Coming Home

This past week word reached the Pro-life Community of Theodore Shulman’s sentencing for issuing death threats to pro-lifers, including Jill Stanek and myself. Read the U.S. Attorney’s statement here.

Shulman was found to be in possession of cyanide, castor beans and rosary peas at the time of his arrest. Most people know of cyanide, but the other two are less well known.

Castor beans come from a common plant used as a decoration and may be grown at home. They produce the highly toxic compound called ricin which is highly lethal to humans, with a lethal dose being as small as a few grains of salt. There is no antidote or cure. Ricin has been rejected as a military grade weapon by every civilized nation of the world for over a century.

Rosary peas likewise produce a highly toxic and deadly compound with similarly small doses as cyanide and ricin. This chemical when ingested produces similar gastrointestinal symptoms as clostridial bacteria. Physicians will treat with antibiotics, thinking clostridial disease until it’s too late.

Shulman and I are the same age and have doctoral level training in biology. I presume that he is also a Ph.D., but that has never been established. What is for certain is that he is in possession of a brilliant mind, and under different circumstances would regard him as an esteemed peer. He’s better than good at science. He’s truly brilliant, and no one can ever take that away from him.

It’s not enough to be brilliant, however. Shulman and I have been entrusted with scientific training that can be used to great good or great evil. There is an awesome responsibility that comes with the knowledge and skill. Tragically, the world is tilting Shulman’s way, though many physicians kill with a license. So where does it come from, the murderous and blackened heart?

I think at some level it comes from having been devalued and brutalized as a human being. Love of others begins with an authentic love of self. Did the fact that Shulman’s mother had two abortions before him and two after him have anything to do with it? I don’t know, but I couldn’t imagine being raised by such a woman. What evil.

All that can be done is for all of us to pray. This profoundly gifted and profoundly troubled man is a fellow scientist and a child of God, for whom Jesus died as assuredly as He died for my sins as well. Beginning on Monday night, October 8, I’m having the Divine Mercy Novena here at Coming Home. I’ll be praying for Shulman, and ask that the entire pro-life community joins in as well. 8 PM EST. Let’s pray for our brother’s conversion, that God will reach into the depth of his pain and restore Theodore to life and health in mind and body. Life is long and Shulman has much to contribute.

He’s as alone as he is brilliant.

Let’s change that.