A British lawmaker claimed that Christ’s death on the cross was “assisted” by a “kindly centurion” during a debate on “assisted dying” — as euthanasia is now euphemistically known — in the House of Lords.
“I very much recognise the sincerity of those who believe deeply in the sanctity of life. I am a Christian myself, but I remind them that, when on the cross, Christ was put out of his agony by a kindly Roman centurion who pierced His side with a sword,” claimed Lord Vinson, the plastics magnate turned Conservative party life peer, during a debate on the Assisting Dying Bill currently being debated in Parliament.
“His death was assisted,” he added.
Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, branded Vinson’s characterisation of the crucifixion as “absolutely ridiculous”.
“Incredible that Lord Vinson would claim that Christ’s death was assisted in order to support legalising assisted suicide,” he said, noting that “Jesus was already dead when the spear was put in his side.”
Indeed, the Book of John seems clear that Christ’s side was pierced with a spear — not a sword, as Lord Vinson claimed — only after he “gave up the ghost”:
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
“We are spiritual dwarves,” lamented Freddy Gray, Deputy Editor of the conservative-leaning Spectator magazine, on the subject of Vinson’s contribution to the euthanasia debate.
“Is that Welby just not looking up from his phone?” he added incredulously, in reference to the fact that one of the Lords Spiritual visible in the clip of Vinson speaking appears to be Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the de facto leader of the Church of England, and that he does not bat an eye at Vinson’s scripturally illiterate claims.
Vinson was challenged by Crossbench peer Lord Curry of Kirkharle, however, who insisted that “Christ’s death was not assisted. He voluntarily offered up his His life and it was the purpose for which He came.”
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