Abortionist Killed - National News; Abortionist Kills Woman - Ignored

Laura Hope Smith's death at the hands of an abortionist was and continues to be ignored and her mother's effort to bring it to the attention of her senator was stonewalled. "Where was the press when my daughter Laura died at the hands of an abortionist?" asks Eileen Smith, Laura's mother. A media search shows mostly news reports from nonprofit organizations, religious news and other alternative media. Laura's death was mentioned 10 months later in one major publication, The Boston Globe, when the abortionist was indicted for manslaughter. Christian Newswire

Could Teen Advisors Help Your Abstinence Education Program?

An adult abstinence educator can articulate the message for days on end and cause a ripple of thought among students, but the wave of hope provided by peers who are actually making the stand to wait for the best is invaluable. ATC archives

Making abstinence relevant to teens

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

Pro-Life Democrat Saves Abortion Funding Limits

When Obama released his budget suggestions in May, he asked members of Congress to allow the Legal Services Corporation to use tax dollars to pay for pro-abortion litigation, however, Rep. Alan Mollohan, a pro-life Democrat from West Virginia who is the subcommittee chairman, came to the rescue. When he wrote H.R. 2487,he ignored Obama's suggestions and kept the pro-life provision in place. Mollohan also kept limits on using taxpayer funds to pay for abortion for prisoners who reside in federal prisons and prohibitions on patenting human beings for research purposes. LifeNews

Head of NOW to Resign

Kim Gandy, the president of the pro-abortion women's group NOW plans to resign her position at the organization's national convention later this week. The three-day NOW conference will be held June 19-21, at the Sheraton hotel in Indianapolis and the theme is Turning the Tide for Equality. Gandy has been the president of NOW for eight years. LifeNews

Early Christians and Abortion

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

The abortion issue we're ignoring

Perhaps it's time we stepped back from the ideological "whether" of abortion, and introduced the evidence-based "whither" of abortion into the national discussion. As an ice-breaker, we might begin at legal abortion's beginning by asking why, uniquely amongst surgical interventions, suction abortion -- the most common method -- has never been animal-tested, a clear violation of the Nuremberg Code for research ethics in human experimentation. Abortion on demand: empowerment -- or bamboozlement -- of women? National Post, LifeSiteNews

Prayer Requests: Be'ad Chaim

Sandy Shoshani directs Be'ad Chaim, a pro-life ministry in the Holy Land: "Please pray for each of our counselors and staff. Pray especially for our new offices in Rishon L’Zion and Kfar Saba! Pray for our Nazareth office to 'get off the ground.' We now have counselors in: Jerusalem, Beersheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Rishon L’Zion, Kfar Saba, Kiryat Yam (Haifa area), Acco, Tiberius and Nazareth. Pray for expansion and exposure of our work in each of these cities. Pray for wise and efficient advertising and outreach." Also, don't miss the weekly prayer requests listed in the right-hand side bar.

MCCL celebrates 41 years of saving lives

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life celebrates 41 years of dedication to protecting and defending human life. MCCL has taken a three-pronged approach to advancing its pro-life mission. First, citizens are continually educated on the threats to human life posed by abortion, euthanasia, infanticide and embryo-killing experiments. People are then mobilized to become active pro-life citizens who in turn work to educate others and to support passage of lifesaving laws. Third, MCCL members work to establish legal protection for vulnerable lives. From a handful of pro-life activists in 1968, MCCL has grown to include more than 70,000 member families and 240 chapters across the state. MCCL

Ex-abortionist recalls Tiller

Co-founder of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, Bernard Nathanson is now 82 and hardly able to walk. "I knew George Tiller years ago when I was on the pro-abortion side. He came to a course I was giving in the technique of abortion in New York in 1970 under the auspices of NARAL. And I did late-term abortions until I changed my opinion as of 1980." Washington Times

Editor: Above article also contains insight on abortionist LeRoy Carhart.

Medical Board Should Revoke Licenses of Tiller Associates

Kansans for Life says three Tiller colleagues may have violations that the board should examine.
At the time of Tiller's death, the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, which regulates physicians in the state, had taken two of the three steps needed to revoke his medical license. LifeNews

'Pregnant' blogger's hoax angers readers

Every night for the last two months, thousands of abortion foes from across the nation logged onto a blog run by the woman who said she was unmarried, pregnant, and identified herself only as "B" or "April's Mom." People said they prayed that God would save her pregnancy. They e-mailed her photos of their children, shared tales of heartache and redemption and sent letters of support and gifts to an Oak Lawn, IL, post office box. As more people were drawn to Beccah Beushausen’s blog -- which included biblical quotes, antiabortion messages and a soundtrack of inspirational Christian pop songs -- advertisers were queuing up. By the evening of June 7, when the woman blogged that April Rose had survived a home birth only to die hours later, her website had nearly 1 million hits.There was only one problem with the unfolding tragedy: None of it was true. LA Times

Threats, violence seen eroding US abortion rights

As an uneasy peace settles over Wichita, abortion rights supporters say the fatal gunshot that closed Tiller's clinic is part of a wave of attacks threatening to and, in some cases, succeeding in stopping women's access to abortion. Tiller's murder on May 31, 2009, was one of more than 60 threats and incidents of violence so far this year, according to the National Abortion Federation, an association of North American abortion providers. "It's a reign of terror against abortion providers," said Vicki Saporta, the federation's chief executive. Reuters

Editor: It is not known whether the reporter attempted to verify NAF's claim.

Issue Clash: Late Abortions

Operation Rescue president Troy Newman and Cristina Page, a reproductive rights advocate, author, and moderator of an online forum on abortion debate the practice of late abortions. PBS

Woman aborts other mother’s last embryo

A mother desperate to have a second child has told how she lost her last IVF embryo when the [UK] NHS implanted it into the wrong patient. When the other woman found out that the embryo was not hers, she aborted it. Details of the blunder raise fresh questions about the way IVF clinics are regulated. Sunday Times

Sex Education “Has Absolutely No Place” in Indian Schools

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

Abortion Wars, the First Time Around

At first glance, the recent killing of the abortion provider Dr. George Tiller in Kansas appears to be a modern phenomenon, the heinous byproduct of the politics of the last several decades. In fact, Dr. Tiller is just the latest in a line of brave (sic) people who have died for providing abortions. Perhaps the most infamous of these was a midwife named Ann Lohman, who killed herself in New York in 1878 after decades of harassment. NY Times

No abortion in health care reform

Under no circumstances should taxpayers contributing to any system give up what they have now, which is a firewall between taxpayer funds and abortion. Additionally, no health care reform should force participants to perform or be complicit in actions they find offensive. FRC

What does this say about our values?

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

Documentary Explores Debate over Stem-Cell Research

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

Carhart says he’ll temporarily offer third-trimester procedures in Bellevue

Carhart said he would offer the abortions only in cases where the fetus had organ damage or other medical problems preventing its survival outside the mother’s body. The doctor said he has not performed abortions in Nebraska past the 22nd week of pregnancy previously because he could refer women who needed them to Dr. George Tiller’s clinic in Wichita. Now Carhart will offer abortions beyond 22 weeks, including those in the third trimester, which begins about the 28th week. Carhart said he will offer them there only until he can open a clinic outside the state, probably in Kansas. Nebraska law, which reflects the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, appears to allow the third-trimester abortions, officials said. Omaha World Herald

Tiller Drove his Own Employee to Join Operation Rescue

Luhra Tivis, who was hired as a temp worker for late-term abortionist GeorgeTiller and eventually became a full employee for one year, discussed her story in the wake of Tiller's death. Though Tivis says Tiller assured her at the outset that he only performed late-term abortions on "severely deformed" children or for a medical crisis, Tivis says she soon came to realize that Tiller's words were not consistent with his practice. “I was seeing eight- and nine-month pregnant women come in,” she said, “and out of those two dozen a week, only about 2 percent had medical deformities. I thought I was pro-choice back then, but week after week I kept seeing these women coming in with healthy babies and I saw all the records. I didn’t think that was right.” LifeSiteNews, Enid News & Eagle, Pro-Life Action League

Arkansas Legislature Applauds Work of Pregnancy Centers

The Arkansas state legislature on Wednesday issued a citation recognizing the work of pregnancy centers in the state that help women find alternatives to abortion. Arkansas Sen. Gilbert Baker sponsored the resolution commending the groups. "The Arkansas Legislature is pleased to present an official 'citation' honoring the pregnancy centers of our state," he said. "Those that serve within pregnancy centers are to be commended for their sacrifice of time, energy, and resources on behalf of thousands of families in our communities. Your network of support for women is a wonderful example of that great spirit of American volunteerism that is so critical, especially in today's economy." LifeNews

Sotomayor: Never thought about rights of unborn

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

Call for exhibitors

The PCC Leadership Summit (July 23-24, in Grand Rapids) is a prime time for pro-life vendors to meet and influence the people who use your resources. Click to learn more about display and advertising opportunities, or email Sue Ellen.

Get to Know: BFL's history

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

Changing abortion's pronoun

'We had abortions,' say men whose lovers ended pregnancies. It isn't just a women's trauma, they insist. But critics see a political calculation. Los Angeles Times

Doctor planning to replace Tiller's services

A Nebraska doctor said Wednesday he will perform third-term abortions in Kansas after the slaying of abortion provider George Tiller, but declined to say whether his plans include opening a new facility or offering the procedure at an existing practice. Dr. LeRoy Carhart declined to discuss his plans in detail but insisted 'there will be a place in Kansas for the later second- and the medically indicated third-trimester patients very soon.' Carhart spoke a day after Tiller's family announced his Wichita clinic was permanently shutting its doors. Pioneer Press

• 'Abortion fatigue' on both sides as Kansas clinic closes
• Closed Clinic Leaves Abortion Protesters at a Loss
• Antiabortion Efforts Move to the State Level

Two sentenced in abortion clinic arson

Two men who burned down an Albuquerque abortion office have been ordered to serve more than three years in prison and to pay every penny of the nearly $800,000 in damage they caused. On Dec. 6, 2007, Sergio Baca, then 22, and Chad Altman, then 26, broke a window of Dr. Boyd's office, poured gasoline inside and lit a match destroying the office. The motive was revealed to be a woman carrying Baca's unborn child was scheduled to have an abortion at the clinic the next day. KRQE

No Bomb Found in Abortion Clinic Threat

Five hours after getting a call about a bomb threat at a Memphis women's clinic Wednesday night, police turned up nothing. Memphis Police and the FBI searched the Memphis Center For Reproductive Health, using bomb sniffing dogs and a high tech robot to sweep the area and nearby cars. According to the clinic's website, the facility does perform abortions. MyFoxMemphis

Woman charged in slaying may have contacted other pregnant women

A woman accused of killing an expectant mother and cutting her child from the womb may have contacted other pregnant women in the weeks before she settled on a victim, detectives say. The new details emerged as prosecutors awaited autopsy results to determine if the child ever drew a breath, the legal threshold in Oregon to determine whether murder charges can be brought against 27-year-old Korena Roberts in the baby's death. Baltimore Sun

Women's Bible study resource

The New Eve is a stirring counterpart to Robert Lewis' teachings on authentic biblical manhood in the context of the modern world (Men's Fraternity). The format is a 12 chapter book that includes a small group discussion guide. The New Eve sets forth and elaborates upon five "Bold Moves" for today's discerning woman: Live from the Inside Out, Adopt a Biblical Definition of Womanhood, Embrace a Big Picture Perspective on Life, Live with the End in Mind, Use Wisdom with a Man.

Still time for 'early bird' Summit registrations

Register for Partners in Ministry's PCC Leadership Summit by June 20 at a discounted price. Whether you make the deadline or not, you're getting 'more bang for your buck' because the Summit is where you can benefit from Care Net's 'Center Readiness' training, a two-part grantwriting seminar, as well as all the usual informative workshops and inspiring plenary sessions. I've recently added additional lodging info to the web page. You now have two low-cost options.

Mexican Health Care Workers and Hospitals Seek Exemption from Requirement to Provide Abortions

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, and even whole medical institutions are seeking legal exemption from Official Mexican Norm 046, which requires medical practitioners to perform abortions on women who claim they have been raped, within 72 hours of the request. The administration of President Felipe Calderon approved the new regulation on April 16 after coming under pressure from pro-abortion "human rights" groups such as Amnesty International. LifeSiteNews

House Democrats Prevent Amendment Limiting Obama's Intl Abortion Agenda

Rep. Chris Smith had hoped to offer an amendment that would have made the bill abortion-neutral. It would have allowed the creation of the Office for Global Women's Issues, but only to promote legitimate women's interests, not abortion. During a meeting of the House Rules Committee on Wednesday night, House Democrats decided to shape the rules of the debate on the bill to disallow Smith amendment. LifeNews

It's So Personal

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

Pregnant with girl or boy? At-home test may tell you

Expecting moms can determine whether they're carrying a boy or a girl as early as 10 weeks after conception, according to makers of an over-the-counter gender prediction test. IntelliGender, the Plano, Texas, creator of the "Boy or Girl Gender Prediction Test," says scientists isolated certain hormones that when combined with a "proprietary mix of chemicals" react differently if a woman is carrying a boy or a girl. It claims that within 10 minutes of taking the urine test, a woman will be able to tell her baby's gender. The specimen will turn green if it's a boy, and orange if it's a girl. CNN

Planned Parenthood's $2.4 million renovation includes better security

Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan celebrated completion of a $2.4 million expansion and renovation project with an open house for invited guests. The project at the West Michigan Avenue facility in Kalamazoo was funded through a $4.6 million capital campaign that exceeded its goal by $100,000. Among upgrades to Kalamazoo's Planned Parenthood clinic is a new and enlarged waiting room. About $2.2 million was used to build a new, 7,600-square-foot facility in Battle Creek. Kalamazoo Gazette

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

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

Spanish Conservatives Ride Pro-Life Wave to Victory in European Parliament Elections

The Spanish conservative People's Party soundly defeated their main socialist rival in Sunday's European Parliament elections after making the socialists' pro-abortion position a prominent issue. LifeSiteNews

Philly abortion give-away

The Philadelphia Women’s Center gave away free abortions Tuesday in honor of Dr. George Tiller, the abortionist who was murdered last week by an anti-abortion extremist. A worker at the clinic said that an unspecified number of free abortions had been performed during the day, but that they had stopped giving them away by late afternoon. She also said that there had not been free abortion giveaways in the past, and that there were no plans to give any away in the future. Under normal circumstances, abortions would not be au gratis at the clinic. Townhall

• Abortion foes interested in buying Kansas clinic
• State Investigation Against George Tiller Closed, Probe of Abortion Colleague Remains

Amnesty International pressures DR to keep abortion legal

Amnesty International, the human rights group, has criticised the Dominican Republic for moves to ban abortion. The country's congress is considering a new constitutional provision to guarantee the right to life from conception to natural death. In a press release, Amnesty admitted that, although "international human rights law...already protects prenatal life," banning abortion "could lead to violations of women's human rights." Amnesty International

An abortion remembered

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

State Department to advocate abortion

The US House of Representatives is due to vote this week on the establishment of an Office of Global Women’s Issues within the US State Department. The head of the new office is Melanne Verveer, reported to be pro-abortion Catholic. We can expect this new office to engage in a worldwide campaign to make abortion on demand a universal human right. For Obama and Clinton, the promotion of a so-called right to abortion among the highest priorities of US domestic and foreign policy. SPUC

Action: Tell Congress to Reject Abortion Promotion by Secretary of State

New Must-Have EWYL Upgrades at No Cost

Heritage House has updated 2 of the Earn While You Learn lessons. The updates are free and will ensure your EWYL program is up-to-date and accurate. The lessons can be downloaded from the links below. Please note, on lesson 2.2 you will need to purchase the new DVD - it is on sale this week at http://www.hh76.com/.

• Module 2, Lesson 2 View Here - Changes: Updated to work with Eyewitness 2 - the new resource used is 7761SV and needs to be purchased separately. The old resource was out of date.
• Module 7, Lesson 2 View Here - Changes: The CPR process has been changed for infants and toddlers to the most recent version as recommended by the AHA. Please make sure your DVD First Aid Illnesses has the date of 2006 on the back. If you are using the VHS tape for this resource it is out of date.

Curriculum Just for Men

Heritage House is proud to announce an exciting, comprehensive and powerful curriculum just for men. The basis for this curriculum is Men’s Fraternity: The Quest For Authentic Manhood. It's being used worldwide in churches and men’s outreaches. Heritage House received exclusive permission to write EWYL Modules for use by PCC ministries. Like all other EWYL materials, you purchase the DVDs and the modules and then you copy the lessons as you go. And, like all EWYL, it is simple to present. But behind this easy-to-use curriculum is the teaching and tools men need in today’s culture to be men of character. Heritage House

Reflection on Tiller's murder

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

Teens for Life Launches Social Networking Site

Teens for Life, the multiple-award winning youth outreach known for producing the world's only quarterly pro-life publication for teens, is breaking new ground again with the launch of www.teensforlife.com, the world's first social networking site dedicated to raising up a new generation of pro-life teens. The site features an in-depth networking experience for teens that allows them to discuss core issues, exchange ideas, share multimedia, and just hang out with peers online. Market Wire

My Choice

I grew up believing that abortions are wrong. Now, I expect to perform them someday. Washington Post

"Credit Cards" For Condoms

The UK Department for Children, Schools and Families has announced a new program that will give boys as young as 12 a condom "credit card," or "C-card," allowing them to receive free condoms at sport fields, clubs and barbershops. The strategy was conceived as a way of providing more condoms to teenagers with the hope that it will help cut teenage pregnancies. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe. LifeSiteNews

Tiller's Clinic to Close Permanently

The Witchita, Kan., abortion clinic run by murdered doctor George Tiller will be closed permanently, the Tiller family announced Tuesday as Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, offered a House resolution honoring the slain abortion provider. Tiller opened the Women's Health Care Services, Inc., in the 1970s and it served as one of three clinics in the country that performed controversial second- and third-term abortions. "Notice is being given today to all concerned that the Tiller family is ceasing operation of the clinic and any involvement by family members in any other similar clinic," Tiller family attorneys Lee Thompson and Dan Monnat said in a statement. "We are proud of the service and courage shown by our husband and father and know that women's health care needs have been met because of his dedication and service. That is a legacy that will never die. The family will honor Dr. Tiller's memory through private charitable activities." Foxnews

• Access to abortion now farther away
• Doctor likens Tiller's killing to MLK's

Teens: Oral Sex and Casual Prostitution No Biggie

In the documentary, "Oral Sex Is the New Goodnight Kiss," girls as young as 11 years old talk about having sex, going to sex parties and -- in some extreme situations -- crossing into prostitution by exchanging sexual favors for money, clothes or even homework. Evidence of this casual attitude may be seen in the fact that more than half of all teens 15 to 19 years old have engaged in oral sex, according to a comprehensive 2005 study by the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics. ABC News

Kids Born to Unwed Moms Hit Record High

The rate of babies born to unwed mothers has doubled since 1980. "The surprising thing is that we've had this really big upswing in births to unmarried mothers in such a short period of time," said Stephanie Ventura, the author of the CDC report. Sociologists say that the rising rate of unwed mothers reflects a lackadaisical attitude toward the tradition of marriage in Europe and in the U.S. The report didn't look at cohabitation rates. ABC News

Reflection: Lessons From the Fall

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

Blind could be cured by stem cells grown in contact lenses

Researchers say the world breakthrough can "dramatically improve" the sight of patients with damage to their cornea – the clear outer shell of the eye – caused by disease or injury. If early findings bear out then the treatment could be affective for thousands of patients in Britain and is so cheap it could be used for millions more in the Third World. The research team removed tissue with regenerative stem cells from patients' own eyes and then multiplied them in the laboratory on the surface of a contact lens. Telegraph

Obama Justice Dept. hunting for 'all actors' in Tiller murder

The Justice department announced late Friday afternoon that it is launching an investigation to see who else may have been involved in the murder of abortionist George Tiller. "The Department of Justice will work tirelessly to determine the full involvement of any and all actors in this horrible crime, and to ensure that anyone who played a role in the offense is prosecuted to the full extent of federal law." OneNewsNow, DOJ

Reflection on Dr. Tiller's murder

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

Abortion Activists Forget George Tiller Killed, Injured Women in Botched Abortions

Since his shooting death last weekend, the mainstream media and abortion advocates have gone out of their way to paint late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller as a champion of women. However, their portrayal neglects any mention of the women he killed or injured in botched abortions. LifeNews

• FBI Criticized for Ignoring Scott Roeder Vandalism Before Tiller Shooting
• Media Bias Evident in Coverage of Killing of Abortion Practitioner
• Only Love Changes Hearts
• US abortion shooting used to justify UK stats cover up

Frank Pavone Emphasizes Biggest Danger From the Killing of George Tiller

The biggest danger is that some will listen to those in the pro-abortion movement who try to lay blame for violence on us and who, as one person wrote on my blog, think that saying “Abortion is murder” should be prosecuted because it leads to violence against abortionists.

Martin Luther King Jr., in his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, responded to criticisms that the civil rights activists were fomenting violence. No, he said. That’s like saying the person who owns money is fomenting the activity of the robber. To expose the violence that is already occurring, to call it what it is, and to sound the alarm that it has to stop, is not to foment violence.

The pro-life movement is a movement of non-violence. As Ghandi and Dr. King taught, and as we teach, non-violence is not passivity, and it is not obscurity. It is a force. It is a clear and strong response against violence, in whatever form that violence takes. LifeSiteNews

Spanish Feminists Seek to Lower Age of Consent for Abortions to 13 Years

The Governmental Coordinator of Feminist Organizations has gathered 12,000 signatures on a petition demanding that the Spanish government depenalize unlimited abortion on demand, provide abortions in public hospitals, and lower the age of consent for abortion to 13 years. "We want the text [of the law] of the government not to be so restrictive, so that we truly have one of the most advanced norms in Europe like the socialist parliamentarians say," said Yoland Iglesias, a spokesman for the group. LifeSiteNews

Family Breakdown in Canada Costs $7 Billion Annually

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

Social Conservatives to Descend on Amsterdam for Global Meeting

Up to 4,000 social conservatives are expected to descend upon liberal Amsterdam, Netherlands, on August 10-12 for the biennial World Congress of Families, a meeting that brings together scholars, academics, policy makers, elected officials, and activists for four days of speeches, lectures, and networking. The conference will address the influence of the media on the family, the role of faith and the churches, demographic winter, the United Nations and its effect on the unborn and the family, migration, HIV/Aids, the roles of mothers and fathers, and many other topics. A government official on the selection committee said that the Dutch government welcomes vigorous debate and that the Congress would be welcome. C-Fam

New Activist Radio Shows Now Online

Mark Harrington from the Center for Bio Ethical Reform and Pro-life Institute hosts a weekly show on the Promise Radio Network. His most recent shows are now online.

• The Case for Life w/ Scott Klusendorf
• State of the State w/ Mike Gonidakis of Ohio Right to Life
• Personhood Movement w/Katie Walker of American Life League
• Shame on Notre Dame w/ Joe Scheidler of Pro-Life Action League

With abortionist dead, do conservatives share blame?

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

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

Tiller shooting could alter debate over abortion

Cathleen Mahoney, vice president and general counsel of the National Abortion Federation, said anti-abortion extremists had been somewhat dormant under the Bush administration because they believed things were going their way. But they "got restless" when their political power slipped away, she said. She called the Tiller shooting "a setback for everybody who believes in the rule of law," and said it will make it harder for the sides to find common ground going forward. "How do you meet in the middle with people who kill people who don't agree with them?" Wichita Eagle

Editor: Sort of begs the question, how do you meet in the middle with people who kill babies?

Common Ground on Late-Term Abortion: Anguish

Dr. Tiller's preferred method of late-term abortion was legal. He stopped the fetal heart with an injection of digoxin, a drug used to treat adult heart patients. Then he would induce labor. Patients said they would wait in hotel rooms through two to three days of contractions until they were ready to deliver their stillborns at his clinic. Such procedures discomfit some abortion doctors. William F. Harrison, who performs abortions in Fayetteville, Ark., said he considered Dr. Tiller a friend and called him "a very brave and great doctor." Yet he has long expressed concern about Dr. Tiller's willingness to abort into the ninth month. "Some of his practices are hard to defend," Dr. Harrison said. WSJ

30 Days for Life

A prayer devotional from the National Pro-life Religious Council

More premature babies surviving

About 70% of babies born alive between 22 and 26 weeks gestation in Sweden now survive past the age of one, largely thanks to medical intervention. But the authors say their study in the Journal of the American Medical Association does not answer the bigger ethical question over intervention. Over half of the babies that survived experienced serious health problems. BBC News

Editor: An even bigger ethical question is why JAMA doesn't talk about one of the significant causes of pre-term birth -- abortion? AAPLOG

Sexual diseases in children rise

The number of children in Scotland diagnosed with chlamydia has risen by 27% over the past four years. The statistics indicated that cases of the sexually transmitted infection among 10 to 15-year-olds increased from 249 to 318 between 2004 and 2008. It showed that recorded cases of genital warts among children increased from 54 to 62 from 2004 to 2008, while cases of gonorrhoea rose from five to seven. BBC News

Rise in abortions, STDs blamed on Plan B

Abortion row man killed partner

A British woman was brutally killed by her boyfriend who stamped on her head after she told him she had aborted their baby, a court heard. Katrina Preece, 25, was attacked by furious Andrew Wilson in the kitchen as her five-year-old son slept upstairs in the early hours of New Year's Day. Yorkshire Post

Extreme pro-abortion anti-family report presented at Human Rights Council meeting

A report into violence against women has been used to promote an extreme pro-abortion agenda at the United Nations Human Rights Council, currently meeting in Geneva. The report attempts to link bans on abortion with violence against women. SPUC

A Good Journalist May Be Hard to Find, But Not a Late-Term Abortionist

In the aftermath of the murder of late-term abortionist, George Tiller, a number of media stories have reported that Tiller was one of only three remaining late-term abortionists in the United States. But the claim does not square up with numbers released by the Alan Guttmacher Institute and further evidence that indicates that late-term abortion has plenty of willing practitioners across the country. Tiller was actually notorious for being among the few doctors willing to perform very late-term abortions, way past the point of viability, right up until birth. LifeSiteNews

• 49 million to five
• O'Reilly: The Killing of George Tiller

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

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

Teenwire replaced by Teen Talk?

Planned Parenthood pushes contraceptive and promiscuous lifestyles on young people with their new web site Teen Talk. While their Teenwire site was filled with cartoon illustrations, the new one has photographs of people behaving in all sorts of promiscuous ways. The message it sends is "since some people behave this way, it's okay for you to act this way!" STOPP Report

Feinstein: Sotomayor Will Support Roe

Sen. Diane Feinstein, a California Democrat and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says Sonia Sotomayor is pro-abortion. After a private meeting with President Barack Obama's high court pick, Feinstein said Sotomayor has a "real respect for precedent" on abortion. That's code for saying Sotomayor will affirm the Roe v. Wade decision the Supreme Court handed down in 1973 that allowed virtually unlimited abortions. LifeNews

Pelosi Misinformed again, this time on China

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that taxpayers should fund the United Nations Population Fund. In comments on Tuesday at a press conference following her visit to China, Pelosi said, “My knowledge of the fund is that it does not support abortion in China.” The latest State Department report, however, confirms that China still subjects its citizens to abuses. "The government continued its coercive birth limitation policy, in some cases resulting in forced abortion or forced sterilization," it said. LifeNews; see also Speaker Pelosi, Call Your Science Advisor!

61 Percent of Americans Say Abortion Issue Still Important

Although the economy, national security, Iraq, immigration and health care are the most prominent political topics on the minds of most Americans, a new national poll finds abortion is still a very relevant issue for most. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds a majority say abortion is still an important political issue. The poll finds 61 percent of American say abortion is an important issue while 35 percent say it is not. LifeNews

Reflecting on the beauty of God's word

“The Holy Scripture is for us a most precious treasure house from which we can obtain endless riches, a mine rich in gold, a meadow full of beautiful and fragrant flowers, a paradise garden which bears the most precious fruits, an arsenal out of which each one may take weapons against the enemies of the soul. The Holy Scripture resembles a quiet sea that hides many precious pearls in its depths; it is like a diamond which reflects the divine light, a cloud bestowing shadows and rain, a pharmacy which contains the means of healing for all.” --St. John Chrysostom

Baby Weighed Same As Pop Can

At birth baby Taylor Rideout weighed just 12.5 ounces and was just 10 inches long, making her the smallest baby ever to survive at Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh. "She's a fighter," said Taylor's mother Brittany Rideout. At 80 days and now weighing 3 pounds, Taylor has come a long way. The tiny baby's survival wasn't a sure thing. "When I was pregnant with her, I had two strokes and two seizures. She still survived," said Rideout. Rideout has Lupus, and the pregnancy was threatening her life, so doctors delivered the baby 14 weeks early in March. WPXI

Help Wanted

The Leadership Institute is looking to hire motivated and enthusiastic conservatives to fill several positions. If you or someone you know is interested in advancing their career working in Washington, DC, or as a field representative then don't miss this opportunity.

• New Media Manager
• Website Communications Director
• Web Designer/Programmer
• Campus Services Coordinator
• Field Representative

Speaker Pelosi, Call Your Science Advisor!

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) injected politics into her speech at the unveiling of a statue of President Ronald Reagan today on Capital Hill. And got her facts all wrong. In discussing Nancy Reagan's support of embryonic stem cell research, Speaker Pelosi noted: "Your support for stem-cell research has made a significant difference in the lives of many American people. It has saved lives. It has found cures. It has given hope to people." She's confusing embryonic stem cell research with "adult" stem cell research. FRC

Tiller shooting prompts PETA ad campaign in Wichita

A national animal rights group plans to erect billboards in Wichita urging people on both sides of the abortion debate to go vegetarian. Lindsay Rajt, campaign manager for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the billboards were prompted by the recent shooting death of abortion doctor George Tiller. "The discussion of the value of life is front and center right now in the public conversation. We think we would be irresponsible if we don't talk about how we're all guilty of extreme cruelty to animals every time we sit down to a meal that includes meat."
Rajt was waiting to hear back about whether signs were available. Wichita Eagle

Future of George Tiller's clinic is unclear

The future of the clinic run by slain abortion doctor George Tiller was clouded Tuesday when his family issued a statement saying no decisions had been reached about what's next for Women's Health Care Services. The message countermanded earlier statements that the clinic would resume normal operations next Monday by physician LeRoy Carhart, who had worked with Tiller for more than 10 years. Carhart travels from Nebraska for a few days every three weeks to work at the clinic. The doctors who worked with George Tiller want to keep his mission alive in some fashion. With Tiller's death, there are fewer than 10 doctors -- including Carhart -- who perform third-trimester abortions in the United States. Wichita Eagle

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

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

Editor: It also answers Frank Schaeffer (below).

Climate of hate, world of double standards

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

Mr. President, here is common ground on abortion!

Two pro-life Democrats — Congressman Lincoln Davis of Tennessee and Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania — have introduced the Pregnant Women Support Act (HR 2035 in the House, S 2407 in the Senate). As Davis says, "It's not about pro-life or pro-choice." It's about "what we can do to bring a reduction to abortions." As of this writing, Obama has given no indication that he will back it. JWR

Swedish Legislators Propose Forcing Students into Sex Ed Classes against Parents Will

Two members of Sweden's Liberal Party are proposing to force students to take the country's sexual education courses in public schools, even against the will of their parents. Apparently aimed at Sweden's growing Muslim population, which often rejects the loose sexual morality of European society, such a measure would also affect the nation's Christians. LifeSiteNews

It's time to tell

Tamar Abrams writes, "At a time when madmen are willing to kill to make a point, how can I remain silent about my own decision 30 years ago? When the killer pointed a gun at Dr. Tiller on Sunday, he forced me to tell my story. I urge all women across the nation to tell their stories." Huffington Post

Frank Schaeffer blames religious right for Tiller's murder

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

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

Poland: In Pouring Rain, Thousands March for Life and Family

Ignoring, and even enjoying, a torrential downpour, approximately 2,000 Poles marched for life and family in Warsaw, Poland, this past Sunday. Some carried pro-life signage over their heads to protect themselves from the rain, while others simply allowed themselves to get completely soaked during the march. (Click here to see a photo essay of the event). The march culminated with a family picnic. The recent Canadian March for Life drew 12,000 people. LifeSiteNews

NIH Reviewing Comments on Stem Cell Research Guidelines

The National Institutes of Health is in the process of sorting and reviewing thousands of comments it received regarding its new guidelines on stem cell research. “We will develop the guidelines as expeditiously as possible,” said Dr. Lawrence Tabak, acting NIH deputy director. Christian Post

Effectiveness of an 'Abstinence-Focused' Sex Education Program

Researchers evaluated the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Sex Education Program, an abstinence-focused intervention of 1,118 predominantly Mexican-American middle school adolescents in grades 6-8. Students received 10 weekly, 45-minute sessions about the potential negative consequences of sex, methods of preventing STDs and pregnancy, and communication skills to negotiate lowest-risk relationships. Knowledge increased significantly (54% to 67%). Attitudes reflected increased beliefs that sex is not a safe activity for teens, abstinence is the most effective means of preventing consequences, and that a person should practice abstinence until in a long-term relationship. The intervention significantly increased knowledge about sexual activity and created more positive attitudes and increased commitment to abstinence. Shifts in knowledge and attitudes were significantly associated with intentions to abstain from sex until in a long-term relationship. Adolescent & Family Health, page 29

Timing of Initial Sexual Intercourse as a Mediating Factor Between White and Black Adolescent’s Sexual Attitudes

Study results discovered that earlier sexual expression was dealt with differently for white and black adolescents, depending on timing of first intercourse. It appears that the decision process for having sex is different for white and black adolescents. Adolescent & Family Health, page 20

Care Net Conference

Join Care Net at the beautiful, new Hilton at the Inner Harbor! Be encouraged, equipped, and inspired to serve with excellence! Don't miss out on the largest gathering of pregnancy center leaders and staff. We will share ideas, receive encouragement, and expand our vision for those areas we have been called to serve. These are exciting and challenging times -- they stretch us and cause us to proclaim, "not in the world, but it is In GOD We Trust." Conference details

Host cities wanted

True Love Waits is looking for host sites for True Love Waits Rallies. A True Love Waits Rally is a turn key abstinence outreach event. TLW has everything you need for your next event, helping you reach your city with effective evangelism ministry programs that work. Saving you 1000’s of hours in planning time, research and committee meetings. Active presentation integrating high-energy music, special effects, short motivational videos, and life-changing stories. All delivered in a modern concert-style, that teenagers relate to. True Love Waits

Stem Cell Breakthrough Could Mute Ethical Debate

Korean scientists reported advancement in the techniques to create stem cells without destroying embryos, which may allow them to avoid the ethical and practical problems about their use for treatment. Korea Times

New Surprising Results on Abortion and Religiosity

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

Murder in Wichita

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

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

News, reaction to abortion doctor's slaying

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

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

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

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

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

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

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