PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Good deeds documented

The CDA Press ^ | Saturday, Jan 31, 2009 | FATHER PAT BELL

[narses]

When I became a board member at Planned Parenthood of the Inland Northwest a few months ago, I was trained in my calling; but nothing could have prepared me for the letter to the editor by Hans Neumann of Spirit Lake that appeared on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Mr. Neumann, whom I have not met, began with a rant, "Elections have consequences. We lost; they won, so they can do what they want for now."

As a clergyman for most of my adult life, I do not accept "them and us" divisions among and between people with differing views. Planned Parenthood supports keeping abortion legal because it protects women's health and lives. However, we never try to convince someone who opposes abortion they are wrong. Instead, we trust people and seek the middle ground. We understand that the only way to reduce the need for abortion is to ensure people have the family planning information and services they need to apply their own moral compasses and make their own decisions.

Hans Neumann may want to focus on abortion, but at Planned Parenthood our focus is on health care and prevention. Is there really anyone out there who is against the breast and cervical cancer screening we do, the testing for and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, the testicular cancer screening, the annual exams for women who are often too financially disadvantaged to afford anything but the sliding scales we offer to both Washington and Idaho residents? I trust not.

It is pretty clear that the voters of this nation are tired of vitriol being passed off as truth. I will say, however, that from my point of view there is no "we" or "they." And I have seen no indication that "we" have any intention of trying to run over our opposition on any issues.

FATHER PAT BELL

Hayden

[SuziQ]

Yeah, I was wondering, though I assumed he wasn’t a Catholic priest.

[SuziQ]

Unfortunately, as I said above, people are flawed and screw up and often don’t do what they should.

That includes those who SHOULD use birth control, but just can't seem to bother, because they
1. Are teenagers, and think they're 10' tall and bulletproof
2. Know they have a backup (abortion), or
3. Don't care because if they have another baby, they'll get more money from the govt.

[Gene Eric]

>> As a clergyman for most of my adult life,...
>> Planned Parenthood supports keeping abortion legal because it protects women’s health and lives.

So until the female becomes a woman, its life is not worth protecting?

The division between my Faith and the clergy folk who claim the right to its representation grows deeper every day. But who cares what this clergy guy thinks - abortion is first and foremost a humanitarian concern. You don’t need ‘religion’ to figure that out.

[MountainFlower]

EXCUSE ME? This is a priest backing PP? Did I read that right?? No freaking way! IF all PP did was those types of screening no one would bother them or care.

[MountainFlower]

your seeming logic excuses their behavior...our society is full of the 'pass the buck' or 'pass the blame game'. No excuse. Sin is sin. There isn't a "pick the lesser of 2 evils" here.

you want to excuse the contraceptives, but...abortefaceints are murder as well. They kill after conception. and the contraceptives are just another way to get away with inappropriate, sinful behavior. Outside of marriage it is wrong. Point blank. No questions. People want to continue living their sinful livestyle without having to face it, so...birth control and abortion... sacrifice innocence and the innocent on the alter of convenience and self-centeredness.

[MountainFlower]

PING!

[MHGinTN]

And he represents his father, not The Heavenly Father. Up is down and wrong is right, and Episcopalians are betray in a rush, with no fight. I left them in their demonic spittle.

[deannadurbin]

For Christian conservatives the bottom line should NOT come down to finances but BIBLICAL MORALITY. Are you going to give YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to an organization THAT MURDERS MILLIONS OF INNOCENT BABIES? If you do that you are HELPING to fund them so they can MURDER MORE INNOCENT BABIES!

No matter WHAT other “services” they provide that should NOT matter to someone who makes the important decisions of their lives on MORALITY and not expediency or finances.

[verga]

Unfortunately, as I said above, people are flawed and screw up and often don’t do what they should.

So this means we should give up, roll over, and play dead. Parental / family abstinance education costs virtually nothing. Informing children/students over and over will have an effect. it will take time, but it is the only proven birth control.