Monthly Archives: February 2014

The most powerful pro-life ad you’ve ever seen…was created by a lingerie company! (VIDEO)

What makes it even more amazing, is that Wacoal says the ad is based upon a true story.

I won’t spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say, it really doesn’t get much more pro-life than this:

The ad is part of a 3-part series by Wacoal, entitled “Beauty Inside,” that highlights secret sacrifices made by women that reveal their true inner beauty – the kind of beauty than inspires true, deep, abiding love from the men in their lives.

As Wendy Wright over at C-FAM writes: “What a welcome contrast to narcissistic Victoria Secrets, with airbrushed models (many with real-life broken lives). Their attractiveness, unattainable by most women, may grant fleeting lustful glances, but not enduring love, nor inspire others to kindness.”

“‘Beauty Inside’ elevates your soul. It inspires you to love others. To discover that joy comes when you put yourself second.”

WATCH VIDEOS & LEARN MORE:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/the-most-powerful-pro-life-ad-youve-ever-seenwas-created-by-a-lingerie-c

 

Court: Choose Life Plates Unconstitutional Unless Pro-Abortion Plates Offered

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 2/11/14 5:16 PM

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A federal appeals court ruled today that Choose Life license plates are unconstitutional unless a pro-abortion version is also offered to motorists.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals heard a challenge brought by the ACLU against the 2011 North Carolina law that would allow the production of a specialty “Choose Life” license plate.

Last December U.S. District Court Judge James C. Fox ruled against the law because “The State’s offering of a Choose Life license plate in the absence of a pro-choice plate constitutes viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment.” The state attorney general appealed.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in a 3-0 opinion written by Judge James Wynn of North Carolina.

“Chief amongst the evils the First Amendment prohibits are government ‘restrictions distinguishing among different speakers, allowing speech by some but not others,’” Wynn wrote, quoting an unrelated U.S. Supreme Court decision. “In this case, North Carolina seeks to do just that: privilege speech on one side of the hotly debated issue — reproductive choice — while silencing opposing voices.”

Currently 29 states make “Choose Life” license available, including South Carolina. New York is the one other state that has a pending lawsuit over the plates.

The pro-life license plate was one of dozens of other specialty plate options the state legislature approved in September 2011. No tags have been produced after a preliminary injunction was issued in November 2011.

There is a $25 fee for the plate, with $15 going to the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship.

Bobbie Meyer, director of the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, told reporters “The choose life license plate has already raised over 12 million dollars in the states that allow them thereby helping mothers and their families,” she said. “Here in North Carolina, there are 85 pregnancy care centers who last year saw over 46,000 women and children.”

The lawsuit claims the new plates abridge the free speech rights of pro-abortion state residents and the ACLU has filed a request for an injunction preventing the sales of the plates.

Barbara Holt, the president North Carolina Right to Life, told LifeNews.com in response to the lawsuit: “Pro-life groups worked for years to get a Choose Life Specialty Plate through the General Assembly.  There is nothing to prevent the individuals who are suing the state from putting forward the same effort to get a plate of their own.”

During the legislative process, lawmakers rejected multiple attempts to add a “Respect Choice” license plate supporting abortion.

Carteret County Republican Rep. Pat McElraft told legislators the plates will raise money for Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship and “save some babies’ lives.” However, some Democrats opposed the measure because they didn’t want licence plates becoming a forum for debate on abortion.

Despite popular support for the plate, Planned Parenthood officials strongly opposed it.

“These license plates are specialty plates that bear an anti-choice message,” the group said in an email LifeNews.com obtained asking its members to urge legislators to vote no.

Planned Parenthood complained that the funds from the plate will go to pregnancy centers that provide women with real choices and tangible help in an unplanned pregnancy. As the abortion business claimed, the centers “promise comprehensive medical advice and services but deliver anti-choice propaganda.” Planned Parenthood also complained it would be ineligible to receive funds because it does abortions while the plate’s goals are to promote adoption and helping women in crisis pregnancies.

The approval of the Choose Life plate comes after significant hard work from pro-life groups in the state, including North Carolina Right to Life and North Carolina Pro-Life Democrats.

The Tar Heel State is home to over 100 specialized license plates promoting everything from Save the Sea Turtle to NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. The Choose Life tag was tied up in the Transportation Committee for five years and now, residents may be closer to having tags available.

LEARN MORE:

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/02/11/court-choose-life-plates-unconstitutional-unless-pro-abortion-plates-offered/

Son is Born After Husband Keeps “Brain Dead” Pregnant Wife Alive to Give Birth

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 2/11/14 11:29 AM

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In a case that made international news, a son has been born to a husband who had been raising funds to cover his “brain dead” pregnant wife’s medical bills so his unborn son could be born.

Dylan Benson hit his fundraising goal so he could cover the enormous expense associated with saving his son’s life.

Robyn Benson was 22 weeks pregnant when she suffered from a brain hemorrhage. Her husband, Dylan, went out to get some medicine for her headache and, when he returned, Robyn was unconscious on their bathroom floor, but still breathing. Although medical professionals made attempts to revive her, doctors discovered blood had leaked in to Robyn’s brain and they told Dylan Robyn would never recover.

However, doctors had kept Robyn alive for the past few weeks so Dylan’s son, Iver Cohen Benson, could be born.

As Dylan writes, Iver was born over the weekend. Dylan Benson posted the bittersweet life-and-death news on his Facebook page Monday night.

“On Saturday evening, my beautiful and amazing son, Iver Cohen Benson, was born,” he wrote. “Iver is healthy and is the cutest and most precious person I have ever met. As to be expected, it will still be a bumpy ride for he and I as he continues to grow under the care of the wonderful staff at the hospital.

“On Sunday, we had to unfortunately say goodbye to the strongest and most wonderful woman I have ever met. I miss Robyn more than words can explain. I could not be more impressed with her strength, and I am so lucky to have known her. She will live on forever within Iver, and in my heart.”

Iver was born 7:12 p.m., weighing two pounds, 13 ounces.

“I’ve never been more proud and getting to hold him yesterday was something I will never forget and something I look forward to doing every day,” he told the Victoria Times Colonist on Monday.

“He’s showing hints of Robyn’s red hair, not surprising. But I think he has my nose,” said Benson.

On his website Dylan explains what happened, “On December 28th, I lost my wife to a sudden hemorrhage of blood to her brain. At the time, she was 22 weeks pregnant.

On that Saturday morning, she threw up, and then instantly started suffering from a piercing headache and asked me to go to the store to get some Tylenol for her. When I came back, she was unconscious, but still breathing in our bathroom. I called 911 immediately. The ambulance came, and they tried to get my wife to respond and for almost an hour before we went to the hospital. At the hospital they discovered that my wife had experienced a massive blood leak into the centre of her brain, and that there was so much blood and pressure and damage that it was irreparable.

Devastatingly, my wife, Robyn, became brain dead. They performed an operation on my wife’s brain to drain some of the excess blood. Based on my decision, they are attempting to keep her body alive for up to 7 more weeks (potentially until she is at or near 34 weeks pregnant). Incredibly, they have been successful in doing this for 5 weeks now. The thought process behind this is that if they can keep her body alive and growing our child, it will give our unborn son (his name will be Iver Cohen Benson) a good chance of surviving a c-section at that time. The doctors have said that he now has higher than an 80% of survival and that increases with every day that passes. There are roughly 30 published medical records of this type of thing being attempted, but so far, amazingly, they have been successful. For the last 5 weeks, Robyn’s body has still been doing most of the work. Her heart rate and blood pressure are for the most part working unassisted. It is essentially only her brain that is not working, and unfortunately, she will not recover from the brain death.

Our family and close friends are all very supportive and all think that my wife would want me to try and give our child the best life possible, so that’s what I’m going to try and do. Assuming that the c-section is successful, of course my son will then spend the next several weeks in the hospital under intensive care until he is ready to be released to me.

My days right now consist of a lot of time with family and close friends, and of course time at the hospital visiting Iver and Robyn, and hoping every minute for their health to continue.

She was my rock. She did so much for us, and I can’t believe I won’t get to talk to her again. It is very difficult to know that our son will grow up never meeting his wonderful mother, and that we will have to say our goodbyes to Robyn within hours of seeing Iver for the first time.

Why we are raising funds and where they will go:Due to the stress of this situation, and not knowing when they will attempt to deliver Iver (if Robyn’s body becomes unstable, they may need to deliver him within minutes or days), I am unable to work. The majority of my current and upcoming leave from work will leave me only earning 55% of my salary. I am about to become a single father. Paternity leave for men will only provide me with 35 weeks off from work, and it’s likely that I will be spending the first 6-8 of those in the hospital with Iver before I can take him home. I will need funds towards bills, baby supplies, daycare, housing, food, and transportation.

I sincerely appreciate everyone who took the time to read this and anyone who is able to help, regardless of the amount.

Thanks and take care,

Dylan and Iver”

LEARN MORE:

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/02/11/son-is-born-after-husband-keeps-brain-dead-pregnant-wife-alive-to-give-birth/

Thrivent Cuts Donations to Pro-Life Groups After Criticism Over Pro-Abortion Funding

by Pastor Michael Schuermann | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 2/10/14 7:36 PM

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Thrivent has declared themselves to be “neutral” when it comes to abortion. Thrivent doesn’t want the distraction of an issue such as women who find themselves pregnant needing help. They don’t want the loving, kind, merciful people who seek to help them and their children to be a distraction, either.

In order to satisfy this misguided ideology of neutrality, Thrivent has made sweeping across the board changes to every one of their giving programs. They have ruled any organization that is in some way connected to abortion (both pro-abortion and pro-life) ineligible to receive any Thrivent money. To see the effect of this, let’s consider the year 2011, which is the most recent year where all of Thrivent’s financial records are public:

• Thrivent has defunded pro-abortion organizations (who are doing decidedly non-Christian work) to the tune of $1,373. This is good.
• Thrivent has defunded pro-life organizations, who have been doing the mercy work that is indisputably good and expected of every Christian, to the tune of $878,569.

Yes, $878,569. Almost 900 grand. Well on the way to one million dollars. Per year.

That is for one year. Thrivent has robbed pro-life organizations – and the mothers, fathers, and children they support – of $878,569 per year. This amount does not include any Thrivent Choice dollars. (Pro-life organizations were not eligible to receive Thrivent Choice dollars until 2012.) This $878,569 was likely quite a bit higher in 2012 and 2013 due to the addition of Thrivent Choice as a giving option to pro-life organizations.

$878,569. Don’t forget that number.

The idea that Christians, or the organization that they run, can be neutral on abortion is utterly wrong.

The thought that organizations seeking to show Christ’s mercy to parents and their children are in some way a distraction is horrifying.

The ideological divide between the decision makers at Thrivent and their faithful, Christian, merciful Members (and I’d venture to say many of their employees)? As far as the east is from the west.

The value that Thrivent places on their idol of neutrality over against the mercy sought amongst His Christians by our Lord Jesus Christ? $878,569 per year.

Thrivent announced on Thursday changes to all of their charitable giving programs. In response to pro-abortion organizations being accepted into one program, and multiple pro-abortion organizations being funded via another, Thrivent made public a neutrality policy that applies to every one of their programs:

“Thrivent Financial is a membership organization of Christians and works with many different members who hold a variety of – and at times divergent – views and beliefs. It respects the differences of its members and does not independently or on behalf of its members, advisors or employees provide outreach funding or support to organizations and issues that distract, or have the potential to distract, from its common purpose, which is to guide its members and society to be wise with money and live generously.

“Under this policy, certain organizations are not eligible to receive outreach support or funding. This includes, but is not limited to, organizations with a primary purpose of providing services for or advocating positions either supporting or opposing certain social, politically partisan, or health and human services causes and issues, such as abortion, sexual orientation, or guns. Decisions regarding the application of this policy and the eligibility of specific organizations to receive outreach funding or support are made at the sole discretion of Thrivent’s management team and are subject to change.”

LEARN MORE:

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/02/10/thrivent-cuts-donations-to-pro-life-groups-after-criticism-over-pro-abortion-funding/

Girl Scouts Alternative American Heritage Girls Announces New Respect Life Patch

by Don Beehler | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 2/10/14 5:15 PM

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American Heritage Girls, an international faith-based character-development program for girls ages five through 18, has created a new Respect Life Patch that reinforces the organization’s commitment to honoring life from conception to natural death.

Troops representing more than 30,000 girls in 48 states can earn the patch by participating in an event that brings attention to respecting life or by providing a service project for an organization whose mission/purpose demonstrates a desire to respect life, such as pregnancy resource centers, pro-life groups and hospices.

In January, AHG assisted the Catholic Diocese of Arlington as the largest sponsor of its national prayer gathering and youth rally in Washington, DC, prior to the March for Life event, which marked the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Across the nation, AHG members regularly participate in pro-life events, making the patch symbolic of the high value the organization places on the full continuum of life.

“One of the things that attracts so many girls to AHG is our strong affirmation of the Biblical worldview, which includes respecting all life from conception to natural death,” said Patti Garibay, AHG executive director and founder. “Over the years AHG troops have supported life in a variety of ways, and we are pleased to offer them the opportunity to earn this patch and display it on their uniforms,” she added.

The idea for a Respect Life Patch originated when girls in Michigan AHG troops designed and earned a Pro-Life Patch for participating in events that support the pro-life movement. One such event was a prayer hour at a local abortion clinic during the 40 Days for Life campaign.

AHG is a Christ-centered alternative to Girl Scouts because of its emphasis on Christian values and family involvement. AHG girls participate in a wide array of badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities and outdoor experiences.

“I recommend American Heritage Girls enthusiastically to parents who want their daughters involved in a traditional Christian-based program that will reinforce what they are trying to teach at home,” said Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and host of “My Family Talk.”

Founded in 1995 in Cincinnati, Ohio, AHG currently has more than 30,000 members internationally, with more than 720 troops in 48 states. In the past four years, it has experienced 40-50 percent membership growth annually. For additional information, visit AHGonline.org.

Learn More:

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/02/10/girl-scouts-alternative-american-heritage-girls-announces-new-respect-life-patch/

Hospital Forced to Deny Treatment for Kids With Severe Medical Conditions Sues Obamacare

by Steven Ertelt | Seattle, WA | LifeNews.com | 2/10/14 3:53 PM

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Thanks to Obamacare, the quality of many Americans’ current healthcare is gradually declining. A story that made national news described how children “are being denied specialty treatment by insurance providers on the Washington Health Benefits Network.”

Administrators at Seattle Children’s Hospital said in January they predicted this would happen, and it’s even worse than they expected. Patients being denied specialty treatment at the hospital by insurance providers on the Washington health benefits exchange. Children’s filed request on behalf of 125 of their patients. Of those, they say they got only 20 responses, eight of which were denials.

Dr. Sandy Melzer says all this comes after reassurances of certain unique specialty cases would still be covered: “Well, some of the patients who were denied are ones who clearly would fall into that unique category. A two-year-old with new significant neck mass that was being evaluated for infection or malignancy, an older child with a chronic severe medical condition requiring multidisciplinary care here, a baby that had a skull abnormality.” Children’s went ahead and treated those cases anyway, but Dr. Melzer said they can’t afford to keep doing that it way.

Now, the hospital is suing.

From National Review:

Seattle Children’s Hospital is taking legal action to correct a “false promise” of Obamacare. With only two out of the seven plans offered under Washington State’s health-care exchange covering treatment at the hospital, one of the state’s key providers of specialized pediatric care, it will sue the state’s insurance commissioner for “failure to ensure adequate network coverage.”

“The exclusion of a major provider like Seattle Children’s for a major insurance network in this market is unprecedented,” said Dr. Sandy Melzer.

For instance, CBS reported that four-year-old Kate Fink was denied coverage at the hospital for a ruptured eardrum because the plan her family purchased on the exchange didn’t include Seattle Children’s in its network. The insurance company originally authorized treatment for the girl at the hospital, but the family found out four days later the decision had been reversed because the hospital was out of network. Melzer said this was not an isolated incident.

“We’re seeing denials of care, disruptions in care. We’re seeing a great deal of confusion and, at times, anger and frustration on the part of these families who bought insurance thinking their children were going to be covered, and they’ve found that it’s a false promise,” he said.

For the time being, Seattle’s Children Hospital is paying for coverage for 200 families like the Finks, but those families may be on the hook for bills down the road.

“While many are quick to blame insurers, the real culprit is the Obamacare provision under which health insurance exchange bureaucrats are excluding insurers who offer policies deemed to allow “excessive or unjustified” health care spending by their policyholders,” say Burke Balch and Jennifer Popik of National Right to Life.

“Under the Federal health law, state insurance commissioners are to recommend to their state exchanges the exclusion of “particular health insurance issuers … based on a pattern or practice of excessive or unjustified premium increases.” The exchanges not only exclude policies in an exchange when government authorities do not agree with their premiums, but the exchanges must even exclude insurers whose plans outside the exchange offer consumers the ability to reduce the danger of treatment denial by paying what those government authorities consider an “excessive or unjustified” amount,” they explain.

They conclude: “This evidently is creating a “chilling effect,” deterring insurers who hope to be able to compete within the exchanges from offering any adequately funded plans that do not drastically limit access to care. When the government limits what can be charged for health insurance, it restricts what people are allowed to pay for medical treatment. While everyone would prefer to pay less–or nothing–for health care (or anything else), government price controls prevent access to lifesaving medical treatment that costs more to supply than the prices set by the government.”

WATCH VIDEO & LEARN MORE:

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/02/10/hospital-forced-to-deny-treatment-for-kids-with-severe-medical-conditions-sues-obamacare/