The first Scripture verse that came to mind when I viewed the shocking video produced by NARAL-Pro Choice New York, a video that attacks the stellar reputation of pregnancy resource centers, was Isaiah 5:20:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
I came across the video last month through the EWTN News web site which is one of the resources I check each morning in preparation for my radio program. Ironically, later that same day, I would be giving a keynote speech as part of the Heartbeat International 40th Anniversary Celebration and conference being held in Columbus, Ohio. Heartbeat is an organization that serves and trains leaders in the pregnancy help movement around the country and the world. My presentation would focus on encouraging resource centers to engage the media, especially the secular media, to let them and any one who would listen know about the incredible work of these centers. They are not only affirming and promoting life, but provide a vital resource in the community for helping families during tough times.
The NARAL video is part of an overall strategy the abortion industry is undertaking to target the pregnancy help centers. The video is being presented to lawmakers to encourage them to come up with regulations restricting the way centers advertise; similar to measures already passed in New York City, Baltimore, and Austin. These laws single out the pro-life operations and basically give a pass to abortion operators. As the EWTN News report explained, the goal is to “regulate pregnancy centers out of existence”.
The video is entitled “Exposing Crisis Pregnancy Centers One City at a Time” and has been posted on YouTube for a few weeks now. It accuses workers at the crisis pregnancy centers of running “brainwashing outfits”, distributing false information concerning the connection between abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer (even though over two dozen studies have shown more than just a casual link), and also accusing workers of “emotionally bullying women when they are perhaps the most vulnerable.”
In watching the NARAL piece, I felt a great deal of righteous anger building up inside me. While the pro-life community is often accused of only caring about the baby, these pregnancy centers show that they are in this for the long haul. Not only do they offer women accurate information about all of their options along with the well- documented medical and psychological issues associated with abortion, they also offer them a life-line through parenting classes, information on adoption agencies, help with basic needs such as food, baby clothes, diapers, and even transportation to doctor’s appointments. They also help with employment and housing related issues. Many of these centers also conduct abstinence classes and sexual integrity programs for local school districts. They do all of this and much more without government funding and mostly through volunteer efforts… and they’re the bad guys?
Another Scripture verse that popped into my head and gave me great peace and encouragement as I continued to watch the video that morning was James 1:2:
“Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
If centers weren’t impacting the abortion industry’s bottom line there would be no need for such a video or a pregnancy center strategy. The abortion industry is a big business with the largest abortion provider Planned Parenthood also receiving more than 350 million dollars in government funding. And yet, these centers operating on shoe string budgets or basically a wing and a prayer have these mammoth abortion providers worried. Count it all joy indeed. Pregnancy centers are making a difference, a big difference.
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