Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Blunt Amendment


The Blunt Amendment to the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S 1467) would amend the Obama Health Care Law, to prevent the imposition of regulatory mandates that violate the religious or moral convictions of those who purchase or provide health insurance.

In 2009, when health care legislation was pending in the Senate, National Right to Life warned: "Preventive health services" provision would empower the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to mandate coverage of any medical service, including abortion, merely by adding the service to a fluid list. Predictably, the Administration has begun with a degree covering all FDA approved birth-control methods - a mandate that, unless overturned, will produce an irreconcilable conflict between conscience and the coercive force of government for many employers. This is not a debate only about the specific parameters of the birth-control mandate. Exactly the same statutory authority could be used by the Secretary next year, or the year after that, to mandate that all health plans pay for elective abortion on demand.

This concern is underscored by the rationale that the Obama Administration offered, as part of its' so-called "accommodations", under which certain insurers will be directly required to offer coverage of birth-control methods without co-payments, while forbidden to charge anything extra for this option. The White House argued that the expanded use of birth-control will save any health-plan money, and therefore nobody is really paying for it. By the same twisted logic, the Administration could justify the future abortion mandate: by ordering health-care plans to cover elective abortion, health plans would save the much higher cost of prenatal care, child-birth and care for the baby.

The Blunt Amendment goes to the heart of the problem by amending the Obama Care Law itself, to prevent provisions of the law from being used as a basis for regulatory mandates that violate the religious or moral or convictions of those that purchase or provide health care insurance. A vote against this amendment is in effect, a vote to allow just such mandates.

ACTION:   Call your U.S. Senators and urge them to vote Yes on the Blunt Amendment to the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S 1467). A Vote is expected this week. So don't delay.

A Great Sermon On Religious Liberty

Monday, February 27, 2012

What Do The Atom Bomb & The Abortion Battle Have in Common?

Differences will arise in every human endeavor - even amongst the most noble.  Generals and strategists gather in "war rooms" looking for the best possible "solution" in conquering an enemy.  And not only is the defeat of an enemy a priority, but equally important, is how one brings about an enemy's defeat with the least loss of life?  Since the days of King Arthur's knight's, weighed down in heavy metal armor, to our modern day warriors vested in Kevlar, body armor, along with superior weaponry, is aimed at attaining victory with minimal loss of life.  War then is truly a contradiction - in that it seeks to protect life by taking life  - to take life with the objective of saving life - that is - in any war where one is forced to defend one's own against an aggressor.

But, another avenue, and probably the most desirable to minimizing loss of life, is in finding ways of 'shortening the duration of a hostile engagement' - to knock out one's enemy in one punch so to speak. This has been the natural objective of advanced weaponry.  Unfortunately, that objective has now brought our entire world to the brink of extinction with the birth of nuclear weaponry.

We all know that the United States has been scrutinized - severely in some cases - for it's decision to bring about a quick end to the war with Japan, by resorting to the Atom Bomb.  In fact - to date - the United States is the only nation guilty of resorting to this insidious killer, which brought about suffering and death, on a massive scale that has never before been seen in human battle.   

Was the decision to expedite a quick end to the war with Japan the right one - or should the U.S. have gone the traditional route of continuing to engage the enemy on the battlefield?  Which decision truly would have lessened the human toll?  We may all have different opinions on this matter - but no matter which side of the argument you are on - we are still talking about taking a side regarding an approach to an engagement in evil - for War is an evil - no matter how justifiable.  The debate simply boils down to, "How to lessen or mollify an evil ... such as war .... or abortion ... while limiting our cooperation with evil?"   
In the abortion debate - as in the war with Japan - there are a lot of different opinions on which is the most expedient way to end abortion - while keeping ourselves unsullied by 'cooperation with evil'.  It is a painful debate between good people - for whom all - only want an end to the war on innocent human life. 

But, the accusation has been made by some pro-lifers, that other pro-lifers are cooperating with evil - by choosing one political strategy over another.  As in the war with Japan - decisions must be made -  over which is the best way to bring about an end to an evil  -  with the least loss of life possible.

Whichever way the United States would have chosen - drop the bomb - or not drop the bomb - and no matter which opinion you hold regarding the dropping of the Atom bomb on Japan - the fact remains - that the U.S. was the nation on the defensive - not the offensive.  No matter the rightness or wrongness of the U.S. decision to drop the Atom bomb on Japan - it was ultimately the Japanese government itself - not the United States - which brought about the horrific suffering to it's own people - as well as to Americans - through their own act of aggression. The U.S. was forced to take part in the evil of war - even to the utilization of a weapon of mass destruction - because Japan instigated the evil in the first place.

If pro-lifers are going to continue to castigate other pro-lifers - even to the extent of some accusing others of cooperating with evil - those pro-lifers who are throwing stones at other pro-lifers - need to take a step back and save their attacks for the Real Enemy - those who are the ones instigating the evil in the first place - and are sitting back having a good belly-laugh at the division within the pro-life ranks. 

Here I go with another saying from my parent's generation - if I recall it correctly - it goes something like this: "It is a fowl bird that soils it's own nest."

Everyone I have met in the pro-life movement have been the best people I could have ever had the privilege of rubbing elbows with.  The steadfast dedication and sacrificial efforts put forth by these noble warriors, in the war against this insidious enemy of abortion, has been such an example to me of true Christianity, the likes of which I've not seen in my own wretched life.  The heart and soul, with which these heroes sacrifice their own time, talents and energies, on a daily basis, deserve the greatest respect and support - most of all - from their fellow pro-lifers.

I for one, am writing this blog today, to salute all of you who have fought this good fight for 40 years, while many of the rest of us sat in our comfortable living rooms watching TV, and simply praying and hoping for an end to this evil. I for one, could never question or doubt your noble efforts  - nor do I believe will Almighty God question them on Judgement Day ... when the secrets of all hearts will be revealed.  God bless you all!  

     

Friday, February 24, 2012

What are Shared View of Life Should Be


This note was sent to our Illinois Legislators

Hello,
I have lived in Illinois all my life. I have seen much of what is called politics play in the land of Lincoln, which seems corrupted to the core.  But, there are some things that cry to Heaven for justice such as the legal extermination of the Jews and millions of other undesirables by the Nazi regime. Have you ever wondered at all when at the end of your lives as it slips by and the horrible dread comes over you that you will face the Almighty and on that day you will be called to account by our God the Father for what you did not do and for what you did. And He will ask you what did you do to help the least of your people, the undesirables of America,  the child in the womb. Yes I am a Catholic and my children are sacred to me, but children are sacred and that is a truth not so much as I see it but as it is. Like the Sun coming up in the east it is a Truth. And you have allowed millions of children be murdered like the undesirables of Nazi Germany. And this is worse, far worse than any previous genocide for Christ said it is better for a man to never have lived that to harm one of these little ones. You have allowed millions of Black children to be murdered in the womb of their mother because as Margaret Sanger the founder of Planned Parenthood said this was an undesirable race of people. And now in America, Black people are diminishing in population and are now the second largest minority after the Hispanics who value their children. You legislators in Illinois are apostates not to any particular faith but to Life itself. The forces of secularism and hedonism have won with your laws and have lined your pocketbooks with 30 pieces of Silver, yet you still do not see the evil of your ways. Like Pharaoh you have hardened your hearts to God and His people.  And you know what happened to Pharaoh.

If you cannot protect  the innocent life in the womb, how can you have the wisdom to lead us?  Where is your courage and compassion?  How many grandsons and granddaughters you might have had in your old age; these little ones you  would have loved more than your lives.

You are no better than the Nazis and especially those of you that are Catholic because you know better. All of the trivial laws you make choking the American people will have no effect except to kill the child in the womb. Why is there so much instability in America, because our children and into their adulthood know they are expendable like the dead children in the garbage bags behind abortion clinics. And this destruction of the family and the instability you have allowed inexorably leads to anarchy and oppression.

During this time of Lent consider the people and the leaders of Nineveh who were foretold of their imminent destruction by Jonah and they repented.

This is the time for you too to repent but not much time is left. Make the “choice” for God and His children.


Sunday, February 19, 2012

re: Forcing the Catholic Church to directly or indirectly insuring abortifacients and birth control.

As a Catholic I am gratified by the ecumenical support we have received. Thank you.

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

Rev. Martin Niemoller was protected until 1937 by both the foreign press and influential friends in the up-scale Berlin suburb where he preached. Eventually, he was arrested for treason. Perhaps due to foreign pressure, he was found guilty, but initially given only a suspended sentence. He was however then almost immediately re-arrested on Hitler’s direct orders. From then on until the end of WW II, he was held at the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps. Near the end of the war, he narrowly escaped execution

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

So What is Marriage Anyway?

Last week, a new bill, HB5170, the "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act", was introduced in the Illinois House of Representatives, that if passed, would redefine the "marital state" as designed and created by the Creator Himself.

In Washington, Governor Christine Gregoire has already signed into law, a "gay marriage" bill that will force church-owned facilities to accommodate homosexual ceremonies. She stated, "I'm proud our same-sex couples will no longer be treated as separate but equal."  Ok, what does this mean?  

Here's a question for ya ... What is marriage?  Is it a right?  Is it about two people who are in love wanting to be together ... kinda like going steady? 

Here's a bigger question for ya?  Is it only homosexuals who do not understand the true nature of marriage? 

In answer to the 2nd question, I would venture to say, that the vast majority of today's heterosexuals do not fully understand the true nature of marriage ... evidenced by the steady rise in divorce statistics ... most recent of which ... is a popular Reality TV star, divorcing her husband after a mere 72 hours!  Really? 

Today's well known story of Angelina Jolie, stealing Jennifer Aniston's husband Brad Pitt, is all too reminiscent of the scandals over Elizabeth Taylor stealing Eddie Fisher from Debbie Reynolds, and then moving on to a much publicized affair with Richard Burton, who was also a married man ...  prompting the Pope in Rome, at the time, to literally decry her immoral behavior in newspaper headlines ... with words to the effect that, Elizabeth Taylor was on the verge of moral bankruptcy.  So much for the awesome sanctity of marriage. 

Henry VIII, is famously known for going through 6 wives, divorcing one, chopping off the heads of 2 of them and outliving 2 others. Changes in beliefs over the institution of marriage, began in the 1500s, when the Protestant Reformation changed the view of marriage from one of a sacrament to Martin Luther's view, where he stated that marriage was not something between two people and God, but rather a mere human contract between 2 people, who could make or break that contract at their choosing. This led to Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church in Rome, when he decided that Luther's idea could facilitate him ridding himself of his queen, in favor of a younger model.  And the rest is history.

Now today, even the Catholic Church, though still holding fast to its teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, in response to pressure from many of their members, who want the same options as their Protestant brothers and sisters to get out of a distasteful marriage, has made the obtaining of annulments far easier than in the past ... leading to a run on the Annulment Tribunal of the Church, rivaling the run on the Banks in the 1930s. Two of my own children received annulments from their 1st marriages. 

I view this latest assault on marriage, as the final stages of a disease, which has been festering in the union of man and woman, for quite some time now.  Once again ... Did any of us see this coming? 

Now, we must muster our pro-family forces to fight against this new bill in the Illinois House of Representatives, HB5170, which will deal the final death blow to a Sacrament. Yes, a sacrament.  The sacrament of Matrimony, which God himself instituted in the Garden of Eden, when He "created man in his own image. Male and female, he created them" ... as it states in Genesis.     


  




Monday, February 13, 2012

LOVE









This is what true love is all about. These children's health care will be rationed under Obama Care

Friday, February 10, 2012

So Is This Really About Women's Health? What Health Are We Talking About?

As the hoopla continues over Komen defunding and refunding Planned Parenthood and the HHS mandate verses the Catholic Church, I thought it might be a nice time to bring in another aspect of this discussion, aside from the debate over conscience and religious rights and intrinsic spiritual evils.   

I have not heard or seen or read anything on the physical dangers and damage done to women, under the guise of reproductive healthcare. In fact I have seen many angry women, all arguing for "rights" that may lead to their demise.

The Komen frenzy has totally omitted any reference to the connection between abortion and breast cancer. So too has the recent hotly debated controversy over the HHS mandate to faith-based organizations, also omitted this crucial life-saving information for women.

In the early 70's when abortion was being debated state by state, the people who supported legalized abortion, recognized that they had to separate killing from abortion in order for it to be readily acceptable to society. That's how the mantra "Choice" replaced the word killing. So too in the birth control debate, the supporters for birth-control knew they had to separate sexual-intercourse from procreation. Once they accomplished that goal, Pandora's box opened, and we have a general lowering of morality - a rise in infidelity and illegitimacy and the breakup of marriages and homes - the objectification of women to satisfy men - and Government coercion in reproductive matters.  

What has this led to in our society? A total erosion of the fabric that holds us together. And what holds that fabric together, if not the moral laws which  protect us from harm, not only from each other, but from the harm we are capable of doing to ourselves. We all need stop lights in certain areas of our lives, which provide a safe reign on our human nature, deeply wounded by Original Sin.  And there are consequences to sin ... going through a red light may mean your life ... and ...

You can receive forgiveness from your parents, family, friends or your priest, but Mother Nature never forgives, because Mother Nature was designed by God to conform to His laws.  So then, all interference and dabbling with Mother Nature has consequences.   This is the problems we will discuss.

The birth control pill is used by over 10 million women in the U.S. and about 4 million of those are under the age of 25. The pill contains 2 artificial hormones called estrogens and progestins. The Pill works by inhibiting ovulation and sperm transport and by changing the lining of the woman's uterus to prevent implantation of a possible newly fertilized ovum. And both pro-abortion and pro-life groups acknowledge that the Pill causes early abortions.

Now on to the repercussions from Mother Nature - the Pill increases the risk of breast cancer by over 40%, if it is taken before a woman delivers her 1st baby. This risk increases by 70% if the Pill is used for 4 or more years before the woman's 1st child is born.

Due to the hormonal makeup of the Pill, other side-effects include high blood pressure, stroke, heart-attack, depression, weight gain and migraines. It also increases breast, liver and cervical cancers. At least 3 studies have reported that the AIDS virus is transmitted more easily to women who are taking the Pill, if their partners have the HIV virus.

Is this really women's health? Is this why Komen gives to Planned Parenthood? Is this what Obamacare calls reproductive health care for women?

Here are some other methods of birth control and their effects that will be covered under the Obama health care plan.   Depo-Provera, commonly known as "The Shot", Depo-Provera is a long acting progestin hormone, injected every 3 months. It works by decreasing ovulation, inhibiting sperm transport and changing the lining of the woman's uterus to prevent implantation of a possible newly fertilized ovum.  Norplant is another progestin hormone encased in rubberized tubes, placed superficially under a woman's skin, and left there for up to 3 - 5 years. It acts in a similar manner to Depo-Provera.

So, what is Mother Nature's response to all this manipulation of her natural order? Two world-wide studies have shown that women who take Depo-Provera for 2 years or more before age 25, have a 190% increased risk of developing breast cancer. One large study found that women who had received injectable progestins, for at least 5 years, suffered a 430% increased risk of developing cervical cancer. Several studies have shown that women who receive injectable protestins have a much higher rate of contracting the AIDS virus if their partner is infected, one study actually showing a 240% increased risk.

So, let's do the math.  Are we all in agreement that breast cancer and cervical cancer in women has sky-rocketed?  Do we not know why?   And women's health?   It's been left out of the debate.





Thursday, February 9, 2012

Here's what we have to look forward to with Round Lake School District introducing a new School Based Clinic into their high school.




Obama's Assault on Religious Freedom - Did Anybody See This Coming?

Obama's assault on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Freedom, has shocked and rocked Catholic Church leaders, other religious organizations, and many others as well, who see First Amendment rights being destroyed. Did we see this coming? 

I'm writing this today as a long time devout Catholic, who, though, not claiming sainthood here, nevertheless followed the precepts of my Catholic faith to the letter!    BUT - did I feel that the leadership of my Church really represented me?  Did I feel represented in the Catholic parish I and my husband attended for years?  Do my husband and I feel that our children were given sound Catholic catechesis and formation in their faith?    My answer to these questions and many others,  is a resounding NO!  As devout Catholics, my husband and I were treated as though we were completely out of step with many of our fellow Catholics seated in the pews beside us, who, used contraception, put their daughters on the Pill, claimed they were "Catholics for Choice" - one woman even taking her granddaughter for an abortion, who, seating herself in the front pew the following Sunday, walked up to receive communion without blinking an eye.  Did we see this coming?

And, what were we hearing from the pulpit, for the past 40 years, regarding these matters?  SILENCE!  And the silence was not the worst of it.  If my husband and I dared to inquire of these matters, and reveal our traditional Catholic loyalty to the Magesterium of the Church, the priests themselves treated us as dinosaurs from a bygone era, and even lepers in some cases. These same priests were telling women in the confessionals,  "Follow your own conscience", regarding artificial contraception. Those younger women whose consciences were less formed in the teachings of their Church, naturally took this as a sign to do "whatever felt right for them" ... the mantra of the Age of Aquarius Generation ... and "Relativism" replaced "Absolute Truth".   Did these priests see this coming?

This doing "whatever felt right for them" began to trickle into every area of the Catholic Conscience - and with no clear voice from the pulpit, reminding Catholics of Church teaching on such matters as contraception - eventually this led to an older woman, who, though at her age would have been better formed in her Catholic faith, felt free to take her granddaughter for an abortion. Pandora's Box had been opened ... which is what Pope Paul VI had warned of in his encyclical Humanae Vitae.  Did they see this coming?

But Pope Paul VI's warnings seemed to fall on the deaf ears of many priests, and even our local bishop, who my husband and I consulted in our confusion over "where" the voice of our Church had gone? In fact, many in the Church hierarchy actually disagreed and rebelled against Humanae Vitae. Did they see this coming? 

 Needless to say, my husband and I wandered in a desert for many years, until we began to find other "traditional Catholics" whom we found commonality with, and we all began homeschooling our children, and found a more traditional Catholic parish, where we could congregate.  We felt like the "faithful remnant" who had been totally marginalized in our own Catholic Church.   Had we seen this coming?

Now, Catholic Family News states,  "In late January, Obama signed off on a Health and Human Services ruling that is a direct affront to Catholics."  Really?  Which Catholics are we talking about here?  Are we talking about the majority of Catholics whom, as evidenced in numerous studies still use contraception anyway?  Are we talking about the Catholic priests who told these women to "follow their own conscience" regarding contraception?  Are we talking about the Catholics who call themselves, "Catholics for Choice"?  And last but not least, are we talking about the grandmother who took her granddaughter to have an abortion, because the pulpits were silent on the matter?   Did any of these see this coming?

Most of all, is Catholic Family News alluding to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), most of whom were so supportive of the Social Justice crowd, that they did not take a firm stand against Obama's National Healthcare ... only on the abortion element ... which led to it's passage ... and did anyone see this coming?  

So what's the problem?  Am I blaming the Catholic Church?   As a traditional Catholic, how could I do that?  For I fully support and have lived by the precepts and teachings of my Catholic Faith for my entire life.  What I am saying, and as respectively as I can, is that the leadership of my Church has been "Asleep during the Sermon on the Mount", as St. Thomas More said of the Clergy of England,  And they've slept long past the alarm ... and now they're scrambling to close the barn door, long after the horse got out, and is well down the road .... and can any of us really say, that we did not see this coming?   




Monday, February 6, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

Part III - Continuation of 100% vs Pro-life With Exception

In the hopes that I will not bore you in my blog today, as I continue with the topic of 100% pro-life verses pro-life with an exception, I wish to expound a bit further on the subject - for it is not an easy topic to address in 1 or 2 short blogs.  The reason I am still going on about this subject, is because I continue to witness the great strife and division this matter, has and is continuing to cause, in the pro-life camp, to the extent of some pro-lifers actually calling other pro-lifers "baby killers"!  Whoah! What are we doing?

I recently watched a movie on television, titled: "Crash", which depicts the various stories of different people who happen to live in Los Angeles California, and how each of their opposing lives seem to "crash" into each other, and the varying lessons each learns about themselves as a result.

Two characters in the story happen to be police partners, one of whom is an older experienced officer, who finds himself paired with a younger rookie partner - both officers being white-men. The older policeman, having seen many years on the force, and who is struggling with certain reverse discrimination in his own personal life, finds himself pushed over the edge one night during a routine traffic stop. At which point he totally disrespects, to an extreme degree, a young black couple he has pulled over for no apparent reason.  His younger rookie partner becomes horrified at the older officer's outrageous behavior which follows, and as a result he seeks to be reassigned to a new partner. 

Later, as the young rookie's request to be reassigned is honored by his police captain, the two officers politely part ways, shaking hands and wishing one another well.  At this point, the older hardened officer, grabs the young rookie's hand during their handshake, and pulls him close with these words: "You think you know yourself, but you don't."  Later on in the movie, the older hardened officer is given the opportunity to redeem himself of his earlier revolting behavior, while the younger idealistic rookie, tragically finds himself coming face to face with his own Achiles heel.


Many times we are too quick to judge another, before we ourselves have been put to the test. We are all aware of the story of Peter, who was so sure he would never deny his Lord, and yet, when push came to shove, he denied him, not only once, not twice, but thrice! 

In Matt. 21:28-32, we read a parable of Two Sons.  "A man had two sons, and he said to the first, 'Son go work today in my vineyard.' ... to which the son answered, "I will not", but later changed his mind and went to do the father's bidding."  The 2nd son answered, "I go sir", but he didn't.   The 100% pro-life position is without a doubt the right position.  I do not argue that, as I am 100% pro-life myself.  What I do argue, is judging other pro-lifers, who simply are not there yet.  Instead of excoriating those who hold a rape/incest position, we need to bring them to the full truth with love.  We will certainly not do this by calling them names and causing further division within the pro-life ranks - only our enemies will benefit from this, as they have been. 

The older policeman's words to the younger policeman, "You think you know yourself, but you don't" ... as with poor Peter's experience, should sober us all, in being so cock sure of ourselves in our own positions ... and in condemning others ... whom we see as being less than us in their position.

I have personally seen, in my own life, too many times, someone judging another for some sin or fault or misguided opinion, only to fall even farther off the beam themselves, when later they were put to the test. 

So let's be careful, as pro-lifers, not to put hindrances in our brother's way, because we see he is not fully on board yet with the 100% pro-life position.  Let us instead, try to understand why he thinks the way he does, what is holding him back from coming fully on board, and lovingly present the full truth to him, without condemning him - always remembering - that we just may not know our own selves, as well as we think we do.   





Thursday, February 2, 2012

Abby Johnson's Talk at Speak Out Illinois

Abby Johnson was the featured guest speaker at the annual Speak Out Illinois Conference, this past Saturday on January 28th. Speak Out Illinois is a compendium of right to life groups in Illinois, who hold a yearly educational conference, commemorating the Roe v Wade decision.  Abby's talk, was very moving and eye-opening, and personally had me in tears several times.   

Abby Johnson is the author of "Unplanned", a book documenting her own personal journey, from former director of a Texas Planned Parenthood clinic, to pro-life advocate.

As I had already previously read her dramatic story and blogged on my perceptions of the book, I was interested to see if she might have anything new to say at the Speak Out Conference, that may have not been covered in her book ... and she sure did!

As Abby stepped up to the podium, I noticed she seemed to have gained a bit of weight around her waistline. Yes, as Abby launched her introduction, she announced that she was pregnant.  With her next statement, came the "new detail", I was wondering about, as she began explaining the difference between what it was now like to be pregnant and pro-life, as opposed to being pregnant and pro-choice, as she had been with her previous pregnancies.  I myself had never thought of this aspect before, and the minute she made the statement about the differences between the two, it hit me like a brick!  

What have we done to women?

As a mother of 5 children myself, you could say that I have had an up-close and personal experience with what it is like being pregnant.  All of us mothers should know, how our hormones, which go into critical mass during pregnancy, can affect us. One day we are totally up for the idea of having a baby ... while the next ... we may not quite be too happy about the matter.  Reading many books given me by my OBYGYN at the time of my pregnancies, I learned that these emotional ups and downs can be a normal experience, and not to worry about them.

Not to worry, expecting a new baby for me, no matter what ups and downs I went through, was still a wondrous and miraculous experience ... during which time I could ponder the wonder of what was taking place .. and the identity of who was growing under my heart.  Particularly with my 1st pregnancy, I read almost everything I could get my hands on regarding the development of the little Nester in my womb. I would get so excited over every inch of my baby's development.  I could not get my hands on enough data describing my baby's progress ... mostly because for me ... it was a baby ...  it was not a blob of tissue or a fetus or a product of pregnancy!  How droll!

Abby's remark of now being able to more fully enjoy her own pregnancy, knowing that she was carrying an actual baby, really made me feel so sad and enraged over what we've been doing to women with all these labels, such as blob of tissue etc. They've robbed women of one of the most amazing and miraculous experiences they will ever go through, by rendering their pregnancies as mere incubations of 'potential' life, as opposed to, what the bible calls: "being with child". 

I tried to imagine, all those hardships and up and down days of my own pregnancies, being only for a blob of tissue?   For those of us who are pro-life, we know, that whatever ups and downs, illness and discomfort we may experience during our pregnancies, it is all eclipsed by the wonder of knowing that we are "with child" ... not a blob of tissue.

What have we done to women?  





















 

From the Onion Satire on Euthanizing Brain Dead Teen

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Small Beginnings Lead to Final Victory



Susan G. Komen Foundation Defunds Planned  Parenthood

A great victory for Life was achieved yesterday, January 31, 2012, with the announcement, that the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the nation's leading breast-cancer charity and funder of breast cancer research, had made the decision to defund Planned Parenthood. According to Associated Press reports, this will mean "a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants.

Komen says, the decision is based on their adoption of new guidelines which now bar them from funding any organization that is under congressional investigation - and the abortion giant has been under investigation, by the House oversight and investigations subcommittee, who have been checking into Planned Parenthood's funding.

Heated political debates, centered on questions of whether Planned Parenthood, as an abortion provider, should receive government funds for abortions.

Both the Democrat-controlled Senate and President Obama have stood in the way of House Republicans to end Planned Parenthood's federal funding. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services also warned states, that they could lose all of their Medicaid funding if they passed laws barring Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. So Planned Parenthood is now bemoaning the fact that that Komen is the first, and only, organization to cut off funding since Congress began investigating the issue last winter.

Pro-lifers have been pressuring the Komen Foundation to defund Planned Parenthood. Now, with a congressional investigation underway, Komen has finally pulled its support. When private institutions move to cut off Planned Parenthood's funding, there's not much the government can do. This means, Planned Parenthood's only remaining option is to launch their own counter-pressure campaign against Komen from their supporters.

And this is exactly what they've done! Immediately, upon the heels of yesterday's announcement, the Komen office received more than 2,000 emails denouncing their decision to defund the abortion giant. This means, Komen needs to hear from pro-lifers, thanking them for their brave decision.

ACTION: Please stop whatever you are doing at this moment and email news@komen.org and simply say: "Thank you for defunding Planned Parenthood." This is really important. The Komen Foundation has taken a brave stand, and they need to know that, pro-lifers who have been pressuring them to defund Planned Parenthood, will now stand with them.