How Should People of Faith Defend the Truth From Now Until the Election?

Just before the Republican Convention began and Hurricane Isaac was threatening to hit Tampa,  actress Ellen Barkin sent out a tweet in which she hoped, among other things, that the hurricane would kill “every pro-life SOB.” I heard about this story when it happened, but it was another story on LifeSiteNews that really caught my eye.

Entitled, “Distressing, vicious responses to Barkin and Cher story (Cher expressed a wish that Congressman Akin would get raped),” the article expressed the dismay the website felt about the violent reactions of many to the story.  Some readers wished harm on the two women and had made comments expressing equal vulgarity. The writer explained that the website would be removing the offensive comments and encouraged their readers to respond in love and not hate.

One paragraph in particular expresses my own reaction. It reads: “these two women are likely in need of much love, prayers and help to overcome whatever has made them so irrationally vicious. Clearly, self-love is absent in their lives and it could very well be that one or more abortions are behind their actions. That is what abortion can do to women.” Anger and hatred should never be the response of those whose lives are committed to Jesus.

It is going to be a long 10 weeks between now and the election. I can only imagine how fierce and ugly the battle is going to be. There are huge issues at stake. I have stated many times that I firmly believe those stakes include the lives of millions of more unborn children who will die if ObamaCare is allowed to stand. The facts also point to a full-out attack on any unborn baby who is discovered to have any type of handicap. Or upon the elderly who cannot defend themselves. I feel as passionate about this election as anything I’ve felt in my life.

I admit that it frustrates me greatly to hear other believers dismiss these concerns. I expect those kinds of things from the left, as difficult as the twisting of the truth can be at times. However, from those who profess Christ, I sometimes want to tear my hair out in frustration. It is hard to have patience or love when I hear that they plan to vote against everything I believe in.

And yet, when I pray, the Lord is kind to remind me that I do not know the circumstances in the lives of people to make them think the way they do. Plus, love is the most important thing of all and our discourse must always be respectful and kind. That does not mean we cannot stand up for the truth, but it does control the manner in which we do it.

In my opinion, vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan, conveys the right attitude when he speaks. In last night’s speech at the convention, he said many hard things. However, I could not see any hatred or even condescension in his voice or demeanor. Rather, I felt he conveyed a sadness that things were the way they were and a deep conviction to try to change it. I was also glad to hear the same urgency in him that I have felt for so long. He seemed to grasp the necessity of change but also conveyed that with hard work and determination, things could still be turned around.

So, will I continue on to bring issues to the surface? Yes, we must all speak the truth. However, as ugly as things get, love must rule our hears and our tongues. I commit, with God’s help, to make this my aim. After all, very few battles for the heart are won with anger. Instead, Christ woos us to the truth with kindness and love.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Adult Stem Cells and Finding a Cure for Autism (So Why Does Our Government Still Fund Embryonic?)

The FDA just approved a new trial using adult stem cells to unlock the secrets of autism. This insidious condition is on the upswing world-wide. Its causes and possible treatments have been very illusive. What exactly is it that brings about this derailment of the normal development of communication and social skills?

When I was just out of my sophomore year of college, I spent the summer working with autistic individuals in a group home. I was both fascinated and saddened by these young people who were, on the one hand, brilliant, and, on the other, unable to communicate or have normal relationships.

I remember one young man in particular. He had memorized hundreds of television commercials. When he needed something or if asked a question, he would respond by quoting one of the commercials word for word. It became like a game for me to try to comprehend the statement he was attempting to make. However, his message seemed to always be cleverly hidden in the words he was saying. (For instance, if asked if he was hungry, he would reply with an ad for McDonalds.)

As fun as our little game was, and as much as I loved the people I worked with, most of them could not function in society. They seemed unable to look anyone in the eye or to express emotion. When family members would come, very little would change in their demeanor. I clearly remember the sadness on the faces of parents who loved their children but just could not seem to break through to the heart of their son or daughter.

Desperate families have been taking their autistic children around the world in desperate search for a cure. There has been research carried on in China, but it was using stem cells from donated cord blood. The study in California will be conducted on children who had their own cord blood banked at birth.  It will be run on the premise that autism may be caused by increased inflammation in the body’s immune system, suggesting that it is an autoimmune disease. It is hoped that an infusion of the child’s own stem cells might alleviate the condition.

Whether the research works or not, it is one more example of the fact that the future of successful testing and treatment of conditions lies with adult stem cell treatments and not in the area of embryonic stem cells. The facts remain the same: not one person has been successfully treated with embryonic cells, while thousands have been with adult stem cells. And, yet, our government continues to pour our money down the embryonic sink hole.

In the last week or so, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a lower court decision, refusing to order the Obama Administration to stop funding embryonic research. The case had been brought against the government by two research scientists involved in adult stem cell research who argued that they were not able to obtain any federal money for their work.

However, the case gets even crazier than that. It was determined by the court that embryonic stem cells could only be used if they had been destroyed by private research money before being used for federally funding testing. In other words, our tax money can’t be used to end embryonic life, but once the death has occurred, the cells are fair game. That doesn’t make me feel any better about it. How about you?

I have asked this question many times, but I guess I have to ask it again: WHY does our government seem so determined to beat this dying horse? WHY are we pouring money down a hole which even private organization such as Michael J. Fox’s group for Parkinson Research or the Komen foundation for Breast Cancer Research have abandoned as useless? For heaven’s sake, even the leading corporation for embryonic research, Geron Corp., has shut their doors. What can the reasoning be?

The only explanation continues to be the same old explanation: our government’s love affair with abortion. Turning away from embryonic research could be seen as an admission that destroying life at its foundation is wrong. They refuse to listen to objective, scientific reasoning and proof, choosing instead to cling to a political statement. It is sad, really, and another reason things need to change in November.

I pray that they find a cure for autism. Or, at the very least, they are unable to unlock the mystery of what causes this crippling condition. Hopefully adult stem cell research will provide the necessary key, as it has already in relieving the suffering of so many people around the world!

Keeping it true!  Barb

 

Jesus: Democrat or Republican? (Part 1)

Of course, the answer to that is neither one. Jesus transcends politics. However, as His followers, we are the ones who are called to be responsible citizens and make that choice.

Now, I am not saying that all believers need to belong to one party or another. In fact, many of the most committed people I know are registered as Independents. Both parties have done many things which have upset them. I agree. I have no doubt that there is a lot of corruption with politicians on both sides of the aisle. If the full truth was known, we would all be sickened.

So, as believers,  why should we even be involved in the political process? I’ve heard it argued that Jesus would have stayed away from it all. When He was alive, many people were dismayed when He made it clear that He had not come to lead a physical rebellion against those in authority. Jesus did not have a sword in His hand. His battle was a spiritual one and because of his victory over sin and death, anyone who commits their life to Him can be set free.

In turn, Christians are called to love everyone and to seek to bring them the good news of Jesus. In terms of our highest mission, politics are of no concern. It is very simple really: we are to reach out to everyone with Christ’s love, no matter who they are or what they do. Plus, we are to treat everyone just as we would treat Jesus. He calls us to be willing to sacrifice ourselves and all we have in service to Him.

So, why should we get involved in the upcoming election? Why should we worry about voting? And, most of all, shouldn’t we as brothers and sisters in Christ stay away from the mud-slinging, especially at each other?

I must confess that I am passionate about the upcoming election and consider it a crucial turning point in our nation’s history. I consider the choice before us as clear-cut, and will explain my thinking in a minute. However, as zealous as I am in my convictions, above all we must be ruled by love. In the hear of the argument, we must remember that we will spend eternity together and that we must keep our discourse civil.

That being said, I am committed to presenting the issues that I feel most deeply about in order to help educate and open the eyes of as many people as I can. Not that I am saying that I am always correct. If you disagree, I invite you to let me know.

There are many issues which are at stake. However, this blog is dedicated to the issues of life. In that area, the differences between the two parties are amazingly clear. There is no denying that the Republicans become more outspokenly pro-life with each election, while the Democrats take a stronger and stronger stand on not only keeping abortion legal but also insisting that it be provided with taxpayer money.

As much as you might hate politics, it is a fact that the states with stricter abortion laws see a lower rate of their unborn children die. At the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling, we know for a fact that many babies are saved by the law in Nebraska which restricts abortion at 20 weeks. We see it all the time.

As I’ve stated before, we also know that if abortions are provided at no cost through the taxpayers that the rate of abortion will climb dramatically. We’ve seen case after case where the cost of an abortion has forced a woman to pause and consider her situation. It prevented her from making a snap decision which she would later regret. I fear that if the Democrats retain the White House as well as the Senate, millions more unborn children will be killed on abortion assembly lines, paid for by you and me, regardless of our convictions.

If you doubt this, look at what is already occurring with schools or hospitals which are run by faith-based organizations. As of August 1, they are forced to provide insurance coverage for their employees which gives women free contraceptives, including those which cause early abortions. In order to avoid an out-and-out rebellion, President Obama has given these groups until next August to appeal the decision. If he is still in office at that time, I have no doubt that they will be forced to either provide that coverage or face steep fines or even imprisonment if they refuse.

I am calling this blog Part I, because abortion is only one of many issues which need to be examined by those of us who stand for life. I’ve heard it argued that the protection of life in the womb is just one part of what makes a person “pro-life.” For instance, what about the death penalty or provisions for the poor? Those are certainly legitimate questions which deserve an answer.

However, as valid as those questions are, I still believe that the right to life is the foundational issue of our times. If there are certain classifications of people who can be deemed as non-persons in order to justify their destruction, it denigrates all of us. Already some have extended the definition of “non-person” beyond the womb to handicapped newborns and those who have been deemed as “brain-dead.” Even the elderly have slipped into that category from time to time.

The more I learn, the more passionate I become. I truly believe that my voting choices in November can either condemn or save lives. Please stay tuned as I delve into other issues at stake. And, like I stated earlier, I welcome your comments. I will reply respectfully to those which are written in the same manner. Let us educate one another in love.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Should Abortion Be Allowed in Case of Rape?

Pictured at left is Rep. Todd Akin. He is running as the Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri. Last Sunday he appeared on a TV program in which he was asked THE question which is supposed to reveal the hard heart of pro-lifers towards women: “Do you think abortion should be legal in the case of rape?”

Sadly, Rep. Akin gave a really dumb answer. And, tragically, for his campaign, he is a Republican in an age where his one sound bite is being played over and over and over again.  Not knowing the man, I have no idea if his answer was born out of ignorance or, as he is being accused, of an uncaring heart towards women. There are many, both Republicans and Democrats, who are calling for him to drop out of the race.

So, what did he say? When asked on his opinion of rape and abortion, the congressman said, “from what I understand from doctors, that’s (women getting pregnant from a rape) really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Of course, Rep. Akin realizes this now, but that was an unfortunate and non-relevant answer on many different levels. He has since released a commercial to express his compassion for victims of rape, but it is probably too late for that.

Rape and incest are the tough cases of abortion. No one wants to think about a woman who has been cruelly victimized by a violent crime discovering that she is carrying the child of the man who attacked her. Any of us would be horrified if such a thing happened to our daughter or even someone we just knew on a casual basis. I think that Akin was right when he said it was rare. However, tragically, it does occur, and those women deserve a compassionate response.

There is a side to this issue that is rarely looked at. When women are raped, they are the victims of violence. If, as a result of this crime, they find themselves pregnant, it is now a matter of whether they will choose to protect this child or to allow another act of violence to be perpetrated against an innocent life. In an article entitled, “Rape, Incest and Abortion: Searching Beyond the Myths,” by Dr. David Reardon, he states that this was the reason why many actual rape victims actually chose not to have an abortion. It would be a further “act of violence perpetrated against their body and their children.”

The article also points to research which was done by Dr. Sandra Mahkorn in which many rape victims who had been impregnated by their attacker were interviewed. Her research found that up to 75% of all the women did not end up aborting. And, many of those who did felt pressured by others into doing so.

However, for me the bottom line on this whole issue is that I oppose abortion because it causes the death of an unborn child. If all human life is created by God and is destined by Him for a unique purpose, why should it matter how that life was conceived? The only viable abortion debate is the decision as to whether life in the womb is worthy of protection or not. If it is, then the circumstances surrounding their life or their conception are irrelevant. As civilized people, we need to find civilized solutions to our problems. This should never include the death of innocent, unborn children.

It saddens me when those with pro-life convictions are painted as uncaring. I realize that some use the abortion issue as a way to gain votes. And, sadly, I know of some who use the unborn as a club to hit others over the head.

Jesus calls us to respond to everyone with love. Otherwise, we are just like a “clanging gong,” as I Corinthians 13 so beautifully puts it. Without Christ’s love, we cannot hope to win over the hearts of those that oppose us.

On the other hand, we do need to be bold to “speak the TRUTH in love.” We cannot be afraid to defend those who need us the most. Sometimes we become convinced that the way to show love is to make everyone feel that all opinions are correct and that we should never make waves. I have to constantly remind myself that there is nothing loving about being wishy-washy, just as there is nothing loving about beating people over the head.

Please pray for the candidates running for office. This is a season where their words will be greatly scrutinized. Pray for wisdom and godly counsel for them. It is essential that they walk the path of truth with love and compassion.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Planned Bullyhood: New Book About the Komen Debacle With Planned Parenthood

Remember early in the year when Susan G. Komen for the Cure tried to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood? Wow! The angry and vile comments that spewed forth from the supporters of the abortion giant were frightening to behold! You would have thought that Komen had done something really amazing, like come out against the death of unborn children or, I don’t know, acknowledged the well documented link between breast cancer and abortion. Alas, no, they simply decided that since Planned Parenthood didn’t actually do mammograms,  their grant money, given in prevention of breast cancer, would be more wisely given to organization who actually did provide that service.  Silly them. They didn’t know that you can’t tell everyone that PP actually doesn’t do anything that really helps women. They want to keep that cat in a very nice, tidy, attractive looking bag, keeping the bodies of dead children well hidden.

In case you don’t remember, Planned Parenthood revealed in early February that Komen had contacted them late in 2011 to inform them that they would no longer be receiving Komen grants. The reasons given were that Komen had changed their policies and were no longer giving money to organizations under investigation by the government or who were not performing mammograms- both of which fit PP exactly. It turns out that the reason for the time gap is that PP wanted to have time to inflame their “storm trooper” followers and unleash the full fury of their wrath!

And, boy oh boy, did they! It was vicious and mean and personal. Karen Handel was Komen’s vice president for public policy at that time. At that time she told Megyn Kelly of Fox News: “What was unleashed over this past week was a vicious attack against a great organization and … individual attacks against (Komen founder) Nancy Brinker, an individual whom I admire greatly… I would think all of us should be saddened that an outside organization should put this kind of pressure on another organization.”

It was announced this week that Karen is coming out with a new book in September, entitled Planned Bullyhood, The Truth Behind the Headlines about the Planned Parenthood Funding Battle with Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I, for one, cannot wait to read it. Hopefully it will help to pull back the curtain on the true nature of this deceptive and (yes, I say it without apology) evil organization. Simon and Schuster, one of the big names in publishing is putting it out (unless they get to them too!)

To be honest, I have never given to Komen. One reason is because they give the grants to Planned Parenthood. Another is that they fail to acknowledge the aforementioned abortion/ breast cancer link. I am glad to say that my third reason disappeared when they ceased to fund embryonic stem cell research. It saddens me not to give, because I think breast cancer research is extremely important. However, not one penny of my money will ever go to Planned Parenthood- at least not when I have something to say about it.

One positive front: a federal court in Texas denied Planned Parenthood’s attempt to have a lawsuit against them thrown out. A former employee, Karen Reynolds, is asserting that PP submitted millions of dollars of false claims to Medicaid and other federal programs. The crazy thing is that PP is not denying that they over-charged, they are just claiming that there was nothing fraudulent about a “policy to maximize revenues.”

Let me explain this a little further. Ms. Reynolds claims that PP’s cost for providing a 28-day supply of birth control pills was $2.98. However, the amount they billed Medicaid was $26.32. In some cases, the pills were returned to them through the postal service, but instead of reimbursing Medicaid, they just resold the same pills and billed Medicaid twice! In addition, they charged poor women a fee for services which Medicaid then covered in full.

PP’s argument in court was not to deny doing these things, but to claim that in doing them they were not in violation of federal law. A court in California agreed with PP and threw the case out. However, just last week, a court in Texas (God love them!) agreed that these allegations, if proven, “constitute fraud in violation of federal law.”

Of course, Planned Bullyhood (I think it has a nice ring to it!) has an even bigger bully on their side, the Obama administration. I pointed out not too long ago how Obama is refusing to allow states to cut off funding to the abortion giant. It was Texas, again, who showed real courage. When the administration told them they had to restore PP’s funding or face losing federal Medicaid funds, Texas told them to keep their money! Since then, they have set up their own funding for alternate organizations that actually provide vital services to poor women, and that don’t specialize in killing their unborn children.

One last note about Planned Parenthood, they are about to launch a bus tour in their support of President Obama. They are his main cheerleader, after all! They are both working for the same “sacred” cause: to keep abortion safe, legal and fully paid by the American public (which would be you and me.)

Keeping it true!  Barb

What Does the Economy Have to Do With Abortion and Who is Paul Ryan?

Like most of you, I hadn’t really given Paul Ryan much of a thought before Romney picked him as his running mate. I knew he was working hard in Congress to get the gigantic financial mess under control. Still, I wasn’t sure what I thought when he was chosen as the Republican candidate for Vice President.

However, the more I read and hear, the more delighted I am with his selection. He seems like a really great guy! If you’d like to get to know him a little better, I am posting an interview here that I watched on The Blaze. It helped me more than anything else to begin to get a grip on who Paul Ryan is and how he thinks. I hope it helps you as well. (Please watch it. It is only about 10 minutes long, and well worth your time!)

True confession: I get glassy-eyed when people start to talk about the economy.  My husband takes care of our finances and that is definitely a good thing. However, there are two things I clearly understand. The first is that it is crucial that we not spend more than we make. And the second is that there is absolutely nothing that is free. If you don’t pay, someone else has to.

I am highly sceptical of offers of “free” vacations or deals that come in the mail. If I accept the trip, I know we will pay in some way, either with our time or our resources. And you know they are counting on getting your money in the end. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t remain in business very long.

Paul Ryan is considered by many to be an expert on the economy. In the interview I recommended, he talks about those who “take” and those who “make.” According to him, America is getting close to a tipping point where those who receive their income from the government are going to be greater in number than those who work and pay the necessary taxes to provide for this assistance.  Again, nothing is free: someone has to pay. If we continue to see a decline in those paying taxes, our country will slide to a dangerous point of no return.

I may not know much, but I do know that we are trillions of dollars in debt. In fact, one source I read placed our debt at $14.1 trillion, much of which is owed to Communist China! And yet, we continue to spend money like it is going out of style. Call me naive, but if any of us lived like that  we’d soon find ourselves out on the streets. As Americans, why aren’t we more concerned?

According to many reports I’ve read, Paul Ryan has come up with a plan to get this outrageous debt under control. I am not going to presume to explain it to you. All I can go by is that most conservatives love it and most liberals hate it. That is good enough for me!

I read an article yesterday by a woman whom I greatly admire named Star Parker. The AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling had Star in a few years back. (I think the Hope Center did as well.) Star is an African-American woman who is an intelligent, articulate conservative and pro-lifer. Her article was entitled, “The Economy is Also About Values.”

Star points out that too often we consider economic and social issues as being separate, when they actually greatly impact one another. As an example, she brings up the ObamaCare mandate which requires employers to provide “free” contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs as part of their health-care plan. This includes faith-based companies who have religious objections to these services.

However, as I’ve stated, there is nothing in this world that is free. As Star asks, “Will contraceptives drop from heaven like manna?” No, all that has been done here is that taxpayers will be forced to pay for contraceptives and abortion-inducing pills for others. In other words, you and I will foot the bill so that other people can live their sexual lives without cost or obligation.

If we continue on this path, and big changes do not occur in November, abortion on demand will be the next thing that comes out of our pockets. Do not be deceived, that is the eventual goal! As soon as insurance covers the cost of abortion at no expense to the woman, we will see unborn children die in record numbers. And their blood will be on our hands.

Star ends her article with this sentence: “At the root of our floundering economy is a loss of respect for the sanctity of private property that goes hand in hand with the loss of respect for the sanctity of life and marriage.” Bottom line for this election: Romney and Ryan have a profound respect for both your property and for life. Obama and Biden are out to destroy both. Those are the facts. What are you going to choose?

Keeping it true!  Barb

Olympian Lolo Jones: It Can Be a Tough World For a Virgin

First it was Tim Tebow and now it is Lolo Jones. Their success has drawn them into the spotlight, and their self-proclaimed virginity has painted a huge target on their backs. A big-time athlete who is saving sex for marriage? Sadly, they are perceived as freaks.

Or maybe it’s not as rare as it seems. I would like to think that there are many others in the world of sports who saved sex for marriage and are now living faithful lives with their spouse. The sports world seems to be filled with people who profess their faith. Sadly, I know from the pregnancy center that there is a huge disconnect these days between sexual purity and proclaiming one’s faith. I think the church has really let us down on this one and been way too silent, but that is a topic for another day.

Anyway, if you don’t already know, Lolo Jones is a 29-year-old hurdler for the American team in the Olympics. Four years ago in China, it looked like she would easily win the 100-meter hurdles when she fell over the second to last hurdle and ended up not medaling. On Tuesday, she came in fourth in the same race. This time, she hadn’t been expected to win, but she was still very disappointed.

Right after the race, Lolo received a host of vile tweets telling her that maybe she would have done better if she had just had sex. After all, what kind of weirdo is she? It is sad that when prominent young people stand up for purity and righteousness they are immediately condemned as “self-righteous prigs.”

There was a story out at the beginning of the Olympics that hundreds of condoms were handed out at the village where the athletes were staying. There have also been reports that rampant sexual activity among the athletes is well-known. According to some, it has been that way for years. I was saddened by that report, but, obviously, not too much has been made about it.  Against that backdrop, someone like Lolo Jones really stands out. And, predictably, she has come under quite a bit of attack.

An article appeared in the New York Times last Sunday which ripped Lolo to shreds.  She was accused by the author, Jere Longman, of moving into the spotlight based on a “sad and cynical marketing campaign.” She was accused also of being “whatever anyone wants her to be- vixen, virgin, victim- to draw attention to herself and the many products she endorses.”

Lolo was criticized for appearing nude in ESPN the Magazine, a move I question as well. The issue featured many Olympians, and the shots were not overly revealing. The article raised the issue of hypocrisy of Lolo doing this shot and proclaiming herself a virgin. Ms. Jones claimed she did it because it was artistic. I wonder at the wisdom of doing the shot, but am amazed that a newspaper like the New York Times would dare to criticize her for it.  There were several other female track stars who have done the same, but I guess since the assumption is that they do not hold Lolo’s conviction, that it was not such an act of shameless propaganda.

The article went on to criticize Lolo for appearing in so many ads for products which sponsor her in order to “draw attention to herself.”  I’m sorry, but isn’t that true of most of the athletes anymore? We record the Olympics and fast forward through the commercials, but I know I have recognized many blurred faces of the same people I was just watching perform. And, who can blame them. Many of them have huge debts to pay resulting from the their years of training.

There are many who claim that Lolo and Tim should just keep their opinions to themselves. After all, aren’t these private matters? However, in the midst of the blare of television, movies, and music that shout the message that anything goes and sex with anyone and everyone is a marvelous thing, someone needs to have the courage to speak up so that other virgins out there will know they are not alone.

Earlier this year, Lolo appeared on the Today Show and gave the following statement about her commitment to reserve sex for marriage: “It’s just something, a gift I want to give to my husband. But please understand this journey has been hard. If there are virgins out there, I just want to let them know, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage.“

God bless the Lolo Jones’ and Tim Tebow’s of this world! Are they perfect? No one can be held to that standard. Because of their prominence, they are surrounded by a sea of people who are watching and just hoping for them to fall. We need to pray that they will continue to have the courage to stand.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Mitt Romney: Take Me Back to the 50′s!

President Obama has a campaign ad out right now which attempts to paint Mitt Romney as totally out of touch on women’s issues. The claim is made that Romney wants to “drag women back to the 50′s.” The basis of this claim is that Romney is in favor of cutting off federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

If you read this blog very much, you know what I think about Planned Parenthood. Contrary to the ad, I believe that PP is bad for women and really does not contribute anything to society.  Unless you think that killing millions of unborn children falls into that category.

The ad, however, got me thinking. What would be so bad about going back to the 1950′s? I know I probably would not be making this statement if I was an African-American living under an extreme amount of racial prejudice. However, as far as morality and principles and way of life is concerned, I can think of many reasons to turn back the clock.

I was born in 1954. I know that we tend to remember the past with rose-colored glasses, but I loved my childhood! During the summer we disappeared in the morning, roaming the neighborhood with all of our friends. We came home for meals, but, otherwise, we made our own fun OUTSIDE! Using our imaginations, we created a village in the tall grass behind my house. We played baseball and tag, and just lay on the ground watching the clouds.

Television and movies were so innocent compared to today! In fact, people still watch those shows, longing for a return of the innocence of the past. Today’s sitcoms are so filled with sex that I can’t even watch them. I shudder to think what they are doing to the minds that feed a steady diet of that crap everyday.

As I’ve written before in this blog, everything changed morally in this nation in the 1960′s. The birth control pill allowed new sexual experimentation, supposedly without any repercussions. What a delusion! And what a steep price we’ve paid.

The 60′s unleashed a torrent of sexually transmitted diseases (some now without cure), a staggering increase in children born and raised in single parent homes (condemning many of them to higher rates of poverty and woes), and millions of dead babies. Under Obama, things have progressively gotten worse. If ObamaCare is allowed to stand, I shudder to think of the ramifications. Yes, a reset button to the 50′s sounds pretty good right now!

Of course, one might argue that we would have to leave behind all the marvelous technology of the last 60 years. I love my HDTV as much as anyone, as well as all the modern appliances. On the other hand, I miss not really knowing my neighbors and spending evenings outside. Maybe your’s is different, but on our street, I rarely see anyone unless they are out mowing the grass.

When I was a kid we didn’t have air conditioning, so it was too hot to be inside. Everyone came out and sat in lawn chairs, drinking iced tea and talking. We wouldn’t go inside until we’d caught a few lightning bugs. Then we’d maybe watch a TV show we could all watch together, with no embarrassment for anyone or making the fathers feel stupid. Sometimes I think I’d be willing to do without a few things to have those days come back again.

Of course, we can’t return to the past. It would take a miracle to undo all the terrible things that have been done. And yet, we have to start somewhere. We can’t let things keep getting worse and worse and worse.

Many of you out there are doing the one big thing you can: you are raising your children to believe in godly principles. You are shutting off your televisions and exploring the world around you. You are teaching them to respect the opposite sex and to know that God created sexual activity as a wonderful, loving act between two people who commit themselves through marriage for life. I know many young people, including my own children, who live free from the brokenness around them and are whole and happy.

My heart is broken everyday by the women I see who have been taught a pack of lies. They’ve been told that sex with anyone they want, and without any responsibility, will not hurt them. They’ve also been told that the unborn child within them is nothing but meaningless tissue and that if it is inconvenient they should get rid of it. Imagine their shock when they see a fully formed child on the ultrasound screen! Sometimes, even then, they still believe the lie that the way to happiness is to put themselves first and to get rid of their “problem.” It is not until later that they realize how duped they have been.

So, I vote for a new world. I vote for a change. I want to take a giant step backwards if that is what will bring us out of this nightmare and set our children free. Mitt, I know that this is not really your goal, but you can take me back to the 50′s if you want. The alternative is a world which will only get worse. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we can’t afford that!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Planned Parenthood: Tainted by Abortion or Justified By Their “Good” Work?

Let’s set aside the whole debate for a minute as to whether or not Planned Parenthood  provides a valuable service for women. For the sake of argument, let’s say that they do. Let’s pretend that they are the amazing organization that the left proclaims them to be: opening wide their doors to provide urgently needed healthcare for the underprivileged women of America. Heck, let’s even make-believe that there are not hundreds of other organizations who provide those same services at low or no charge who don’t perform abortions.  Or that they even go further than PP and provide mammograms and have real doctors on staff, not just those who specialize in destroying unborn children.

If Planned Parenthood was truly this sainted organization, should we overlook the abortions? In order to answer this, let’s take another example, which I think is equal in its scope. I owe this idea to an article I read on LifeSiteNews.com today, so thank you!

Let’s imagine we are talking about a racist group like the Ku Klux Klan. In our make-believe scenario, they have adopted a new program and are providing excellent educational opportunities for underprivileged white children. They have also opened up some free medical clinics for low-income white women stuck in poverty. Thousands and thousands are being critically assisted by their programs. There is only one hitch: they are lynching black people at night. Too far? Okay, then let’s say that they are merely discriminating against minorities of any type with their programs. Are you in favor of funding them with tax-payer money? If not, what about all the people they are helping? What will happen to them?

You could argue, “aren’t there other schools or medical clinics in which those white people can get help?” Yes, that is true, but this is a group dedicated to the betterment of the white race. It is true that they have a history of lynch mobs and hatred, but they are providing an excellent service for those they fight for. To stand against them is downright anti-white!

This is a ridiculous argument, right? And, yet, let’s take a look at Planned Parenthood. They are built upon a history filled with promoting the annihilation of minorities and those considered unworthy. To read more on this see my blog entitled, “More Children From the Fit, Less From the Unfit, Legacy of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood” from January 3 of 2011.  Planned Parenthood’s history of racism rivals that of the Klan, except that in many ways they were worse: their victims were the unborn and the handicapped.

There are not too many organizations in our country that could survive that type of evil heritage. They would have been scorned in the press, and rightfully so. In spite of this, Planned Parenthood wears their heritage with pride. Margaret Sanger is always being honored for something or other. Of course, the racism is emphatically denied, but it is branded in history for all to see.

Planned Parenthood does perform many services which are considered good. They provide lots of health “screenings” (although a definition of that term is not given.) They test and treat sexually transmitted diseases (we do some of that as well.) They give out flu vaccines (like my pharmacy.) Oh, and they give out lots and lots of contraceptives. And, by give out I mean that either the woman or Medicaid or, under the new mandate that came into effect on Aug. 1, her insurance company will pay for. Planned Parenthood doesn’t do anything for free.

Hey, wait a minute! Now that insurance has to provide everyone with free contraceptives, what is Planned Parenthood needed for except abortion? Frankly, their health “screenings” are a joke. For years women have been bemoaning the fact that if PP wasn’t around, poor women would not be able to get their birth control pills. However, now that they can get them for free, what will be Planned Parenthood’s rallying cry?

The sad thing is that many people just think of Planned Parenthood as the nice clinic that gives them cheap sports physicals and keeps their daughters from getting pregnant. It’s like the horror movie which opens with a shot of a pretty little house with a picket fence. What could be wrong here? Even the insides look very nice, at first. However, hidden away in the basement is blood, destruction, and death.

Does Planned Parenthood’s “good works” justify their abortions? Should we refrain from “going overboard” and ”hurting women” by cutting off their funding? The truth is that they don’t perform one service that thousands of other organizations aren’t doing much better and for a cheaper price. Now they can’t even own the market on cheap contraceptives. The only thing they maintain control of is the death of unborn children and we need to fight to keep our money out of their hands!

Keeping it true!  Barb