the new York Times Published a brilliant article praising Christian and Jewish ministers who “bless” abortion clinics in America.
A Baptist minister, a Presbyterian pastor and a Jewish cantor walked quietly through an abortion clinic where they “blessed the examination tables and their stirrups, the boxes of disposable gowns and the cushioned chairs in the recovery room,” Times Friday’s article notes approvingly.
“Through the ritual blessing of the year-old clinic, the faith leaders” wanted to show that religion could be a source of support for abortion rights, the piece said.
“You are a blessing to all of those who come to you for care during their most vulnerable and sometimes painful moments,” the Rev. Katie Zeh, an ordained Baptist minister, told staff members gathered in the clinic’s waiting room. .
The story failed to mention whether the three used scissors inserted into the base of the child’s skull, the saline solution that burned the child’s flesh, the suction machine used to suck out severed body parts, or to hold The forceps used were also used. Cut out the baby’s body parts one by one.
The article states that during the blessing of the new clinic, 27-year-old Ramsey Monk “cried as one of her co-workers described her grief over the end of legal abortion in West Virginia.”
“Being in abortion care, there’s a target on your back for a lot of reasons,” Monk said. She also said she stopped going to church because she felt hostility from other members when they found out about her job at an abortion clinic.
The Rev. Jim Lewis, an Episcopalian pastor, said he believes his faith requires him to work with “outcasts,” including women who are shamed for seeking abortions.
He said of the stigma associated with abortion, “We have had a serious suppression of a real gospel message that cares about people who are being beaten.”
While uncommon, the blessing of abortion clinics has been going on for years. In 2017, more than 20 religious leaders from various faiths gathered in Washington, DC to bless the opening of Planned Parenthood’s massive new abortion clinic and praised its “sacred work.”
“In almost every message I give to my staff, I talk about the sacred work we do,” said Dr. Laura Meyers, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington. “It reaffirms the sanctity of the work we do.”
The event was organized by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and included “leaders from various Christian denominations, a rabbi, abortion providers, a Planned Parenthood patient, Hindu priests, an imam on Skype, visual art, and a religious dance. “
Many Christians participated and offered a “progressive voice” to counter the conservative Christian understanding of abortion as the sin of murder.
Famous pro-choice activist Willie Parker said, “I’ve been a Christian longer than I’ve been an abortionist.” “Women have been made to think this is some bad place where God doesn’t exist.”
Parker condemned those who would criticize women for making a “sacred decision”, referring to the choice to abort their children.
“Our response to a curse is to bless,” he said.
“Conservative voices loom large,” said the Rev. Dr. Christine Wiley of the Baptist United Church of Christ. “It drowns out progressive voices, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t progressive voices.”
Dr. Serina Floyd, medical director of Planned Parenthood, said that “Patients express shame, guilt or fear about how God will perceive them.” Underscoring the importance of the change in perception, Floyd said: “Now I can tell patients it’s a blessed place.”
Floyd says she’s eager to let patients know that “people you trust also support your decisions.”
Rev. Christine Wiley, an African American, linked her support for Planned Parenthood to the historical struggle of blacks in America, saying, “African Americans have become used to adversity and a sense of oppression, so this is just another thing,” He said. “We’ve been in worse places than this.”
At the blessing ceremony, the group sang “This Little Light of Mine”, a hymn based on Christ’s words to his disciples, “You are the light of the world” and their praise for providing light to those around them. Taken from the call.
However, he did not sing any other hymn inspired by the words of Christ: “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me also.”
