In a question-and-answer column today, a TGC columnist received a question from a reader who is an attorney, who asked what to do if his client wanted to give money to Planned Parenthood. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly anymore, The Gospel Coalition contributor told them not to overtly dissuade them from giving money to the abortion provider.
Written by Rob Moll, both a book author and a sometimes-contributor to the Washington Post, the article alleges a gospel answer to a very serious question.
The questioner asks…
As an estate-planning attorney, I sometimes face troubling dilemmas. For example, I have a client who wants to give a significant amount of money to Planned Parenthood. As a professional, I don’t feel like I can comment on this—even suggesting another organization feels like offering unasked-for and probably unwanted advice. But facilitating this donation is uncomfortable. How should I think about this?
One might think the Christian answer would be, “Forget being a ‘professional’ and try being a follower of Jesus. Give them God’s Word on Planned Parenthood and refuse to help them support our modern Holocaust.”
But, no…
Moll instead told this person not to give an explicit opinion on the matter of supporting Planned Parenthood and implied it was their duty to help them use their estate to do so.
Moll responded…
…you are hired for legal and tax advice, not for your recommendations on charitable giving. Additionally, there are likely professional ethical and legal rules and expectations that would prevent you from offering the wisdom that this client would clearly benefit from.
Moll doesn’t explain what “professional ethical and legal rules” would prevent an attorney from sharing their opinion on Planned Parenthood and refusing to draft paperwork that enriches them. That’s because there is no such law, and whatever professional ethical standards that may exist should be subordinate to the word of God and our conscience informed thereby. (in that order).
Moll then likens Planned Parenthood to tobacco companies and gun manufacturers, and explicitly says it’s not the attorney’s place to turn down their request to bequeath their estate to the abortion industry.
As many as half of the large companies in the United States have some exposure to things like abortion, tobacco, gambling, adult entertainment, weapons manufacturing, or other goods and services that many Christians would like to avoid. Many advisers feel uncomfortable profiting from these activities, even tangentially. But, like you, they have professional obligations to serve their clients without commenting on possible moral concerns.
That’s right. According to The Gospel Coalition, you have a “professional obligation” to not comment on possible moral concerns.
These are the feckless cowards who are steering evangelicalism to the left…gutless wonders. This is why abortion is still legal. The Christians at TGC need to just be honest.
Let us explain your moral obligation before Christ: Take every legal measure, no matter what it personally costs you, to end abortion. This means that you should side with the unborn even if you lose your job and suffer professional and monetary consequences. And if you provide the paperwork for someone bequeathing their estate to Planned Parenthood, use a millstone as a paperweight while you’re drawing it up.
