Politics
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Friday February 11, 2005
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Print- Archbishop Chaput Condemns Mandatory Morning-After Pill use for Rape Victims
- “This is a Pro-Life Country” says US Senator Sam Brownback
- Gibson to Re-Release “Passion of the Christ” in time for Holy Week
- Canada's Abortion Rate Drops Minimally as 105,154 Unborn Child Killings Registered
- Swedish Pastor wins Appeal of Hate Crimes Conviction
- Catholic medical authority raps 'brain death' criteria
- Ontario Elementary Teachers Union Supports Same-Sex Marriage Law
- After 20 Years in 'Vegetative State' Woman Wakes--Schindler Family Encouraged
- Spain’s Abortion Rate Doubles Over 10 Years
- Ontario Catholic College Invites Militant Pro-Abortion, Pro-Gay NDP Leader to Speak
- Australia's Cardinal Pell Seeks Ban on Embryo Research
- LifeSiteNews.com NewsBytes
Archbishop Chaput Condemns Mandatory Morning-After Pill use for Rape Victims
Colorado State Representative threatens Church’s tax status
TODAY'S HEADLINES
DENVER, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a commentary appearing in the Denver Post Tuesday, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput condemned a potential bill that would mandate that women victims of rape automatically receive the abortifacient morning-after pill by all hospitals, Catholic and non.
Archbishop Chaput responded to criticism from Colorado State Representative Fran Coleman, who during debate of the bill in the House January 31, said, “I absolutely resent the Catholic Church preaching to me because I represent people of all faiths,” in reaction to a letter from the Church condemning the Bill. “I question their ability to continue to be in a tax-exempt status. We don't need to be preached or read to,” according to a Rocky Mountain News report.
“If enacted, HB 1042 would have the dubious distinction of being the first law in Colorado to require a Catholic entity to actively violate its own teachings . . .,” the Colorado Conference of Bishops letter stated.
“Genuine emergency contraception - i.e., steps to prevent ovulation following a rape - poses no problem for Catholics,” the Archbishop explained in his commentary. “The Church and her health-care institutions already allow for this as an act of defense against violent sexual assault. But ‘emergency contraception’ is one of those expressions that sounds compelling but easily gets twisted. HB 1042 does a bad job of defining it.”
“But many backers of emergency contraception intend much more than simply blocking conception. They define it to include methods that are abortifacient - in other words, that kill the fertilized egg after pregnancy has begun by preventing it from implanting in the uterine wall.”
“For Catholics and Catholic hospitals, this creates a grave moral problem. The size of an unborn human life doesn't matter; the scientific fact that a human life has begun, does.”
“HB 1042 describes emergency contraception as ‘any drug or device approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration that prevents pregnancy after sexual intercourse, including but not limited to contraceptive pills.’ But the bill should also state that, for purposes of informed consent, the health-care facility must inform the patient of what the ‘drug or device’ is, and what it does. A victim of sexual assault surely has the right to know what is being administered to her and what its potential effects are.”
Archbishop Chaput also points out that there may be married rape victims who are unwittingly aborting children conceived with their spouses.
Bill 1042 passed the House 46-19 and now moves on to the Senate for final approval.
Read Archbishop Chaput’s letter at: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E73%257E2697961,00.html?search=fi...
Read the Rocky Mountain News account at: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/legislature/article/0,1299,DRMN_37_3513132...
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Back to Top“This is a Pro-Life Country” says US Senator Sam Brownback
WASHINGTON, DC, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A very upbeat Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas spoke with LifeSiteNews.com at the March for Life a few weeks ago saying of the United States, it “is established that this is a pro-life country.”
The Republican Senator has been a strong voice for the pro-life movement in the Senate usually at the forefront of pro-life legislation.
Amidst the crowd of over 100,000, Senator Brownback’s assessment of the event reflected the crowd’s enthusiasm. “I’m doing great, it’s a little cold but everybody’s fired up for life,” he said.
Not only was he positive about the march, but also about the pro-life battle in the United Sates. “It’s going really well,” he said. “The president has mentioned and Abraham Lincoln has stated that America moves by establishing a common thought. And that’s now been moving forward and is established that this is a pro-life country, a majority pro-life.”
With the recent re-election of President Bush and the influx of pro-lifers into the Senate, there is much to be thankful for and positive about.
Despite some uncertainties about the pro-life convictions of the US Senate leadership, Senator Brownback was convinced that pro-life legislation would be moved forward. But most importantly, Brownback was convinced that the Senate would confirm President Bush’s pro-life judicial appointments.
“I think we’re going to be able to move forward pro-life judges,” he said. Acknowledging that there would be a fight, he added, “That’s the real big battle that looms.”
jhw
Gibson to Re-Release “Passion of the Christ” in time for Holy Week
New cut minimizes brutality to eliminate ‘R’ rating
HOLLYWOOD, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Mel Gibson has decided to re-release The Passion of the Christ in theatres in time for Good Friday.
The new cut tones down the more violent scenes, such as the scourging and some scenes from the crucifixion, in order to avoid a restricted rating. Daily Variety reported Thursday that Gibson plans to trim five to six minutes from the film, for re-release in US theatres March 11.
“There has been quite a demand by the religious community to bring (the film) back for Easter,” Gibson's partner at Icon Productions, Bruce Davey, told Variety, as reported by the Turkish Press.
“And there has been a lot of discussion about the violence,” Davey said. “Mel wanted to try and accommodate those people by making a version that is softer and gentler.”
“There are no new scenes, and the cuts are limited to the more violent aspects of the film, if that's the right term. The scourging scene in particular has been substantially adjusted.”
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Canada's Abortion Rate Drops Minimally as 105,154 Unborn Child Killings Registered
OTTAWA, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Statistics Canada released the latest statistics on abortion (2002) this morning. Official figures show the lives of 105,154 unborn children were taken by abortion in 2002, down 1% from 106,270 in 2001. The rate of abortion has also marginally fallen from 15.6 abortions per 1,000 women in 2001 to 15.4 abortions per 1,000 women in 2002. These numbers exclude data related to residents of Nunavut.
The number of induced abortions per 100 live births was 32.1 in 2002, virtually unchanged from 2001.
A press release from Campaign Life Coalition notes “The number one killer in our country continues to be the deliberate killing by abortion in Canadian hospitals and abortuaries. The most dangerous place to be in Canada is the womb.”
The official release of the Statistics Canada report used language to obscure the fact that over 100,000 children’s lives were terminated. “Canadian women obtained 105,154 abortions in 2002,” styled the report.
"These are not statistics," said Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC). "These are helpless individuals who were callously killed by those who are trained to heal." Hughes added, “Abortions are committed in alarming numbers in teachings hospitals and in front-alley abortuaries staffed by paid killers. Each one of these babies deserved a right to be born and to be protected by us."
Considering Canada’s abysmally low birthrate, the abortion statistics make for further concerns. "Canada is a dying nation. Other stats show that we are not replacing ourselves and our birthrate is dangerously low, yet we continue to kill our own future," said Mary Ellen Douglas, National Organizer of Campaign Life Coalition. "One dead baby is too many," she said.
"Distressed women need to be offered true and caring solutions to their problems, not the death of their baby. Human problems have human solutions but in this area we only provide a very 'final' solution," said Gillian Long, spokesperson for CLC.
jhw
Swedish Pastor wins Appeal of Hate Crimes Conviction
STOCKHOLM, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Swedish pastor convicted of a hate crime for preaching against homosexuality in 2003 has had his conviction overturned on appeal.
Ake Green, the pastor of a Swedish Pentecostal church in Kalmar, Sweden, was sentenced in July to one month in prison by a Swedish court for inciting hatred against homosexuals. Green was prosecuted in January 2004 for “hate speech against homosexuals” for a sermon he preached citing Biblical references to homosexuality.
The Goeta Appeals Court said that although the court disagrees with Green’s opinions on homosexuality, it is not a crime to preach about it.
“The purpose of making agitation against gays punishable is not to prevent arguments or discussions about homosexuality, not in churches or in other parts of society,” the ruling said, as reported by the AP.
“We'll see how far this gets me,” Green said. “But right now I'm very happy.”
Green told the AP he was not concerned about having to do jail time, but rather, about having “the freedom to preach God's word.”
Read AP coverage: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apeurope_story.asp?category=1103&slug=Swe...
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Catholic medical authority raps 'brain death' criteria
ROME, February 7, 2005 (CWNews.com/LifeSiteNews.com) - At a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, dedicated to the discussion of organ transplants, a former president of the Catholic Medical Association has demanded a more accurate definition of when death occurs.
Current criteria used by doctors to determine "brain death"-- the point at which vital organs may be removed from a donor-- are not adequate, argued Dr. Paul Byrne. He pointed out that at the time the organs are removed, the donor's heart is beating, his body is warm, and other vital organs are still functioning, even if there is medical assistance.
"Brain death is not death," Dr. Byrne said.
In an article published in Catholic World Report in October 2001-- with Bishops Fabian Bruskewitz and Robert Vasa among several co-authors-- Byrne argued that it is the removal of the vital organs that causes the death of the donor. Therefore, the article concluded, the donation of vital organs is never morally licit.
Although he has given his support in principle to organ donation, Pope John Paul II (bio - news) has urged doctors to define clear criteria for the death of an organ donor. Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Sciences, said that last week's meeting in Rome had been devoted to that purpose.
See previous LifeSiteNews.com Stories on this issue
Denver Coroner Rules "Homicide" in Organ-Donor Case
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/oct/04101208.html
Russian Surgeons Removing Organs Saying Patients Almost Dead Anyway
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/sep/03090906.html
Ontario Elementary Teachers Union Supports Same-Sex Marriage Law
TORONTO, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has endorsed the federal government's proposed legislation on same-sex civil marriage. With a press release entitled “Elementary Teachers Support Same-Sex Marriage Law,” the left-leaning union chiefs has endorsed the dismantling of marriage much to the chagrin of many of the 65,000 elementary school teachers and education workers the union claims to represent.
"We are encouraging our members to get in touch with their local MPs and urge them to support the legislation," said ETFO President Emily Noble.
While many teachers may be enraged by the move, many are afraid to speak out against it for fear of reprisals from the teacher’s union. “It’s a crime that I am forced to pay dues to an organization which does political lobbying against my most strongly held beliefs,” one elementary school teacher, who wished to remain unnamed, told LifeSiteNews.com.
Pro-family advocates have urged parents at public elementary schools to contact their school board trustees to voice their concerns about the move.
To voice concerns to EFTO First Vice President David Clegg
(416) 962-3836 (Office), (416) 948-1592 (Cell) (as indicated in press release)
jhw
After 20 Years in 'Vegetative State' Woman Wakes--Schindler Family Encouraged
CLEARWATER, Fl., February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Sarah Scantlin was knocked into a coma by a drunk driver 20 years ago has begun to speak and remember her past. Her brain was injured so badly that doctors first feared she would spend her life in what is called a "vegetative state", spending years unable to form words or make any sounds other than loud cries.
A week ago Sarah began speaking and doctors have no explanation.
The parents, brother and sister of Terri Schindler Schiavo, hope the Florida courts will see this miracle and think of Terri.
Video tape shown today on CNN Headline News of Sarah with her mother is extremely similar to footage of Terri and her mother. Both daughters were unable to communicate in words. Both were labeled as severely brain damaged.
Bob Schindler, father of Terri Schindler Schiavo says, "In light of the miraculous awakening of Miss Sarah Scantlin in Kansas and the success of the new brainwave test reported in the New York Times this week, my daughter deserves to have this test before she is starved to death by judicial decree."
Terri Schindler Schiavo's parents will be traveling to Hutchinson, Kansas to meet Sarah and her family.
See the Associated Press coverage: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/021105_bb_talkingwoman.html
jhw
Spain’s Abortion Rate Doubles Over 10 Years
MADRID, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Spain’s abortion rate has continued to climb, despite the supposed reality that abortion remains illegal there – with the exception of rape, fetal deformity, or “physical or psychiatric risk” to the mother, according to a Catholic News Agency Report. The abortion rate has more than doubled to 80,000 in 2003, compared to the numbers of a decade before.
Statistics released by the Superior Council of Scientific Research revealed that “repeat abortions have doubled since the beginning of the 1990s,” according to a Spanish daily La Razon report.
The study also revealed that abortions committed for the so-called psychological or physical health of the mother account for more than 97% of all abortions, while 2.5% are for fetal deformity, and 0.1% for rape.
Statistics also revealed that abortions among co-habitating couples has skyrocketed – in 1991, these accounted for 4,470 abortions – in 2003, this group had three times as many abortions, at 12,500.
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Ontario Catholic College Invites Militant Pro-Abortion, Pro-Gay NDP Leader to Speak
LONDON, Ontario, February 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Jack Layton, the militantly pro-abortion, pro-same-sex “marriage” leader of Canada’s federal NDP Party, will be addressing students at the King's University College, a Catholic college at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario tonight.
When contacted by LifeSiteNews for comment, King’s College principal, Dr. Gerald Killan, was unapologetic about giving such a speaker a forum in a Catholic school. Apparently star-struck by Layton’s position, Killan laughed and said “We’re talking about the head of a national party.”
When asked by the interviewer if students were expecting a Catholic education, Dr. Killan interrupted saying, “Nobody does that.” When pressed further about the catholicity of his position, he replied: “Don’t tell me ‘Catholics think…’. The Catholic Church’s position is this (pro-life, pro-traditional marriage). But Catholics are listening to a lot of things.”
While Killan placed the blame for the invitation on the political science association, he still claimed “I can’t think of a better speaker to come this evening to talk about the demilitarization of space.”
Killan had no qualms about his position, when asked about it. “Even if I got 200 calls, I wouldn’t intervene to stop a legitimate speaker on a legitimate topic.” Faithful Catholic institutions generally consider that pro-abortion speakers are not “legitimate speakers,” no matter what topic they are speaking on.
“I think what people miss is that this is not a private citizen with a private opinion we are worried about. This is a public figure, whose political action is in direction opposition to the Church’s teaching,” commented Cyril Bagin, a concerned King’s College alumni. “And who are they kidding? If a white supremacist wanted to come and talk about the environment, I don’t think Dr. Killan would allow that under a banner of ‘free speech.’”
Dr. Killan can be contacted with comments at: 519-433-3491/ 1-800-265-4406 or
gl
Australia's Cardinal Pell Seeks Ban on Embryo Research
SYDNEY, February, 11 (CWNews.com/LifeSiteNews.com) - Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, Australia, will seek a national ban on embryonic stem-cell research, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Australia's law allowing the use of embryonic tissue will expire in April, requiring new legislation to regulate the status of embryos that have been frozen and stored during fertility treatments.
"We are not in favor of producing human beings to destroy them for scientific purposes," Cardinal Pell said. "Human life is not a commodity."
At the same time, the Sydney archdiocese is offering funding to scientists who are working with stem cells that have been obtained by morally legitimate means. The archdiocese has already awarded $50,000 to one research project using stem cells taken from adult tissues, with applications expected for another $50,000 grant.
LifeSiteNews.com NewsBytes
Dr. Dobson: Schiavo Has Right to Life
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/2/11/171716.shtml
Attorney Claims Lesbian Teachers Using Schools to Push Homosexual Lifestyle
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/afa/112005a.asp
Family Advocate: 'Tolerant' Homosexuals Intolerant of 'Ex-Gays'
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/afa/112005b.asp
An Impediment to Choice
http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=1&art_id=27406
Mass. Supreme Court grants oral argument in seeking stay of same-sex marriage
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=3086
Ohio Republicans Seek 'Academic Bill of Rights'
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200502\NAT20050211a....
Giants to tackle Viagra spam ring
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4254803.stm
Liberal Catholic leader urges Pope to quit
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=104153&Sn=WORL&IssueID=27328
What Pope John Paul II is teaching us through his suffering
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110006271
Buckley Wishes for Pope's Death
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=128&u=/ucwb/20050209/cm_ucwb/deathfort...
Sexually transmitted infections are increasing rapidly among middle-aged women UK study shows
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4252745.stm
Pro-abortion nuns to speak at Wisconsin parish
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/050206
Vancouver Clinic to Offer Heroin on Prescription
http://www.reuters.ca/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=topNews&localeKey=en_CA&sto...
Canada Remains Split Over Same-Sex Marriage
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewItem&itemID=5898
Canada's Governing Party Losing Popularity While Promoting Gay Marriage
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2005/02/10/926484-sun.html
Clinton Library not just about books - becoming famous for the President "entertaining old friends" in attached suite
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050210-123413-3608r.htm
Leading Republican and Democrat Investigating Reform of UN
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146880,00.html
Hyde Widening Investigation of UN
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146852,00.html
Indecency bill on to full House
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=2005021004010002563146&dt=2005...
11-year-old girl on Maryland sex-ed committee
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42789
Terri Schiavo's feeding tube could be removed Feb. 22, attorney says
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0209terryschiavo,0,31427...
John Paul has earned right to remain Pope until the end: Canadian cardinal
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1845&u=/cpress/20050209/ca_pr_on_na/po...
Doctor-assisted suicide bill fades in Hawaii Legislature
http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/06/news/story2.html
U.S. Pro-Homosexual Study Authored by Lesbian
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/afa/92005b.asp
Focus on the Family Exposes USAID's Defiance of Bush Policy
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0035465.cfm
U.S. Parental Consent Act Discussed
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0035488.cfm
Fines for 'droopy drawers' backed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4249831.stm
Man in back of theater KOs message of 'Million Dollar Baby'
http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intID=38391166
Religious Freedom Watchdog Wants US to Act Against Saudi Arabia
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=ForeignBureausarchive200502F...
U.S. judge discovers constitutional right to sell violent obscene films
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA05B16#WA05B16
Internet Gambling to Hit $10 Billion
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/2/8/121432.shtml
Symantec flaw leaves opening for viruses
http://news.com.com/Symantec+flaw+leaves+opening+for+viruses/2100-1002_3-5569811...
South Carolina Supreme Court shoots down wrongful life claim
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/02/14/prca0214.htm
Man 'killed ex-lover after abortion'
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,12173092,00.html
Depo-Provera birth control injection linked to bone loss
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=63ed4e21-0a80-4c...
Pope John Paul II was minutes from death
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/39535.htm
Libs could lose next election over same-sex: Liberal MP Pat O'Brien
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2005/february...
The same-sex survival guide
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Lorrie_Goldstein/2005/02/06/922...
Priests For Life Warns Democratic Party Regarding Inclusiveness on Abortion
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=42763
NDPers take on Layton
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/02/07/922994-sun.html
Cincinnati Archdiocese in Uproar Over Abuse
http://www.wcpo.com/wcpo/localshows/iteam/archdiocese/
Feldt criticizes John Kerry while praising abortion foes
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3025159
Doctors said they could do no more and sent me home to die. I'm still here.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/06/nchap06.xml
Police inquiry delays BPAS abortion findings
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/06/nbpas06.xml&sShe...
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