Court Rules for Christian organizations in abortion mandate
In early December, a federal district court issued an order that permanently prevents the federal government from enforcing the Affordable Care Act’s abortion pill mandate against six Christian organizations that object to providing coverage for abortifacients. Obamacare has forced most employers — regardless of their moral or religious beliefs — to provide abortion drugs, sterilization, and contraception coverage through their health plans. The six organizations include the Association of Christian Schools International, Samaritan Ministries International, Taylor University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Alliance Defending Freedom.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado wrote, “Plaintiffs have demonstrated that requiring them to comply with [the mandate], to the extent such compliance conflicts with plaintiffs’ sincerely held religious beliefs, violates plaintiffs’ rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”
Alliance Defending Freedom’s Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor applauded the court’s ruling. He explained, “Religious organizations have the freedom to peacefully operate according to their beliefs without the threat of punishment by the government. The court’s order ‘fully affirms that freedom and provides permanent protection from the mandate.’” Baylor added, “These faith-based organizations no longer have to fear being forced to pay fines for simply abiding by the Christian beliefs that they teach and espouse, and they are no longer required to fill out forms authorizing coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization. The government has many other ways to ensure access to these items without forcing people of faith to violate their deepest convictions.”
Other federal district courts have issued similar orders for Christian organizations in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Adult stem cells cure AIDS patient, treat sickle cell anemia
For years, scientists and the media have touted the use of embryonic stem cells as the cure for numerous diseases, but embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) has failed to obtain the results hoped for.
Objections to using embryonic stem cells for research focus on the fact that this research requires the destruction of living human embryos. On the other hand, using adult stem cells does not require loss of life. Research using adult stem cells has led to the effective treatment of many diseases. Now, adult stem cells are the only successful stem cells in clinical practice, treating more than 70,000 patients each year.
Stem cell researcher David A. Prentice with the Charlotte Lozier Institute explains, “The superiority of adult stem cells in the clinic and the mounting evidence supporting their effectiveness in regeneration and repair make adult stem cells the gold standard of stem cells for patients.” [LN 3/20/2019]
An HIV patient who has been in a long-term remission has been able to stop taking antiretroviral drugs with no sign of the virus returning 18 months later. A second patient is now in remission. Though not applicable to all AIDS patients, it does validate the idea of using adult stem cells as a clinical intervention for HIV infection.
A breakthrough cure for Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) is getting the attention of the medical community. SCA is an inherited condition found predominantly in Black and Hispanic populations. It occurs when an abnormal protein in red blood cells causes deformation that results in cells getting caught in or clogging the bloodstream, causing pain, infection, anemia, stroke, or other problems. Now, adult stem cells from a donor match are providing a cure to this painful illness. Videos demonstrating the successful results of adult stem cell treatments can be found at www.stemcellresearchfacts.org.
Botched abortions
In February, 2019, two emergency 911 calls were made from the Near North Planned Parenthood Center in Chicago, Illinois. In the span of 18 months, a total of eleven women have been transported from the abortion facility, which performs abortions up to 20 weeks gestation. One of the women was suffering from a suspected uterine perforation during the abortion procedure. [Lifenews.com, 5/9/2019]
In March, at the Women’s Med Center in Dayton, Ohio, a 911 call was placed for a patient suffering a serious medical emergency. This abortion facility, owned by nationally-known abortionist Martin Haskell, is one of six in the U.S. that performs abortions throughout all nine months of pregnancy. The 911 call was the clinic’s fourth in the last three years. [Lifenews.com, 3/12/2019]
At the end of April, a staff member of Northland Family Planning abortion clinic in Southfield, Michigan called 911 to request an ambulance for a 27-year-old patient undergoing a late-term abortion on twins. The woman, who was experiencing “very heavy bleeding,” survived the abortion, but the twins did not. Since November, 2018, there have been five medical emergencies at this location. [www.operationrescue.org, 4/29/2019]
Planned Parenthood’s flagship abortion facility, the Margaret Sanger Center in New York City, has seen an uptick of medical emergencies following the legislature’s decision to allow non-physicians to perform abortions. On average, an ambulance is being called to the abortion facility every twelve days. From February 16 to April 30, 2019, six women are known to have been transported to a local hospital. [Lifenews.com, 5/9/19]
Spina bifida surgery on unborn baby
An English woman who had been advised by doctors to abort her unborn baby opted instead for a new procedure to repair a hole in the baby’s spine. Kieron and Bethan Simpson, learned that something was wrong with their unborn daughter during a 20-week scan. Doctors removed the baby girl from her mother’s womb at 24 weeks of pregnancy, repaired the hole in her spinal cord, and placed her back in the womb.
According to the BBC, 80 percent of unborn babies diagnosed with spina bifida are aborted. The surgery is risky and does not cure spina bifida, but it can greatly lessen the severity of the disease, reducing the need for shunts and increasing the child’s chances of walking independently.
Describing it as “the biggest decision you’ll make in your life,” Simpson explained, “I feel our baby kick me day in and day out, that’s never changed. She’s extra special, she’s part of history and our daughter has shown just how much she deserves this life.” [Lifenews.com, 3/6/2019]
U.S. House Blocks Infanticide Vote
On May 23, the U.S. House of Representatives refused for the 50th time to vote on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 962), a bill that would stop infanticide and provide medical care for babies who survive abortions. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) claims there is no bipartisan agreement to bring the bill up for a vote. Republican House members have repeatedly tried different strategies to bring the issue to a vote, but to no avail.
The protective legislation was introduced by Representative Ann Wagoner (R-MO). It ensures that a baby born alive after a failed or attempted abortion receives the same care as any other newborn and would penalize doctors who allow such infants to die or intentionally kill them. Republican House members have repeatedly tried different strategies to bring the issue to a vote, but to no avail.
A week earlier, Democrats voted to fund infanticide after Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) offered an amendment in House Appropriations legislation to withhold funds to medical entities that do not provide medical care to an infant born alive following an abortion. The pro-life amendment lost, with every Republican voting for it and every Democrat on the committee, with the exception of Henry Cuellar (D-TX) supporting infanticide. [Lifenews.com, 5/23/2019, 5/28/2019]
Pro-Life Film “Unplanned” saves babies
A new pro-life film which debuted in March has not only opened America’s eyes to the abortion industry, but has saved unborn babies’ lives. The film is based on the true story of Abby Johnson, who worked for Planned Parenthood, had a change of heart after watching an abortion on an ultrasound screen, and quit her job. Actress Ashley Bratcher, who plays Johnson in the film, has had women share with her how the film caused them to keep their babies rather than aborting them. She explains, “This is why we did this movie … We really do want to help women, to walk alongside them.” The co-writer/co-director of the film says nearly 100 abortion workers have reached out to him in the past few weeks because they are thinking about quitting their jobs.
Johnson now runs a ministry called And Then There Were None which helps abortion industry workers who want to quit. Since the ministry began, nearly 500 abortion workers have left their jobs. Visit AbortionWorker.com for more information. [Lifenews.com, 4/17/2019]
