Premarital Sex and Abortion: Where is the Church?

Sara (not her real name) was in our office for a pregnancy test and ultrasound. Her test was positive and Sara was not very happy because she did not want to be pregnant. Twenty-one years old, she had one previous abortion and was strongly considering another. When asked how she was handling her first abortion, Sara made a comment which has been haunting us ever since: “I am doing good, mostly because of the support I have gotten from my church.” She was sure they would be there for her again this time, providing the approval and assurance that she needed to proceed.

I am hoping we misunderstood what Sara was actually trying to say. I also realize that people often hear what they want to hear. Perhaps they were just reaching out to her with love after the abortion to help her find healing (which should be the response of God’s people!) However, her impression was that her church supported her decision to abort, and, therefore, as a believer, she felt no guilt.

Statistics show that the abortion rate is really no different for Christians than it is for those of other faiths or those who don’t attend church at all! The same is true for pre-marital sex. Over 95% of the women who come to us at the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling are single and sexually active, and 55% claim to have Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Some admit that they are living a sinful life which they know is displeasing to God, but the vast majority have not made that connection at all! They see no contradiction between their sexual activity and their faith.

A growing number also see no connection between aborting their child and their relationship with God. Just this week, a young woman who attended church and claimed to be a believer stated that her abortion was okay because God would forgive her. When her advocate reminded  her that God forgives, but there are consequences for our sinful actions, she became very angry and accused the volunteer of being judgmental.  Perhaps her church has been afraid of the same reaction and been holding back on teaching the sometimes hard truth of the Scriptures. Right and wrong have been watered down in a sea of overemphasis on love and acceptance.

Growing up, I was taught that I should mind my own business and never appear judgmental. It seems like the church today has accepted this philosophy as its mantra. It is true that Scripture is full of exhortations against judging others, but it is also full of absolutes of right and wrong. Many of the young women we see have been raised in the church; however, the church has failed them. Surrounded by a culture which has taught them to find happiness in one sexual encounter after another, they now face the harsh reality of an unplanned pregnancy and the ravages of sexually transmitted diseases. And the one place that should have loved them enough to warn them failed to do so. (Actually, their parents failed them as well!)

We have a team of speakers that go out into the schools to encourage young people to respect themselves and to safeguard their education and their future by saving sex for marriage.  Beginning in the fall, we will be adding a program which will focus on African-American youth and teach them why marriage is the best option for them and their children.  Couples who have been married for many years will come and speak to the classes, giving them a living example of how it could be for them as well.

We have a measure of success with our school outreach; however, if the same message is not repeated at home and from the pulpit we will have very little chance of real change. What good does it do for us at the Center to share God’s Word concerning saving sex for marriage or the sanctity of life if they do not hear the same message from their pastor? After all, who are we? What official credentials do we hold?

Our world is at a critical juncture; more children are born into single parent homes every year, which also translates to higher and higher rates of child poverty. STD’s are raging out of control. And, even though there has been a lot of good news legislatively, the abortion rate is still way too high. Again I ask: WHERE IS THE CHURCH?

Keeping it true!  Barb

Shutting Down Abortion in Kansas: What are Women’s Rights Groups Really Concerned About?

Wouldn’t you think women’s rights groups would be concerned about the safety and welfare of.. well… women? I mean isn’t that why they exist, to protect the half of the human race that is female from discrimination and things like shoddy medical practices? For instance, if it was known that certain clinics that primarily cater to women were providing sub-standard, unsanitary care, and that one doctor even bragged that he could perform procedures “in 2 minutes or less,” shuttling women in and out as quickly as possibly (quality care be damned!) don’t you think there might be a protest? I might be inclined to think that organizations who declare to be the protectors of “women’s rights” would stand up and protest this type of disrespectful and dangerous treatment. However, I would be wrong.

In this last year a lot of pretty disgraceful and appalling things have surfaced concerning the abortion industry around the country. Health inspectors in the state of Pennsylvania had not set foot in certain abortion clinics in over 20 years resulting in houses of horror with unsanitary, blood-soaked beds, un-trained personnel performing medical duties, and jars filled with dead babies (some over 30 weeks old!) Abortionists were playing games with authorities, beginning abortions in one state and caravaning to another to complete the grisly procedure (with no regard for the welfare of patients!)

And then, Lila Rose and Live Action went undercover at Planned Parenthoods all over the country and spoke with many PP Directors who were willing to turn a blind eye to underaged girls with overaged boyfriends, a clear violation of both the law and common decency!  (Obviously, sexual predators don’t bother them in the least.) And, then, they were more than eager to welcome in a pimp, with promises that (wink, wink) their underaged sex slaves would be taken care of with no problem or any questions asked.  Who was there to protect these little girls?

During all of this, I never heard one single outcry from the “feminist” community.  They didn’t seem to mind the filth or violations of the law; the fact that young women were so scarred by their abortion that some died and others will never have another child; that sexual slavery was not only not reported but was winked at. No, their only outrage was at the effort by state governments to set regulations in place to prevent these atrocities from occurring.

Now that Kansas has replaced its pro-abortion governors with Sam Brownback, pro-life legislation is happening right and left. One new law states that abortion clinics must meet the same health and safety standards as other outpatient surgical centers. For instance, there must be an emergency door large enough to accommodate a gurney, and things such as proper emergency equipment and spaces for sterilizing surgical equipment. They must also be inspected every year and obtain an annual license.

Well, the hue and cry has finally come from women’s organizations! An attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, told AP, “If you look at the process, it’s hard to come to any conclusion other than it’s stacked against the (abortion) providers. The process here is so extreme it’s absurd.” Is that so? Would you have an outpatient procedure done in a clinic that had not been approved and licensed by the state? A place that had no regulation at all concerning safety or sanitary conditions? I know I wouldn’t. And yet, young women, most of them filled with shame and embarrassment, are shuffled through these filthy places all the time, and, until now, nobody really cared.

The Kansas abortion clinics apparently have had a reputation for squalid conditions for years. Complaints have poured in, but nothing had ever been done because bills got stalled and vetoed on the governor’s desk. And, not surprisingly, when inspection time came this week, one of the three Kansas abortion clinics was closed and the other two are fighting to keep the inspectors out. The latest news is that two abortionists (a father-daughter combo, no less!) have filed a federal lawsuit to attempt to stop the law from going into effect on Friday. If they are not successful, their clinic in Overland Park will be forced to close its doors.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court has already found a similar law in South Carolina to be constitutional, and it has been in effect for 10 years! In fact, the law in South Carolina is considered even more stringent than the one in Kansas. However, that does not mean that the U.S. District Court will do what it should and uphold the restrictions. It seems like liberal judges can always be found to keep abortion restrictions from taking place.

The question remains: why do groups that declare they exist to protect women’s rights so willing to support an industry with such blatant disregard for health and safety? Shouldn’t they be demanding more protection, not less? All the shouting from that side has been to cry foul; that this is just a ploy to stop abortion. I would reply that all I’ve seen from them is a fanatical effort to secure every abortion, no matter how dangerous or unsanitary. The harsh reality is that as long as the baby dies, they don’t really care what happens to the woman!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Fannie’s Story- “My Baby is Here Today Because of the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling”

(This blog is one that was originally posted late in February, with an updated note at the end. I will have a new one tomorrow, but had to spend most of today traveling. Thank you for your indulgence and faithfulness!)

Fannie had just been through a very rough time in her life. Late in 2009, her first baby was born three months early. She spent weeks with him in the hospital, hoping he would make it through okay.

Her baby’s father had not been very supportive. He had been in and out of jail and only bothered to show up when he felt like it. It also looked like he was not going to provide any support for her and her son.

In June of 2010, Fannie was just starting to get back on her feet. Her baby was doing pretty well, but he still got her up at night. It was tough to be a single mom and do it all alone. Thank goodness her family was supportive. Sometimes she thought that was the only way she would make it.

Then Fannie found out that she was pregnant. She could barely handle the news! Both her baby’s father and her new boyfriend (the father of her unborn child) were in jail. The bad memories of her son’s premature birth were still too fresh. Plus, she was so tired!

Fannie had never been in favor of abortion. However, in her desperation, she called Planned Parenthood. They told her that she could take a pill to cause her to abort if she was still under nine weeks. However, she would have to get an ultrasound to find out exactly how far along she was.

Fannie did not go to Planned Parenthood for her ultrasound, because they would have charged her for it. Instead, a nurse at her doctor’s office told her about the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling, and that they did free ultrasounds. So, Fannie made an appointment on June 2, 2010 and came in.

It was immediately apparent that Fannie was very upset. She clearly didn’t want to abort her baby, but she was so overwhelmed. She had resolved that abortion was the only option available to her.

Then came the ultrasound. To put it in Fannie’s own words: “I knew for sure what I was going to do, but when they showed me the ultrasound screen I thought, ‘Now why did they have to do that?’ I started to think differently about things.”

The ultrasound showed a perfectly developed baby that was 8 weeks and 6 days in development. Just one more day and Fannie would be too late for the abortion pill. That didn’t matter anyway: Fannie was already convinced that she couldn’t abort. The strong heartbeat and little arms and legs changed her mind.

Her 2nd son was born on December 23, 2010. He was a few weeks early, but not premature like her first son. Today he is a happy, healthy, smiling, cooing little boy. He and his brother are the lights of Fannie’s life.

I went with Fannie to tape her story for our upcoming banquet, which was held on Thursday, March 3, 2011. It was inspiring to hear her tell her story, as well as to see the love in her eyes for her little boy. Her story is filled with gratitude that she was spared from making the worst mistake of her life: destroying the life of her precious child. And her baby? Well, he couldn’t have been cuter!

(I am delighted to add that our banquet was a huge success. As a result, we have been able to double our hours. As a result we are quickly getting to the place where the number of women we are helping has almost doubled as well! If you have ever given to us or ever prayed, please know that any victories we have are shared with you as well. If you would like to become involved, please check us out at www.aaacpcpartners.com.)

Keeping it true!  Barb

Stopping Abortion in Jamaica With Love and Material Care!

In 2008, the pressure was on the legislature of the Caribbean country of Jamaica. The European Union, along with other international organizations and lobbyists, were putting great pressure upon them to legalize abortion. The reason? Rev. Ho Lung, the founder and director of the Catholic Missionaries of the Poor suggests, “Jamaica is particularly aimed at because we are the biggest English-speaking island in the Caribbean. If you get through Jamaica, you can get through the entire Caribbean region.”

Rev. Ho Lung and his group led the way in fighting this effort. They have been involved in pro-life work ever since two of their members found the bodies of aborted babies thrown in a garbage dump. With the new law pending, MOP (Missionaries of the Poor) took the battle to the streets. They organized pro-life breakfasts which were intended to educate the professional community in Jamaica with the truth about abortion. These were held weekly over a period of several months, eventually being spear-headed by the people themselves who expressed a desire to learn more!

In a survey taken in 2009, 67%  percent of the Jamaican people said they opposed abortion. Only 15% were in favor and another 18% were ambivalent. Reverend Ho Lung presented these findings to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament, demanding they listen to the people! Wonderfully, following debate the entire abortion issue was put aside.

However, that same committee of Parliament asked the Reverend a question which set some other things in motion; they asked him, “what is your answer to the abortion issue?” His answer was much like the response which has occurred all over America: he and his organization are building a center to help pregnant mothers receive support, encouragement and the material assistance they need!

This location, called Holy Innocents Women in Crisis Center, will open in December of this year. However, pregnant women and girls are already receiving the help they need. The medical center has volunteer doctors and nurses who provide counseling and medical support. Housing is provided, along with a day-care center for those that need it. They are doing all they know to not just tell women to not abort, but to provide for those needs which would push them to make that decision.

Despite what the pro-abortion forces might claim, this is what is at the heart of all Pregnancy Centers. Yes, we want to stop women from having abortions; however, we want to do that in such a way that it eliminates her felt need to destroy her child in the first place. At the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling, our stated purpose is to “erase the need for abortion” (hence the title of this blog.) Most women just need to know that they are not alone and that their financial, physical, medical and emotional needs will be met. After we love and care for them at our office, we help them find the community resources that they need.

Thank you, Rev. Ho Lung and MOP, for what you are doing for women in Jamaica. Abortion only hurts everyone involved; it never helps or provides any answers. We need to pray for them, as I’m sure the enemy is not finished trying to destroy Jamaican babies. In the meantime, we are grateful for all that has been done and for this fine example for us to follow!

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Disturbing Case of Nicola Riley: The League of Underground (and Dangerous) Abortionists

On August 19, 2010, an 18-year-old girl entered the doors of AWS, the abortion clinic run by Steven C. Brigham in Voorhees, New Jersey. At that time, Brigham (I refuse to call him doctor) was licensed to perform medicine in that state. When the ultrasound was done, it was discovered that this girl (lets call her Jamie) was 21 weeks pregnant.

Because of abortion restrictions in New Jersey, Brigham was making it a practice to do later term abortions (like Jamie’s) in a convoluted and illegal manner: he would begin the process in New Jersey and complete them in Maryland, where the laws were a little more lax. Now there are many problems and illegalities with this system (not to mention the danger for the women involved.) However, one big problem for Mr. Brigham was that he was not licensed to “practice medicine” in Maryland.

This is where a woman named Nicola Riley comes into the picture. Ms. Riley was a licensed physician who was traveling around the country (primarily Maryland, Wyoming, Virginia and Utah) performing later-term abortions. However, her past was threatening to catch up to her.  Obviously a bright person, she attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. However, she pled “no contest” to a charge of accessory to commit fraud (a felony charge) and served a year in prison before receiving a dishonorable discharge.

After her release from prison, Ms. Riley returned to school and obtained a medical degree from the University of Utah in 2002. Here is where more trouble began. Records show that she failed step one of the  Medical Licensing Exam three times, and then barely passing on the 4th.  As Operation Rescue President, Troy Newman put it: “In Riley, we are looking at a convicted felon who barely is qualified to practice medicine. It is not surprising that she became an abortionist. She may not have possessed the competency of any higher calling.” To make matters worse, she lied on her medical license applications in 3 states by misrepresenting her felony charge and subsequent imprisonment.

But, let’s get back to our story about Jamie, our 21-week pregnant woman seeking an abortion. She returned to Brigham’s New Jersey office on August 12, 2010. During that appointment, Brigham began the abortion process by inserting some sponge type strands called laminaria into her cervix. (The lamanaria expands as it dampens, causing a gradual opening of the cervix.) She was then sent home and told to return the next day.

Upon returning, Jamie was given two pills to induce contractions. She was then surprised to learn that she was expected to travel in her own vehicle to another location where the abortion would be completed (since she had been led to believe the transportation would be provided.) Brigham had Jamie and two other abortion patients form a line of cars and follow him to the location for the abortions to be completed.  This turned out to be the town of Elkton, Maryland.

Since Mr. Brigham was not allowed to practice any type of medicine in Maryland, he hired Ms. Riley to provide the legal hands necessary to complete the death of these late-term babies. After sitting in the waiting room while another abortion was carried out, Jamie was taken to an exam room and given several anesthetic medications; however, no intravenous line was placed in her arm. Then, the abortion surgery, called a dilation and evacuation, began.

It was soon obvious that things were not proceeding as they should. Jamie was bleeding profusely and unresponsive. Ms. Riley came out of the room and told Jamie’s mother and boyfriend that Jamie needed to go to the hospital. Panicked and concerned, they wanted to call an ambulance, but Ms. Riley refused. At first, she wanted to just wheel the unconscious and bleeding girl the two blocks to the hospital in a wheelchair. However, she ended up having her staff dress Jamie and put her in the back seat of her car to drive her there.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Ms. Riley and Brigham were hesitant to tell the emergency crew who they were and what had occurred. Instead of allowing them to rush Jamie in for assistance, Ms. Riley insisted to speak with the emergency room physician. All the while, the poor girl was slumped over, unconscious and bleeding in the wheelchair.

When they were finally able to access her condition, it was discovered that Jamie had a ruptured uterus and that her bowel had possibly been perforated. There was blood and “retained fetal tissue” in her abdomen. Her condition was severe enough that she was rushed by helicopter to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where they were able to repair the damage.

Alerted and concerned because of the deplorable treatment which Jamie had received, the Elkton Police Department went to the abortion clinic a few days later to search for Jamie’s medical record, a document they were unable to find. However, they did discover a freezer which contained around 35 late-term babies, including the dismembered parts of Jamie’s child. The oldest of these bodies was 36 weeks old!  When the police went to the New Jersey office to find the records corresponding to these dead children, only two were able to be found.

To the credit of the state officials, it took less than a week for a Cease and Desist Order to be placed on Mr. Brigham’s abortion business. It focused on both the illegalities and the endangerment to patient’s health of crossing state lines to complete a surgical procedure, and Brigham performing “medicine” without a license.

Nicola Riley’s Maryland license was suspended as well. However, she merely returned to Utah where she continued to perform abortions just like nothing had ever happened. Thanks to Operation Rescue and others, the officials in Utah were made aware of both Ms. Riley’s actions and suspension in Maryland, along with the false basis on which she originally obtained her medial license. Just this year, she lost her medical license in Wyoming and Virginia as well (sadly, it was because of her lies and not her butchery, but at least she has been stopped!)

There are many disturbing factors about this story, but one that particularly troubles me is that the fact that most of the abortions done in this country are carried out by just a handful of men and women who travel from state to state. Grisly details have surfaced about many of them (see my blog of January 27, 2011, entitled “Four More Abortionists Face Charges.) The identity of those working at any specific clinic are deliberately kept quiet, making it easy for even those facing charges to continue their deadly trade.

Spurred on by Nicola Riley’s case, regulators in Utah are creating a searchable database so that the public can discover any disciplinary action being taken against physicians practicing in that state, even if it occurred elsewhere. What is called for is a national database! However, even if one existed, most young women seeking to have an abortion will either not have or will not seek access to such information. What is really needed is a nationwide effort to seek out these heartless butchers and put them where they belong: in jail! Safe and legal abortions indeed!

Keeping it true!  Barb

War on Women or Protection of Unborn Life?

 One reason why I don’t believe that the abortion battle will ever be resolved on this side of heaven is because the two sides see things from such totally different perspectives. Working at a pregnancy center, I can clearly see the desperate situation that many women face, especially with unplanned pregnancies. My heart breaks for young women, girls really, that find themselves expecting a child when they are barely out of childhood themselves. Plus, it breaks my heart to see women mired in poverty discovering that they will soon have one more mouth to feed.

However, it is my firm conviction that life begins at conception and that death is never an acceptable solution to any problems, no matter how overwhelming it seems.  The pro-lifers I know are caring and compassionate individuals that have a love and respect for all life, from the first heartbeat to the last. In spite of what some pro-abortions proponents might claim, the pregnancy center movement was born out a passion to help women to find solutions to an unintended pregnancy than don’t include the destruction of their child. At heart, we truly believe that no sane woman really wants to have an abortion.

Thanks for Jill Stanek, a blogger for LifeSiteNews.com, I watched a video this morning of a session which took place last week at the annual conference for Netroots Nation, a far left organization. This particular workshop was entitled, “Protecting reproductive rights in your state.” It was disturbing, as well as fascinating, to listen to the pro-abortion spin on all the pro-life legislation which has been passed on a state level in 2011. It was actually encouraging to hear Elizabeth Nash, a Public Policy Associate with the Guttmacher Institute state: “This is the worst year ever!”

(Even though this is not the purpose of this blog, let me recap this “best year ever” as far as I am concerned: 76 abortion restrictions have been passed so far this year, more than double any year in the past. This has taken place in 15 different states, which shows you how much further we need to go. Plus, several states have bills on their dockets yet to be voted on. Yes, it has been a great year indeed!)

What I found most interesting (and disturbing) was the rhetoric used in the conference. It was obvious that life in the womb held no meaning to this group whatsoever, at least not in comparison to the “rights” of women. To them, it was clearly an issue of women having the right to choose their own “reproductive destiny.” It was mentioned that they felt the states were meddling with the right of people to decide how they would form their families, and that this was a “war on women.”

Dispersions were cast upon the motives of state legislators, stating that their intent was not really to protect the unborn but to control women. There were even complaints that “anti-choice people” were attempting to prevent the elderly from making end of life choices about their deaths. Hints were made that pro-lifers believed that rape was a woman’s fault and that carrying handicapped babies was a “cruel punishment.”

So, is the abortion debate a war on women or is it a battle to save unborn lives?  I believe there are devoutly passionate people on both sides, the difference primarily focusing on one’s perspective on the sanctity of life.  The difficulty for pro-abortion proponents is that it is getting more and more difficult all the time to deny the humanity of life in the womb. A little person with fingers and toes and a beating heart isn’t easily passed off as a “clump of tissue.” Now that we can see into the dark uterine world, we know the truth. If it looks like a child and sucks its thumb like a child, how can we say it is not a child? It is no wonder that mandatory ultrasound bills are hated so vehemently.

Over and over in this session it was stated that women need to remain free to make voluntary choices about their reproduction, voluntary being the key word here. I would estimate that over 80% of the women we see that are considering abortion are doing so because they are being pressured by outside forces: either the father of the baby or their family. They feel abandoned and without support and are not sure what alternative they have.  Only a handful are determined to abort because it what they want.

Ironically, part of the intent of the new laws is to protect women who are being coerced and lied to. If abortion providers had not been deceiving women all along with terms such as “product of conception” and “clump of tissue,”  and if they did the responsible thing and showed women what they were actually aborting, states would not be forced to pass such laws. I cannot believe how many times I have seen women who were absolutely shocked by the humanity of their child on the ultrasound screen. Once a woman actually sees her baby that image alone changes her mind over 80% of the time. They claim we are using ultrasound to coerce women and cause guilt; I claim that they use ignorance to deceive women into making a choice they will regret for the rest of their lives.

This is a spiritual battle we are fighting! And, thank God, we are in a season where we are winning many strategic battles. However, political balance is a fragile thing; the climate could switch at the next election. A change of one vote at the Supreme Court level could transform everything!  This is why we need to pray and work and fight harder than ever before. Life at every level hangs in the balance. We are not waging a war on women: rather, we are fighting for their right to know the truth and to be prevented from making a tragic decision which will alter the course of their lives!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Embryonic Stem Cells: Dispensing False Hope?

I would have to imagine that a spinal cord injury would be one of the worst things that a person could ever experience, especially if one becomes paralyzed. Often people can live for many years with such a debilitating condition, but they are totally dependant on others for the care of even their most private daily activities. Such victims desperately grasp at any hope offered to them, no matter what the risk or danger involved.

If you have read this blog for any time at all you know my opinion of embryonic stem cell research. Not only do I vehemently oppose it because it requires the death of unborn life, but I have also seen overwhelmingly compelling evidence that adult stem cell research is not only more effective, but is also the safer route to go. Why are we wasting millions of research dollars on embryonic research when adult stem cell research is clearly the way to go?

Case in point is an article which was published in the July/August 2011 issue of Technology Review, entitled “Stem-Cell Gamble.” The subtitle reads “After years of controversy, a therapy based on human embryonic stem cells is finally being tested in humans. The treatment holds out hope to paralyzed people, but at how great a risk?”

The article begins by focusing on Hans Kierstead, a pioneer in the area of embryonic stem cell research. Everyday he scours the news for word on the human experiments being conducted by the biotechnology firm, Geron. These are the first tests which have been approved with embryonic cells on people. However, by his own admission, he is looking for bad news. He realizes that if these tests fail, embryonic research  will be severely set-back (not to mention what it will do to the patients!)

Mr. Keirstead (not sure if he is doctor or not) has a corner office in a new $67 million dollar research facility which was partly paid for by California voters. He was instrumental in convincing those same voters to pass the $3 billion embryonic stem-cell spending plan in 2004. A video made in his lab showing paralyzed rats walking after being injected with embryonic cells played a large part in this victory. (I’m not certain if they showed the rats that developed large, deadly tumors from the treatment, but I suspect not!)

The article starts off rather optimistic (although the best Kierstead can say about the human tests was, “I hope they work.”) However, it ends with a sobering history of the erratic nature of embryonic stem cells. As stated above, rats have developed deadly and bizarre tumors from embryonic cells. The tumors, called teratomas, were composed of “disorganized mixtures of tissues, such as teeth, hair and jawbone.”  These tumors were an indicator that the embryonic cells were “still attempting to carry out their original mission: to form an entire person.”

I find those words chilling, and yet I read them with a sense of awe! God created embryonic cells with a specific person: to create a new, unique human being. Yes, they grow rapidly and can differentiate into different body parts. However, they were not intended for the cannibalistic purpose of destroying one life to help another.  Even with modifications (which are too technical for me to explain) the scientists are holding their breath as they wait to see how these human guinea pigs respond to the embryonic cells which have been implanted in their spinal cord.  Even if short-term success is accomplished, these patients will receive 15 years of follow-up tests, since the instability in these cells threatens to get stronger over time.

My big question is WHY? Not once in this entire article was the subject of Adult Stem Cells and their overwhelming success in so many areas even broached. Success is already being seen in several paralytics with use of their own stem cells, which provide no danger of tumors or rejection! No one has to die so they can live. True, no one has yet been cured of paralysis with adult stem cells, but the hope of development in the near future exists!

I keep looking for a compelling argument that embryonic research holds some hope that adult research does not. I think I will stop, because such an argument does not exist. I am convinced that embryonic cells will never work with adults because they were not created for that purpose. (Even if they do, the research is still wrong!) Millions and millions will be spent for nothing!

On the other hand, adult stem cell research is incredibly exciting! How amazing is it that the cure for the human body may be hidden within our own cells; that new hearts and other organs, even blood for transfusions, may be grown from a few tiny stem cells taken from our bodies? That capacity has been there all along, we just had to discover the ability to make it a reality! And yet, through underfunding, we seem determined to throw it all away. (How like Satan to take us down a false path that leads to death!)

I was excited to read that the Vatican has invested $1 million in a U.S. company named NeoStem, which specializes in Adult Stem Cells. It is not close to the $3 billion given by California, but it is a good start. I would love to discover if I could invest money (even my little pittance) in a company like NeoStem.  We should also call our elected representatives so that they can begin to put our tax dollars in the type of research that both favors life and healing: Adult Stem Cell Research!

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Vast Under-Reporting of Abortion Deaths and Complications: Even in Iowa With Telemed Abortions!

Last Thursday, the Chicago Tribune revealed some statistics which it had uncovered while (of all the surprising things) they were investigating the mis-reporting of abortions by Illinois abortion clinics. (Actually, it was not the fact that the statistics had been under-reported that surprised me; it was that the Chicago Tribune was taking an interest!) Did you realize that in many states it is purely voluntary for abortion providers to give information about women who have been injured or even been killed while under the care of an abortionist?  In Illinois, they are mandated to make such reports, but have shown a blatant disregard for the law.

However, since the Illinois Department of Public Health has never sought disciplinary action against any of these violators, this fact is not too surprising. And, it wasn’t like this mis-reporting was a rare occurence; the Chicago Tribune discovered over 4,000 either unreported or under-reported abortion complications and six unreported deaths!

The fact is that, all over our country, there is very little information on the deaths and complications stemming from abortion. A national law requiring that abortions and their complications be reported does not exist! And,  any statistics come directly from the hand of abortion providers, the very ones most desirous of covering up their errors. They keep stating that abortion is safer than childbirth for women, but without reliable statistics how can that possibly be known?

Just last week there was an editorial in the Omaha World Herald in which a woman from Planned Parenthood made the claim that not one woman who had aborted via webcam using RU 486 had any complications! Of course, I’m not certain how they would know that information even if they tried. Since these physicians live miles away (hence the webcam) they are not available to see their patients should anything go wrong. These young women are instructed to go to the local emergency room when complications arise. And, once at the hospital, how many of them do you think are going to admit that their symptoms are due to an abortion, especially is they are attempting to keep their pregnancy a secret?

Demonstrating the danger of chemical abortions, the Australian government recently released a report on their growing concern with the use of RU-486. Over 4% of the 3,000 women who had taken the drug had serious complications. Fourteen of the abortions had failed completely, necessitating a surgical abortion. Even more dangerous, 110 had retention of body parts, which can lead to serious infection or death. Fortunately, for these women, there was medical care readily available. In the case of abortions prescribed via webcam, that is often not the case!

At one point before becoming a believer, former Planned Parenthood Director, Abby Johnson, had an abortion with RU-486.  Abby worked around abortions everyday and was well aware of the help available to her. Yet, the following is her account of her abortion experience, as recounted in her book, “Unplanned,” after she had been given the medication and sent home to ‘expel the contents of her uterus”: “My cramping was excruciating and went on for days and days. I was too ill to get out of bed, ran a fever and bled heavily. I was frightened, but whether out of shame, humiliation, or self punishment, or maybe a combination of the three, I would not call the clinic. I couldn’t bear the thought of going to an emergency room or an ob-gyn because there was no way I was going to confess that I’d brought this on myself by aborting my second pregnancy.”

I can only imagine how many girls, alone in their bedrooms, terrified that their family will discover what they have done, have suffered through this same fate! How many have waited until an infection was advanced before going to an emergency room? We will probably never know how many injuries, and even deaths, have occurred yet will never be counted against the abortion statistics. However, there is one thing I know: the number of those injured by webcam, RU-486 abortions, is way above zero! I doubt Planned Parenthood even wants to know the truth!

We will probably never know how many women have died along with their unborn children during an abortion. Or, how many others will never have another child because of the extensive internal damage which has been done to them. I wouldn’t send my cat into Leroy Carhart’s filthy “clinic” to get a procedure done; the knowledge that women let him touch them everyday is sickening.  And the same is true for abortionists nation-wide.

Is abortion a safe procedure? Hardly! But until the powers that be start demanding the truth, we will never know for sure how many have been injured, physically and emotionally!

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Danger of the Left-Leaning Press

I have not watched any of the main news programs (ABC, CBS, NBC) in years because they infuriate me when I do.  Until now, I never had any substantial evidence of their bias, but I really didn’t need any: their left-leaning version of events was enough to convince me. I have wondered for some time now if President Obama purchased stock in the news organizations since he is on them so often! He seems to have a spotlight interview on one channel or another every other week.

Recently this bias once again became disturbingly obvious when Lila Rose and her organization, Live Action, carried out their sting operations on Planned Parenthood. Time after time they filmed PP workers coaching underage girls to lie about their age so that their 20-something predator boyfriends would not have to be reported to child protective services, as the law (and common decency) mandates. The response of the main media outlets: nothing.

Then, only months later, Live Action sent actors portraying a pimp and prostitute into Planned Parenthood offices around the country to see how readily they could procure “confidential services” for their underage sex slaves (some in the country illegally!) Time after time, the PP officials gave their full assurance that birth control and abortions could be provided without either proper documentation or any fear of notifying the authorities.  Once again, if you were watching NBC, CBS, or ABC (or even CNN or MSNBC) you didn’t hear a word about it. The only station that really gave it any mention at all was FOX.

And, how about the shredding of Sarah Palin? The main-stream media has gone after this woman and her family like a pack of rapid dogs!  They have done such a hack job on her that I don’t know if she can survive politically. I fully expect to see the same ravaging occur to Michele Bachmann, now that she has decided to throw her hat in the ring for president (or maybe she hasn’t officially done that yet?) It doesn’t seem to matter whether these women have done anything wrong or not.  Insinuations are allowed to stand as fact, and each moment of bumbling is highlighted so that they appear to be blithering idiots.  (Compare this to President Obama, who, in spite of all the times he has mis-spoken or out-and-out lied, continues to come out squeaky clean.)

Last Monday (June 13) a program aired on the BBC (British Broadcasting Company,) Britain’s nationally funded news organization, which should send a warning cry to us. (I tend to think that we should always be watching and taking note of what is happening in England. They seem to be just a few years ahead of us in social decline.) The British have been in the midst of a debate on the legalization of assisted suicide. The BBC came down firmly on the side of the left by broadcasting a chilling propaganda piece showing an actual physician assisted death.

The film took place at the notorious Dignitas suicide tourism clinic in Switzerland. (Opened in 1998, Dignitas allows people from all over the world to come and end their lives, even for reasons such as depression. They estimate that in their first ten years over 800 people were assisted in ending their lives!) For the documentary, a 71-year-old British millionaire with motor neurone disease was filmed taking a lethal potion and dying on film. Geoff Morris, a terminally ill multiple sclerosis patient, was quoted in the London Daily Mail as saying: “As a piece of shameless propaganda, Terry Prattchett’s (the pro-assisted suicide proponent who made the film) film is brilliant. But as an analysis of the truth behind so-called ‘assisted suicide’, it is grossly misleading and unbalanced.”

Geoff goes on to say: “In their eagerness to back the campaign to change the law, Sir Terry and the producers have presented this type of suicide as an enriching, even uplifting choice. And particularly regrettable is the role of the BBC. As the nation’s public service broadcaster, the Corporation has a duty to give both sides of the argument, not to act as a mouthpiece for a highly partisan cause. ….. There is no recognition that legalization could actually encourage abuse and even coercion. And I fear that any such change will mean that disabled people, like me, are even more marginalized in our society, so that a swift exit comes as a merciful release.”

The concerns that Mr. Morris so eloquently expressed are my fears as well. What may begin as a way for “suffering” people to die (although this is bad enough!) will inevitably become society’s excuse to rid itself of those who are seen as a burden and no longer of value. And, for the government-funded network to present such a one-sided propaganda piece is unconscionable and frightening. However, the BBC has been rapidly plummeting off a cliff to the left for a long, long time.  Our press is not far behind!

The real problem is not individuals like yourselves, my faithful readers. I would assume that you have discovered this blog because you already share my same concerns. You and I will not be fooled by the twisting words of the main-stream press.

The danger lies in people who faithfully believe everything they are told simply because they saw it on the news.  They would consider my warnings to be fear-mongering. Even things that may not seem right when first heard are believed when they hear them time and time again.  I have family members in that camp, and their full confidence in the media frightens me. These are intelligent, well-meaning people I am talking about. And they are deliberately being misled!

I take comfort in the fact that statistics show that more and more people are turning to alternative media outlets for their news. The internet, blogs, and talk radio are huge. Fox has become the top rated news network.  However, we still need to do all we can to make our voices heard, particularly when the networks go too far.

From what I understand, Brits are jamming the BBC with complaints about last Monday’s show. In fact, you can complain to the BBC yourself by going to https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms and filling out their on-line form. Why not? The complaints we add may just be the tipping point to action!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Is Anthony Weiner a Sex Addict? Does Sex Addiction Even Exist?

Is Anthony Weiner a sex addict? That is the big question being tossed around in the headlines. We’ve been down this road before with Tiger Woods and various celebrities after they’ve been caught cheating on their wives and publicly embarrassed before the entire world. Honestly, my first reaction is to say its all a load of garbage! These guys made some really bad and selfish choices and are only sorry because their actions were exposed!  But, I also know that sometimes people get so deep in sin that it is very difficult to escape.

Yes, I said sin, because that is what we are really talking about. We live in a very self-indulgent world where people are encouraged to do whatever it takes to make themselves happy.  Sexual messages bombard us wherever we go: from the radio, on television, at the movies and every time we boot up our computers. It takes a concentrated, deliberate effort to escape from it unscathed. And yet, people make that choice everyday!

The problem is that unless one has a spiritual or moral motivation, there is very little encouragement in our culture to use much sexual restraint. The whole message out there is for people to loosen up and have fun. After all, only uptight prudes save sex for marriage. I saw a show recently where a character who had not had sex by her mid-twenties was encouraged to seek professional help out of the rationalization that that type of behavior could not possibly be normal.

I also know for a fact that addiction to computer pornography is an increasing problem, even among men and boys who call themselves Christians. I truly believe that adolescent boys are particularly targeted by this evil industry. They are particularly vulnerable to stimulating images, and it seems almost impossible to keep temptation from popping up on computer screens. Whereas boys used to have to figure out a way to purchase pornographic magazines at the corner drugstore, today it is all just a click away.

I personally know of upstanding young men who began by looking at a picture here and there and ended up totally consumed by pornography. Fortunately, the ones I know also knew it was wrong and sought help to overcome their impulses. Would I call this an addiction? Yes, I guess in a way it could be called that. The way they overcame their temptation was to first acknowledge that looking at such images was a sin against God. Second, they repented of their actions. However, thirdly, they sought out godly leaders with whom they could meet and be held accountable for their actions. The Bible encourages us to bring our sin out of the darkness and into the light so that Satan cannot keep us bound in secrecy and shame.

“Experts” in the sex field point out that Anthony Weiner was exhibiting the behavior of an addict. He was working in secret and taking a great risk that his actions would be exposed (no pun intended!) However, one of these went on to say: “I have a lot of empathy for him (Weiner.) He can’t figure out why he made these choices.” Hmmm…. Maybe by the end he was working out of compulsion, but it all began with him making a conscious choice to send that first lewd picture. Then, after he was married, there had to be a moment every time he sent another image where he knew he would be hurting his new bride, but he chose to send it anyway. He is a grown adult who was able to convince an entire district that he was responsible enough to be their elected representative. Certainly, he knew that there was help available if he needed it; help that could have been carried out with complete confidentiality.

As much as I personally dislike former President Bill Clinton, I do have to admire his recent willingness to take personal responsibility for his sexual misconduct in office. He told one interviewer that his actions were due to ego. In a 2004 interview with CBS News, he stated, “I did something (his actions with Monica Lewinsky) for the worst possible reason. Just because I could.”

Unfortunately, our society tends to raise public figure to an almost god-like stature. Some people cannot handle such power, especially those who tend towards narcissism to begin with. Even worse, these individuals also tend to be insecure, which causes them to seek continual proof that they are loved and desired.  However, at the root, it all comes to down to personal responsibility for the choices one makes.

The Bible states plainly that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!” I know my own heart and that I should always look at other people’s shortcomings and realize “there, but for the grace of God, go I!” On the other hand, there are consequences for each decision that we make. I believe that even if Anthony Weiner is truly sorry and commits to never send out pornography again, he has disqualified himself from being able to serve in the Congress. His wife would also be well justified in deciding she can no longer trust him enough to be her husband.

Plus, another area not even being examined in all this are the innocent victims that every “sex addict” leaves behind. What about the young women who this powerful Congressman chose to send his lewd images? At the Center, we see many girls who are obviously the victims of sexual predators; older men who take advantage of those who are unexperienced and naive. One young woman, just out of high school, had been impregnated by a man in his twenties who already had 10 children by several different mothers. He told her to “get rid” of her’s because he couldn’t afford any more. Who was there to protect her from this “sex addict?”

Can Anthony Weiner change? As a believer in Christ and His redemptive work on the cross, I believe that anyone can be transformed from a sinner into a brand new person. However, just like the young men I mentioned earlier, he would need to realize he is a sinner in need of a Saviour and then be willing to put his old life behind him and give everything over to Jesus.  I honestly don’t believe that rehab can transform anyone. At present, all I can see is that he feels bad because he got caught, and that he just wishes he had his life back.  And no, I don’t believe he is addicted to anything but his desire to do whatever he pleases and have the power to get away with it!

Keeping it true!  Barb