Posted on 03/17/2017 1:27:51 AM PDT by Morgana
FULL TITLE: Lutheran, Episcopal and United Church of Christ Clergy: “We Stand With Planned Parenthood” Abortion Biz
A group of female clergy from Iowa wrote a letter this week to publicly state their support of the abortion chain Planned Parenthood.
The letter, published in the Des Moines Register on Wednesday, included signatures from seven women pastors from the United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Episcopal Church, Unitarian Universalist Association, Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) and Unity Church. A note included with the letter said the pastors were not speaking on behalf of their denominations or congregations.
The pastors praised Planned Parenthood’s work and blasted a state bill that would defund the abortion group and redirect tax dollars to community health centers that don’t provide abortions.
“As clergy and as women, we oppose any action by the Iowa Legislature to restrict a woman’s ability to make her own health care and reproductive decisions or to access health care services,” they wrote. “Additionally, we support Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the excellent care it provides for any woman who chooses its health care services.”
In February, the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 2 to defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion groups in the state. The legislation would direct taxpayer funding to federally qualified health centers that provide more comprehensive health care but not abortions. The bill currently is being considered in the state House.
In their letter, the pastors described the bill as “dangerous” and “extreme” legislation that “threatens access to basic health care for low-income women.”
They also claimed that legislators’ opposition to abortion is purely religious. They wrote:
All arguments against a woman’s reproductive choices are based in morality and religious beliefs, using those religious beliefs to change the law and infringe upon the rights of women. Through our faiths, we are joining together to balance those arguments and to assure legislators that the religious community does not speak with one voice.
We are deeply committed to social justice, which includes caring for the poor and oppressed. Defunding and shutting down Planned Parenthood would hurt those struggling to get by and those who already face many barriers in accessing health care.
As clergy and as women, we know that women are well equipped to make their own health care decisions. We also believe that this bill is a matter of legislating inequality and will deny low-income women access to quality family planning services.
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately
Their letter makes a number of assumptions that are not true, one being that the pro-life position is entirely a religious one. While Christians make up a large part of the movement, there also are quite a few secular pro-lifers.
Data also does not back up their claim that women will lose access to health care if Planned Parenthood is defunded.
As previously reported, supporters of Senate File 2 contend that Iowa “women will have access to 221 clinics statewide that will expand coverage to rural women who must now make long drives to urban areas for family planning services.”
Women can find much more comprehensive health care at community health clinics. The non-abortion services that Planned Parenthood provides are very limited. For example, Planned Parenthoods do not provide mammograms and very few provide prenatal care; and those that provide ultrasounds appear to do so only for abortion purposes.
Data from the abortion group’s own reports show a growing focus on abortions and a continuous decrease in its non-abortion services. From 2009 to 2014, “cancer screenings” dropped from 1,830,811 to just 682,208. “Breast exams/breast care” fell by more than half, from 830,312 in 2009 to 363,803 in 2014 and Pap smear tests dropped nearly two-thirds, from 904,820 to 271,539. In that same time period, Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers remained steady, hovering around 320,000 per year.
Iowa is one of a number of states that are moving to defund the abortion group.
Last week, Republicans in U.S. Congress released the American Health Care Act. Their plan to repeal Obamacare includes provisions that would revoke funding for Planned Parenthood. A provision in the bill prohibits states from using “direct spending” on “prohibited entities” with federal funds allocated from the legislation; and those entities include any entity that “provides for abortions.” That means the nation’s biggest abortion corporation — Planned Parenthood.
President Donald Trump recently offered Planned Parenthood a deal that would have allowed it to keep receiving tax money if it stopped doing abortions. Planned Parenthood refused.
God is not mocked, I wouldn’t want to be with them.
God is not mocked, I wouldn’t want to be with them.
We are talking about killing human beings, right? Is that what they're defending?
Of course, by defending Planned Parenthood, they are in effect defending the screwing around that ultimately led to those abortions.
God has St Peter standing at the pearly gates with a sign for them that says: Sorry, you’re aborted.
No such thing. There are however, a large number of apostate organizations using the name "church" that have violated Scripture by placing women in spiritual leadership positions. From that position of Scriptural error, it's only a small step to accept the sin of Cain as normal.
Always liked Presbyterian services as a kid. I have not heard a preacher like the first one I had. I thought I saw where the church had accepted LGBT’s? Hope I am WRONG.
Lutheran, Episcopal and United Church of Christ Clergy: “We Stand With Planned Parenthood”...,
____________________________________________
but we don’t stand with God.....
There's your problem ...
So those churches should fund it if that’s what they like.
I do not understand how freedom of religion translates to churches not paying taxes?
Another strong argument against the idea of allowing women to be pastors.
The Bible is pretty clear on that subject.
When women become Pastors the flock is usually led astray. I don't think I have ever seen a woman pastor who preached sound doctrine.
You used the word “Church” far too loosely.
Filthy child raping, child murdering bastards!
I’m shocked ....
.
.
.
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....that the PCUSA is missing from the list.
Ben Stein says on Judge Jeanine that judges rule based on what will please their friends and neighbors. Guess the eventual Supreme Court justice will have to find a new church when he starts ruling on cases like abortion. But don’t worry I’m told that he is a slam dunk.
““As clergy and as women...” STOP right there.
Why do they care? As lesbian “clergy” they will likely never need abortion services.
I know it’s “cliche”, but it’s too bad their mothers didn’t have abortions and spare us from these MORONS.
True and False Disciples. Matthew 7: (NIV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Lutheran, Episcopal and United Church of Christ Clergy: “We Stand With SATAN”
That’s the Presbyterian Church (USA) which has gone wacko leftist. It’s different from the Presbyterian Church of America, which came into being as a result of and in opposition to the PCUSA’s extreme leftward tilt. PCUSA churches have dropped significantly in membership in recent years. PCA congregations are growing at a brisk pace though.
quote-When women become Pastors the flock is usually led astray. I don’t think I have ever seen a woman pastor who preached sound doctrine.
P-Marlow,
This article coming out on the gregorian 3/16, points to a prophetic picture of why the world( including the ‘church’) is the way it is..
Genesis 3:16 and 3:17 are the ‘curse’ verses for Eve and Adam.
And these ‘women pastors’ are just living out the curse from the garden that was given to Eve when the desire would be for her husband’s positon (Genesis 3:16)as ‘head’. Adam was to rule over her.
Woman desiring to wear the pants(be the head) in marriages, families, communities, churches and governments is the opposite of the Father’s blessed Patriarchal system of marriages, families, communities, churches and governments.
And because Adam listens to his wife (Gen 3:17), instead of following the Scriptures:
The world’s marriages, families, communities, churches, and governments are living out those curses every day.
The less woman desires to be the head/authority, the more she resists satan.
The less man listens to his wife, without the counsel of the scriptures, the more he resists satan.
resist the devil and he will flee from you...
Deuteronomy 12:31
“You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
... are an abomination.
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