One of the most common questions you hear this time of year is, “Have you gotten all your Christmas shopping done?” It’s an easy conversation starter and an easy way to make small talk with someone you don’t really know.
Undoubtedly many of us have “gift cards” or “gift certificates” on our Christmas shopping list. I know that Sandy and I do. You can give someone a gift card to a department store, a restaurant, hotels, gas stations, golf courses (Did you catch that last one?), etc. Gift cards are great! But I never thought I would see a gift card used the way that was described in a recent Washington Times article that said, “Indiana residents in need of a quick stocking stuffer this holiday season have an unusual option: Planned Parenthood gift certificates. The group’s Hoosier state chapter on Wednesday began selling gift certificates redeemable at any of its 35 facilities for any service provided - from basic health screenings to birth control to abortions.” Betty Cockrum, the president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood of Indiana, was reported as saying, “The gift-certificate program is the first of its kind by any of Planned Parenthood’s 99 affiliates nationwide.”
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
The Los Angeles Times corroborated Dr. Mohler’s comments by reporting that the
According to The Washington Times, “Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 880 centers nationwide.” Ms. Cockrum said, “While it’s too early to judge the program’s success, she plans to offer the certificates year-round.”
Earlier this year, during our Think Biblically series I shared the following truths from the Scriptures about abortion:
- Life begins in the womb.
- This life is the special object of God’s loving care.
- Unplanned and ill-timed pregnancies can lead to amazing things (That was certainly the case for Mary and Joseph).
- God’s redeeming grace covers all our sin.
While I can certainly understand and even applaud the use of a gift card for basic health exams, it makes my heart heavy to think that someone could use a gift card for an abortion. It’s sad to think that at the time of year we celebrate the birth of one child who changed the world, we can also make it so convenient to end the life of so many others. Note: Special thanks to Barry Cameron at Crossroads Christian Church,
Jesus cares,
What a sad commentary on the spiritual health of our Nation. I wonder if those "Americans" who are in favor of a woman's "rights" to abortion ever stopped to consider the economic consequence? Millions of future wage earning Americans have been snuffed out before they ever drew their first breath, much less their first paycheck! Now we will suffer the consequences of our decision to end innocent lives, while in futility we look for ways to fund social security, medicare, and medicaid, to name a few. Euthanasia certificates are not far behind, and it is only logical to assume that the natural progression of such a reasoning process will lead you to someday be able to give the gift of assassination! Thou shalt not murder, whether you do it by pulling a trigger, or whether you do it by giving a gift certificate to someone who uses it to end the life of a precious, valuable, child, loved by our Heavenly Father! I have an idea, why don't we advertise free "gift certificates" to women with crisis pregnancies that include medical care, adoption counseling, baby shower, and child care? Our church is big enough to spearhead the charge to snuff out the advances of the adversary in Johnson County. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
ReplyDeleteWhat about our most precious gifts?1) PERSONAL realationship with God
ReplyDelete2) Forgivness of ALL our sins
3) not having to judge,only to help those that God places before us, THIS is an awesome gift!!.
I often wonder how the men that so easily throw around "womens rights" would truly feel if their daughter or wife were raped.
Is the one who throws a bomb at an abortion clinic killing or wounding many a better servant of Christ than the female who painfully chooses to abort? I honestly do not believe that the majority of Gods children (which they still are)go through the drive thru at McDonalds on the way to the clinic nor do I believe any teenager would jump for Joy to find a planned parenthood gift card in her stocking...but someone living in a shelter might be in desperate need of a health screening and guess what she may have one or two teenage daughters that are in need too. Hence the 100.00!
Hmm. This was one of the topics at our prayer vigil last night. To ynotrobin... you're making it sound like most of the girls getting abortions are because of rape or they're extrememly poor. But if you look at the stats, that's not the case at all. Over 90% of abortions are from 20-somethings that are just using it as a form of birth control! Cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother are a very, very small minority. And while these should be dealt with on a case-to-case basis, encouraging the majority by giving them a road to "easy" abortions is not loving to them in the least. When Jesus said we should not judge, it NEVER meant that we shouldn't say whether something is right or wrong. In fact, he encouraged that. Rather, judging people in that context had more to do with trying to determine their eternity with God. Showing these girls how to walk through their struggles (whether they keep the baby or give it up for adoption) and stay in the will of God will bless them much more than encouraging them to find the easy way out.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is a good example of the people you are talking about. She was a fairly poor 23-year-old unmarried girl when she found out she was pregnant with me. She fought through and raised me while going to school, even when we didn't know where our next meal would come from. She was also raped, and had that caused another pregnancy she would have kept that one too. It can be done.
I'm glad that we have a pastor that isn't afraid to say these things from the pulpit, while so many others are being shut up by fear of being labeled intolerant. God bless!