The Abortion Movement's best-kept secret

In addition to greatly exaggerating (and even inventing) incidents of pro-life violence, the pro-abortion movement is deathly silent about the violence from within its ranks against pro-lifers. Spero News

Clear Conscience Health Care

Clearconsciencehealthcare.org will inform you and help you take action to let our leaders in Washington know that health care can and must reflect our deepest values. This online action center will give you tools to reach policymakers instantly and let them know you want care that is accessible, affordable, transparent and ethical.

Abortion: 10 Bible reasons why it is wrong

Bible Believers

Why is the Church dying?

The Word of God has never changed, but the Church’s perception of the Word of God changed when it failed to engage the evolutionist scientific community on matters of evidence as well as faith. Typical churches use resources that are more geared for what could be called the “Jew in Jerusalem” who has developed a religious background and lives in a religiously friendly society. We are now in the era of the “Greeks”—like the secular philosophers the Apostle Paul encountered on Mars Hill—yet our churches and Sunday schools are still teaching us like Jews. See the problem? Answers in Genesis

If you missed the webcast last week, watch State of the Nation with Ken Ham now.

Adult stem cells a promising market

Amid controversies over embryonic stem cell research, drugs using adult cells are already bearing fruit. When it comes to stem cells, the public -- and the media -- tend to focus on embryos. But researchers and analysts say marketable therapies already are emerging from less controversial work with adult stem cells. The stocks of all stem cell companies tend to trade in tandem. That's why the shares of adult stem cell companies also got a boost when the Obama administration decided to loosen restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. CNN Money

Parents can hold scale model of their unborn baby

Pregnant women are being given the chance to hold life-size models of their unborn babies, thanks to an invention that converts data from ultrasound and MRI scans. Jorge Lopes, a Brazilian designer, uses 3-D printing technology to create the plaster models. “It’s amazing to see the faces of the mothers. They can see the full scale of their baby, really understand the size of it,” said Dr Lopes. A blind woman registered at the clinic has also volunteered to try out the technology at her next scan. TimesOnline, Christian Institute

Christians still giving to charity amid recession

A new poll Premier Christian Radio has found that most Christians are giving as much to charity as before the recession. In the poll of 512 Christians, 85 per cent confirmed their charitable giving had stayed the same or increased since the recession began. Sixteen per cent of those surveyed revealed they had actually increased their charitable donations since the start of the recession, with 69 per cent remaining steady. Only one per cent of the Christians surveyed said they had stopped giving to charity since the start of the recession. Christianity Today

Latest issue of Life Matters available!

Life Matters is a copy-ready piece that you can insert into a bulletin or place in a tract rack. This quarter’s issue of Life Matters is timely and relevant, asking, “Should we use violence to fight abortion?” Most Christians responded appropriately to the news, but it’s helpful for everyone to think through the biblical reasons.

There’s a subtext to the insert. While the numbers of abortion doctors are going down – due to retirement and fewer new doctors learning the “trade” – our pro-life doctors face increased pressure to conform to the “culture of death” or get out of medicine. Pro-death forces are working hard on this. We need to uphold our doctors in prayer.

Access past issues

New Values Group: 'Not Your Daddy's Christian Coalition'

Ralph Reed, the Republican operative who built the Christian Coalition into a potent political force in the 1990s by mobilizing evangelicals and other religious conservatives and who did similar work to help George W. Bush win two presidential elections, is quietly launching a group aimed at using the Web to mobilize a new generation of values voters. In addition to targeting the GOP's traditional faith-based allies—white evangelicals and observant Catholics—the group, called the Faith and Freedom Coalition, will reach out to Democratic-leaning constituencies, including Hispanics, blacks, young people, and women. US News

Pro-Lifers "Loathsome" and "Grotesquely Hypocritical" for Not Caring about Chickens

According to a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which recently decried President Obama’s swatting of a fly during an interview, the organization urges "compassion even for the smallest and least of animals," but has no position on the killing of unborn human beings. The spokesman told LifeSiteNews.com in an interview that it is "loathsome" and "grotesquely hypocritical" that pro-lifers oppose abortion, but are unconcerned about the mistreatment of chickens and other animals used in the food industry. LifeSiteNews

God "Rejoices" over Abortions, Says Episcopal Priestess

The Episcopal Church should clarify God's official position on abortion - at least so says a priestess of the church, who claims that a proposed rite for post-abortive women conflicts with church theology and that the Deity "rejoices" when women elect to abort their children. Rev. Nina Churchman wrote a letter to Episcopal Life Online expressing her outrage upon learning that her church has developed a healing rite for post-abortion women. Churchman said she "was sickened to discover that the rite for abortion is couched wholly in terms of sin and transgression. . . . Women should be able to mourn the loss of an aborted fetus without having to confess anything." LifeSiteNews

Stem Cell Surprise For Tissue Regeneration

Scientists working at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Embryology have overturned previous research that identified critical genes for making muscle stem cells. It turns out that the genes that make muscle stem cells in the embryo are surprisingly not needed in adult muscle stem cells to regenerate muscles after injury. The finding challenges the current course of research into muscular dystrophy, muscle injury, and regenerative medicine, which uses stem cells for healing tissues, and it favours using age-matched stem cells for therapy. Science Daily

Editor: I think this is saying they don't need embryonic stem cells, and that adult stem cells will do.

Extramarital Affairs, Like Sanford’s, Morally Taboo

Gallup's latest Values and Beliefs update shows that 92% of Americans say married men and women having an affair is morally wrong, garnering more opprobrium than any other moral issue tested in the poll. 56% say abortion and doctor-assisted suicide are wrong, beaten out by the cloning of animals -- at 63%! Gallup

The Collapse of Christian America—Live Webcast

Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, will present powerful new research as part of our first-ever live video webcast addressing the current spiritual state of our nation. Find out the reasons behind the collapse of Christianity in the Western world, then participate in a live chat with Britt Beemer, founder of America’s Research Group, and Ken following the webcast. America has more Christian resources and Bible colleges than ever in its history, yet the nation is on a spiritual downward spiral. What has happened? Why is the church not reaching the culture today as it has in the past? Get the full report on June 25 at 8:00 p.m. as Ken, in his dynamic style, recounts the secularization of American culture and explains why we are losing generations from the church—why, in fact, they are already gone! Don’t miss this free webcast. Mark your calendar and visit www.creationmuseum.org June 25 at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).

On Nixon Tapes, Ambivalence Over Abortion, Not Watergate

On Jan. 23, 1973, when the Supreme Court struck down laws criminalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, President Richard M. Nixon made no public statement. But privately, newly released tapes reveal, he expressed ambivalence. Nixon worried that greater access to abortions would foster “permissiveness,” and said that “it breaks the family.” But he also saw a need for abortion in some cases — like interracial pregnancies, he said. “There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white,” he told an aide [Chuck Colson], before adding, “Or a rape.” NY Times

Is There an “Ultimate Proof of Creation”?

We do not have to look for a specific scientific evidence to prove the Bible. Rather, the fact that science is possible at all demonstrates that the Christian worldview is true. Many Christians are under the mistaken impression that critics of the Bible would believe if only they had more evidence of the biblical God. But this just isn’t so. According to Romans 1:18–20, everyone has an innate knowledge of the God of creation. The problem isn't that people lack evidence; the problem is they “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” They deny what they know in their heart of hearts. The key to success in apologetics is not necessarily to give people more evidence, but to expose their suppressed knowledge of God. Answers in Genesis

Obama to Replace Bush’s Bioethics Panel

Members of the President’s Council on Bioethics were told by the White House last week that their services were no longer needed and were asked to cancel a planned meeting. The council was disbanded because it was designed by the Bush administration to be “a philosophically leaning advisory group” that favored discussion over developing a shared consensus. President Obama will appoint a new bioethics commission, one with a new mandate and that “offers practical policy options.” NY Times

Teens want more time with parents

It may be uncool to admit it, but more than half of New Zealand teenagers want to spend more time with their parents. Details of a survey of almost 10,000 students at 96 secondary schools, published to mark the start of Youth Week today, show that 54 per cent of students "sometimes" or "hardly ever" get enough time with their mothers. And 61 per cent, sometimes or hardly ever get enough time with their dads. New Zealand Herald

Religion and Science: Conflict or Harmony?

Jesus says the greatest commandment in the law is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” With all your mind! Boy, that doesn’t sound like faith and reason are disconnected. If you go back to Deuteronomy, the quote is, “With all your heart and all your strength and all your soul.” But Jesus adds the word “mind,” which I think we were supposed to notice. Faith and science are two ways of knowing. Science answers questions about “how”; faith answers questions about “why.” I like this description, which is not original to me, that basically if you are using both science and faith, you are reading both of the books that God gave us, the book of God’s words and the book of God’s works, mainly nature. Francis Collins

About One-in-Six Americans Are Baptist

Two of the largest Baptist denominations in the U.S. — the Southern Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. — will hold national meetings in late June. The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, finds that Baptists represent the largest Protestant denominational family in the U.S., making up about one-sixth (17.2%) of the total U.S. adult population. Pew Forum

For a perspective on where Baptists (American and Southern) stand on abortion, read the history of Baptists for Life.

Gospel fodder?

Are non-Christians merely "gospel fodder," or are they valuable in spite of their eternal state? Stand to Reason

Prayer request from Evelyn Stone, BFL Int'l Training Consultant

Evelyn's mother, is scheduled for a double bypass heart surgery at 8 AM this morning (Thursday). "Right now we are waiting to hear if it is possible to operate after passing two crisis last night. She had a heart attack on Sunday night that did severe damage and left few good options for treatment."

Is life its own worst enemy?

Stated briefly, the Gaia hypothesis is that life as an aggregate interacts with the physical environment in such a way that it not only keeps the Earth habitable but continually improves the conditions for life. It does this through a series of feedback systems similar to biological homeostasis, the mechanism by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment. Those aspects that most affect the habitability of the planet - temperature, the chemical composition of the oceans and fresh water, and the make-up of the atmosphere - are not just influenced by life, they are controlled by it. New Scientist

Focus on rule of law, principles

The key to civil dialogue is found in two basic principles, which must be affirmed by proponents of both the pro-life and pro-choice positions. The first principle is respect for the rule of law. This means acknowledging that no one has the right to usurp the rule of law and use violence to further your cause or to harm your opponents. The second basic principle is to focus on the positions they espouse, not on the people they oppose. Demonization of one's opponents poisons the wells of reason and reconciliation and leads to hostility, bitterness and violence. Pro-life and pro-choice advocates both need to repent of attacking their opponents' motives and character. Richard Land

Clarke Forsythe Publishes Landmark Pro-Life Book

Americans United for Life is pleased to announce the publication of AUL Senior Counsel Clarke Forsythe’s book, Politics for the Greatest Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square, released by InterVarsity Press this month. The book seeks to instill confidence in legislators, policy groups, and voters that a prudential approach to public policy—striving for the greatest good possible when the ideal cannot be immediately achieved—is both moral and effective. This approach leads to a renewed long-term strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade. AUL

Suspect in abortion doctor killing had ties to extremist 'church'

With federal authorities now investigating the recent assassination of Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider in Kansas, new information is emerging about ties between the anti-abortion activist charged with the crime and extremist groups. This weekend the Kansas City Star reported that suspect Scott Roeder was affiliated with the Embassy of Heaven Church, which the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as a "sovereign citizens" group that sells fake passports and other documents to its members, who do not recognize the authority of the U.S. government. Institute for Southern Studies

Be'ad Chaim: Pro-life ministry in the Holy Land

Sandy Shoshani directs Be'ad Chaim, a pro-life ministry in the Holy Land: "Please pray for each of our counselors and staff. Pray especially for our new offices in Rishon L’Zion and Kfar Saba! Pray for our Nazareth office to 'get off the ground.' We now have counselors in: Jerusalem, Beersheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Rishon L’Zion, Kfar Saba, Kiryat Yam (Haifa area), Acco, Tiberius and Nazareth. Pray for expansion and exposure of our work in each of these cities. Pray for wise and efficient advertising and outreach."

If you'd like to pray for other pro-life ministries, look for weekly requests listed in the right-hand side bar of our PCC List blog.

Sex Education “Has Absolutely No Place” in Indian Schools

The Indian government has rejected western-style sex education programs, saying they do nothing to solve the problem of teenage pregnancy but only exacerbate the problem by promoting sexual promiscuity. The program had been touted as a means of preventing the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Materials for teachers and facilitators in India included explicit details about “alternative methods” of sex. According to the government, the curriculum prepared with material from UNICEF, had “shocked the consciences” of the country and was described as “quite frightening.” If implemented, the report said, it would “promote promiscuity of the worst kind.” LifeSiteNews

Making abstinence relevant to teens

Until teens have the opportunity to interact with the subject, they will not own the material. Inviting questions and engaging dialogue is the most powerful method of persuading teens. ATC archives

Early Christians and Abortion

With the exception of one author who wrote at length on the subject, early Christian writings do not discuss abortion in depth but merely state in a few words or phrases that it was forbidden to Christians. Most of the authors of the period do not touch on the subject but those who did considered it among the worst of sins. LifeSiteNews

Holocaust Museum Shooter a Socialist who Hated Christianity, Conservatives, Jews

The online ravings of the man who shot and killed a security guard in Washington’s Holocaust Memorial Museum on June 10th show that he does not fit the description of the “right wing” or “conservative Christian” extremist that has been portrayed in the liberal mainstream media since the shooting. LifeSiteNews, Politico

What does this say about our values?

According to a 2002 report, one man was fined $2,500 for taking paddlefish eggs out of the state of Oklahoma. In addition to the fine, the individual could have spent 450 days in jail for smuggling the eggs. Felony violations involving the destruction of various endangered species and their eggs, according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act can amount to as much as $250,000 in fees for individuals and $500,000 for corporations and up to six months in prison. A violation of the Eagle Act can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment of up to one year. Penalties for subsequent offenses are significantly higher. . . . Consider the case of the five Arizona police officers who are currently on paid leave because a criminal probe is being conducted following the flushing of a preborn child down a toilet. American Life League

Documentary Explores Debate over Stem-Cell Research

A new documentary from The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network addresses the controversy over life-destroying embryonic stem-cell research versus ethical, adult stem-cell research. In Lines That Divide, prominent scientists from both sides of the debate discuss the details surrounding modern-day research. CitizenLink, DVD

Sotomayor: Never thought about rights of unborn

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) says he had a "good meeting" with Judge Sonia Sotomayor on Wednesday that covered a broad range of issues, but none of his concerns about the high court nominee were eased. "When I asked if an unborn child has any rights whatsoever, I was surprised that she said she had never thought about it," he says. "This is not just a question about abortion, but about respect due to human life at all stages -- and I hope this is cleared up in her hearings." OneNewsNow

Get to Know: BFL's history

Ever wonder about the origins of Baptists for Life? Curious about where Baptists have historically stood on the issue of abortion? Read BFL Before 1984 . . . the year of our formation.

30 Days for Life

A prayer devotional from the National Pro-life Religious Council.

Get to Know: Men's Fraternity

Men's Fraternity is a series of three one-year-long studies, beginning with The Quest for Authentic Manhood, followed by Winning at Work and Home, and ends with The Great Adventure. Men's Fraternity provides men with an encouraging process that teaches them how to live lives of authentic manhood as modeled by Jesus Christ and directed by the Word of God.

Family Breakdown in Canada Costs $7 Billion Annually

The Institute of Marriage and Family Canada released new research on the cost of family breakdown. The in-depth, quantitative assessment examines the links between broken homes and poverty alleviation measures. Consistently, not only in Canada but in all developed nations, lone parent households are more likely to live in poverty. “Certainly the main concern around family breakdown is the emotional toll,” say the authors. “But the fiscal costs are evident, and those can be more readily measured.” They find that cost to be close to $7 billion annually. If family breakdown decreased by half, a conservative estimate of savings is close to $2 billion annually. LifeSiteNews, PDF file of the report

• Sexual diseases in children rise
• Kids Born to Unwed Moms Hit Record High
• Teens: Oral Sex and Casual Prostitution No Biggie

It's So Personal

A round-up of late-term abortion testimonials. Daily Dish

Reflection: Lessons From the Fall

Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Without it, we can’t even begin to understand the darkness that blankets the earth. With it, we can catch a glimpse of the light, which shines in the darkness. Answers in Genesis

Reflection on Tiller's murder

‘We should never confuse the enemy with the harvest.’ The enemy is Satan. Our neighbors who disagree with us may be deceived by him, but they are not the enemy. They are the harvest. Christ died for them. Christian Medical & Dental Association

Related news:

• Tiller's Clinic to Close Permanently
• Abortion Activists Forget George Tiller Killed, Injured Women in Botched Abortions
• Biggest Danger From the Killing of George Tiller
• Common Ground on Late-Term Abortion: Anguish

Abortion & reincarnation

The idea that it begins at conception always seemed rather arbitrary to me. And I also suspect that this life is not our only shot. . . . I think it’s . . . likely that when a pregnancy is terminated, that soul is simply born to a different mother. I don’t deny that terminating a pregnancy can be a mournful event for a mother and a family. But I’m not so sure that it’s a devastating event for the unborn child. And I don’t see why pro-life folks are so sure about this. Daily Dish

Planned Parenthood's renovation includes better security

Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan celebrated completion of a $2.4 million expansion and renovation project with an open house for invited guests. The project at the facility in Kalamazoo was funded through a $4.6 million capital campaign that exceeded its goal by $100,000. Kalamazoo Gazette

Stopp Planned Parenthood notes that pictures of the renovated facility reveal three stained glass windows inscribed with the words Life, Choice and Hope. "How ironic that they proclaim 'Life' in the first panel, and 'Choice' – their code word for killing innocent babies – on the next. The last panel appears to signal arrival at a totally illogical conclusion: Killing little innocent preborn babies somehow leads to 'Hope.'"

Meanwhile, Alternatives Women's Care Center (which I believe is right across the street from this PP facility) struggles to pay off a balloon payment. They've been given an extension, but could have really used the extra $100,000 that PP didn't need.

LIFT Caregiver Summit: October 24

The 2009 LIFT Caregiver Summit will be held Saturday, October 24, at Grandville Bible Church in Grandville, MI. It will feature Rev. Ray Paget speaking on grief recovery and mourning, along with helpful workshops, networking opportunities, and resources. The cost is $25/person ($40/couple) and includes lunch and materials. To learn more, email Sharlene.

Love makes suffering bearable

Colin Harte, director of the UK anti-euthanasia group ALERT, addressed the question of suffering head-on at the 2nd International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. "Once suicide is considered a legitimate option . . . words of hope lose their power - because death itself is seen as a means of liberation, the means of satisfaction. Death is regarded as the source of hope." If assisted suicide is legal, it makes the caregiver's job nearly impossible. "I would [be] regarded as being cruel . . . to encourage [a hopeless, suffering person] to live. Once you have a law allowing the so-called 'compassionate choice' to die, if you want to emphasize another option which is going to involve suffering, you are suddenly becoming the person who is not compassionate, who is inflicting suffering. We live in a ... world today where those who give up the fight are called tenacious, and those who abandon their use of free will by killing themselves somehow achieve an independence. It's madness!" said Harte. "We should be able to say plainly: it's mad. It's absurd." LifeSiteNews

More from the woman who calls abortion a blessing

The idea that abortion kills a child, Katherine Ragsdale contends, reflects parental hopes and dreams for the child-to-be, not the reality of what the zygote or fetus actually is. (It is, in her words, "proleptic," a theological term for anticipated realities that come to be treated as extant in the here and now.) When pro-choice forces signal their partial acceptance of the abortion-as-child-murder idea — which they do when they speak of the "tragedy" of abortion — they may be motivated by political concerns, or by a desire to be respectful and conciliatory. But in the process, they're ceding precious intellectual ground to abortion opponents, and backing themselves into a tactical corner: how, after all, can you effectively defend something for which you're simultaneously apologizing? What's more, they're also increasing the likelihood that women who do choose to have abortions will spend their lives tormented by needless guilt. "I suppose it's possible for an intelligent, faithful person to still believe that there's no moral difference between a zygote and a baby," Ragsdale allows. "But there's no reason for most of us to believe that. And I don't." The Phoenix

Tiller's missing excommunication

As soon as the terrible news about Tiller’s murder hit the wire, many bloggers and liberal pundits noted that Tiller’s active church membership was at odds with the stereotype of how abortion and religion are related. It didn’t take long for that same meme to make it to the mainstream media stories. What none of these stories have explained is that Tiller had previously been excommunicated by a Lutheran congregation on account of his lack of repentance about and refusal to stop his occupation. That Lutheran congregation was a member of my church body, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Get Religion

Family Breakdown in Canada Costs $7 Billion Annually

The Institute of Marriage and Family Canada released new research yesterday on the cost of family breakdown in Canada at a briefing on Parliament Hill. The in-depth, quantitative assessment examines the links between broken homes and poverty alleviation measures. Consistently, not only in Canada but in all developed nations — lone parent households are more likely to live in poverty. “Certainly the main concern around family breakdown is the emotional toll,” say the authors. “But the fiscal costs are evident, and those can be more readily measured.” They find that cost to be close to $7 billion annually. If family breakdown decreased by half, a conservative estimate of savings is close to $2 billion annually. LifeSiteNews, PDF file of the report

With abortionist dead, do conservatives share blame?

With the murder Sunday (May 31) of Dr. George Tiller, one of the nation's few late-term abortion doctors, supporters of abortion rights are questioning whether there is a connection between his death and the rhetoric of the anti-abortion movement. More to the point, would Tiller have been a victim if anti-abortion groups had not made him so prominent? Pew Forum

Editor: Another question might be, to what extent have pro-life ministries -- such as pregnancy care center -- diffused some of the restless tension inherent in the debate by offering pro-life people a constructive, humane outlet for their beliefs?

Get to know: The National Pro-life Religious Council

The NPRC is a Christian coalition which acknowledges Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and works to encourage every Christian denomination to affirm and sitness to the biblical standard of the value, dignity, and sanctity of human life, and to foster ministry to those vulnerable to the violence of abortion or euthanasia. Members include: Anglicans for Life, Lutherans for Life, Presbyterians Pro-Life, Priests for Life, the Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality, and United Friends for Life.

Let’s Get our Facts Straight about Tiller and Anti-Abortion Violence

Pro-lifers should indeed condemn the murder of George Tiller. But we should not play permanent defense as the nonsense snowballs and the unfair attacks against the pro-life movement multiply. Here are some facts that should be taken into consideration by all people of good will, especially those whose responsibility it is to report on this story. LifeSiteNews, AbortionViolence.com

• A Good Journalist May Be Hard to Find, But Not a Late-Term Abortionist
• 49 million to five
• O'Reilly: The Killing of George Tiller

International Euthanasia Symposium Stresses Triumph of Love over Suffering

Alison Davis of No Less Human, who suffers from spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and multiple other disabilities, said, "When the pain is bad, what I need is not to be told I'm burdensome and it's my choice whether I want to live or die, and that perhaps I would be better off dead. What I need is to be surrounded by people who tell me, yes, my life does have value, and I'm not burdensome. . . . They can't take the pain away, but sometimes it's not the pain that hurts the most, it's the fear of being abandoned." Her assistant and the director of the anti-euthanasia group ALERT, Colin Harte, criticized the euthanasia movement for being rooted in a deep fear of both experiencing and witnessing suffering, and said the "secret of love" is often revealed by suffering. "By walking with those of suffering, the effect on us can be profound. It's wrong to see suffering . . . as the complete absence of joy or meaning." LifeSiteNews

Editor: Actually, love is only revealed by suffering.

“Obsessional” Fear of Suffering Ushering in Euthanasia Culture

Bioethicist Wesley J. Smith warns that a culture that seeks to escape suffering and inconvenience at all costs will end by eliminating not only pain, but by ending the lives of those suffering or whose condition burden their families. Noting that we live in a time of medical advances where people don't have to die in agony, yet people push for euthanasia. Why? Because health has become the greatest good. "If we're going to defeat euthanasia and assisted suicide, we're going to have to recognize that for a lot of people, the principle of right and wrong don't matter anymore," said Smith. "What matters is making sure there isn't suffering. And that can lead to some very bad and dark places." LifeSiteNews

Christians in the UK Facing Increasing Official Discrimination

A poll conducted by the Sunday Telegraph has found that thousands of Christians in Britain fear losing job promotions and are being harassed at work because of their religious beliefs. In recent months and years nurses, public officials, charity workers, foster parents and potential adoptive parents, policemen, teachers, and even school children in the U.K. have been sacked and threatened with legal action and job discipline for expressing their religious convictions. LifeSiteNews

Christians in the UK Facing Increasing Official Discrimination

A poll conducted by the Sunday Telegraph has found that thousands of Christians in Britain fear losing job promotions and are being harassed at work because of their religious beliefs. In recent months and years nurses, public officials, charity workers, foster parents and potential adoptive parents, policemen, teachers, and even school children in the U.K. have been sacked and threatened with legal action and job discipline for expressing their religious convictions. LifeSiteNews

Former SBC officer says Tiller murder answer to prayer

While most pro-life leaders condemned the May 31 murder of a controversial abortion provider inside his Wichita, Kan., church, one former Southern Baptist Convention official called it an answer to prayer. Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif., called Tiller "a brutal, murdering monster" and said he is "grateful to God" that the physician is no longer around. Drake said he prayed nearly 10 years for the salvation of Tiller, medical director of the Women's Health Care Services clinic and an outspoken advocate for abortion rights. About a year ago, Drake said, he switched to what he called "imprecatory prayer." Associated Baptist Press

Editor: He must not have read The Struggle Against Abortion: Why the Use of Lethal Force is Not Morally Justifiable.

The Struggle Against Abortion: Why the Use of Lethal Force is Not Morally Justifiable

After a spate of violence against abortion providers in the early 1990s, as president of the then-Christian Life Commission, Richard Land convened a group of Southern Baptist ethicists and theologians who issued a statement in September 1994, which has become known as the Nashville Declaration of Conscience, that condemned the killing of abortion providers. The statement not only outlines why lethal force is not morally justified, but also succinctly and biblically lays out why each human life is sacred. Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, PDF file

Editor: Here's an answer to Frank Schaeffer (below).

Climate of hate, world of double standards

When a right-wing Christian vigilante kills, millions of fingers pull the trigger. When a left-wing Muslim vigilante kills, he kills alone. These are the instantly ossifying narratives in the Sunday shooting death of late-term abortion provider George Tiller of Kansas versus the Monday shootings of two Arkansas military recruiters. JWR

Frank Schaeffer blames religious right for Tiller's murder

In a Huffington Post column titled "How I (and Other 'Pro-Life' Leaders) Contributed to Dr. Tiller's Murder," evangelical leader (sic) Frank Schaeffer apologized for his involvement with the "hate-filled rhetoric" he associated with the "religious right." "The same hate machine I was part of is still attacking all abortionists as 'murderers,'" wrote Schaeffer this week. "And today once again the 'pro-life' leaders are busy ducking their personal responsibility for people acting on their words. The people who stir up the fringe never take responsibility. But I'd like to say on this day after a man was murdered in cold blood for performing abortions that I -- and the people I worked with in the religious right, the Republican Party, the pro-life movement and the Roman Catholic Church, all contributed to this killing by our foolish and incendiary words." LifeSiteNews

Editor: In the column, Frank repeatedly says "Roe went too far," implying that if Roe had only allowed first trimester abortions, none of this would have happened. Well, duh! If that were the case, Tiller wouldn't have stood out for doing late-term abortions and, therefore, he probably wouldn't have been shot. But Frank's premise is wrong. Roe does allow states to limit abortions, but so far none have, with the exception of a certain late-term abortion method. The reason for that is the intransigence of the "pro-choice" movement.

Darwinism and brainwashing

The Bible warns us about mind controllers “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). To what extent have the mind controllers of this age influenced you and your family concerning the creation/evolution question? Answers in Genesis

The Weekend Cleanup: Gruesome Aftermath of Legalized Euthanasia in Belgium

The actual practice of euthanasia in Belgium disregards the "safeguards" attached to the law. "We have a huge problem with lawlessness," pro-life campaigner Lionel Roosemont said. He claimed that the law is commonly transgressed "without there being any consequences." The problem with us is that it's almost become a law [to disregard the safeguards]," said Roosemont. While the loose application of euthanasia restrictions is widely known among Belgians, the true depth of abuse is little understood. One such abuse he claimed occurs routinely is the administration of lethal drugs at one Belgian hospital to elderly, seriously ill patients - known as the "weekend cleanup" - as described by a nurse who worked there. Because the subject is still taboo in Belgium, indifference is widespread. "The subject is taboo in Belgium. Main reason: the law has been voted [upon]. So many people have become accomplices of killing, or helping, at least approving, so you don't talk about that - and the moment someone starts talking about that, most people start to protect themselves." LifeSiteNews

New Surprising Results on Abortion and Religiosity

Unwed pregnant teens and 20-somethings who attend or have graduated from private religious schools are more likely to obtain abortions than their peers from public schools, according to research in the June issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. . . . Conservative Protestants were the least likely to report having an abortion, less likely than mainline Protestants, Catholics and women with non-Christian religious affiliations. . . . Women who attended school with conservative Protestants were more likely to decide to have an extramarital baby in their 20s than in their teenage years. LiveScience, LifeNews

Murder in Wichita

The timing could not be worse for the anti-abortion movement. Just last month, the Gallup Poll reported that 51 percent of Americans now call themselves pro-life rather than pro-choice on the issue of abortion. This murder occurred as the anti-abortion message seems to be resonating with the public, even if it does not necessarily prevail in court. JWR

• The role of Tiller's pastors
• Recollections of a Taxi Cab Ride with Tiller
• Suspected Shooter Scott Roeder Not Charged Monday
• KS Gov. Parkinson: Abortion rhetoric not helpful in wake of shooting
• Family shares accused killer's mental health history
• Carhart will run Tiller's clinic
• Marshals protecting Colorado abortion doctor
• Alleged shooter not a member of Operation Rescue
• More pro-life reaction

News, reaction to abortion doctor's slaying

Tiller, a former Navy flight surgeon, assumed his father's family practice in Wichita. He had said he learned that his father had performed abortions when one of his patients asked if he would continue the practice. Tiller said he was surprised his father had risked his medical license by performing the procedure. He began performing abortions after the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade permitted the practice. "Prenatal testing without prenatal choices is medical fraud," Tiller once said. Washington Post

Pro-Life Groups Soundly Condemn Murder of George Tiller
Baptists for Life's statement on violence against abortion providers
40 Days for Life denounces slaying of George Tiller
FRC Condemns the Murder of George Tiller
Abortion Groups Falsely Blame Pro-Life Movement for Tiller's Death
Abortion Advocates Attack Pro-Life People After Tiller Murder
Statement by George Tiller's Family
Attorney General Directs U.S. Marshals to Protect Abortion Providers After Murder
Kan. abortion doc killed in church; suspect held
Slain Kan. abortion provider's clinic closed
Demand: Root out pro-life 'terrorists,' 'Bringing killer to justice not enough'
WHY KILLING ABORTIONISTS IS IMMORAL & STUPID
'Wicked Deed'

Tiller Shooting Suspect Caught, No Connection With Pro-Life Groups

Authorities have apprehended a Kansas man suspected of killing late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller on Sunday morning at his church. Police have identified the man as 51-year-old Scott Roeder of Merriam, Kansas, and he has been detained but has not yet been officially charged. Roeder appears to have an affiliation with extremist political groups but not with the mainstream pro-life movement. LifeNews

Baptists for Life's response to the murder of George Tiller

Baptists for Life developed this position paper on violence against abortion providers a decade or more ago, and it continues to be our policy today.

Baptists for Life in no way endorses or encourages violence against abortion providers. In that, we join pro-life organizations across the country and around the world. Responsible pro-life people have been working for years to combat abortion through peaceful, lawful means. Many have undertaken to reach out to abortion providers, offering them courtesy and the love of Christ.