I HAVEN'T been able to "vet" all these stories and blogs...don't know if they are squarely pro-life, but sounds like that's what this website is about...to promote life...but they also include a disclaimer at the bottom saying they have not checked out every blog & story & contribution, so proceed at your own risk, albeit at first glance it looks positively pro-life.
Quick Picks
October 9, 2011
When I recently began participating in this year's 40 Days of Prayer for Life to end abortion, in Schenectady, N.Y., I had an epiphany of sorts.
I have always been opposed to abortion. I prayed personally and in church for its end, voted for pro-life candidates, sometimes aided pro-life groups, and occasionally attended prayer rallies. But for the most part, like many Christians, I've been busy with my own life: with work, family, friends and various diversions. Now I'm seeing the abortion issue with greater clarity and urgency.
The 20th century was an era of mass murder. Tens of millions of innocent people were killed in the name of some version of state socialism. The worst perpetrators in terms of numbers killed - Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong - are long dead.
The only major state-sanctioned genocide that began in the 20th century and continues to thrive in the 21st is abortion. The National Right Life Committee states that more than 53 million abortions have occurred in the United States since legalization in 1973 through 2009-10, based on information from the Guttmacher Institute, once a research arm of Planned Parenthood.
What I find scarier than the sheer magnitude of the killing is the lack of any significant outcry against it. We've grown comfortable with genocide as long as it doesn't affect us, our families or friends directly. One quote of debatable origin may help explain this: "The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic."
Often we don't get upset unless we can feel the pain or loss suffered by not only the unborn but women and families. Helping us overlook the pain are many media outlets, religious groups, politicians, and educational institutions, which focus on the plight of women with unplanned pregnancies rather than the well-documented emotional and physical toll on post-abortive women. Commonsense alone would say a woman excising a developing human being from her uterus wouldn't be able easily to walk away from this event as if she'd just emptied the garbage.
Somehow abortion forces have made the developing baby the culprit here, a kind of parasite, as if no consenting adults were involved with its conception. The idea of solving problems by getting rid of people is quintessentially Stalinesque. The Soviet dictator was once quoted as saying, "Death solves all problems - no man, no problem."
The dehumanization of the unborn baby as "a blob of tissue" or "the product of conception" helps salve our consciences. The indictment of slavery by the 18th-century French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu applies equally to abortion: "It is impossible for us to suppose these creatures [blacks] to be men, because, allowing them to be men, a suspicion would follow that we ourselves are not Christians."
My wife has astutely pointed out on several occasions that the moral and spiritual decline of the nation is primarily a Christian problem. Hilmar von Campe, a Protestant Christian who was a member of the Hitler Youth and served in the World War II German army, raises the issue of Christian culpability in his book Defeating the Totalitarian Lie. How could it be that a primarily Christian nation could allow the Nazis the commit such "horrendous crimes?" he asks.
His answer: "I went to church, but I was not a Christian. I didn't love God, and neither did they [many other Germans], no matter what they said, because the only way to express your love for God and for Jesus is by obeying our creator's Commandments, and by making them the basis for your national life."
St. John Chrysostom, in a homily on the Acts of the Apostles, may not have gone as far as labeling weak Christians as non-Christians, but he does have something strong to say: "There is nothing colder than a Christian who does not seek to save others."
Can a nation that condones genocide judge rightly on other matters and can it continue to be blessed by God? More than 620,000 men died in the Civil War, with the abolition of slavery being one of the two major issues. Will Mother Teresa's statement about abortion become a prophecy: "Nuclear war is the fruit of abortion."
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Eric Retzlaff is a registered nurse; a former newswriter, editor and publicist; and a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace parish in Rotterdam, N.Y.
WASHINGTON/Oct. 6/NRLC --
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of right-to-life groups across the country, today sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives urging them to vote for the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358), sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), when it comes to the floor for a vote next week. National Right to Life intends to include the vote in its scorecard of key pro-life roll calls of the 112th Congress.
As the letter notes, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, Public Law 111-148) "...contained multiple provisions that provide authorizations for subsidies for abortion, both implicit and explicit, and also multiple provisions that opened doors to abortion-expanding administrative actions." National Right to Life's letter observes that the Protect Life Act "...would apply the pro-life principles of the Hyde Amendment to every component of the PPACA, and contains important conscience protections for pro-life health care providers as well."
Public opinion polling conducted during the congressional debate over the bill generally found Americans opposed to the use of federal funds to pay for or subsidize abortion coverage. A post-election poll conducted by The Polling Company in November 2010 found 58% were opposed to "using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion at any time and for any reason."
"The Protect Life Act is similar to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which passed the House in 2009, but was not included in the final law because of opposition by pro-abortion Senate Democrats and President Obama," said National Right to Life Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. "The Administration's 2010 pretense that ObamaCare did not expand abortion grows more tattered with each passing month. While running for mayor of Chicago, former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel boasted of his role in devising a strategy for 'the Stupak Amendment not to exist by law.' Only yesterday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius gave a call-to-arms speech at a NARAL Pro-Choice America fundraiser in Chicago, in which she said 'we are in a war' with critics of the law."
A full analysis of the need for the Protect Life Act can be found in testimony by Mr. Johnson before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 9, 2011:
CINCINNATI, Oct. 6, 2011 /Christian Newswire -- The Ohio health department refuses to face the truth when it comes to controlling abortion facilities. The health department has renewed an arrangement that allows late-term abortion practitioner Martin Haskell to continue doing abortions without complying with all state laws. But this Saturday, the Pro-Life Action League will speak for those who are given no voice at Haskell's clinic and others, as the Face the Truth Tour brings the ugly truth to Ohio's third largest city.
On October 8, pro-life witnesses will line the roads at selected locations in Cincinnati, holding pictures of beautiful preborn babies juxtaposed with huge graphic photographs of aborted babies. The dramatic display will visually expose the tragedy of their tiny broken bodies -- an ugly truth that Americans must not ignore.
This controversial tactic always generates some level of offended opposition, but it is without doubt an honest one. "It's not pretty," agrees one supporter of the Pro-Life Action League, the organization coordinating the tour. The Face the Truth tour allows people to confront the horrible injustice of abortion -- and when they do, they are more likely to do something to try and prevent that injustice.
Eric Scheidler, director of the Pro-Life Action League, which has coordinated Truth Tours for eleven years, has seen these Tours generate immediate positive results. "Again and again, women have stopped to thank us," he explained. "Women who were considering abortion or even scheduled to have abortions had a change of heart when they saw our pictures." And that's why the Pro-Life Action League will continue to organize this important public education campaign.
Participants in Cincinnati's Face the Truth Tour will begin sharing their life-saving message at 9 a.m. along Boudinot and Glenway Avenues. At 11:30 a.m., Face the Truth will line the streets at Galbraith and Kenwood Roads in Kenwood, bringing drivers a dose of graphic reality. At 3 p.m., the Pro-Life Action League and friends will take the lifesaving message to the final location of the day, Colerain Avenue and Springdale Road in Northgate. Time and location details for the Cincinnati Face the Truth Tour are available at prolifeaction.org/hotline/2011/cincinnatitour.
To learn more about the Face the Truth Tour and the life-affirming work of the Pro-Life Action League, view the two-minute video here.
October 6, 2011/Cincinnati, OH/Operation Rescue -
Documents obtained by Operation Rescue reveal that an obstetrician, William T. Bowers II, who has been accepted by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to offer emergency hospital care for botched abortion patients of late-term abortionist Martin Haskell and his associates, has been disciplined in Kentucky and banned from the practice of obstetrics for five years. He also faces further discipline in Ohio.
Bowers was named in the ODH variance because Haskell and other abortionists in his employment lack hospital privileges as required by law. The variance allowed Haskell's late-term abortion mill in Sharonville to stay in business as long as two other physicians agreed to provide hospital care whenever Haskell or his associates inflict injuries on abortion patients.
In January, 2011, Bowers was placed on five years of probation and ordered to cease the practice of obstetrics after the gross mismanagement of a wanted pregnancy resulted in a dead child. Bowers settled a claim with the parents for $250,000. Bowers has also been ordered not to perform any obstetric procedure and take additional training classes.
A review of five other medical charts from his Kentucky practice indicated that Bowers failed to meet the standard of care for each of those five patients.
The Medical Board in Kentucky found that Bowers conduct "boarders on gross ignorance and is malpractice." His treatment of patients was "below minimum standards and constitutes gross negligence."
On May 11, 2011, the State Medical Board of Ohio issued a letter to Bowers stating that it intended to determine whether it should also discipline Bowers based on his negligent behavior in Kentucky. It is common for state medical boards to impose discipline for conduct in another state. Bowers was given 30 days to request a hearing, but the records do not indicate if he ever did.
"This new information about Bowers incompetence reinforces our belief that the ODH acted improperly and with poor judgment in expanding Haskell's variance to include Bowers," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
"Now, after a woman has been seriously injured by Haskell's abortionists, who cannot meet the legal standards of Ohio's laws, she is rushed off to a hospital where Bowers awaits to inflict his substandard brand of medicine upon her. This presents completely unacceptable risks to women. In order to restore public confidence in the Department and protect the public, the ODH must rescind Haskell's variance immediately."
Contact the ODH and ask them to repeal Haskell's variance:
Dr. Theodore Wymyslo, Ohio Department of Health
E-mail: Director@odh.ohio.gov
Phone: 614-466-2253
Background
Sharonville, OH/October 4, 2011/Operation Rescue --
The Mayor of Sharonville has released a statement taking to task the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) for expanding a "variance" for late-term abortionist Martin Haskell that gives him special permission to violate health and safety standards even in light of botched late-term abortions and the cancellation of Haskell's hospital privileges.
Mayor Virgil Lovitt, who also serves as the President of the Sharonville Board of Health, expressed concerns about Haskell's abortion business when it relocated to Sharonville from Cincinnati last year.
"It is the belief of the Sharonville Board of Health that this waiver/variance was improperly granted and compromises the health, safety and welfare of the general public," Lovitt wrote to the ODH at that time. Lovitt was concerned that Haskell's Women's Med Center did not comply with the law requiring that abortionists maintain valid Ambulatory Transfer agreements or have admitting privileges at local qualified hospitals.
In July, Mercy Hospital informed Haskell that his courtesy privileges would not be renewed.
Fears for the safety of women were soon realized. In today's statement, Lovitt reveals that Haskell's Sharonville abortion clinic has already caused at least two serious abortion complications.
"Haskell's two-day process for late term abortions has already produced one stillborn baby in a hotel toilet and another in a car on the way to an ER. These complications are difficult to track, and there are probably more than we know," stated Lovitt.
Lovitt went on to describe a meeting that took place in August , 2011, where he and several pro-life leaders discussed the Haskell variance issue with the new director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Ted Wymyslo.
"In that meeting I begged the new director not to liberalize the variance if Martin Haskell's privileges at an area hospital changed," he said.
ODH records dated September 13, 2011, show that the ODH has done just that. Haskell's partner, Roslyn Kade, along with two Ob/Gyns with privileges at The Christ Hospital, will now be allowed to substitute for Women's Med Center abortionists who cannot meet the legal requirements.
"We should all be appalled that the health and safety of women takes a back seat to the profit-margin of this late-term abortion business in Ohio," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "The fact that Haskell, who is 71, and several of his abortionists cannot get local hospital privileges should send up a red flag. The laws were enacted for a reason, and to grant abortionists special permission to violate those laws is as dangerous as it is wrong."
Contact:
Dr. Theodore Wymyslo, Ohio Department of Health
E-mail: Director@odh.ohio.gov
Phone: 614-466-2253
Read the Documents: (Courtesy of Paula Westwood, Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati)
Request for and ODH letter granting expanded variance (Sept. 13, 2011)
Letter from Mayor Lovitt (Oct. 4, 2011)
Operation Rescue's 3-part Exposé on Late-term Abortionist Martin Haskell: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3
The New Hampshire Executive Council last week sent a letter to the federal government, formally protesting the Obama administration's decision to override the council's vote this summer to defund Planned Parenthood.
The Executive Council -- a five-member elected body that makes decisions about how to spend taxpayer funds in the Granite State -- voted 3-2 in June to revoke a $1.8 million contract with Planned Parenthood. But in mid-September, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) inked its own $1.1 million contract with the abortion seller's New Hampshire affiliates -- meaning it will give funds directly to them, without first subjecting them to the Executive Council's decision-making authority.
"They didn't even contact the Executive Council," said Michael Norton, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), who was contacted by three members of the council last week. "The sovereign state of New Hampshire made a decision it believes is in the best interests of the citizens, and that decision has simply been run roughshod over by the Obama administration."
The three councilmen who voted to defund Planned Parenthood -- David Wheeler, Dan St. Hilaire and Ray Wieczorek--asked ADF for advice on how to handle the issue. The result was a letter sent to HHS and the Government Accountability Office asking them to reverse the decision and void the new contract. They are waiting for a response.
In the meantime, Norton said, ADF will likely file a Freedom of Information Act request with the government, seeking records on the communications between HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Jeanne Shaheen, one of New Hampshire's two U.S. senators, who urged the executive branch to force the state to fund Planned Parenthood....
Read entire article here.
In 2005 a nineteen-year old Canadian woman strangled her newborn baby and threw his tiny body over a fence. Twice a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder. Upon appeal the conviction was overturned and the baby's killer was given a three-year suspended sentence and will spend no time in jail. She may, however, spend 16 days behind bars for throwing the baby over the fence.
Does that not make your blood boil?
Evidently the Justice's blood remained tepid while she went about the business of suspending Katrina Effert's sentence. According to CBC News, Effert, "silently wept as Justice Joanne Veit outlined the reasons for the suspended sentence. Efferts will have to abide by conditions for the next three years but she won't spend time behind bars for strangling her own son."
After all was said and done, Judge Veit declared, "Naturally, Canadians are grieved by an infant's death, especially at the hands of the infant's mother, but Canadians also grieve for the mother."
I'm not a Canadian but my good sense tells me that not many of them are grieving for the woman who strangled her newborn baby and got off with a slap on the wrist! Where is the justice for the baby boy whose life was cut short? Has the father of the baby received justice for the loss of his son? The baby also had grandparents. CBC News reported that the judge had no pity for them:
In her judgment, the judge rejected arguments from the Crown that the single father and the grandparent also face "the same stresses of the mind" as a mother who kills her own baby.
The fact that Canada has no abortion laws reflects that "while many Canadians undoubtedly view abortion as a less than ideal solution to unprotected sex and unwanted pregnancy, they generally understand, accept and sympathize with the onerous demands pregnancy and childbirth exact from mothers, especially mothers without support," she writes.
So, was what Efferts did the justifiable act of a desperate woman or was it the killing of a legal person?...
Read in full here.
I just received an e-mail from a friend (Rick) regarding the situation with Bishop Zurek and Father Pavone:
Unfortunately, to many this has become an issue of obedience instead of an issue of ending abortion. His obedience to his Bishop is clear - he returned to Amarillo as requested, and despite the Bishop's public statement to the contrary, had already provided Bishop Zureck with the requested audit. Yet look at the Bishop's reasoning for recalling Fr. Frank and for labeling his actions as being defiant:"Since he has consistently refused to subject the PFL to a transparent and complete auditing of all expenditures, I have reasons to be alarmed at the potential financial scandal that might arise if it were the result of my failure to correct Father Pavone's incorrigible defiance to my legitimate authority as his Bishop." Bishop Patrick Zureck, in a letter to his brother bishops.Fr. Frank was not defiant - the Bishop was provided with an independent financial audit, which he had denied receiving and as such used as a basis for labeling Fr. Pavone as being defiant. Why the Bishop made such an accusation in light of the evidence is unknown.
Unfortunately the issue of "disobedience" put forward by the Bishop has been the focus by Catholic bloggers and well meaning defenders of the Church - to be clear, there is no controversy concerning obedience.
These comments posted on Jill Stanek's blog by a priest who has insight on how the bishop operates are telling:
Demand repeated accountings. Receive those accountings but do not acknowledge receiving them. Say No when asked if you have more questions. Wait a while. Lower the full weight of your office, accusing the one you want to discipline or expel of non-compliance, adding words publicly that could discredit the targeted individual.
It seems that Bishop Zurek needed some political coverage for calling Father Pavone back to the diocese.
What's puzzling is that he didn't need to do this - he's within his rights to tell him to come home. And he didn't need to give Father Pavone and Priests for Life black eyes in the process.
Sure, the diocese of Amarillo has released a statement "clarifiying" that there has been no wrong doing, and that Father Pavone is in good standing as a priest in Amarillo. But the damage to Pavone and Priests for Life has already been done.
I ran this article by my friend before posting it here, and regarding the damage done to the reputations, he commented back "Maybe that was the plan to begin with - you never know, but something isn't right here.." And I agree.. Something isn't right here..
What do you think?
MEXICO CITY, Mexico, Sept. 28, 2011/Christian Newswire --
The Supreme Court of Mexico ruled on Wednesday to uphold the state constitutional personhood amendment of Baja California. A similar decision in the San Luis Potosi case is expected.
The Court's most recent appointee, Justice Jorge Mario Pardo Rebolledo, sided with three members of the Court to reject an Action for Unconstitutionality submitted against the measures. Pardo Rebolledo was appointed last February and had yet to rule in an abortion case. His vote ensures that the Court will not reach the supermajority necessary to overturn the amendment.
"Pardo Rebolledo, as well as Justices Salvador Aguirre, Margarita Luna, and Guillermo Ortiz have our gratitude," said Personhood USA Legal Analyst Gualberto Garcia Jones, J.D. "Thousands of Mexican girls and boys will, one day, be able to thank them personally for defending their very right to exist."
In total, eighteen states have passed measures enshrining into law full personhood protections for preborn children. The amendments were passed in reaction to the legalization of abortion in Mexico City in 2009. The state measures received the support of 88% of the members of state legislatures including members of every major political party such as PAN, PRI, and PRD.
On September 19th, 50 nonprofit organizations took out a full-page ad in the largest newspaper in Mexico, El Universal, expressing their concern and opposition to any actions which would overturn the personhood amendments. On September 22nd, three dozen state and federal legislators took out a similar ad in El Universal urging the Mexican Supreme Court to respect the democratic process. Personhood USA joined the organizations, legislators, and millions of Mexican citizens in support of the amendments.
The executive branch of Mexico also weighed in on the developments this week. President Felipe Calderon submitted to the Senate a withdrawal of reservation to the first paragraph of Article 4 of the American Convention on Human Rights. Mexico entered into the treaty in 1981, but interpreted the provision the same year so that it would not oblige the country to protect life from conception.
"Mexico has recognized human rights enshrined in international treaties such as the American Convention of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, among them the right to life, which is protected by our legislation, both federal and local," read Calderon's statement. "Mexico endorses a commitment to the right to life as protected by Mexican law."
First lady Margarita Zavala wrote an editorial this week endorsing the personhood measures. "I am a woman and a lawyer who has fought for the rights of women, and I am convinced that the rights of women do not override other rights and therefore need not be the cause of invalidating the state reforms," she said.
"Today, the rule of law was victorious in Mexico. Unlike the United States, Mexican states are free from judicial tyranny and the people retain the right of self-determination," continued Garcia Jones. "The Mexican people recognize that every human being is a person, and that all persons are inherently possessed of the right to life. We commit to work towards the day when this truth is realized for all children in Mexico, the United States, and around the globe."
SACRAMENTO, CA, Sept. 28, 2011/Christian Newswire --
The California Civil Rights Foundation submits language to Attorney General for the California Human Rights Amendment.
Today, Walter B. Hoye II, Founder and President of the California Civil Rights Foundation, requested Title and Summary from the Office of the Attorney General for the California Human Rights Amendment.
The California Civil Rights Foundation is set to begin its campaign to recognize the rights of every human being in the State of California. "The California Human Rights Amendment recognizes the inherent human rights, dignity and worth of all human beings from the beginning of their biological development as human organisms -- regardless of the means by which they were procreated, method of reproduction, age, race, sex, gender, physical well-being, function, or condition of physical or mental dependency and/or disability," stated Hoye.
Lila Rose, President of Live Action Films, Jason Jones, President of the Human Rights Education and Relief Organization, Samuel Rodriguez, Jr., President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and Bishop Ron Allen, President of the International Faith Base Coalition join Mr. Hoye as Co-Sponsors of the California Human Rights Amendment.
Hoye says: "Human personhood is the final chapter of the Civil Rights movement. It proposes commonsense values for otherwise convoluted jurisprudence. From the pre-born child, to the senior citizen facing end of life decisions, to the disabled veteran, we believe all human beings should be protected by love and by law. This is the end game. Personhood is what the Pro-Life movement looks like victorious."
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2011/Christian Newswire --
Women's Rights Without Frontiers has released a groundbreaking new report setting forth thirteen new, documented cases of coercion: forced abortion (including one woman at 8 months and another carrying twins at 8 ½ months), forced sterilization, forced contraception, the use of quotas, Family Planning Police, Family Planning jail cells, the demolition of homes, and the use of "implication" (detention, torture and fining of relatives of "violators"). Several of these cases are documented with extensive photographs as well.
Women's Rights Without Frontiers released this report at the Congressional Hearing on the One Child Policy, held September 22, 2011, before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights.
Commenting on the report, [Reggie] Littlejohn stated, "We have chosen to release the names of the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity, so that they can be held accountable before the world."
In addition to violence against women, the report and testimony also document violence against men.
Case Six of the report describes the practice of "Implication," which means that if anyone breaks the family planning policy, their entire extended family is held responsible. Both men and women can be detained, fined and tortured.
Case Seven gives the account of a couple with a second child in Henan Province. Family planning police smashed the father in the head with a bottle. He is now permanently disabled.
In Case Twelve, in Jiangsu Province, Family Planning Officials beat a farmer to death because his son was suspected of having an extra child.
In her testimony, Littlejohn also raised the case of blind activist, Chen Guangcheng, who was arrested in 2006 for helping to expose the Chinese government's use of forced sterilization and abortions to enforce its "One Child Policy." He has since been jailed, tortured and denied medical treatment. He is now languishing under house arrest, in poor health and cut off from the world. A short video on Chen and a petition to free him are posted here.
Littlejohn concluded, "In China, a woman's body is not her own. It belongs to the state. For the Chinese Communist Party to act as 'womb police' and crush the life inside her is a heinous crime against humanity."
To view a short video, "Stop Forced Abortion - China's War on Women," click here.
To sign a petition against forced abortion, click here.
DALLAS, Sept. 26, 2011 /Christian Newswire --
What would you do if...? Thus begins the question being asked by author and film producer Ray Comfort in his new documentary, 180. Titled to reflect the complete turnaround in the mindsets of all to whom the question is posed, the award-winning film shows eight pro-choice people (mostly college students) changing their stance to pro-life just moments after the question is asked in its entirety. It is Comfort's hope that the documentary, released TODAY, September 26, will go viral.
While skeptics of 180 say they can't believe anyone would change his or her mind so quickly, Comfort accepts and even understands their disbelief, stating that he could hardly believe it himself when he first viewed the footage in the editing room. Initially, 180 was not the film he meant to produce. At the time, Comfort was taping interviews for a DVD to go along with a book on Hitler and the holocaust. In the course of the interviews, one question led to another, and the discussion led to abortion. Comfort explains, "It began with two male university students completely changing their minds about abortion when we asked them this one question. We realized it wouldn't be convincing to have only males speaking on the subject, so we took to the streets, asking that one particular question, and found that 6women changed their minds from pro-abortion to pro-life in a matter of seconds. It was amazing!"
Comfort quickly recognized the film's potential to open the doors of discussion. "I have held up pro-life signs. I have printed pro-life literature and spoken against abortion in pulpits and in my books, but I have felt that all my efforts were almost futile -- that is, up until now. In 180 we have a nation changer."
Comfort adds, "Most of us know that we should be doing something to stop this horror, but the thought of protesting is a little unnerving, especially with the demonization of those who do so. But here is something each of us can easily do -- we can give this DVD out. We can pass them out on the streets, leave copies on park benches or on seats in malls or give it to the checkout lady at the supermarket. This isn't hard to do, and it will save lives -- perhaps millions of lives."
The documentary is available for online viewing at www.180movie.com, on YouTube, or view below:
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 22, 2011/Christian Newswire --
Two California abortionists, Jesse James Joplin and Feliciano Rios, have fallen under discipline from the California Medical Board this month.
Documents show that Jesse James Joplin, an abortionist with Planned Parenthood Mar Monte for 27 years, had his licensed revoked after repeatedly violating probations imposed by the board. Joplin's discipline arises from years of alcoholism. His reported attempts at recovery have been unsuccessful, nevertheless, Planned Parenthood continued to keep him employed doing surgical abortions even though his alcohol abuse was evident. Joplin's license was permanently revoked on September 13, 2011. (Read the order.)
The medical license of Feliciano Rios, of Chula Vista, California, was suspended for 60 days in an order issued by the Board that went into effect on September 20, 2011. (Read the order.)
Rios' discipline is the result of criminal felony convictions for grand theft, Medi-Cal fraud, and perjury. Rios was placed on probation after those convictions and restricted from owning firearms. After records showed that Rios failed to transfer ownership of his weapons, police searched his abortion clinic and found three handguns, two of which were semi-automatic, locked in a filing cabinet fully loaded with ammunition. Possession of the firearms constituted a violation of his criminal probation.
In addition to the suspension, Rios is ordered to take an ethics course and not engage in the solo practice of medicine. Another physician will be appointed to monitor Rios once his suspension is served.
"It's hard to believe that, after all his crimes, Rios would not merit harsher punishment," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. Operation Rescue worked for years to expose Rios. "There's no doubt that this man will re-offend. It's unfortunate that the Board did not take stronger measures to protect the public.
"But for now, one very dangerous abortionist is permanently out of the business while another won't be killing children for at least 60 days. That is great news for women and their pre-born babies. More than ever Boards are beginning to take action against offending abortionists. The days of governmental agencies protecting them at any cost are coming to an end in this nation. This is one more message to abortionists everywhere that they are not above the law."
Operation Rescue is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of abortionists who are breaking the law. For more about the Abortion Whistleblowers Program, please click here.
But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said,
"Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
John 8: 3-11 (ESV)
A friend of mine recently made this observation: "Compassion and judging are simply two different ways of seeing." How true that statement is! Our perception of any situation or any interaction depends solely on our choice to either empathize or criticize. Sadly, we, as Christians especially, tend to be so quick to pronounce judgment and so slow to extend mercy. This ought not to be so! Have we forgotten of how much we ourselves have been forgiven? Have we forgotten the mercy extended to us at the cross? Have we forgotten His love that covers over a multitude of sins?
During a recent counseling session, a client revealed to me that she was raised in a very conservative Baptist church. Being there for a pregnancy test, she had obviously made a "mistake" and was very concerned that she might be pregnant. As we continued with the intake questions, I asked her how she perceived her family's and her church's support would be should she actually be pregnant. She looked at me in disbelief, eyes wide, shaking her head, and said...
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2011/Christian Newswire --
Today, on behalf of the adult stem researchers it represents, the Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project and their co-counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, filed their Notice of Appeal asking the United States Court of Appeals to reinstate their case dismissed by United States District Court for the District of Columbia in its July 27 decision based upon the district court's interpretation of the Court of Appeal's April 29 ruling vacating the district court's August 23, 2010 preliminary injunction of the National Institute of Health's regulations that Obama administration promulgated to permit the federal funding of "research in which" human embryos are "knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death."
While again affirming the standing of adult stem cell researchers to challenge these regulations, the federal district court dismissed the case saying that it had no choice under the "mandate rule" but to follow the Court of Appeal's April 29 ruling that Congress' ban on human embryonic research was written in a sufficiently "ambiguous" fashion to ban the use of federal funds that risked the "injury or death" of human embryos, but not the use of federal funds to do research on the embryonic stem cells that were derived from such injury or destruction. In the words of U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth explaining his July 27 decision:
While it may be true that by following the Court of Appeals' conclusion as to the ambiguity of 'research', the Court has become a grudging partner in a bout of 'linguistic jujitsu', Sherley, 2011 WL 1599685, at 22 (Henderson, J. dissenting), such is life for an antepenultimate court.
September 18, 2011/Amarillo, TX/Operation Rescue --
Operation Rescue is urging pro-life supporters to sign an online petition to Bishop Patrick Zurek of Amarillo asking him to allow Fr. Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, to return to his full-time duties with the pro-life ministry.
The petition can be signed by CLICKING HERE or through the petition box in the right-hand column at OperationRescue.org.
Fr. Pavone was recalled by Bishop Zurek to Amarillo and is barred from traveling outside the Diocese. However it must be noted that he is under no discipline whatsoever, and remains a priest in good standing. He has been serving communion and fulfilling other priestly duties in the Amarillo Diocese and continues to do work for Priests for Life from Texas.
Bishop Zurek released a statement that gave the impression that there were financial mismanagement accusations against Fr. Pavone related to Priests for Life, however, Msgr. Harold Waldrow issued a clarification last week indicating that Fr. Pavone is a priest in good standing and is not being accused of wrongdoing in the finances of Priests for Life. [Read. Msgr. Waldrow's Letter.]
"We stand behind Fr. Frank Pavone one-hundred percent. We join in calling on Bishop Zurek to free Fr. Pavone from Amarillo and allow him to immediately return unfettered to the work at Priests for Life. We urge everyone to sign the petition to Bishop Zurek and pry this matter will be resolved as soon as possible for the sake of the babies dying in our nation from abortion," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
For more information about how you can help support Fr. Frank Pavone please visit FreeFrFrank.com.
WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 14, 2011/Christian Newswire --
Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life is one of the most respected and effective leaders in the Pro-Life movement today. We were saddened and confused by the order of Bishop Patrick Zurek to suddenly confine Fr. Frank's priestly duties to Amarillo, Texas. It makes no good sense to remove him from the mission field while children continue to die at the hands of unscrupulous abortionists.
"I can think of nothing the abortion cartel would want more than to have Fr. Frank sidelined at this critical time when the pro-life movement is gaining ground and poised to finally end abortion," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
"The attack on the good name of Priests for Life and Fr. Frank Pavone in particular is shocking to say the least. Priests for Life's books are a matter of public record. I would expect this kind of slanderous attack from someone at Planned Parenthood or NARAL, but not from a bishop in the Church. This is a very sad day for the innocent unborn.
"We have labored alongside Fr. Frank throughout the years and know him to be a humble yet determined and faithful man of the highest integrity. It is hard to understand why Bishop Zurek would make such outrageous public accusations against him, casting a shadow where none should be. I can't help but think of the Scriptures that say we should do to others what we would want done to us. Certainly Bishop Zurek would not want his reputation besmirched with unfounded accusations as he has done to Fr. Frank. Perhaps he should have considered that before acting out with such a heavy hand."
Bishop Zurek accused Fr. Pavone of the financial mishandling of Priests for Life assets, but those close to the issue tell Operation Rescue that PFL has great financial accountability and has repeatedly provided the Bishop with their financial reports. Each time, he has failed to acknowledge them.
"We pray for the Priests for Life organization that they will not allow this unfounded attack to deter them from their critical life-saving work, and we pray for Bishop Zurek that he will soon work out whatever seems to be troubling him and restore Fr. Frank to his full duties at Priests for Life."
Please call Bishop Zurek and ask him to reconsider his decision at 806-383-2243.
I'm only four weeks into my pregnancy with our second child (yay! We are thrilled!), but I feel like I've already gained as much perspective through it as I did through my entire pregnancy with Olivia (which was a lot, and life-changing). Two of my most significant insights have been in regards to seemingly different individuals impacted by pregnancy (and on the flip side, abortion): a mother and a sibling.
1. Suicide is a medical procedure that needs to be supervised by a doctor.
Suicide is by definition something you do yourself. If you involve someone else, that person becomes an accessory to murder, even if that person is a doctor.
This is a judgment and not a scientific fact. Final Exit sells a suicide kit that looks like a plastic dry cleaning bag you put over your head.[iii] How dignified is that?...
Read entire article here.
Sept. 11, 2011/Youth Defence --
New research issued by The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto has detailed the "catastrophic outcomes" that occur when ectopic pregnancies are misdiagnosed and then "treated" with chemical abortions - something the authors say amounts to a "serious public health issue."
Citing previous studies, the new study revealed that a shocking 40% of initial diagnoses of ectopic pregnancy are erroneous, although remains unclear how many of these are ultimately mistreated as ectopic.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the developing baby lodges in the mother's fallopian tube instead of her uterus. Ectopic pregnancies can be dangerous, as the growing baby may rupture the blood vessels of the fallopian tube, which can cause severe blood loss and even death to the mother.
The new study, "Outcome Following High-Dose Methotrexate in Pregnancies Misdiagnosed as Ectopic," which is to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, tracked a number of mothers with normal, desired pregnancies, who were erroneously given high doses of Methotrexate in their first trimester to end a misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancy.
The study stated that all of the misdiagnosed pregnancies ended with "catastrophic outcomes," including the births of "severely malformed" newborns, miscarriages, and physician-advised deaths of the normally implanted babies through surgical abortions on account of the adverse effects of Methotrexate on the pre-born baby....
Read article in full here.
September 12, 2011
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