Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday Feature: Cradles of Grace

One of our local partner ministries is Cradles of Grace. Over the years, we've consulted with the director, Carol Lubs, and advised their board on various matters.

It's rather unique, as pro-life ministries go. Not a pregnancy care center, it fosters long-term mentoring relationships between young pregnant women and older, wiser adults. Mentors walk with clients throughout their pregnancies and up to one year following delivery. Here's a description in their own words:
With the support of Cradles of Grace, women are empowered to return to school or gainful employment, and to find a church community that loves them and walks with them throughout their life. They are equipped to make good choices about relationships: first and foremost their relationship with Jesus. 
Also, under the covering of God and His people, Cradles’s women have been able to remove themselves from abusive and unsafe relationships. Women who have Godly mentors in their lives are better equipped to not depend upon unhealthy partnerships. To meet these goals, specifically, Cradles offers a pregnancy life-coach, a mentor, who meets weekly with her client for up to two years. 
Cradles also currently offers centers in two different church locations. These centers are places to be with other single pregnant women, to learn more about Christ, and to receive Biblically based education in healthy relationships, sexual integrity, parenting, life skills, and the option of adoption. In addition, Cradles provides one-on-one weekly counseling with a Biblical counselor.
Cradles of Grace periodically sends out prayer reminders. A recent one mentioned that one of their centers is studying the book Boundaries, by Cloud and Townsend. "Our clients are studying what a boundary is and how to take responsibility for their lives." Pray for the clients and volunteers, and for Cradle's upcoming banquet.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Thankful Thursday: Sidewalk Counselors

This morning our staff prayed together outside the abortion clinic, and we came away thankful for the sidewalk counselors -- the two who were there this morning, and all the others who try to be there each time the clinic is open.

These men and women endure all sorts of weather -- this morning was sunny but chilly -- and the reactions of people who are not happy to see them. But there are people who are glad they're there: women feeling pressured into abortion, dads who wish their wives or girlfriends would not abort, friends who drive friends to the clinic but wish they knew what to say.

They are the last line of defense that a baby has before being aborted. Many, many lives have been saved as a result of their patience, persistence, gentleness, boldness. Several moms have come to Christ as a result of their witness. Grand Rapids -- indeed the whole region -- is blessed to have them there. (Women come to the city from all over West Michigan to have their abortions here, through 22 weeks gestation.)

We're also grateful for the good relationship the sidewalk counselors have with our local pregnancy care centers. The PCCs provide ultrasound scans and additional counseling that supplement the care and support that the sidewalk counselors give.

If you'd like to become one of the many people who support the sidewalk counselors in prayer, sign up to receive their email updates and prayer requests.

Postscript: Sidewalk counselors reported that later Thursday morning a woman who was seemingly under a lot of pressure to abort left the clinic rejoicing in her choice for life! Praise the Lord!!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Working Wednesday: 40 Days for Life

Mary Verwys leads sidewalk counselors that talk to women
as they enter and leave the Heritage Clinic.
Photo: T.J. Hamilton, Grand Rapids Press, mlive.com
Tomorrow morning, our staff will meet for prayer as usual . . . but in a different location. We'll be outside the last remaining abortion clinic in Grand Rapids, taking part in the local 40 Days for Life fall campaign, which starts today.

Praying outside an abortion clinic helps focus the mind on asking God for His mercy by ending abortion, saving the lives of doomed babies, giving courage to mothers to leave the clinic or seek forgiveness in Christ. It's a good time to ask God to touch the hearts of the abortion doctor and other clinic workers. It makes it all more real.

If you'd like to join us tomorrow, come on down! Or if you'd like to schedule another time, talk to our board member, Carla Ludwig, (616) 485-7594. The campaign continues today through November 4.

You can join the fall campaign even if your region doesn't have an abortion provider. Download this helpful bookmark from a previous year to remind you to pray. Another resource is our Life Matters bulletin insert. Use both to enlist others in praying to end abortion.

Update from Carla, about what happened at the clinic this morning -- "It was only 12:15 am and a car pulled into the driveway of the Heritage Clinic and stopped. A young woman got out of the passenger side smiling and ran over to us. She had to hug each one of us individually as she said. "I got a (gift) bag four weeks ago. [The sidewalk counselors hand out gift bags when a woman makes a choice for life.] Keep praying. It's working!" What a great way to start the Fall 2012 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday prayer: Willing. Ready. In position.

In light of yesterday's musing on the Gospel and compassion ministries, pray --
  • That each of us will be willing to help people and share the Good News
  • That we'll be ready to help people and share the Good News
  • That we'll be in position to help people and share the Good News
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,  for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. --Ephesians 6:18-20

Monday, September 24, 2012

Monday musing: The gospel and compassion ministries

Jesus' disciples had a lot to learn. About a hungry crowd, they said, "Send them away." About a desperate mother: "Send her away." To parents with children, in effect: "Take them away!" Perhaps they were at a loss for knowing what people needed, or how to help. Maybe they were simply annoyed.

How often are we like that? I felt something similar on a recent morning driving to work. A man was standing near the highway entrance holding a sign that said he’s a veteran and needs help feeding his family. Many thoughts swirled through my head as I passed by: Is he really a veteran? His buzzed haircut and soldierly posture vouched for him, but both could be easily counterfeited. Was he willing and able to work at any menial job, or too proud to take what's available? Why was he willing to humiliate himself? Is his situation really so desperate? Would he really buy food with the donations, or drugs and booze?

Of course, it was impossible to change lanes, pull over, and ask him these questions without endangering myself or other drivers. And it probably wouldn't have been wise for me, as a woman, to approach him at all. 

I found myself wondering if or when the “professionals” would step in -- people who work with the hungry, who know the right questions to ask, and have referrals to food pantries. Are they aware of this fellow? Have they tried to help and been rebuffed? Where were they?

Giving is sometimes messy, but Jesus didn’t seem to have a problem with it.

In contrast to the disciples' hostility or apathy, a deep pity moved Him to effective, confident acts of mercy on behalf of the lost. The object of His compassion was people – those who knew they had problems and those who were oblivious. His objective was complete restoration. While not everyone responded in faith, He graciously served.

His compassion met both immediate and eternal needs – problems such as hunger, sickness, and sin. While laying out hard truths about God’s kingdom, Jesus did not neglect other human needs but served the whole person.

As they followed, the disciples witnessed first-hand how perfectly Jesus expressed His Father’s compassionate nature. They heard Him say, “I feel compassion for them” and watched Him do something about it. In the course of their training, Jesus directed them to perform lowly acts of service for others, such as having them hand out the baskets He was filling with food.

In response to situations like the one of coming across a hungry person and feeling at a loss of what or how to give, some friends have come up with a creative solution. They've taken to carrying bottles of water and granola bars in their cars and handbags that can be offered in Jesus' name, along with information about local food pantries. It's a good way to avoid the trickiness of handing out cash and the embarrassment of giving nothing.

Pro-life ministries reflect Jesus’ spirit of compassion on a larger, more organized scale. They serve the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. Pregnancy care centers “suffer alongside” those caught in the web of sexual immorality, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion. LIFT “suffers alongside” the dying and chronically ill. Meanwhile, the world offers counterfeit answers - abortion, euthanasia - that abandon people to death. 

God often uses frailty or deficiency to draw a person’s attention toward Himself. Physical, emotional, and social problems point to the reality of sin because they proceed from it -- their own sin, the sin of others, or the Fall in general. Sometimes, caring for these problems is our only entrĂ©e past closed doors. The people served by compassion ministries may not know it, but they also have spiritual needs.

Evangelism and compassion go hand-in-hand. It’s not enough to educate people about abortion, or hold their hands as they weep. They may still be lost in sin. That’s why true compassion ministries will point toward the source of ultimate transformation – Jesus Christ. Salvation from a life of sin and the penalty of death is only in His name (Acts 4:12).

God still prepares His followers for compassion ministry. The challenge is being willing, ready, and in position to help. 

Scripture references: Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8; Proverbs 14:12; Lamentations 3:22; Jonah 4:11; Matthew 9:35-36, 14:14-21, 15:23, 30-38, 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:31-44, 8:2, 10:13-16; Luke 7:13, 9:11-17, 15:20, 17:11-19; John 1:18, 13:14; Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:12; Hebrews 1:3; James 5:11.

Related articles 
Works and Words: Why You Can't Preach the Gospel with Deeds
Onward Christian Workers

Friday, September 21, 2012

Friday Feature: Abstinence education in the Philippines

Melisa Serata
Melisa Serata is an abstinence educator in the Philippines. She takes the message that "You're Worth Waiting For" (YWWF) all over the islands into public and private schools. She also talks with college students about the value of saving sex for marriage.

In the Philippines, outside speakers like Melisa have the freedom to talk about God and give the Gospel in the public schools. Countless students have professed faith in Christ as a result of her ministry.

For years, Melisa worked alone, but now she is starting to train other Christian workers to join in this important work of preventing sexual sin and abortion. She still gets by without regular support.

Prayer Request: Tomorrow she travels to Malaybalay Bukidnon and requests prayer because the roads are not good and currently under repair (probably due to recent flooding). "Pray for protection, strength and good running condition of the bus. I will start teaching on Sunday afternoon. Thank God for the great privileged to serve Him in this area, pray for souls and personnel to do the follow up. I love you Lord!" Amen!
If you'd like to help her, go to our Online Giving page and specify "Melisa Serata" in the Notes section.

Pray also for Life Matters president Tom Lothamer as he travels to Angola, Indiana, this weekend to conduct a board training retreat with the leadership team of Compassion Pregnancy Center of NE Indiana.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thankful Thursday: Donors

Another new feature of the blog is Thankful Thursdays in which we'll express our gratitude for some blessing of the current week. We're always blessed by our donors, but yesterday was marked by some very special and personal donations.

Come visit us at 5075 Clay SW in Grand Rapids, MI!
First, we were finally able to put up a new sign that a friend made for us to help people find our office. We're located in an industrial area; without a sign out at the road, visitors could be lost. Thank you, Dale Echavarria of Dreambuilder Planter Media!

Inside, we were bustling with reinforcements in the form of three volunteers. These women come in regularly to assist our staff. What would we do without their gifts of time and special skills? Their presence with us is encouragement alone. Thank you, Lord, for Jenny, Julie, and Pat!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Working Wednesdays: Ultrasounds for India

Working Wednesdays is a new blog feature in which we'll tell you about something we're working on this week.

Sign above the hospital gate.
Last year, our executive board approved the purchase of ultrasound equipment for the Emmanuel Rural Hospital in Cachar, Assam, India. In 2009, our president Tom Lothamer had visited there to present the concept of pro-life ministries, and in 2010 Dr. Lamina Singh formed a group of four people to pray and read books on helping people concerning abortion. Since then, several women have chosen life. Ultrasound has been useful in their work, but their current equipment is old and in bad shape.

This August, we received a $10,000 foundation grant to use toward one of our mission projects and earmarked it for the ultrasound project. When Tom called our medical equipment supplier, he said he'd just received a nearly new ultrasound machine originally valued at $22,000 but now available for only $9,000. Tom then called Dr. Singh, who said their ultrasound equipment had just died!

God knew their need and was already supplying an answer to their prayer. We're thrilled to be able to purchase the equipment for them and have a part in their continued outreach! In a few weeks it will be on its way to India.

Related:

  • See more photos on Facebook
  • Go to our web page to contribute to other special projects. Designate your gift by selecting from the Purpose of Gift dropdown menu.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday prayer

Have you noticed a change in the number of blog posts? Yes, there are fewer! We're limiting ourselves to one a day to give concentration and import to the blog.

Mondays are for musings. If you haven't already, please read Christians in an age of aggression.

Tuesdays will be for prayer related to Monday's topic:

  • Pray that Christians will neither be passive nor aggressive (nor passive aggressive) in response to offenses and infringements of rights, but instead winsome and wise (Colossians 4:6).
  • Pray especially for our missionary partners in parts of the world where violent protests are taking place -- that they'll be protected from harm and bold to continue preaching the Gospel.
  • Pray for God to have mercy on America, in light of our exportation of abortion-on-demand, so we can continue to spread the Gospel.
  • Pray that Christians will do their civic duty by voting on November 6.
  • Pray for our government leaders to be used of God to do His will.

Thank you for praying. Watch for what's new on Wednesday!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Monday Musings: Christians in an age of aggression

Aren’t you tired of being whipped into a frenzy every time someone insults us or infringes on our rights? Isn’t it exhausting to keep track of the media’s offenses against Christianity? I look forward to a dissipation of heat on November 7, the day after the election, but it’s probably wishful thinking to believe real calm will set in. Soon a new round of accusations and recriminations will begin (or the old round will continue). And in no time the 2016 campaign will be upon us.

Is this how Christians are supposed to live, tied to a political cycle, at the mercy of 24-hour news feeds? Of course not. And yet, it feels as though to be a fully engaged person, hyper-vigilance is the watch-word and righteous indignation the predominant virtue. Too many of us run hot during election season and cold the rest of the time.

D. A. Carson noticed the trend back as far as 2005 in a lecture on the book of Revelation. David Rogers of SBC Voices helpfully transcribed pertinent parts of the audio recording for his blog post, “D. A. Carson on Angry Christians and the Devil’s Tactics”:
If you want to make a lot of money with a Christian book in this country, write a book that says what’s wrong with America, listing all the bad things that you possibly can on the Left, demonize the Left. It’ll sell like hotcakes on the Right. . . .

Now contrast that with the first Christians taking the gospel in the Roman Empire. They were nobodies. They didn’t have anybody taking away their heritage. They were out to take over the heritage. They looked around and saw an extremely pluralistic empire, and they said with Caleb, in effect, “Give us this mountain.” And they kept witnessing and kept getting martyred, and so on, and there was a revolution, finally—a spiritual revolution.

But we can’t do that today. At least we find it very difficult, because we’re so busy being angry all the time that at the end of the day not only do we lose our credibility with people on the Left—they start demonizing us back—but we have no energy or compassion left to evangelize them. When you’re busy hating everybody, and denouncing everybody, and seeking political solutions to everything, it’s very difficult to evangelize. Isn’t it? Very hard to be compassionate, to look on the crowds as though they’re sheep without a shepherd, very hard to look on them like that when they’re taking away “my heritage.” Do you see?
Yes, I do. More recently, blogger Don McBride sounded a similar note:
U.S. Christians are becoming more political and less evangelistic, and this is something they need to watch. It’s easy to wrap up in political anger and point out sin, but our call is to reach the lost. If we see the signs of the end fast approaching as they are, then we should be about the Master’s business of . . . preaching the Gospel, and being the light for Jesus. We are Christians, not Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, or Liberals. We need to be evangelistic. We need to shine Jesus, not politics.
The corrective, of course, will come from God’s word, this time in the mouth of James (1:19-20): “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

Indeed, as we’ve seen in the past week or so, the misplaced anger of some who claim the name of Christ has made it tougher, more dangerous, or impossible for Christians in Middle Eastern countries to patiently and gently go about the work of reaching lost souls.

The trouble is, in making a call to bring Christians back from an over-reliance on political or social change, the pendulum is bound to swing over to an unreasonable and unbiblical abandonment of civic duty. Neither extreme is acceptable.

We must not fall for any of the “Six Myths of Cultural Engagement” that Jim Daly of Focus on the Family identifies. Myth 2 is that “we must be loud, vocal and visible” and Myth 3, “getting angry is the path to success.” The truth is “if we truly want people to hear us, we must be humble, personable and subtle.”

And, while Myth 1 says “nothing can be done,” Myth 4 is that “we must fight the darkness.” Just because one position is false doesn’t mean its opposite is true. Instead, “we must increase the light by presenting the good, true and beautiful story that changes lives.”

It’s easy to be angry, apathetic, or even despairing , but we’re not called to the ease of giving in to natural inclinations. Rather than passion (intense emotion) or lack of passion (apathy), we’re called to self-control and to imitating Jesus’ life of compassion – a “sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” Rather than being right and having our say, we need to be wise and willing to give up some rights . . . for the sake of the Gospel.

We’re also called to be sober and alert in prayer, and I would suggest at this moment that we pray for those Christians on the frontlines who face death or being kicked out of their countries of service as a result of the misguided expression of rights here in America.

Also, in our appeals for God to bless America (or any country), we should admit we don't deserve it. Why should God bless a nation that exports abortion-on-demand? Rather we need His mercy so that the Gospel may flourish here and abroad.

We can be bold without being brash. As Rick Warren recently preached, the sanctity of life, sex, and marriage are "three aspects of the Christian worldview that are hated by this world. Most Christians clam up and shut up because they're afraid to even stand up." The stand we take in the voting booth is private and powerful. Don't miss the opportunity -- or shirk the duty -- coming up this November 6!

We are called to stand up for the rights of others by acting on their behalf and voting when we can. As we wrote in "Whatsoever . . . voting," a candidate's stance on abortion is more important than his or her position on the economy or the environment:
One could make the case that all issues affect the sanctity of human life, but none is more foundational than the right to life itself. If there is no justice for the most vulnerable human beings, there can be justice for none. Candidates ought not pit “interest groups” against the unborn.

Some say, “If you’re really pro-life you’ll join the [fill-in-the-blank] cause!” But these are often the same people who refuse to also speak for the unborn. Why should the tiniest of little ones be forced to wait at the end of the line behind those with more money or a louder megaphone?
I suggest you download this copy-ready flyer and make it available to your church family before the election.

One other way we can diffuse heat is by building credibility through service. Our president, Tom Lothamer, spent several years serving on his local school board. He had to work alongside others who didn't necessarily share a "Christian world and life view" and succeeded by being prepared, participating fully in discussions, and being respectful. That meant listening patiently and responding calmly. There's no short-cut to civility.

Just as the historical perspective helps -- thinking of what the early church endured and how they responded -- so does the biblical perspective. Our God is in control. Psalm 33:8-11:
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Evangelicals seek a future for thousands of frozen embryos

Evangelicals seek a future for thousands of frozen embryos - The Washington Post: Hundreds of thousands of embryos are stored in high-tech storage facilities across the United States. To an increasing number evangelical Christians, that’s hundreds of thousands of babies.

'via Blog this'

Monday, September 10, 2012

I don’t wait anymore.

I don’t wait anymore. | Grace for the road: "There are a lot of girls out there who don’t know who God is anymore – the God of their youth group years just isn’t working out. Back then, that God said to wait for sex until they are married, until He brings the right man along for a husband. They signed a card and put it on the altar and pledged to wait.

"And wait they did. And waited and waited and waited."

'via Blog this'

Church blesses with gifts in honor of babies

Opening the mail this morning we were pleasantly surprised by a note from the of First Baptist Church in Sherman, NY. And saddened. Pastor Paul Sears wrote:
It is with joy and sorrow we send this gift to the ministry. Annually we have sent a gift to you to celebrate the births in our church family. We anticipated having two little ones this September, but in August little Jacob VanValkenburg went to heaven from his mommy's womb. This was a great disappointment to all of us, but God's grace carried his parents and us through.
Last evening Levi Hudson Crouch arrived into this world. It is the first baby for these excited parents and our church family is excited for a new little life as well. 
This gift is a memorial and a celebration gift of life and love from the First Baptists Church of Sherman family.
What a blessing to be remembered by this church on such occasions! Our hearts go out to Jacob's family. We trust God's grace will carry them through. And congratulations to Levi's mom and dad; may he know Christ's love at an early age.

British Woman Calls Indian Surrogate She Hired a "Receptacle"

British Woman Calls Indian Surrogate She Hired a "Receptacle" | LifeNews.com: ‘Our baby has no biological connection to the surrogate,’ says Octavia. ‘Her womb is just the receptacle in which it is being carried. Perhaps it sounds cold and rather clinical, but this is a business transaction….

‘Of course I want her to do her best to have a successful pregnancy, and I’ll be very upset — quite devastated, in fact — if it doesn’t go full-term. But we do not want to get emotionally involved with our surrogate’s story. I’m not interested in her background. I don’t want to be part of her life. She speaks a different language. She lives in a world culturally, economically and socially so remote from ours that the distance between us is unbridgeable.'

Editor: Biological colonialism indeed.

Related: Mothers for hire

'via Blog this'

Tiny Texas church adopts 76 foster kids

Making a difference: Tiny Texas church adopts 76 foster kids | Fox News: Members of Bennett Chapel Baptist Church, in Possum Trot (pop. 700) have adopted a stunning 76 foster kids after the minister's wife took in four and inspired a chain reaction, according to People magazine. The 20 or so sets of foster parents who followed the lead of Bishop W.C. Martin and his wife, Donna Martin, hope their act of love will inspire others to take in fosters children from across the state, many of whom had been abandoned or abused.

'via Blog this'

Exploring the Basis of Obama's Pro-Abortion Views

2016 Movie Helps Explore Basis of Obama's Pro-Abortion Views | LifeNews.com: Author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza comments on President Obama's belief system, saying, ". . . Third World liberation theology . . . considers Christ to be a kind of guerrilla revolutionary, fighting against the evil capitalists and the ruling class. Traditional Christian tenets such as the dignity of life don’t seem to feature prominently in Obama’s view. Even partial birth abortion doesn’t revolt him in the way it revolts most people–even Democrats."

'via Blog this'

Apple's employees in China given pregnancy tests, not protected from discrimination

Apple embroiled in forced-abortion controversy: China employees given pregnancy tests | LifeSiteNews.com: Family planning police have targeted employees of iPhone creator Apple Inc. in the Chinese factories that churn out the company’s products. Fully 24 Apple facilities conducted pregnancy tests to ensure workers were not illegally pregnant, according to the technology giant’s own internal investigation this year. It also found 56 facilities did not have policies or procedures prohibiting coercive family planning measures.

'via Blog this'

British Doctors Let Baby Born at 22 Weeks Die

LifeNews: British doctors are coming under fire for letting an unborn child born just before 22 weeks of pregnancy die. The National health Service, the government-run health system that Congress may replicate in legislation in the United States, is blamed for guidelines disallowing treatment.

Sarah Capewell told the London Daily Mail that doctors refused to see her son, who lived almost two hours on his own without any medical support before dying. She said Jayden was breathing on his own without any medical assistance and was moving his arms and legs, but medical staff refused to transfer him to a neonatal intensive care unit. The newspaper indicated Capewell said medical staff told her they would have been able to treat her son had he been born two days later.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Premarital Sex Detrimental to Relationships

Study: Premarital Sex Detrimental to Relationships - Negatively Impacts Intimacy, Commitment, Sexual Satisfaction: Researchers at Cornell University have stated that abstaining from sex at the beginning of a courtship could lead to a healthier relationship. The research also suggested that having sex early on could stunt the growth of key factors from developing within a healthy relationship including "caring and understanding." The study, printed in the Journal of Marriage and Family, revealed that women who put having sex off for over six months were more satisfied with their relationships than those women who waited less time.

"Precocious premarital sexual activities may have lasting effects on relationship quality," researchers said. "Courtship is a time for exploration and decision-making about the relationship, when partners assess compatibility, make commitments and build on emotional and physical intimacy."

Romney misspoke, does not support abortion for ‘health’ of the mother

Campaign says Romney misspoke, does not support abortion for ‘health’ of the mother: pro-life leader | LifeSiteNews.com: Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said she had spoken with a campaign official, who confirmed the former governor did not favor such an expansive exception. “If that were his position, he would never have received our endorsement, that’s for sure,” Dannenfelser said. “I have heard clarification from his spokesperson, restating what his position really is, which is rape, incest, life of the mother. That is his position. Those are his exceptions.”

Related -- Romney: “As President I will Protect the Sanctity of Human Life”

Editor: As president, but not as anything else?

'via Blog this'

Time Magazine Writer Jokes About “Dead Fetus” Beauty Pageant

» Time Magazine Writer Jokes About “Dead Fetus” Beauty Pageant at RNC Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!: Time's Joel Stein was asked which political convention had the "freakiest, craziest stuff." He replied, “The conservative protesters, all they do is read the Bible. . . all they do is read scripture and have giant, giant pictures of dead fetuses. I’ve seen so many bloody fetuses that I can literally tell good looking fetuses from ugly fetuses.”

'via Blog this'

Reaching Canadian Politicians to Support Motion 312

Reaching Canadian Politicians to Support Motion 312: This website is for every Canadian who cares about our unborn children.

  • Canada's Criminal code defines unborn children as non human beings!
  • MP Stephen Woodworth has brought forward Motion 312 in an attempt to evaluate that law and possibly change it.
  • Every political party in Canada is opposing Motion 312. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made it clear that he will vote against it.
  • An estimated 100,000 plus letters and emails have been sent to our MPs this summer urging them to support Motion 312. And yet the word from MPs is that it will not pass unless they hear more from Canadians in support of it.
  • There are over 4,000,000 evangelical Christians in Canada. That means 4 million people who have no excuse for ignoring the abuse of our unborn children (Psalm82:2-4). Nearly 4 million people, however, who have no idea what Motion 312 is and have not yet contacted their MP in favor of it.

'via Blog this'

Cardinal Timothy Dolan Gives ‘Life’ Prayer at DNC

Cardinal Timothy Dolan Gives ‘Life’ Prayer at DNC - ABC News: The archbishop of New York and a leading Catholic-American voice opposing abortion and President Obama’s health care reform law, inserted what some saw as an anti-abortion remark into his benediction Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention.
“Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us to defend it. Life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected,” Dolan said in prayer delivered immediately following President Obama’s address accepting his party’s nomination.

Related: ‘Abortion-palooza’ in Charlotte: Did we mention we support a woman’s right to choose? From the article --
If you didn’t know better, you’d swear [abortion] was the issue dividing the parties. . . . Even the tribute to Teddy Kennedy, who for many years considered himself pro-life, was used to drive home the ubiquitous abortion rights theme, via footage of the ’94 senatorial debate in which Kennedy called Romney “multiple choice” on the issue. A tireless advocate for the dispossessed, Kennedy was so much more than that — and his party used to be, too.
'via Blog this'

Thursday, September 6, 2012

CNN Poll: Majority of Americans Want Abortions Prohibited

CNN Poll: Majority of Americans Want Abortions Prohibited | LifeNews.com: Some 62 percent want abortions illegal in all cases or legal only in certain instances while just 35% want abortions legal for any reason.

'via Blog this'

Bart Stupak ‘perplexed and disappointed’ by ‘illegal’ HHS Mandate

Video: Bart Stupak ‘perplexed and disappointed’ by ‘illegal’ HHS Mandate | LifeSiteNews.com: Although he made a critical compromise to secure the passage of ObamaCare in 2009, Bart Stupak now says the implementation of the law he voted for is not merely wrong but illegal. “Not only does that HHS mandate violate the executive order, it also violates statutory law.” Stupak confessed to being “perplexed and disappointed, having negotiated the executive order with the president” that was supposed to prevent the outrages Stupak now sees at work.

'via Blog this'

The Great American Worldview Exercise — The 2012 Election

Albert Mohler: Years ago, Governor George Wallace of Alabama once remarked with disdain that there is not “a dime’s worth of difference” between the Democrats and the Republicans. In a sense, he was at least partly right. A look back at the platforms of the two parties in the 1950s and 1960s reveals little division over many of the issues that now frame our national debate. . . .

Fast forward to 2012 and the distance between the two parties is breathtaking. The nation’s political polarization is clearly evident in the radical distinctions between the Republican and Democratic platforms. but this polarization is not merely political. It is fundamentally moral and ideological. These two platforms present two contradictory understandings of realities as basic as human life, liberty, and the institution of marriage.

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Dem. convention champions legal abortion

Baptist Press - Dem. convention champions legal abortion - News with a Christian Perspective: Democrats spotlighted their support for legalized abortion Tuesday night at their convention, with at least 10 speakers -- including First Lady Michelle Obama -- trumpeting the issue, although the word "abortion" itself was rarely said. It was the most abortion rights-centric night for a Democratic convention since 1992, according to NBC News political director Chuck Todd, and the issue was referenced every hour, from 6 p.m. Eastern to the final hour of the night beginning at 10 p.m.

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