Posted on 08/11/2015 4:30:44 PM PDT by markomalley
Planned Parenthood applauded Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday following his most recent comments about the group, saying to cut off federal funding is just one of several “extreme positions that are way too far outside the mainstream for even him to take.”
On Monday, Trump told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that before defunding Planned Parenthood, he would “look at the good aspects” of the organization if he were elected president, but referred to the group as an “abortion factory.”
“The biggest problem I have with Planned Planned is the abortion situation,” the real estate mogul told Cuomo. “I mean, it’s like an abortion factory, frankly.”
“I would look at the individual things that they do, and maybe some of the things are good and maybe, I know a lot of the things are bad, but certainly the abortion aspect of it should not be funded by government,” Trump continued.
But despite Trump referring to Planned Parenthood as an “abortion factory,” the organization praised Trump for changing his “extreme positions” about abortion and defunding the group.
“Donald Trump seems to have realized that banning all abortions, shutting down the government, and defunding Planned Parenthood are extreme positions that are way too far outside the mainstream for even him to take,” spokesman Eric Ferrero said, according to The Daily Beast.
“We hope that the rest of the GOP field will wake up and reconsider their extreme and unpopular positions on defunding preventive care, abortion bans, and the other economic issues that women and their families care about,” Ferrero continued.
TheDC reported Trump’s comments to Cuomo indicate a considerably softer opinion than in an interview with Hugh Hewitt last weak, when the mogul agreed that it would be worth shutting down the government in order to defund Planned Parenthood.
In 1999, Trump said he was “strongly for choice,” but last Thursday during the Republican presidential debates, he addressed his change of heart, saying, “since then, I’ve very much evolved,” and that, “I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life.”
Trump understands how to win elections. He's going to get an amazing amount of women, black and hispanic vote for a Republican. And he is going to deserve that vote, because Trump will deliver on his promises.
Question - what about the guy who can't go into jails anymore because he wouldn't sign a paper saying he wouldn't preach that homosexuality is a sin? I'd assume you think he was standing by his Christian principles and made the right choice. I see it as a cop-out and surrender because there is still plenty of opportunity to preach the Word and even the ills of sexual impurity without focusing on homosexuality. If we "stand by our Christian principles" by deciding it's better to forego carrying the Word because we can't carry every bit of it, we tell Jesus that one small aspect of the world is more important than carrying His message to everyone who may need it.
Wow! I believe your position is called looking a gift hose in the mouth because you can elicit a holier than thou attitude. A man makes a sensible statement and condemns the act of abortion (perhaps not with spittle flying from his mouth, but still comes out against it) and instead of appreciating it, "Elite Christians" have to carp about it.
I don't know what The Donald believes. I'm not certain he knows what he believes.
OK, so I know people can change over time and that's fine. But when he flips and he flops, I'm not sure he actually has a stance. At the most conservative, he is pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and health of the mother. "Health of the mother" is simply a canard ("Doctor, I'm getting headaches. I need an abortion."). And that is the most conservative position he's taken.
To me, it sounds like he's a campaign pro-lifer. And while that's better than a campaign pro-abort, it doesn't mean that he is authentically pro-life.
There have been 1.3 billion (yes, BILLION) abortions around the world since 1980. If pro-life is not an issue to take a stand on, I do not know what is.
Trebb, you said:
Question - what about the guy who can't go into jails anymore because he wouldn't sign a paper saying he wouldn't preach that homosexuality is a sin? I'd assume you think he was standing by his Christian principles and made the right choice.
St Polycarp lived between 70 AD and 155 AD. His death gives us an example:
Polycarp was arrested on the charge of being a Christian -- a member of a politically dangerous cult whose rapid growth needed to be stopped. Amidst an angry mob, the Roman proconsul took pity on such a gentle old man and urged Polycarp to proclaim, "Caesar is Lord". If only Polycarp would make this declaration and offer a small pinch of incense to Caesar's statue he would escape torture and death. To this Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs, and thus, was burned alive at the stake.
You are asking that Christian to offer just a tiny pinch of incense. If you take a look at a lot of Catholic Bishops, like Dolan, Cupich, Wuerl, et al, they have offered just a tiny pinch of incense themselves. And there are plenty of Prostestants who have that same attitude themselves (not being Protestant, it would be presumptuous of me to name names).
I would, if I was in that position, prefer to be like Polycarp. Consider this: But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
I can understand some folks "ideals" but it seems to me that only real use we can be to God is to reach out to people with His Word and the Good News of the Gospels. You can teach/preach about the incredible sacrifice of Jesus w/o focusing on homosexuality. In this case, homosexuality wins by preventing the carrying of God's Word and Salvation because one is so obsessed with homosexuality that it' omission for an environment's preaching is a game stopper.
You changed the parameters. Originally you said, what about the guy who can't go into jails anymore because he wouldn't sign a paper saying he wouldn't preach that homosexuality is a sin?
In the original case, you are talking about a person who is being required to bury the fact that homosexuality is a sin. In your modified case, you are talking about one who is focused only on that topic.
If you must agree not to preach (at all) on an uncomfortable subject, be it couples shacking up, homosexuality, talking about money or even about the Cross, then you are, in effect, being required to deny the gospel.
Trump stands for nothing if you look long and close enough at him. Forget flipfloping, he is just quicksand.
Trump fans just keep turning a blind eye to it and parroting my tagline in one fashion or another.
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