CHRISTIANS OFFENDED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD EVENT AND SPEAKER

A Planned Parenthood abortion fundraiser offends Christians by "celebrating" abortion and by falsely asserting that Chrisitanity has historically supported abortion.

(PRWEB) February 2, 2003 -- On Saturday, February 1, Planned Parenthood will hold its annual "Celebrating Roe v. Wade" abortion fundraising luncheon at the Hilton in College Station, Texas, against the wishes of thousands of local Christians.

David Bereit, Executive Director of the Coalition for Life said, "Planned Parenthood continually misleads our community by asserting that abortion is just a small percentage of what they do even though their latest annual report demonstrates that abortion represents over 23% of the organization's income. Why isn't Planned Parenthood 'celebrating' pap smears or breast cancer exams, or working to find cures for diseases? Instead Planned Parenthood shows their true colors by 'celebrating' the legalization of abortion as the theme of their annual fundraiser."

Bereit continued, "In addition to finding Planned Parenthood's 'celebration' of abortion in extremely poor taste, many local Christians and Christian leaders are deeply offended and angered by Planned Parenthood's choice of speaker and message for the event. The keynote address will be delivered by Daniel Maguire, a so-called 'theologian,' who is highly paid by Planned Parenthood to travel the country twisting the Word of God to falsely assert that Christianity has historically supported abortion."

Dr. Bruce M. Wood, pastor of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in College Station said, "The upcoming celebration event planned by Planned Parenthood continues to promote death; the death of innocent unborn children. Unborn children are just as sacred as born children, disabled children, and the elderly. All life is sacred and requires that the whole world community treat all people with dignity and respect. How is killing pure unborn children dignified as a 'celebration?' Theologians and pastors who support abortion falsely begin their doctrines with human rights rather than the Creator God. Planned Parenthood's speaker leads people astray with a humanistic theology rather than a God-centered theology which ultimately leads to man-centered ethics. I abhor the violence done to innocent unborn children and mothers and fathers in the name of human rights."

Rev. Michael J. Sis, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Center in College Station and Dean of the Brazos Valley Deanery for the Catholic Church issued a statement about Planned Parenthood's speaker to all local Catholic leaders: "I consider his approach to be misleading. He takes a few divergent examples and claims that they constitute a legitimate theological tradition. His book and his teachings demonstrate a lack of respect for the legitimate teaching authority of the Catholic Church -- the pope and the bishops, who are the successors of the apostles with pastoral authority to teach in the name of Christ. I understand that Professor Maguire has publicly refused to ask his local bishop for the official approval, or mandatum, as a theology professor at a Catholic university. I studied Catholic theology for many years at three different Catholic universities (Notre Dame, the Gregorian University and the Lateran University). I studied under a broad range of professors (conservative, progressive and moderate) from around the world. None of my professors ever taught the position that Professor Maguire is currently taking on the issue of abortion."

Rev. Sis continued, "I have spoken about this matter with Bishop Gregory Aymond, our local Catholic bishop, and we both deeply regret that Professor Maguire will be making this presentation in the Bryan-College Station area. We want to be clear that his opinion does not represent the teaching of the Catholic Church."

Many community members have already begun expressing their concerns to the Hilton's leadership for the hotel's decision to host the offensive abortion fundraiser for a second time.

Bereit concluded, "Dozens of protestors are expected to conduct a peaceful prayer vigil beginning at 10:45 AM outside of the event while Planned Parenthood continues to insult Christians and 'celebrate' abortion inside the Hilton."

The Coalition for Life was formed in 1998 when Planned Parenthood announced plans to build the first abortion clinic in the history of the Brazos Valley. Since that time, Planned Parenthood has aborted over 1,590 children in Bryan. The Coalition for Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization made up of 60 churches and thousands of individuals dedicated to ending abortion in the Brazos Valley... peacefully and prayerfully.

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