Posted By cmbuuck on June 23, 2015

 

Life Affirming News

 

Stopping a Story

Dr. James L. Lamb, Executive Director of Lutherans For Life /  Lifedate Summer 2015

I know some who do not like the phrase “Bible stories.” I understand that. It may imply the Word of God is a fairy tale. Still, the Bible is a story, a true story, the “greatest story ever told” as we say. It’s a story without a beginning for it is from eternity. Yet, “once upon a time,” at just the right time (Galatians 4:4), the story takes on human flesh.

At the beginning of the story—Jesus’ conception—Gabriel gives a preview of the story. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33). This would be the story of God in the flesh from His conception to His resurrection and ascension and continuing on into eternity. It would be the story of God becoming great in weakness and suffering, the story of a King who would establish an eternal kingdom and reign over it forever with grace and truth.

Satan did not want this story to unfold. He tried to cut it short with Herod’s dread decree (Matthew 2:16). He tried to sidetrack the story through his temptations of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). He tried to stop the story by challenging the Son of God to come down from the cross (Matthew 27:39-43). Satan failed. But he didn’t go away. He now does his best with his lies and deceit to keep us from telling the story.

Satan did not win. It is as a defeated enemy that he strives to malign the story. But the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The resurrection that we observed this month and continue to celebrate is our ongoing victory party!

Every life is a story to be told. Every life is a parchment crafted by God and purchased by the blood of Jesus upon which He desires to write a story to glorify His name.

Let me tell you a story, a true story. Once upon a time a man who had been adopted went on a journey to find his birth mother. He succeeded. As a young, unmarried schoolteacher, she had become pregnant. She went to another part of the country, gave birth, and placed her son for adoption. She never married or had other children. But because she chose not to cut a story short and let it be told, she met her son, his wife, and her grandchildren. One of her grandchildren was a Lutheran schoolteacher, and two others were studying to do so. Because she let the story be told, she had a family; she was part of the story.

Abortion does more than destroy a human life. It stops a story. Assisted suicide and euthanasia do more than bring a life to an end. They stop a story. These are stories God wants told, stories through whom He desires to work to touch the lives of others and to extend His rule of truth and grace. These are stories that will accomplish His purpose and bring glory to His name. The love of Christ compels us to do all we can so these stories will be heard. And remember, because of our resurrected Savior, we are assured our story will never end. Put another way, we will live happily ever after!

Kate and William Announce the Name of Their Newborn Baby Girl and It Will Make You Smile

Steven Ertelt / LifeNews May 4, 2015

Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced the name of their newborn baby girl and it’s a good one – befitting a little girl who is one of the most anticipated babies not only in Britain but around the world.

Royal officials say Britain’s newborn princess has been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Little Charlotte is the second child of Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and her official title will be Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.

The princess is the fifth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and she will be fourth in line to the throne, after her grandfather Charles, her father William and her older brother George. Charlotte was born on Saturday night and weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces.

Why does the birth of the Royal Baby matter in pro-life circles?

Beyond the celebration of life that accompanies the birth of a baby and the completion of 9 months growing and developing in her mother’s womb, the birth is an interesting phenomenon because it has billions of people acknowledging the simple fact that a baby is a baby both before and after birth.

As Christian writer Eric Metaxas pointed out during Middleton’s previous pregnancy, the world finally, for once, settled on the fact that a baby before birth is a human baby. While abortion activists normally call a child in the womb anything but a baby or a child, this was one rare occasion where “Royal Baby” won out over “Royal Fetus.”

Terminally Ill

Professor Joseph Lau / from “The Lutheran Spokesman,” Jan 2015 / Lifedate Summer 2015

Just as we hear much about a woman’s right to end a pregnancy, we have also heard much about an individual’s right to die. Some feel that if the quality of one’s life is no longer sufficient, he should have the right to end his life on his own terms. This opinion is often voiced in connection with those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. God clearly states in Deuteronomy 32:39, “Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive.” It is God who determines the time of grace for each soul. May we confess with the psalmist David, “My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31:15). From the time we are conceived until the time God stops our beating hearts, He has a purpose for our lives. “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). We have been called according to His purpose. May we redeem the time in His service. Be Pro-Life just as He is.

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Posted By cmbuuck on April 15, 2015

 

Life Affirming News

 

Dear Friend,

Today, 208 years ago, the British Parliament ratified “An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.”  This incredible milestone for Western civilization was spearheaded by William Wilberforce, a member of Parliament and the leader of a band of social reformers called “the Saints.”

But the abolition of the slave trade was no instantaneous thing.  Wilberforce had been fighting for this since 1787.  For twenty years.

At the time, it seemed impossible that slavery – an institution as old as mankind, firmly embedded in the culture – could ever be abolished.  But here is what Wilberforce had to say, some years before, about “impossible” things:

“We are too young to realize that certain things are impossible…so will do them anyway.” William Wilberforce

We see exactly the same thing happening in the fight against abortion today.  Young people are told that the slaughter of children in the womb is an institution that will never go away.  They’re told to focus their efforts elsewhere.  Yet young people are increasingly pro-life, and increasingly willing to take on the pro-life mission in powerful and dynamic ways.

Don’t believe us?  Get this: the majority of our over 700,000 Facebook fans are between the ages of 13 and 24.  That’s the target market for abortion corporations like Planned Parenthood – but these teens and young adults are listening to us, instead.

How will the naysayers react when “An Act for the Abolition of Abortion” is passed in our own time?  Will they still say that ending abortion was an impossible thing?  Remember: as long as you stand with us in protecting the weak and defenseless, you are one of the “Saints” working toward that day – when the evil of abortion is merely a bad memory in our country.

The mainstream in Wilberforce’s time thought it would be impossible to erase the institutionalization of slavery from their culture.  We similarly hear our media and others telling us that abortion will be with us forever.  But the increasing pro-life fervor of the upcoming generation says otherwise.  With Millennials fighting for the weakest among us – and, before long, their children fighting the same fight – we’re going to see abortion ended.  And much sooner than Planned Parenthood would like.

Yours in the fight for life,

Lauren Mertz, Live Action

Assisted Suicide Opponent Kara Tippetts Dies after Battle with Cancer

Christian Post / 3/23/15

Christian blogger Kara Tippetts succumbs to terminal breast cancer: had written an open letter to Brittany Maynard asking her to reconsider her November decision to end her life through assisted suicide.

Kara Tippetts, a 38-year-old Colorado Springs wife and mother of 4, died Sunday after battling metastatic breast cancer. The Christian blogger wrote about her experience with the disease, encouraging others to fight rather than take their own lives using assisted suicide.

Tippetts made headlines by reaching out to Brittany Maynard, who became a public figure for the assisted suicide campaign.  Maynard ended her life on November 1, 2014.

Tippetts’ beliefs made her the poster face against the assisted suicide movement.

 

At Least 50 Belgians Euthanized Annually for Psychiatric Reasons

BioEdge / 3/21/15

Leading advocate in Belgian euthanasia says individuals with psychiatric issues are eligible for euthanasia in his country.

After a study released last week found nearly one in 20 Belgian citizens died using euthanasia in 2013, Dr. Wim Distelmans stated that between 50-60 Belgians are euthanized each year in the country for purely psychiatric reasons.

In a magazine interview, Distelmans indicated the group accounts for 2 to 3 percent of the 1,924 people whose lives ended by legalized euthanasia last year. Most are not old (in their 20s or 30s); had been medically diagnosed with mental issues since their childhood; and had a history of institutionalization.

Last year, a second official complaint was filed against Distelmans for euthanizing a woman who suffered from depression but was not terminally ill. Distelmans, an oncologist, has no formal psychiatric qualifications.

The rise of euthanasia cases with psychiatric patients can be explained in the increased willingness of doctors to offer euthanasia in places where the practice is legal. Dutch Minister of Health, Edith Schippers, reported that 45 psychiatric euthanasia deaths took place in 2013 in the Netherlands, up from 14 in 2012.

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Posted By cmbuuck on March 14, 2015

 

Life Affirming News

 

“Choose Life” – A Tribute

Most of us life-affirming folks love the phrase, “Choose Life.’ That’s good. But when using this phrase among God’s people, something else needs to come first. The choice of life flows from trusting in our God who gave us life. This in turn flows from faith in God who has given us new life in Jesus. You may not be able to trust a god who says, “Choose Life or else.” But you can most certainly trust in a God who says, “I chose to give My life for you.”

So, when the Christian is faced with that crisis pregnancy or that end of life decision, our first question should not be, “What would God have me do?” Rather we should remind ourselves of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. This assures us that He loves us, forgives us, and will be with us to strengthen us. This assures us that nothing is ever hopeless. Then the “What would God have me do?” question really doesn’t even need to be asked. It is usually pretty clear anyway! We can choose life because we have a God who chose us.

(Life Date Spring 2015, Dr. James I. Lamb)

We, members of Fort Wayne Area Lutherans for Life, would like to dedicate this issue to Mary Schram. Mary died at the age of 98 and was still active in our local LFL chapter. Her own mother was encouraged to abort Mary when the doctor found a problem. Mary’s mother fired that doctor and found another who was willing to care for her and the baby. Not only was Mary born a healthy infant, her mother was able to carry 5 more children to birth. Throughout her life Mary lived for Christ and freely shared her faith.

Indiana Considers Drop Boxes for Abandoned Babies

by Kiley Crossland / WNG.org / March 4, 2015

Indiana could become the first state to legalize infant drop boxes, a controversial method for parents to safely and anonymously surrender a baby they might otherwise abandon.

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Casey Cox, R-Ft. Wayne, unanimously passed the Indiana house in late February. Cox said his legislation is a natural extension of infant safe-haven laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under those laws, parents are able to relinquish custody of an infant at designated locations—most often hospitals, fire stations, and police stations—with no questions asked and no legal ramifications. States shield parents from prosecution for abandonment or neglect as long as the child is surrendered without any signs of abuse.

But safe-haven laws require a face-to-face interaction at drop-off. Indiana’s new law would eliminate that requirement and allow a mother in crisis to place a child in a secure, 2-foot-long “newborn safety incubator” that is heated and equipped with a motion sensor. She could leave without ever interacting with a person.

Dawn Geras, president of the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation in Chicago, said that, according to her count, more than 2,800 infants have been surrendered to safe-haven locations since the laws were enacted in 1999. Not many states track infant abandonment, but Geras said Illinois’ data might reflect much of the country. Since the Illinois safe-haven law was passed in 2001, 103 infants have been relinquished, but another 72 were illegally abandoned, and 37 of those did not survive.

Critics of the law contend the plan eliminates a vital face-to-face interaction wherein staff are able to assess the mother’s needs, discuss other options, and, if she decides to proceed with the surrender, at least gather medical history.

“If you use a baby box, you have stripped away that option,” Geras said. “There’s a lot of things that need to be done to improve safe-haven laws throughout the country, but that’s not one of them.”

Geras said her organization found that 25 percent of parents who initially planned to use the safe-haven law in Illinois chose to either keep the infant or put him or her up for adoption when given the chance to talk about other options.

Supporters, though, claim the proposed Indiana law gives another option to a woman who might unsafely discard or murder her child. They contend the box would be a last resort and would include a toll-free number where a woman could reach a counselor 24 hours a day who would ask her to surrender the baby in-person.

“We’re giving her the power to do what’s right,” said Monica Kelsey, a firefighter, medic, and the president of Indiana-based Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc. “We’re hoping that these girls know that once they push that button, their baby will be saved.” Kelsey was abandoned at birth at a hospital because she was conceived by rape. She suggested the boxes to Cox and is working to develop a prototype.

Kelsey said she is fighting for the boxes as a last-ditch effort to save the children of parents who decide that anonymous surrender is “the only thing they can do.”

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

 

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Posted By cmbuuck on February 18, 2015

  

Life Affirming News

 

You Helped Indiana Rise to 7th Most Pro-Life State in the Nation!

Indiana Right to Life

“We’re pleased that our seventh place ranking shows we are making pro-life progress in the Hoosier state,” said Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “Indiana is recognized as a state that values the rights of both mothers and unborn children. We thank our legislators for enacting pro-life policies that earned us this high ranking. We also urge our elected officials to keep up the momentum until every unborn child receives a chance at life.”

Judicial Order Allows Chemical Abortions to be Done without Regulation

Indiana Right to Life / Jan. 2015

Legislature Must Fix the Law to Ensure Women’s Health and Safety

Obama-appointed federal judge, Jane Magnus-Stinson, ordered that her December ruling will stand, which states that a 2013-passed state law including chemical abortion facilities in the definition of abortion facilities is unconstitutional. Her order came after Planned Parenthood and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, which was defending the state law, agreed not to take the case further in the legal system.

The law was passed in 2013 to require chemical abortion facilities to meet the same requirements as other abortion sites in the state. Like surgical abortions, chemical abortions can lead to serious medical emergencies, so abortion facilities and its staff should be prepared to care for women with complications.

“With Judge Magnus-Stinson’s order, the state’s largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood, will continue to do dangerous chemical abortions at a completely unregulated facility in Lafayette,” stated Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “This order also opens the doors for abortion sites in communities across the state if operators don’t need to adhere to state laws in place to protect women’s health and safety.

“We urge the newly convened state legislature to take strong and immediate action. Chemical abortion facilities should not be able to skirt oversight laws regarding reporting standards, physician oversight, cleanliness standards and building accessibility. Women’s health is on the line.”

Bill Banning Late-Term Abortions Reintroduced

SBA List / Jan. 2015

Congressional bill would impose a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, based on scientific evidence that shows preborn babies can feel pain at that time.

On Tuesday, a bill prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks gestation — when an unborn child is capable of feeling pain — was re-introduced by pro-life members of Congress. The measure could save the lives of more than 18,000 babies.

In 2013, the U.S. House passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The Senate refused to take the measure up for a vote and the bill died.

Now pro-life legislators in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have re-introduced the bill that is expected to move ahead for a vote in both chambers. Congressman Trent Franks of Arizona, along with Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, are the lead sponsors of the measure.

“As the 114th Congress is sworn in today, we are encouraged to see our pro-life allies wasting no time in the fight to protect the lives of the most vulnerable,” said SBA (Susan B. Anthony) List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Sixty percent of Americans support the legislation …to stop abortion on demand after five months. That’s more than halfway through pregnancy. It is time to move the United States off the list of only seven countries to allow abortion on demand beyond this point.”

 

Deceased Newborn Found at Eagle Creek Park Raises Awareness of Safe Haven Law

Indiana Right to Life / Jan. 2015

Safe Haven Law Allows Babies to Be Left at Firehouses, Police Stations and Hospitals

The discovery of a deceased newborn Sunday in Indianapolis’s Eagle Creek Park highlights the need to raise awareness of Indiana’s Safe Haven Law. Authorities believe the deceased newborn could be just a day old, though an ongoing investigation may provide more answers.

Indiana’s Safe Haven Law allows caregivers to give up an unwanted baby safely, anonymously and without legal consequence. Babies left at any Indiana emergency room, firehouse or police station will be put into custody of the Indiana Division of Family and Social Services Administration before going to a foster or pre-adoptive home.

According to a July 2013 report in the Purdue Exponent, the Safe Haven Law has only been used four times in Indiana. According to the same article, nationally 2,879 babies have been safely abandoned so they can go to adoptive families. Comparing Indiana’s rate to the national rate, it appears the law is under-utilized in Indiana.

Indiana Right to Life supports efforts help caregivers utilize the life-saving law. Rep. Casey Cox (IN-85) has introduced HB 1016 in the Indiana House. This legislation would allow newborn safety incubators, or baby drop boxes, to be installed around the state. These drop boxes would give caregivers greater anonymity when leaving a baby. When a baby is placed inside the box, a silent alarm is triggered for officials to come retrieve the baby.

“The discovery of the newborn at Eagle Creek Park is a tragedy, and we pray for all involved as officials seek answers,” stated Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “We hope that reports of this story include information of the Safe Haven Law so all Hoosiers are aware of this option. The Safe Haven Law gives children a chance at life if their mothers feel they have no other options. We support Rep. Cox’s efforts to expand the Safe Haven Law and hope that his efforts will spread the word of this way to legally and confidently give up a baby.”

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Posted By cmbuuck on February 18, 2015

 

Life Affirming News

 

9 Reasons Why 2014 was a Great Year for Pro-Life

Live Action News / Dec. 2014

The pro-life movement experienced a milestone year, with huge national victories across the board. From a record number of pro-life legislators elected to Congress to wins protecting the freedom of conscience and pro-life legislation, 2014 was a benchmark year for pro-life. Not all pro-life victories of the past year were front-page news. Like Live Action investigations, some of the biggest pro-life victories happen “undercover.”

Here are nine ways you made a difference with Live Action in 2014!

9) Millions of people saw the ugly truth about abortion.

Live Action’s groundbreaking investigations into the abortion industry shaped the dialogue on abortion. In 2014, Live Action’s “What is Human?” video went viral, obtaining millions of views on Facebook. This exposé, released as part of Live Action’s Inhuman investigation, revealed the ugly truth about late-term abortion through taped, undercover conversations with the abortionists who perform them. “What is Human?” details the abortion industry’s refusal to recognize the humanity of pre-born children, as well as the willingness of abortionists to violently slaughter babies in egregious late-term abortion procedures.

8) The pro-life movement is resonating with Millennials

Pro-life is becoming the social justice movement of this generation. Due to technological advances and the power of media, hearts and minds are changing about abortion. !

7) Planned Parenthood’s legacy of abuse was revealed.

In spring of 2014,  Live Action investigations unearthed numerous violations by Planned Parenthood, including rampant cover-up of sexual abuse, willingness to aid and abet sex-traffickers, readiness to perform infanticide and abortions based on gender and race, and peddling medical misinformation and manipulation.

Live Action sent a report of findings from its six-year investigation into Planned Parenthood to each legislator on Capitol Hill, detailing the troubling abuses that are endemic in the Planned Parenthood corporation.

6) Pro-lifers across America spread the message in their communities.

The pro-life message is getting into the hands of young people across the United States! Live Action’s free pro-life student magazine, The Advocate, was distributed to 250,000 people in schools and communities across the nation.

5) Media couldn’t ignore the reality of the abortion industry.

Live Action’s undercover investigations insisted that the media report on the abuses and scandals blanketing the abortion industry. From local news coverage to CNN, Fox News, and The Blaze, Live Action boldly shared the truth about abortion and the dignity of each human life. In 2014, Live Action made headlines with groundbreaking undercover investigations, bold op-eds, and debates and interviews on national television, radio stations, and publications. Thanks to your support, even the pro-abortion mainstream media has to cover what we’re doing. And the more they cover, the more America sees what an injustice abortion really is.

Lila Rose, president of Live Action,… founded it at the age of 15 and has directed numerous groundbreaking investigations into the abortion industry. Rose is a regular guest on The O’Reilly Factor, Hannity, The Laura Ingraham Show, and many other national TV and radio programs.

4) Pro-lifers became the media.

While much of mainstream media fails to report the truth about abortion, Live Action’s news arm is boldly sharing the value and dignity of the human person. Live Action News is a leading pro-life publication, reaching hundreds of thousands of readers each week.

3) Pro-lifers shared the beauty of life with their friends.

Good friends share things they like with the people they care about. This year, Live Action’s over 700,000 Facebook fans and over 25,000 Twitter fans engaged friends and family in discussion on the sanctity of life and the atrocity of abortion.

2) Parents learned about Planned Parenthood’s dangerous sex advice for kids.

Live Action’s SexEd investigation exposed Planned Parenthood’s dangerous sex advice for children. SexEd revealed Planned Parenthood staffers counseling minors as young as 15 on how to visit porn shops, obtain sex toys – illegal for minors under municipal laws – and experiment with BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism). Investigations detailed Planned Parenthood staffers encouraging minors to engage in violent sexual role-play.  Planned Parenthood’s promotion of truly frightening pseudo-sexual behavior popularized by the pornographic book series Fifty Shades of Grey is alarming for both parents and children.

1) Planned Parenthood was held accountable.

Live Action’s investigative journalism into the abortion industry sparked national attention. Following the release of Live Action’s SexEd investigation in 2014, Colorado attorney general John Suthers announced that attorneys would review a Live Action undercover video that details a Planned Parenthood clinician coaching an investigator, posing as a 15-year-old, in dangerous sexual activity. Suthers’s announcement came on the heels of a lawsuit filed against Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains for failure to report child sexual abuse.

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Posted By cmbuuck on December 26, 2014

 

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, 

That we may share in the song of the angels,

The gladness of the shepherds, 

And worship of the wise men.

 

Close the door of hate

And open the door of love all over the world. 

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. 

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,

And teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

 

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,

And Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, 

Forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

 

Merry Christmas from Lutherans for Life

 

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