Posted on 01/24/2008 8:01:43 AM PST by NYer
SCHENECTADY -- To commemorate Tuesday's 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that affirmed a woman's right to an abortion, clergy blessed this city's new Planned Parenthood clinic in a ceremony dubbed "On Sacred Ground."
"Today is more than about the building and about bricks and mortar," Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Linda Scharf said. "It's a blessing to demonstrate the support of the clergy."
Since Jan. 22, 1973, when the high court handed down the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision, two sides of the issue have squared off. Opponents have campaigned to overturn unrestricted abortion laws, while proponents have stood firm for the right to choose.
Tuesday was no different.
Capital Region activists joined voices with their counterparts nationwide to mark the day. In Washington, as every year on the anniversary, the March for Life was held.
In Schenectady, the blessing occurred at the newly constructed 18,000-square-foot building at 1040 State St. that opened in September to replace a facility on Union Street.
"Clergy have long supported Planned Parenthood's mission and believe women are moral decision-makers, and they trust their right to make a personal decision based on their moral beliefs and whether ... we concur ... we still need to respect that decision," Scharf said.
"The clergy were instrumental in getting abortion services legalized in the United States and right here in Schenectady," she added. "I know a member of the clergy who was part of an underground who directed young women to safe abortions before Roe v. Wade."
Kathleen Gallagher of the New York State Catholic Conference called the blessing hypocritical.
"My gut reaction is that it's two-faced," Gallagher said. "For many years abortion proponents have been saying this is not a religious issue, you should keep religion out of this, and now all of a sudden they turn around and decide to bless an abortion clinic to gain respect for a procedure everybody knows is not worthy of respect."
The group also criticized Gov. Eliot Spitzer, noting that although abortions fell nationally to 1.2 million in 2005, the lowest level since 1976, Spitzer has proposed what Gallagher termed radical legislation in New York.
The governor "has acted aggressively to make abortion even more available and common than it already is, while stomping on the rights of religious providers like Catholic hospitals," Gallagher said. "His euphemistically titled 'Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act' would raise abortion to the level of a fundamental right, like the freedom of speech, and would therefore prohibit virtually any restrictions at all."
She warned such a bill would "ensure the easy availability of late-term abortions of fully formed infants, even if there was no threat to a woman's physical health."
In a joint statement, Spitzer, Lt. Gov. David Paterson and first lady Silda Wall Spitzer reaffirmed their "commitment that, despite attacks that seek to infringe upon the protections embodied in Roe v. Wade, women in New York will continue to have the right to make their own reproductive health decisions."
Scharf noted New York was ahead of the curve on abortion. Three years before Roe vs. Wade, under Republican Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller, the state Legislature legalized abortion. The year was 1970, and the action brought women from throughout the country to the state.
Despite the national trend of declining abortions, they increased in four local counties from 2005 to 2006 while statewide they dropped, according to the Health Department.
At Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson, an affiliate of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Rev. Larry Phillips of Schenectady's Emmanuel-Friedens Church declared the ground "sacred and holy ... where women's voices and stories are welcomed, valued and affirmed; sacred ground where women are treated with dignity, supported in their role as moral decision-makers ... sacred ground where the violent voices of hatred and oppression are quelled."
The minister has been affiliated with Planned Parenthood going back more than 30 years, Scharf said. About three dozen people gathered at the facility, known as the Evelyn & David Sencer Center, to offer prayers during the half-hour ceremony.
The Rev. Abby Norton-Levering led the group in prayers for the center's doctors and staff. "We pray that you will make this a place of safety and give a sense of sanctuary," she said.
Rabbi Matt Cutler of Temple Gates of Heaven blew the shofar as "a renewal of commitment to keep reproductive rights in the hands of women."
The Rev. Bill Levering, senior pastor of First Reformed Church of Schenectady, said the right to privacy is endowed by God.
"There are some decisions that are left to the individual. Even God respects the right of privacy. We make women into children when we say they cannot control their own bodies," Levering said.
Phillips led everyone outside where they laid their hands on the brick and limestone as the minister declared, "This is sacred ground."
I often wonder how big the “flocks” of these phony religious leaders are. Moreover, who are they? Are they people who really think that rubbing out other human beings for convenience sake is a good thing? I mean...I could understand if they just said some thing like “it’s a necessary evil”, but to hold it as sacred. The fact that these people can vote is quite frightening to me.
“Even God respects the right of privacy,” - the words of a false prophet.
“Thou has set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of they countenance.” - the words of a real prophet.
"...women are moral decision-makers, and they trust their right to make a personal decision based on their moral beliefs and whether ... we concur ... we still need to respect that decision," Scharf said.
What a makeshift, madcap, minimalist morality. As if whatever women choose for whatever reason must be "moral" simply because... well, simply necause.
It's the equivalent of saying, "Men are moral decision-makers, and they trust their right to make a personal decision concerning the justification for forced sexual intercourse based on their moral beliefs and whether ... we concur ... we still need to respect that decision," Scharf said.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep`s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them.
At the PP abattoir where I attend prayer meetings, one of the favorite tactics of the PP folk is to station some dude in a clerical collar outside the front door while we pray.
It's like they're saying "no, we have God on our side". That may actually be a good sign as it might indicate some vestige of belief in a Supreme Being to whom they will one day render an account........maybe.........
Rabbi Chanoch Teller makes quite a spectacle when he travels with his family. The Orthodox Jewish scholar and author has 18 children—enough to fill three full rows in coach. Once, Teller was traveling with 16 of his offspring, the girls in matching dresses, the boys in matching suits. While changing planes in Frankfurt, Teller noticed a German woman gaping.
"Are all of these your children?" the woman asked. "From one wife?"
"Yes, God has blessed me with all these children," the rabbi replied.
"Haven't you heard about the population problem?" the woman sniffed. "How many more children do you want to have?"
Rabbi Teller paused and looked the woman in the eye: "About 6 million," he said.
This is so obscene I cannot find the words to comment.
The most profoundly idiotic statement I have ever read!
I wonder if she got that?
This is so wrong.
Don’t be so thin skinned. I was being more harsh on the Reform Jews than anything. My point was, that all of those organizations are liberal, certainly at the national leadership level and obviously it varies at the local level. However, all of them, at the national leadership level are perverting the word of G-d. Liberalism in the church-synagogue needs to be dealt with.
I know other congregations of ELCA that don’t go for “it” either. I just wonder why they remain in the ELCA. I would think they would find more solidarity with the Missouri or Wisconsin synod. OR, vote out the liberals at the national level and take their synod back.
So I am well aware that there are good people in liberal churchs and synagogues. But I know that you would never find an Orthodox Rabbi blowing a shofar at a PP, nor would you find someone from the Wisconsin Synod there, etc...
The groups I listed support PP. At the National level. If you are offended by that, take it up with the ELCA. Not me.
Exactly.
Satanists to the core.
Just as it was important to Hitler to replace churches with his own religion (of course using others to mock, it’s the satanic way). The devil can’t create, only twist and destroy. If folks didn’t get it when the Mother’s Day and Christmas Choice on Earth cards came out... they’ll never get it.
How can they escape damnation?
Do you suppose she meant to admit once dismembered and flushed down the drain the little ones are safe from the workers at this abortuary?... Somehow I doubt the murdering of alive unborn humans registers with such a dead soul else she would awaken to realize she’s embracing a demon.
Since it’s a Friedens church I assume it’s an old Dutch reformed, now UCC. God save us from these “religious” people.
Should not some Jesuits have been there, or some womynpriests?
“The Rev. Abby Norton-Levering led the group in prayers for the center’s doctors and staff. “We pray that you will make this a place of safety and give a sense of sanctuary,” she said.”
Certainly not a place of safety for unborn babies.
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