Valuing God’s creation
By Brent Adams | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
I spend probably far too much time on Facebook. I use it as a news aggregator, I keep up with my friends and their families, and I often use it as a social barometer.
A recent post got my attention. To someone who values human life, it was both disturbing and disappointing.
The comments were attached to a Washington Post blog about Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s decision to cease funding for Planned Parenthood, an
organization primarily in the business of providing abortions and contraceptive devices.
According to the Washington Post report, Komen’s decision was based on new, self-imposed guidelines “that bar it from funding organizations under
congressional investigation.” A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee currently is investigating Planned Parenthood’s funding. A portion of that
funding currently comes from the federal government.
Those up in arms on Facebook were upset that Planned Parenthood without Komen support would have had to do without hundreds of thousands of
dollars in grants, which according to the Associated Press, were earmarked “mainly for breast exams.”
I was disappointed that an organization such as Komen, which has worked since 1982 to raise nearly $2 billion for breast cancer research, screening
and education, was being vilified for having the integrity to walk away from an organization that offers breast exams and other medical services as a
means of hiding behind its true mission.
I was equally disappointed, and somewhat shocked, when Komen officials bowed to public pressure and reversed their decision a day later, saying “We
do not want our mission marred or affected by politics—anyone’s politics.”
I was dismayed by the comments that were posted on Facebook. Here are just a few:
- “Horrid. Wrong-headed. Lacking integrity. Anti-female.”
- “Koman (sp.) leadership should know politics and religion have no place in the fight for improved health. Period.”
- “Thanks for posting this. I’m stunned. Good bye Komen. Planned Parenthood will be getting your dollars.”
- “Pathetic.”
- “One step forward, two steps back?!? Please, ladies of Komen, let’s not demonize Planned Parenthood, which certainly assists more women in need
than your organization. Prevention of and a cure for breast cancer requires action on all fronts by all women! PP will keep my support in this unfortunate
rift!!!”
- “Voices of reason must prevail here. Hasn’t early detection always been the most important factor? For Komen to politicize this is an outrage.
Perhaps we should launch an investigation of that organization?”
According to a fact sheet published by Planned Parenthood, the organization performed 329,445 abortions among its 860 U.S. locations in 2010, the
most recent year for which data is available. That is down from 332,278 abortions in 2009. That’s 661,723 lives ended over a two-year period. To put that
in perspective, the population of Louisville Metro as reported in the 2010 Census was 741,096.
According to the agency’s own fact sheet, its services include: “AIDS/HIV and contraception/family planning —including abstinence, family life
education, parent-child communication, puberty education, safer sex, sexual orientation/homophobia, sexuality education, sexually transmitted
infections, teenage pregnancy, and women’s health.”
The number of breast exams Planned Parenthood provided in 2010—747,607—is dwarfed by the number of pregnancy tests—1,113,460—sexually-
transmitted disease/infection treatments—3,552,955—and contraception kits and procedures—3,685,437—provided during the same period.
I understand that Planned Parenthood provides cancer screenings for low-income people who have no health care coverage. However, there are other
organizations—not linked to abortions—that provide those services. For instance, the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program, operated by the
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, is a federally funded program that provides free or low-cost mammograms and Pap tests. Similar
services are provided in Indiana through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program administered by the Indiana Department of Health.
It is time for our government to get out of the business of funding abortions. It also is time for the people who were so appalled by Komen’s original
decision to walk past a mirror and think about just why they are so adamant about so-called “women’s rights.”
They then need to pick up the phone, and if possible, call their parents and thank them for placing more of a value on God’s creation than they have.
And for those of you who support Planned Parenthood but have children of your own, go hug your children. Stare into their trusting eyes. Listen to their
playful laughter. Watch over them as they sleep tonight.
For it was the God who created the heavens and the earth, who, as it is proclaimed in Psalm 139:13-16, knit us together in our mothers’ wombs and
knew the number of our days before we were born into this world.
It amazes me how, in the closing verses of Psalm 139 (19-24), the Psalmist could easily have been offering a Facebook rebuttal to the venomous posts
regarding the original Komen decision.
“If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your
name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my
enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting.”
Strong words, but then again, this is a serious subject. We’re talking about the desecration of human life, created by the Living God. This is not to say
that I have hatred toward the people who believe differently than I do. I simply disagree with their logic and hate that they would even consider supporting
an agency that would take a human life through abortion.
I’m disappointed that Komen will continue to support Planned Parenthood, even if its intentions are simply to provide more breast exams for women. It
was my hope that the estimated $650,000 a year it was going to pull out of Planned Parenthood would have been used to support an organization that
does nothing more than provide breast exams.
What this episode should do is serve as the beginning of a dialogue about how this country can provide cancer screening services to low-income women
at agencies that aren’t also in the business of destroying God’s precious creation.