Antiabortion black ministers to endorse Obama's healthcare plan

For weeks, President Obama has tried to combat claims that his healthcare overhaul would mean tax dollars going toward abortions, calling the assertion a "myth." Today, his argument may gain some strength: A group of black church leaders who oppose abortion is set to endorse the president's health plan. LA Times

NIH issues new stem cell research guidelines

The National Institutes of Health released draft guidelines that permit federal funding for research on stem cells from human embryos set to be discarded by fertility clinics. Scientific American

Abortion Fight Complicates Debate on Health Care

As if it were not complicated enough, the debate over health care in Congress is becoming a battlefield in the fight over abortion. NY Times

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Why I am Pro-Life

Why am I personally pro-life? There are several reasons in several areas. I will freely admit most of them are firmly set in my faith. With the Bible as my guide I see staunchly defending life at all stages is the only way to go. Carolyn Cavanaugh's blog

7 billion and counting

Overpopulation is often singled out as the planet's root problem. If only it were that simple. Leading thinkers on population can't agree on what the answers – or even the questions – are. New Scientist

A Modest Proposal: How to Stop Aging Entirely

Many people presume that, when we talk about combating aging, we’re only talking about stretching out the grim years of debilitation and disease with which most people’s lives currently end. In fact, the opposite is true. The defeat of aging will entail the elimination of that period, by postponing it to indefinitely greater ages so that people never reach it. There will, quite simply, cease to be a portion of the population that is frail and infirm as a result of age. Discover

Teenage Birth Rates Higher In More Religious States

Rates of births to teenage mothers are strongly predicted by conservative religious beliefs, even after controlling for differences in income and rates of abortion. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Health have found a strong association between teenage birth rates and state-level measures of religiosity in the U.S. Medical News Today

2009 State Legislative Sessions in Review

Despite Congress and the Obama Administration’s pursuit of an incremental strategy to implement a regime of unregulated and unrestricted abortion-on-demand, fund unethical and destructive biotechnologies, and coerce and undermine the consciences of health care providers, the majority of states continue their pursuit of life-affirming laws and policies. In 2009, approximately 60 pro-life measures were enacted in the states, a marked increase from 2008. This accomplishment is especially notable given that there was a nearly one-third decline in the number of pro-life measures introduced in the states in 2009 (as compared to 2008 activity levels). AUL

Labour aide calls one-child China a success

China's one- child policy - which has resulted in forced abortions, infanticide and compulsory sterilisation - has had a 'positive impact' on the country's economic performance, one of Labour's leading advisers says today. But human rights campaigners criticised Lord Turner for appearing to support the draconian laws, claiming they had led to untold misery for women and children. Daily Mail

Pregnant mum must give up baby after IVF blunder

A pregnant woman has spoken of her anguish at having to give up her IVF baby after being mistakenly implanted with another couple’s embryo. Carolyn Savage and her husband Sean will hand over the baby boy when she gives birth in two weeks. The religious couple decided early in the pregnancy not to have a termination but to return the child who is not genetically theirs. Daily Express

Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?

Albert Mohler writes: "The development of prenatal diagnostic technologies presents a constellation of moral issues -- with the diagnosis of Down syndrome front and center. Over the past several years, a marked decrease in the number of babies born with Down syndrome has been both observed and widely reported. This decrease can be traced directly to the decision to abort after prenatal diagnosis. . . . Skotko's research indicating that 92 percent of women who learn they are carrying a baby with Down syndrome choose to abort the pregnancy. That is more than nine out of ten." Christian Post, Washington Post, Science Daily

Economy Makes Women Wait on Children, Could Increase Abortions

A new survey conducted by the pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher Institute has produced the first hard evidence showing that women are waiting to have children because of the economic downturn. Although the poll did not ask women about abortion, abortions could be rising as a result. LifeNews

Minnesota Church's Pro-Life Memorial Vandalized

The monument in memory of "Victims of Abortion" was vandalized late Saturday or early Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. It was pushed over and the slab containing the memorial broke from its base. Whoever pushed over the nearly 500-pound pro-life memorial must have done so on purpose because massive force would have been needed to topple it. LifeNews

NIH picks stem cell panel

In March of this year, US President Barack Obama issued an executive order to overturn the embryonic stem cell policy implemented by former President George W. Bush, which outlawed federal funding for human embryonic stem cell lines derived after August 9, 2001. The new order allows for federal support of additional cell lines, provided they meet "strict regulations" regarding the embryo procurement process. The Scientist

Sex, lies, and abortion

Why does the pro-choice movement continue to prevail legally and politically? If you're going to have a sexual revolution, you have to be ready to clean up the debris. After 35 years, the debris has become a mountain, and as a society, we are still adding bodies to the heap. No one in the pro-choice camp, of course, wants to admit any of this. It's also painful to one's self-image to acknowledge a willingness to sustain permissive sexual values by killing the unborn. This analysis might explain why otherwise compassionate people fight so tenaciously against the most helpless and vulnerable of all living creatures, unborn persons. It won't be easy, but somehow the case against abortion must include a case against sexual libertinism. Christianity Today

Aborted fetal DNA in vaccines linked to autism?

Just when the pharmaceutical industry thought the vaccine/autism controversy had been resolved, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee has recommended further study of vaccine safety. A perceived fear of the safety of the US vaccination schedule has led increasing numbers of parents to opt out of full compliance. . . . What the NVAC has overlooked, however, in their recommendations, is that epidemic regressive autism is associated with the switch from using animal cells to produce vaccines to the use of aborted human fetal cells for vaccine production. Now when we vaccinate our children, some vaccines also deliver contaminating aborted human fetal DNA. The safety of this has never been tested. Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute

Additional resource: Children of God for Life has updated (as of August 12, 2009) its chart showing the various aborted fetal cell lines that serve as the sources of vaccines and whatever alternatives are available. Click 'Vaccine Sources' from the menu.

The church and the PCC: An uneasy marriage

A pregnancy care center needs to partner with the local churches in its area. But when it comes to the relationship between local churches and PCCs around North America, why is it that many churches just don't get it? Why is the marriage such an uneasy one? The mission of the local church and the mission of the PCC are very compatible, and the two organizations should work together. Many churches in the United States and Canada have no interest, understanding, and, in some instances, appreciation for the pro-life movement and the ongoing ministries of PCCs. Why? At the Center

Progressive Christians Less Pro-Life Than Evangelicals

A new poll conducted by an institute at the University of Akron may be unique in that it is the first ever to evaluate the competing political interests of evangelicals and progressive Christians. Conservative and progressive religious activists have markedly different political priorities as evangelicals overwhelmingly identify abortion as one of the most important political issues while fewer than 10 percent of progressive religious activists say it is among the "most important" political issues. LifeNews, the report

One week away from 40 Days for Life

Last fall, on the third day of the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in Sarasota, Florida, a nervous Hispanic woman went to the local Planned Parenthood abortion center with her mother and brother. The 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers offered her literature, but she didn't understand their English. When a bilingual counselor arrived, she learned that the woman was in her 14th week of pregnancy and she was seeking a second-trimester abortion. The counselor instead offered real help to get her to one of the local pregnancy resource centers. As a result, she chose life for her baby.

One week from today -- Wednesday, September 23 -- the largest 40 Days for Life campaign in history launches in 212 cities across 45 American states, 5 Canadian provinces, and Denmark. For 40 intense days, tens of thousands of faithful volunteers will be praying, fasting, holding peaceful vigils outside abortion facilities, and spreading the pro-life message through community outreach.

The Health Care Debate: Is There a Religious Mandate?

When President Obama used the phrase "bearing false witness" on Aug. 19 to describe opponents of his health care reform plan in an address to religious leaders, it set off a firestorm of religious banter about who really has the moral high ground when it comes to health care. Fox News

Life Chain Sunday - October 4, 2009

The Life Chain has been a peaceful, prayerful pro-life witness for decades as Americans young and old hold signs proclaiming "Abortion Kills Children" and "Abortion Hurts Women." Royce Dunn, the national director of the Life Chain, says "Life Chain provides each of us an easy, affordable, yet very purposeful way to defend our essential values."Learn more at LifeChain.net.

Reflection on Pouillon shooting

"President Obama Waits Two Days to Release Statement on Shooting of Pro-Lifer" and "CBS News Ignores Killing of Pro-Life Advocate Pouillon, ABC Biased in Reporting." Headlines such as these don't interest me.

As I said on Facebook: "Christians have the greater obligation to uphold the sanctity of human life (SOHL). We cannot expect the world to be outraged to the same degree over the murder of a pro-lifer, since they make no pretensions of upholding the SOHL. So let's stop demanding they display the same horror over Mr. Pouillon's murder as for George Tiller's. It really is worse when murder is done for the sake of the SOHL." --Editor

We're born to believe in God, say scientists

A study into the way children’s brains develop suggests that beliefs in the supernatural are present from birth. The findings of Bruce Hood, professor of developmental psychology at Bristol University, challenge the claims of atheists such as Richard Dawkins. Professor Dawkins’ assertion that religious belief is a result of poor education and ‘indoctrination’ is well known. Christian Institute

Anti-abortion activist shot in front of Owosso High School

State police at the Corunna post have confirmed a well-known anti-abortion activist was shot multiple times and killed this morning in front of Owosso High School. The victim's identity has not yet been released but the shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m., after most students were off the buses and safely inside the building, said Owosso schools transportation supervisor Jayne Campbell. State police also confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody about 8:15 a.m. at the suspect's home. Mlive

Hear Dr. Alveda King in Michigan City, Indiana

Civil Rights Activist - Prolife Advocate. LaPorte County Right to Life Committee in NW Indiana is honored to have Dr. Alveda King as their annual fundraising speaker. You are invited to attend a free public forum after the dinner on Friday, September 25, 2009, at the Marquette High School Scholl Center in Michigan City, at 7 pm.

Company offers celebrity ‘look-a-like’ sperm

A California-based fertility company is offering prospective parents a range of celebrity 'look-a-like' sperm donors. Cryobank, which is also planning to offer services in New York, allows customers to search through a database according to characteristics such as ethinicity and eye colour without revealing donors' photographs. BioNews

BarlowGirl sings about post-abortion pain

The popular all-girl Christian rock band BarlowGirl's track "Tears Fall" on of their new Love and War album is a reminder that abortion hurts women as well as unborn children. The piano-based ballad is written from a post-abortive woman's perspective and shares her painful memories and dreams of children who will never experience life. LifeNews

Choosing Thomas

Facing death can be hardest for a family expecting new life. Follow T.K. and Deidrea Lauxs journey after they learn that their unborn son has a genetic disorder called Trisomy 13. They hope the intimate look helps others understand and cope with infant loss. YouTube

The Human Body—Wired for Extremes

We live in a cursed world where dangers lurk around every corner. Recognizing the potential threats to our lives, God provided our bodies with contingency plans, ready to activate at a moment’s notice. Whatever extra energy or infusion of chemicals our bodies need, whatever quick changes are required for us to make quick decisions or conserve precious resources, the brain is always ready to act. Answers in Genesis

What happens to extra embryos after IVF?

Like many women struggling with infertility, Andrea Cinnamond was delighted when a laboratory took sperm and egg and provided five chances for a second child after Kaitlin's birth. In many ways, infertility is a numbers game -- more embryos created means more tries for success. She was asked in the beginning about the matter of surplus embryos, but how could she think about those she might not want when her thoughts were consumed by the children she longed for? CNN

Opposing Gay Unions With Sanity & a Smile

The nightmares of gay marriage supporters are the Pat Robertsons of the world. The James Dobsons, the John Hagees -- the people who specialize in whipping crowds into frothy frenzies, who say things like Katrina was caused by the gays. The gay marriage supporters have not met Brian Brown. They should. He might be more worth knowing about. Washington Post

A nation of bad parents

Drinking, promiscuity and a cycle of low aspiration mean Britain is becoming the 'bad parent' of the western world. A vast study of youngsters' well-being in 30 industrialised nations ranked Britain among the worst for health, lifestyles and school standards relative to public spending levels. Underage teenagers in Britain are more likely to get drunk than those in any other country, and the proportions of teenage mothers and single-parent families are among the highest in the survey. In 'risky behaviour' - a combination of drinking, smoking and teenage pregnancy - Britain's performance is worse than all nations other than Turkey and Mexico. Daily Mail

Earth-sized planets are just right for life

Life is comfortable on Earth in part because of its relatively stable climate and its magnetic field, which deflects cosmic radiation capable of damaging organic molecules as well as producing amazing auroras. The discovery of extrasolar super-Earths - rocky planets about five to ten times the mass of Earth - has raised hopes that some may harbour life. Perhaps it's a vain hope though, since it now seems that Earth is just the right size to sustain life. New Scientist

Editor: And this is not evidence of a Creator because . . . ?