Life: love it, protect it.

Today our church is observing Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Please take a moment to pray for protection of the unborn in America, and around the world. Here's a short video from Life International.


Life: love it. protect it. from LIFE International on Vimeo.

Related post:

• Sanctity of Life Sunday

An urgent plea to protect life

Here's a short film that links the reasoning behind abortion with both slavery and antiSemitism. All three of these tragic movements have exalted the "choice" and "convenience" of a superior race against those who were considered sub-human. But something within us says this is terribly wrong.

The film is not graphic, but the mature theme makes it inappropriate for young children. I was moved to tears as I watched and realized afresh how urgent the pro-life movement is.

Every boy and girl, man and woman, born or unborn, is created in God’s image and should be vigorously protected (Gen. 1:26-27; 9:6; Ex. 20:13). Yet just yesterday, I read an article that reported Obama wants to redirect 100 million dollars away from abstinence programs to fund erotic sex education for young teens. This will surely lead to only more abortions. God have mercy.

More corrupting that abortion

Regarding embryonic stem cell research, bioethicist Eric Cohen is quoted by Kairos Journal:

[A]lthough the pro-life movement has rightly spent its energy combating abortion, it would do well to begin giving some attention to embryonic stem-cell research as well. Pro-lifers have had substantial success convincing the public that abortion is a horrible and even inexcusable practice. Embryo research, on the other hand, seems relatively innocuous; but that is an illusion. Its insidious nature makes it more corrupting than abortion.

President Obama's tragic decision this week to permit government funding for embryonic stem cell research has brought this ethical dilemma back into the public spotlight.

The Bible teaches that all life is sacred and to be protected because all humans are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). This is true at every stage of life -- whether floating in the test tube of a laboratory, growing in the womb of a mother, or laying on the bed of a convalescent home.

It is never right to torture or sacrifice an innocent human life for the purpose of extending or improving the lives of others. God alone has the prerogative to give life and take it away (1 Sam. 2:6; Job 1:21).

When we get into the business of creating and killing life, even with the best of intentions, we are wielding a power that is reserved for God Himself.

Walk for Life 2009

On Saturday, March 21, Dylan and I will be doing the "Walk for Life" to support the High Desert Pregnancy Clinic. This will be our second year in a row.

The Walk for Life is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the clinic, and your help is appreciated. Recently, the director of the clinic wrote,

We have ... seen an increase in calls asking about abortion. These clients are scared! Many already have children and can’t see how they could afford one more. This makes our jobs that much more difficult to help them see that a child is a gift from God and that for most women, they do regret aborting that child. These women are in survival mode, they feel the responsibility of taking care of the children they already have. But, still they refuse to acknowledge the child within. We try to help them see that the baby within is just as much their child as the ones in the home. In many cases they do decide to keep their baby.

For those who do not decide to keep their baby and there are a few, we ask them to come in for Post Abortive Counseling if they begin having difficulty with their decision.

Pray for these Women, their decision to abort does effects the relationship with their living children and their husbands. They are often are pregnant again within a year trying desperately to replace the child they aborted or they become distant and aloof towards their family, trying to mask the pain in their hearts, by believing that nothing matters any more. There are millions of women who feel like this and do not know how to make the pain go away.

We here at HDPC are working with God to help heal them, to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus and the forgiveness that only He can provide. We can’t do this without your support! We need your prayers and your financial gifts to keep our doors open. I know in these tough times everyone is suffering financially but without YOU we could not keep this ministry open. Our Volunteers give of their time to provide quality care and guidance to our clients. Please help us by giving to the Lord’s work we are providing!

If you're interested in sponsoring us with a small donation, just email me at stephen@fsbcyv.org. Thanks!

Sanctity of Life Sunday

This Sunday is "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday," when many Americans pause to celebrate the dignity of all human life made in God's image (Gen. 1:27).

Did you know that since 1973, nearly 50 million legal abortions have occurred in the U.S.? On average, women give at least three reasons for choosing abortion: 3/4 say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities. About 3/4 also say they cannot afford a child. And 1/2 say they do not want to be a single parent, or are having problems with their husband or partner.

Learning of an unplanned pregnancy can be a frightening and confusing experience, especially for a young teen, a single mom, or a couple who are struggling financially. Life and death decisions are often made when emotions are running high. It's important for local churches and pro-life pregnancy clinics to provide these people with compassionate care and advice when they need it most.

Here are some other heartbreaking statistics about abortion:

• 22% of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion.

• More than 23% of legally-induced abortions in the U.S. are performed in California. (About 15% of the nation's population live in the state.)

• Black women are more than 4.8 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to have an abortion.

• 88% of all abortions in the U.S. happen during the first trimester, prior to the at 13th week. 52% of all abortions occur before the 9th week of pregnancy.

• The total number of abortions across the whole world in one year is estimated to be 42 million.

Source: The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform and Abort73.com
Photo credit: Bill Davenport

**If you, or someone you know, is considering an abortion, please visit this link, or call 1-800-395-HELP for confidential counseling**

Please sign the FOCA petition

During the campaign, Barack Obama promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) as his first item of legislation. But the results of this act would be tragic for the unborn.

This would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

• Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
• Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
• Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
• Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please voice your opposition to FOCA by clicking here to sign your name to the official petition. This petition will be sent to key Members of Congress upon the re-introduction of the Freedom of Choice Act in the 111th Congress, and to President-Elect Obama.

HT: Justin Taylor