釋猶太人對墮胎的看法。
 
「終止瘋狂」(End the Madness)機構創辦人威史曼(Hananya Weissman)拉比出生於美國,現居以色列。威史曼認為不敬畏神的人不明白現正處於十字路口,「我們正面對審判的嚴峻時刻。猶太賢哲(sages)教導人有3個方法可免除天上的審判:悔改、禱告及慈惠,悔改排第一。悔改能力大到一個地步,就算人的命運道路封住了,失去一切盼望,也能得救。」我們都不是完美的人,不可能不犯罪,只要真誠悔改,悔改仍然有效。「你對他們說,主耶和華說:我指著我的永生起誓,我斷不喜悅惡人死亡,惟喜悅惡人轉離所行的道而活。以色列家啊,你們轉回,轉回吧!離開惡道,何必死亡呢?」(結十八23)這顯明神不想要惡人死亡,而是要他們悔改得生。
 
博威特(Menashe Michael Bovit)拉比在「拜柔士猶太中心」(Bellerose Jewish Center)服事。他表示,人與造物主的關係建基於兩種情感:愛和敬畏。「我們愛神,是因為我們知道神愛我們,神創造世人,成為盛載主愛的器皿;神也是最終審判官,所以我們要敬畏祂,讓神決定什麼是對與什麼是錯。我們對神有健康的敬畏,以免我們偏行己路,不是懼怕刑罰,乃是害怕與造物主斷絕關係,無法與祂的心意對齊。」
 
「假如女人以為腹中胎兒只是個病原體,入侵了身體,妨礙自己在社會發展。這份恐懼便化為動力,容許她殺害自己未出生的孩子。『悔改』的希伯來文是teshuva,意思是『回轉』,深深懊悔所行的,然後竭力修正往前。
 
拿克曼(Shlomo Nachman)拉比在賽法迪(Sephardic)猶太人會堂以馬拿(Beit Emunah)服事。他禱告,「所有機構、教會、會堂,所有的牧師、神父、拉比為生命站立,因為這次抗爭,我們如同神的兒女走在一起,向造物主發聲,向在上位的呼籲,我們一同站立為國家禱告。鼓勵大家撕裂心腸,無論你是牧師、神父,甚至是準備要墮胎的女人,求主撕裂你的心腸,從主的眼光看見墮胎及其他錯誤選擇的惡果。就好像第二次建殿時,猶太人互相指責一樣,我們要停止一切紛爭,為選擇生命而站立。分歧不再重要,我們需要神的愛和平安,讓真正的teshuva進入我們內心,向祢俯伏。」
 
派克(左上),威史曼拉比(左下)、博威特拉比(右上)、拿克曼拉比(右下)。圖擷取自網路片段

以色列維護生命見證
「國家悔改日」特別邀請了以色列「生命樹」(Tree of Life)事工、「上帝之心」(Heart of G-d)事工及眾教會為墮胎悔改禱告。「生命樹」事工製作一系列動畫片,揭開一切墮胎真相之餘,更教育父母擁抱生命價值,至今已有70位嬰兒因此逃過墮胎厄運。
 
「迦密山教會」(Kehilat HaCarmel)彼得塚平牧師(Peter Ysukahira)站在迦密山上悔改,「我們一方面醫治人類疾病,延長壽命;另一方面卻扼殺嬰孩生命,求主讓我們轉離愚昧、咒詛,醫治我們的土地。神召會牧師譚諾斯(Edward Tannous)接著禱告,「求主撕裂我們的心腸,呼求祢,求祢憐憫我們,賜下祢的能力,就是主聖靈,讓牧師、信徒能夠謙卑,有憐憫的心,感受到祢慈愛的心跳,以及世界剛硬的心腸。
 

彼得塚平牧師(左上),譚諾斯牧師(右上),高韓(左下),凱德(右下)。圖擷取自網路片段

以色列「維護生命」組織庇德金(Bead Chaim)董事高韓(Fran Cohen)表示,機構成立目的是為了:保護母親和胎兒;提高大眾對墮胎的警覺;提供輔導及經濟支援。這一年,機構接待了500名母親及100名孕婦,見證450名嬰孩誕生。機構又輔導曾墮胎的母親,以他們的嬰孩命名,栽種植物,帶來盼望、幫助及醫治。「上帝之心」事工創辦人凱德(Carolyn Hyde)在欣嫩子谷作見證,「以前這裡堆滿死屍和垃圾,如今變為美麗的山谷。相信如耶利米書31章30節所說一樣,轉化這地,從咒詛之地變為蒙福、聖潔之地。」
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 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