tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61526302748910065112024-02-09T01:28:53.032+08:00The Truth of AbortionCoach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-83431839102060797582010-01-14T17:43:00.004+08:002010-01-15T13:33:45.312+08:00What is Abortion?Abortion is an act of direct killing that takes the life of a tiny human being - a life that begins at the point of creation.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>Kinds of Abortion:</b><br />
</div><ul><li><b style="color: blue;"><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/surgical-abortion.html" style="color: blue;">Surgical Abortion</a> </b>- is an action that surgically kills a baby while he is growing in his mother's womb. Depending on the age of the baby at the time that the abortion is carried out, different methods can be used.</li>
</ul><ul><li><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/ru-486-medical-abortion.html"><b style="color: blue;">Medical Abortion</b></a> - RU-486 (also known as mifepristone) is a chemical used to cause abortion. It was first developed in France in 1981, and recently been brought to America. Although it is referred to as "the abortion pill," it is actually three pills taken at once.</li>
</ul><div style="color: #990000;"><b>Abortion Concerns:</b><br />
</div><ul><li><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/is-abortion-safe-procedure.html"><b style="color: blue;">Is abortion a safe procedure?</b> </a>About 1 in 10 women undergoing elective abortion suffers immediate complications, of which one-fifth are considered life threatening. </li>
</ul><ul><li><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/contraception-and-abortion.html"><b style="color: blue;">Contraception and abortion.</b></a> Many times as I have debated, spoken before a large audience or done a radio interview, I have pointed out that American Life League is opposed to all artificial contraception. We favor only natural methods of spacing the births of the children.</li>
</ul><ul><li><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/abortion-and-domestic-violence.html"><b style="color: blue;">Abortion and domestic violence.</b> </a>Victims of domestic violence frequently include expectant mothers, particularly those seeking abortions. Counseling these women on breaking the cycle of violence can play a significant role in the outcome of their pregnancies.</li>
</ul><div style="color: #990000;"><b>The Challenge:</b><br />
</div><ul><li><a href="http://abortions101.blogspot.com/2010/01/challenge.html"><b style="color: blue;">Why Should I care?</b></a> Pro-abortion or pro-life? Fetal tissue or preborn child? safe procedure or dangerous decision? How much do you really know? In the United States, the "right to choose" to kill a preborn child enabled women to have an abortion for any reason, at any time, from the the child's biological beginning until birth: abortion on demand. You may have been told that a pregnant woman aborts a "piece of tissue." But what is really being aborted? It is an empirical, universally accepted, scientific fact that a human being is the subject of an abortion. Every human person begins his or her as new, living, genetically unique, single-celled human being, who immediately direct his or her own specifically human being,activities and development. so the question is no longer "Does abortion kill human being?" but "Is it okay to kill a human being?</li>
</ul>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-80605286190899659112010-01-14T17:24:00.007+08:002010-01-14T18:54:57.761+08:00Surgical Abortion<div style="color: #990000;"><b>What is it?</b><br />
</div><br />
Surgical abortion is an action that surgically kills a baby while he is growing in his mother's womb. Depending on the age of the baby at the time that the abortion is carried out, different methods can be used.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>How does it work?</b><br />
</div><br />
<b>Suction Aspiration</b> (or vacuum curettage, first trimester): requires the insertion of a powerful suction tube with a sharp cutting edge into the womb through the dilated cervix. The suction dismembers the preborn baby, tearing the placenta from the mother's womb, sucking out blood, amniotic fluid and the pieces of the preborn baby.<br />
<br />
<b>Dilation and Curettage</b> (D & C, first trimester): requires the cervix to be dilated so that a medical instrument can be inserted into the womb where the preborn baby cut apart and removed in pieces. The placenta is then scraped off the womb. This method should not be confused with routine D & Cs done for strictly medical reasons.<br />
<br />
<b>Dilation and Evacuation</b> (second trimester): similar to D & C. Forceps are inserted in the womb to rip apart the preborn baby and remove the pieces from the womb. The preborn baby's skull will have hardened by this time, and must be crushed before it can be removed.<br />
<br />
<b>Dilation and Extraction </b>(second and third trimester): also known as "partial birth abortion" requires the turning of the baby in the womb so that his body, except for his head, can be delivered. Then his brains are sucked out, his head collapsed and he is delivered dead.<br />
<br />
<b>Prostaglandin Injection</b> (second trimester): the hormone is injected to prematurely induce labor. The baby is often alive during this procedure and is left to die in trash can or a sink.<br />
<br />
<b>Saline Injection</b> (second or third trimester): requires a needle to be inserted into the mother's abdomen so that amniotic fluid can be removed. This fluid is then replaced with a concentrated salt that burns the baby's skin. Within three days the mother will deliver a burned, dead baby.<br />
<br />
<b>Urea Injection</b> (second or third trimester): performed like the saline injection though this method is not as storng or as dangerous to the mother. This method is avoided because abortions are frequently incomplete.<br />
<br />
<b>Hysterotomy </b>(third trimester): requires an incision in the abdomen so that the preborn baby, placenta and amniotic sac can be removed. Babies are often removed alive during the procedure and then left to die.<br />
<br />
Each of these procedures renders a baby dead and in each case there are significant side effects that can be suffered by the mother.<br />
<br />
Is surgical abortion safe?<br />
<br />
No, such procedures are not safe. Following is partial list of side effects:<br />
<ul><li>nausea</li>
<li>increased breast cancer risk</li>
<li>infection</li>
<li>urine perforation</li>
<li>high blood loss or severe hemorrhage</li>
<li>permanent cervical or cardiovascular problems</li>
<li>seizures or coma</li>
<li>psychological disorders</li>
<li>death</li>
</ul><div style="color: #990000;"><b>What is my best option?</b><br />
</div><br />
All methods of abortion have risks - physical and emotional. All these methods kill babies.<br />
<br />
Please be aware that these are people willing to help you, listen to your concerns, arrange good prenatal care for you and be supportive as you decide what is best for you and your baby.<br />
<br />
Be good to yourself - be good to your baby!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>sources: http://lifedynamics.com</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> http://www.americanpregnancy.org</i></span><br />
<ul></ul>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-48517150655566543072010-01-14T16:43:00.003+08:002010-01-15T13:39:18.666+08:00The RU-486 Medical Abortion<div style="color: #990000;"><b>What is it?</b><br />
</div><br />
RU-486 (also known as mifepristone) is a chemical used to cause abortion. It was first developed in France in 1981, and recently been brought to America. Although it is referred to as "<a href="http://thetruthofcontraceptives.blogspot.com/2010/01/emergency-contraception-morning-after.html">the abortion pill</a>," it is actually three pills taken at once.<br />
<br />
RU-486 is a man-made steroid designed to work against a woman's normal, natural state during pregnancy. Sometimes it is called a "medical abortion" or "chemical abortion" because it does not involve surgery - unless the chemicals fail to kill the baby.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>How does it work?</b><br />
</div><br />
During pregnancy, the preborn baby requires a chemical called progesterone. This chemical is produced naturally in the mother's body. It is so valuable to the baby's proper growth and development that some call it "nature's pregnancy hormone."<br />
<br />
RU-486 works against this hormone. It breaks down and then destroys the surroundings the baby established in his mother's womb (the placenta), and eventually destroys the baby as well. The chemical cuts off nourishment to teh preborn child, who starves to death inside his mother's womb.<br />
<br />
But RU-486 does not work alone. A second chemical is also involved.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>How does this second chemical work?</b><br />
</div><br />
The second chemical (misoprostol), causes cramping and contractions. After RU-486 has killed the tiny boy or girl through starvation, this second chemical is designed to push the dead body out of the mother's womb.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>H</b><b>ow is an RU-486 abortion done?</b><br />
</div><br />
During her first visit to the doctor's office or clinic, the woman is given RU-486 pills. This will kill her baby in the womb.<br />
<br />
During her second visit, the woman is given pills or suppositories containing the second chemical (misoprostol). This will cause cramping, and the woman eventually expel the dead baby. This could happen at any time after this drug is taken.<br />
<br />
During her final doctor's office or clinic visit, a doctor will examine the woman to see if her abortion is complete. If the Ru-486 abortion has failed, the woman will then be scheduled for surgical abortion.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>Is an RU-486 abortion safe?</b><br />
</div><br />
No. Women have died because of RU-486 abortions. Here are some of the side effects:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>nausea</li>
<li>abdominal pain</li>
<li>vomiting</li>
<li>heavy and extended bleeding</li>
<li>heart attack</li>
<li>hemorrhage</li>
<li>impaired future fertility</li>
</ul><div style="color: #990000;"><b>What is my best option?</b><br />
</div><br />
All methods of abortion have risks - physical and emotional. All these methods kill babies.<br />
<br />
Please be aware that these are people willing to help you, listen to your concerns, arrange good prenatal care for you and be supportive as you decide what is best for you and your baby.<br />
<br />
Be good to yourself - be good to your baby!Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-58712122888861775332010-01-14T14:46:00.019+08:002010-01-17T15:55:23.890+08:00Is Abortion a Safe Procedure?<div style="color: #990000;"><b>Short-term complications:</b><br />
</div><ul><li>About 1 in 10 women undergoing elective abortion suffers immediate complications, of which one-fifth are considered life threatening.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Common major complications are:</li>
</ul><ol><li>infection</li>
<li>embolism</li>
<li>convulsions</li>
<li>cervical injury</li>
<li>ripping or perforation of the uterus</li>
<li>excessive bleeding</li>
<li>anesthesia complications</li>
<li>hemorrhage</li>
<li>endotoxic shock</li>
</ol><ul><li>Minor complications include:</li>
</ul><ol><li>infection</li>
<li>fever</li>
<li>vomiting</li>
<li>bleeding</li>
<li>second-degree burns</li>
<li>chronic abdominal pain<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Abortion Risks and Complications, copyright 1997, 2000 Elliot Institute. Compiled by David C. Reardon,Ph.D. www.afterabortion.org)</i></span><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b><b>Depression</b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
</div><ul><li>Women whose first pregnancies ended in abortion were 65% more likely to be at high risk of clinical depression.</li>
</ul><b><i> </i></b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Cougle JR, Reardon DC, Coleman PK. "Depression associated with abortion and childbirth: a long -term analysis of the NLSY cohort." Med Sci Monit, 2003; 9(4): CR105-112)</i></span></i><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<ul><li>After their abortions, married women were 138% more likely to be at high risk of clinical depression compared to similar women who carried their first pregnancies to rem.</li>
</ul><b><i> </i></b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Reardon DC, Cougle JR. "Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: a cohort study." British Medical Journal, 324: 121-152)</i></span></i><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<ul><li>Women were 63% more likely to receive mental health care within 90 days of an abortion compared to delivery. In addition, abortion was most strongly associated wit subsequent treatment for neurotic depression, bipolar disorder, adjustment reactions and schizophrenic disorders.</li>
</ul><b><i> </i></b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR. "State-funded abortion vs. deliveries: A comparison of outpatient mental health claims over five years." American Journal of Orthopsychiaatry, 2002, Vol. 72, No. 1, 141-152)</i></span> </i><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<ul><li>A survey of post-abortive women found that:</li>
</ul><ol><li>60% commented that the decision to abort made their lives worse, and</li>
<li>94% regretted the decision to abort.</li>
</ol><b><i> </i></b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Survey of Reaction to Abortion, "The Post-Abortion Review, Fall 1994. pp.6-8)</i></span></i><br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span><br />
</i></b><br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Death</span></span></b><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
</div><ul><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Women who had abortions were almost twice as likely to die in the following two years. Also, over the next eight-year period women who aborted had:</span></span></li>
</ul><ol><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">154% higher risk of death from suicide,</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">82% higher risk of death from accidents,</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">44% higher risk of death from natural causes.</span></span></li>
</ol><b><i> </i></b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren FJ, Cougle JR, Coleman, PK, Strahan T. "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women." Southern Medical Journal, August 2002, 95(8): 834-841)</i></span></i><b><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
</i></b><br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Substance Abuse</span></span></b></b><b style="color: black;"></b><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Women with history of abortion are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use illicit drugs and 10 times more likely to use marijuana during the first pregnancy they carry to term compared to non-abortive women.</span></span></li>
</ul></div><div style="color: #990000;"><b style="color: black;"><i> </i></b><i style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR. "History of induced abortion in relation to substance use during pregnancies carried to term." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. December 2002; 187(5)</i></span></i><b><i><br />
</i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #990000;"> </b></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #990000;">Breast Cancer</b></span></span><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">A met-analysis of 28 reports concluded that induced abortion is a significant independent risk factor for breast cancer.</span></span></li>
</ul></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(J. Brind, et all, "Induced abortion as an independent risk factor for breast cancer: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis," Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Vol. 50, 481-496.)</i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
</span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Among women who had been pregnant at least once, the risk of breast cancer in those had an abortion was 50% higher than among other women. Women 18 and under or 30 and over at higher risk.</span></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(JR. Daling, et all, "Risk pf breast cancer among young women: relationship to induced abortion," Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Vol. 86, 21 (1994).)</i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
</span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">One abortion almost doubles breast cancer risk; two or more abortions further increases risk.</span></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Elliot Institute, "A List of major Physical Sequelae Related to Abortion." www.afterabortion.org)</i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pelvic inflammatory disease</span></span></b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
</div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of patients who have chlamydia at the time of the abortion, 23% develop PID within four weeks. Studies found that 20-27% of patients seeking abortion have chlamydia. About 5% of patients not infected by chlamydia develop PID within four weeks after a first trimester abortion.</span></span><b></b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Abortion Risks and Complications, @ 1997, 200 Elliot Institute. Compiled by David C. Reardon, Ph.D.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Future pregnancy risks</span></span></b><br />
</b><br />
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Women who had one, two or more induced abortions are about 200% more likely to have a subsequent preterm delivery, compared to women who carry to term. Preterm delivery increases the risk of neonatal death and handicaps.</span></span></li><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prior induces abortion increases the risk of delayed delivery. Women who had one, two or more induced abortions are about 200% more likely to have post-term delivery (over 42 weeks)</span></span></li><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Abortion Risks and Complications, @ 1997, 2000 Elliot Institute. Compiled by David C Reardon, Ph.D.)</i></span> <br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prior induced abortion is associated with an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. There is a significant correlation between the number of previous induced abortions and ectopic pregnancy risk.</span></span></li><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(C. Tharaux-Deneux, et al.. "Risk of ectopic pregnancy and previous induced abortion,"</span></i> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 88, Issue 3 401 - 405 [1998].)</i></span> <br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><b><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mothers younger than 20 years old<br />
</span></span></b></b><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><ul><li><span style="color: black;">Teenagers, who account for about 30% of all abortions, are at a much higher risk for many long-term complications related to abortion.</span></li>
</ul><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Abortion Risks and Complications, @ 1997, 2000 Elliot Institute. Compiled by David C Reardon, Ph.D.)</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"> <br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black;">A teenage girl is 10 time more likely to attempt suicide if she has had an abortion ion the last six months than is comparable teenage girl who has not had an abortion.</span></li>
</ul><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Garfinkel, et al., Stress, Depression and Suicide: A Study of Adolescents in Minnesota, [Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Extension Service, 1986]. Cited in the Post-Abortion Review 1 [2] Summer 1993. @ 1993 Elliot Institute.)</i></span><br />
</span><br />
<b>Spiritual Health</b><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black;">Direct abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law. Formal cooperation in abortion risks the loos of one's eternal salvation. <i>(I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. [Deuteronomy 30:19] ).</i></span></li>
</ul></div>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-91216203664055484322010-01-14T13:16:00.011+08:002010-01-17T16:00:39.991+08:00Contraception and Abortionby Judie Brown<br />
President, American Life League, Inc.<br />
<br />
Many times as I have debated, spoken before a large audience or done a radio interview, I have pointed out that American Life League is opposed to all <a href="http://thetruthofcontraceptives.blogspot.com/">artificial contraception</a>. We favor only natural methods of spacing the births of the children.<br />
<br />
Even in a pro-life audience, the critics will rise and scold me, stating that I damage our cause by making a connection between contraception and abortion. I've heard that we will never "win" as long as people like me keep making such foolish statements.<br />
<br />
After more than 30 years of killing through surgical abortion and now with the new breed of abortifacients such as RU-486, which are exclusively killers, can there be any doubt that there is a link between contraception and abortion? Professor Janet Smith thinks so, too. As she wrote in "The Connection Between Contraception and Abortion" (Homiletic and Pastoral Review, April, 1993),<br />
<br />
The connection between contraception and abortion is primarily this: Contraception facilitates the kind of relationships and even the kind of attitudes and moral character that are likely to lead to abortion. The contraceptive mentality treats sexual intercourse as though it had little natural connection with babies; it thinks of babies as an "accident" of intercourse, as an unwelcome intrusion into a sexual relationship, as a burden. The sexual revolution has no fondness-no room for-the connection between sexual intercourse and babies. The sexual revolution simple was not possible until reliable contraceptives were available.<br />
<br />
Far from being a check to the sexual revolution, contraception is the fuel that facilitated the beginning of the sexual revolution and enables it to continue to rage.<br />
<br />
One might go so far as to say that it rages even where there is absolutely no interest in it, such as among the kindergarten students in New York City who were invited to comprehend the reasons why "gay" and lesbian families are just like any other.<br />
<br />
If we cannot see the connection between contraception and abortion, then, God forbid, another 30 years may go by and millions more die while the pro-life movement tries to get it right.<br />
<br />
The abortionists argue, "If you pro-lifers really wanted to stop abortion, you'd join us finding new and better methods of contraception."<br />
<br />
NO! Again, I quote Professor smith, who explains why the promoters of abortion and contraception place such an incredible emphasis on the word "freedom" and why they are so quick to try to pull us into the quicksand with them. They are emphasizing<br />
<br />
not the true freedom we all desire, the freedom to be able to pursue what is good and true, but a kind of freedom that more closely resembles license-the freedom to do whatever one wants, regardless of what is good and true, but to be free to define what is good and true. <br />
<br />
That is the key. The <a href="http://thetruthofcontraceptives.blogspot.com/">contraceptive</a> promoter do realize that a baby is a possible outcome of sexual intercourse, but they reject that as an acceptable outcome. Therefore they manipulate the language to prevent the average citizen from remembering what we already know-that a baby might result if we follow God's plan and not theirs. Perhaps this is why "reproductive freedom" and "reproductive rights" always go hand in hand with the "woman's right to choose" and her "freedom of choice."<br />
<br />
Pro-lifers must see the connection between contraception and abortion. And we must talk about it, point it out and teach others the truth. Why? Because as long as those who favor unbridled sexuality are in control and as long as we are doing a semantics dance to avoid reality, they win. With such chemicals killers as Plan B and Depo-Provera, we no longer dare sit back and say, "We are against abortion, but we take no position on contraception." To say that mean that we too prefer new definitions instead of discovering the truth.Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-84245350335463809572010-01-14T12:14:00.003+08:002010-01-14T16:59:24.177+08:00Abortion and Domestic ViolenceDomestic violence should be a concern for every pro-life person - especially those who are involved in counseling women.<br />
<br />
Victims of domestic violence frequently include expectant mothers, particularly those seeking abortions. Counseling these women on breaking the cycle of violence can play a significant role in the outcome of their pregnancies.<br />
<br />
Victims also include post-abortive women. Until these women (and their partners) are provided with post-abortion healing, they are likely to remain trapped in cycles of violence.<br />
<br />
Domestic Violence is more or less defined as a pattern of intentionally coercive and violent behavior toward an individual by a current or past intimate partner. It can include:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><i>physical abuse, from shoving to physical attacks</i></li>
<li><i> sexual abuse</i></li>
<li><i> psychological abuse with verbal intimidation (humiliation, harassment, threats)</i></li>
<li><i> progressive social isolation or deprivation</i></li>
<li><i> economic control</i></li>
</ul><i> </i><br />
It is reported that 3.4 percent of American women-that's almost 2 million-experience domestic violence each year.<br />
<br />
One in four women will experience abuse by a male partner at some point during their lives. According to researchers:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><i>22-35 percent of women seeking hospital emergency room services,</i><i> </i></li>
<li><i>14 percent of women seeking medical urgebt care facility services,</i><i> </i></li>
<li><i>25 percent of women attempt suicide, and</i></li>
<li><i>25 percent of women seeking psychiatric care</i></li>
</ul><b> <span style="color: #990000;">...ARE PAST OR CURRENT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.</span></b><br />
<br />
Forty to 60 percent of battered women are abused during pregnancy and these women are four times more likely to have miscarriages than non-battered women.<br />
<br />
Eighty-seven to 95 percent of women abused during pregnancy report that they had been abused previously.<br />
<br />
Pregnancy is high-risk period during which violence may begin or escalate, harming the preborn child as well as the mother.<br />
<br />
Women experiencing violence during pregnancy often obtain minimal or late prenatal care. They are at increase risk of having poor weight gain, anemia, infections and preterm labor; of bearing a low birth weight infant; and experiencing postnatal depression.<br />
<br />
Domestic violence is also a significant problem among women seeking abortion:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><i>27-39 percent have a history abuse,</i></li>
<li><i>22 percent have a history abuse in the preceding calendar year,</i></li>
<li><i>8 percent are experiencing abuse in the current pregnancy.</i></li>
</ul><i> </i><br />
These figures may not accurately reflect the true number of abuse women. After all, abusive males frequently accompany their partners to medical visits because control and domination are central to such relationships.<br />
<br />
The number of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and abortions is higher among women experiencing domestic violence. Women who have been abused report relationship issues as the primary and most frequent reason for seeking an abortion.<br />
<br />
In fact, though, all the evidence shows that abortion, when it is done to "save a relationship," almost never works. Most unmarried couples sever ties shortly after an abortion and even married couples are often drive apart by an abortion.<br />
<br />
Violence begets violence. Not every case of domestic violence is caused by the trauma of abortion; nor does every abortion lead to domestic violence. However, it's no coincidence that the number of abortions and the number of domestic violence cases have risen together over the last 25 years.<br />
<br />
abortion breeds anger, resentment and bitterness toward the partner who was not supportive or ignored the mother's desire to keep the baby. Often there's tremendous pressure to conceal one's true feeling of grief or guilt.<br />
<br />
Many women, as well as men, report post-abortion problems such as:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><i>feeling of grief, helplessness and guilt;</i></li>
<li><i> increased levels of irritability, anger and rage;</i><i> </i></li>
<li><i>increased tendencies toward risk-taking, self-destructive and suicidal behaviors.</i></li>
</ul><i> </i><br />
The increased tendency toward violence is exacerbated by the dramatically increased rate of drug and alcohol abuse subsequent to abortion.<br />
<br />
Women who become more rage-filled after abortion are more likely to become the victims of further violence. While such women are more likely to initiate the violence, it's the men who cause more physical injury because they have greater physical strength. In that case, a typical reaction includes women resorting to the use of household weapons.<br />
<br />
Guilt-ridden, post-abortive women may be more likely to use their partners as means of self-punishment. Those who are suicidal but afraid to deliberately harm themselves are more likely to become involved with violent men and provoke attack upon themselves.Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-35973972491033306392010-01-14T11:56:00.003+08:002010-01-14T16:58:31.222+08:00The Challenge:<div style="color: #990000;"><b>Why Should I Care?</b><br />
</div><br />
Pro-abortion or pro-life? Fetal tissue or preborn child? safe procedure or dangerous decision? How much do you really know?<br />
<br />
In the United States, the "right to choose" to kill a preborn child enabled women to have an abortion for any reason, at any time, from the the child's biological beginning until birth: abortion on demand. You may have been told that a pregnant woman aborts a "piece of tissue." But what is really being aborted? It is an empirical, universally accepted, scientific fact that a human being is the subject of an abortion. Every human person begins his or her as new, living, genetically unique, single-celled human being, who immediately direct his or her own specifically human being,activities and development. so the question is no longer "Does abortion kill human being?" but "Is it okay to kill a human being?"<br />
<br />
People argue that a woman has a right to do whatever she wants with her body. Think about this? first of all, we do not belong t ourselves, but to God. Second of all, there's another body involved - another person. Does she have the right to do whatever she wants with that person? In the United States, she does, if the person is still inside her body. Abortion is not a criminal offense. But does that make it right? We are outraged when we hear that a newborn baby was killed and tossed in dumpster - yet, we say nothing when a woman who is pregnant has her child killed in ab abortion clinic.<br />
<br />
Women have abortions for all kinds of reason - they believed they're too young to raise a child, they've been a victim of rape or incest, they have financial difficulties, emotional problems or other priorities and concerns. But nearly 92% of abortions occur for reasons of convenience. In many cases, parents see their child as a burden, a mistake. The woman becomes pregnant at the "wrong time," and now she and the child's father want to avoid the responsibility of parenting or giving the child up for adoption. Should a woman be able to take another person's life because that person is perceived to be an inconvenience?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>Why do people think abortion is Okay?</b><br />
</div><br />
What would you do to avoid the consequences of your actions? How far would you go to hide something that you did? Let's say you're cheating on an exam and a friend sees you. After that exam, your friend tells you he's turning you in if you don't tell the teacher yourself. Would you kill him so no one would find out?<br />
<br />
Or say you steal a T-shirt from a department store. On your way out, the shirt drops out of your jacket and on to the floor. You panic, pick up the shirt and run from the store. A girl who works there sees you and chases you for a few blocks. To make sure that you wouldn't have to face prosecution from the store, do you wait for her after work and kill her?<br />
<br />
It is wrong to kill a person simply because he or she came to be as a result of adultery or pre-marital relations. Society has reversed the moral issue. The acts of adultery and having pre-marital relations are the sins - the resulting child is not a sin but precious gift from God. Abortion has become an accepted practice in order to accommodate our lifestyles!<br />
<br />
But what if a woman is raped? Isn't abortion justified? Let's see - a horrible crime is committed by a man and who suffers? Can you imagine having to go to jail because your father robbed a bank? Of course not! The woman should not have to suffer through the pain of an abortion, and the child should not be killed because her father committed the horrible crime of rape.<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><b>Let's Stop Lying to Ourselves!</b><br />
</div><br />
Every day, more than 3,500 babies lose their lives through surgical abortion. We don't hear their screams. We don't feel their pain. They can't ask for help. It's easy to turn our backs when we can't see what's going on.<br />
<br />
TV, newspapers and the media expose us daily to the acts of violence, terror and hate that infect our world. We watch shows and movies that depict horrific acts of murder, assault and terror. However, there is one act of violence that happens thousands of times every day that you've probably never heard described on TV or in the newspaper. Have you ever seen what an abortion looks like? Even abortionists know that the best way to keep abortion legal and common is to avoid talking about it. Colorado abortionist Warreb Hern said, "Television interviews in particular should focus on the public issue involved and not on the specific procedure."<br />
<br />
Keeping the focus away from what's really going on has kept us and the world silent.<br />
<br />
More often than not, women submit to abortions knowing little or nothing about what is going to happen to them and their babies. Doctors and clinic workers will even withhold information and dodge questions, knowing that those women could change their minds if given the entire truth. One veteran abortionist said, "They [the women] are never allowed to look at the ultrasound because we knew that if they so much as heard the heart beat, they wouldn't want to have an abortion."<br />
<br />
Would abortion remain decriminalized if everyone could see what it entails, or at least be told the truth about what really happens? Would the majority of women even want abortions if they were to know what it is they are asking for?<br />
<br />
In a study detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, 10 women were shown ultrasound images of their babies immediately prior to their scheduled abortions. Nine of the women left the clinic and chose life for their babies. How many other women would choose life if they knew the truth?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>SO WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?</b><br />
</div><br />
You should care because abortion is murder and 1/4 of your generation is dead! They were killed by abortion! Abortion affects all of us whether we realize it or not. Just think of the millions of people we'll never know because they were killed by abortion. And how many people do you know right now who are suffering because they aborted their children, or are in denial about it?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><b>FACE IT! KILLING AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING IS NEVER A GOOD DECISION.</b><br />
</div><div style="color: #990000;"><br />
</div>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-26220607497755847662010-01-05T08:33:00.000+08:002010-01-05T12:42:56.973+08:00“How Abortion Became Popular”<b></b><b style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: small;">From <i>Choices in Matters of Life & Death</i> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">by Judie Brown with Paul Brown </span></b><br />
<br />
<div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">If scientists agree on when human life begins and if abortion has so many dangers and complications for the mother, how did it become so popular? How did we in the United States get to the point where we are killing more than one million children each year? First, you have to create an attitude, in society, that abortion is an acceptable thing. </span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">It all started back in 1915 when Margaret Sanger, who ultimately became the founder of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, began extolling the virtues of sterile sexual relationships between poor husbands and wives. She said that her goal was to create a situation whereby poverty-stricken couples would not have one child after another so quickly.</span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">But, while that was the public attitude of Margaret Sanger, her private attitude was anti-black, anti-any minority, and she used terms such as “human weeds” to describe the children of the very people she publicly said she was trying to help.</span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Margaret Sanger was a eugenicist. Eugenics is the science of purifying a race. What Adolf Hitler did in Germany was in fact advocated by Margaret Sanger in America.</span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sanger’s philosophy, which was and still is at the foundation of Planned Parenthood’s philosophy, involved limiting births among “undesirables.” One of her favorite sayings was “More children from the fit; less from the unfit.” Her plans to force sterilization and abortion on the “weak-minded” poor would not have been easy to implement in a democratic society, however. The average American would have recoiled at her organization’s desire to eliminate the poor and the weak. </span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Even today Planned Parenthood supports forced abortion where it is politically feasible, as in China. It has not changed its philosophy – it has simply popularized public acceptance of birth control and abortion, providing abortions and breaking down traditional morality by attacking parents, the family and the churches.</span></b><br />
</div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-size: small;">We are not in danger of overpopulation. Rather, we are in danger from self-centered materialism, from worship of convenience. It is true that there is much human suffering from famine and poverty. But it is not true that we must blame the poor for having too many children. It’s much harder to address the real reasons for poverty and famine, reasons such as exploitation and stone-aged farming. The fact is that we as a human family are not living up to our responsibilities; we are socially in tune with our own comfort, not the self-sacrifice required of each of us if we are to truly resolve poverty by giving of our own prosperity.</span></b><br />
</div>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-44915534491679282062010-01-04T19:53:00.000+08:002010-01-04T19:53:34.365+08:00Learn About Abortion Procedures and Abortion RisksAbortion is not just a simple medical procedure. For many women, it is a life changing event with significant physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences. Most women who struggle with past abortions say that they wish they had been told all of the facts about abortion and its risks. <br />
<h2>Abortion Procedures</h2><h3>Manual Vacuum Aspiration: up to <em>7 weeks after last menstrual period</em> (LMP)</h3>This surgical abortion is done early in the pregnancy up until 7 weeks after the woman's last menstrual period. A long, thin tube is inserted into the uterus. A large syringe is attached to the tube and the embryo is suctioned out. <br />
<h3>Suction Curettage: between <em>6 to 14 weeks after LMP</em></h3>This is the most common surgical abortion procedure. Because the baby is larger, the doctor must first stretch open the cervix using metal rods. Opening the cervix may be painful, so local or general anesthesia is typically needed. After the cervix is stretched open, the doctor inserts a hard plastic tube into the uterus, then connects this tube to a suction machine. The suction pulls the fetus' body apart and out of the uterus. The doctor may also use a loop-shaped knife called a curette to scrape the fetus and fetal parts out of the uterus. (The doctor may refer to the fetus and fetal parts as the “products of conception.”).<br />
<h3>Dilation and Evacuation (D&E): <em>between 13 to 24 weeks after LMP </em></h3>This surgical abortion is done during the second trimester of pregnancy. At this point in pregnancy, the fetus is too large to be broken up by suction alone and will not pass through the suction tubing. In this procedure, the cervix must be opened wider than in a first trimester abortion. This is done by inserting numerous thin rods made of seaweed a day or two before the abortion. Once the cervix is stretched open the doctor pulls out the fetal parts with forceps. The fetus' skull is crushed to ease removal. A sharp tool (called a curette) is also used to scrape out the contents of the uterus, removing any remaining tissue.<br />
<br />
<h3>Dilation and Extraction (D&X): <em>from 20 weeks after LMP to full-term </em></h3>These procedures typically take place over three days, use local anesthesia, and are associated with increased risk to life and health of the mother. On the first day, under ultrasound guidance, the fetal heart is injected with a medication that stops the heart and causes the fetus to die. Also over the first two days, the cervix is gradually stretched open using laminaria. On the third day, the amniotic sac is burst and drained. The remainder of the procedure is similar to the D&E procedure described earlier.<br />
<h3>RU486, Mifepristone (Abortion Pill) Within 4 to 7 weeks after LMP </h3>This drug is only approved for use in women up to the 49th day after their last menstrual period. The procedure usually requires three office visits. On the first visit, the woman is given pills to cause the death of the embryo. Two days later, if the abortion has not occurred, she is given a second drug which causes cramps to expel the embryo. The last visit is to determine if the procedure has been completed. RU486 will not work in the case of an ectopic pregnancy. This is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the embryo lodges outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.<br />
If an ectopic pregnancy is not diagnosed early, the tube may burst, causing internal bleeding and in some cases, the death of the woman. <br />
<h2><strong>Consider the Risks of Abortion</strong></h2>Side effects may occur with induced abortion, whether surgical or by pill. These include abdominal pain and cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Abortion also carries the risk of significant complications such as bleeding, infection, and damage to organs. Serious complications occur in less than 1 out of 100 early abortions and in about 1 out of every 50 later abortions. Complications may include: <br />
<ul><li><strong>Heavy Bleeding</strong> - Some bleeding after abortion is normal. However, if the cervix is torn or the uterus is punctured, there is a risk of severe bleeding known as hemorrhaging. When this happens, a blood transfusion may be required. Severe bleeding is also a risk with the use of RU486. One in 100 women who use RU486 require surgery to stop the bleeding.<span class="style1"><br />
</span><br />
</li>
<li><strong>Infection</strong><strong> </strong>– Infection can develop from the insertion of medical instruments into the uterus, or from fetal parts that are mistakenly left inside (known as an incomplete abortion). A pelvic infection may lead to persistent fever over several days and extended hospitalization. It can also cause scarring of the pelvic organs.<span class="style1"><br />
</span><br />
</li>
<li><strong>Incomplete Abortion</strong> - Some fetal parts may be mistakenly left inside after the abortion. Bleeding and infection may result. <br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Sepsis</strong> – A number of RU486 or mifepristone users have died as a result of sepsis (total body infection).<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Anesthesia</strong> – Complications from general anesthesia used during abortion surgery may result in convulsions, heart attack, and in extreme cases, death. It also increases the risk of other serious complications by two and a half times.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Damage to the Cervix</strong> - The cervix may be cut, torn, or damaged by abortion instruments. This can cause excessive bleeding that requires surgical repair.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Scarring of the Uterine Lining</strong> – Suction tubing, curettes, and other abortion instruments may cause permanent scarring of the uterine lining. <br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Perforation of the Uterus</strong> - The uterus may be punctured or torn by abortion instruments. The risk of this complication increases with the length of the pregnancy. If this occurs, major surgery may be required, including removal of the uterus (known as a hysterectomy).<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Damage to Internal Organs</strong> - When the uterus is punctured or torn, there is also a risk that damage will occur to nearby organs such as the bowel and bladder.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><strong>Death</strong> - In extreme cases, other physical complications from abortion including excessive bleeding, infection, organ damage from a perforated uterus, and adverse reactions to anesthesia may lead to death. This complication is rare, but is real.</li>
</ul><h2><strong>Consider Other Risks of Abortion</strong></h2><h3>Abortion and Preterm Birth:</h3>Women who undergo one or more induced abortions carry a significantly increased risk of delivering prematurely in the future. Premature delivery is associated with higher rates of cerebral palsy, as well as other complications of prematurity (brain, respiratory, bowel, and eye problems). <br />
<h3>Abortion and Breast Cancer:</h3>Medical experts are still researching and debating the linkage between abortion and breast cancer. Here are some important facts: <br />
<ul><li>Carrying your first pregnancy to full term gives protection against breast cancer. Choosing abortion causes loss of that protection.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>A number of reliable studies have concluded that there may be a link between abortion and the later development of breast cancer. </li>
</ul>A 1994 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found: “Among women who had been pregnant at least once, the risk of breast cancer in those who had experienced an induced abortion was 50% higher than among other women.”<br />
<h3>Emotional and Psychological Impact:</h3>There is evidence that abortion is associated with a decrease in both emotional and physical health. For some women these negative emotions may be very strong, and can appear within days or after many years. This psychological response is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of the symptoms are: <br />
<ul><li>Eating disorders</li>
<li>Relationship problems</li>
<li>Guilt</li>
<li>Depression</li>
<li>Flashbacks of abortion</li>
<li>Suicidal thoughts</li>
<li>Sexual dysfunction</li>
<li>Alcohol and drug abuse </li>
</ul><h3>Spiritual Consequences</h3>People have different understandings of God. Whatever your present beliefs may be, there is a spiritual side to abortion that deserves to be considered. Having an abortion may affect more than just your body and your mind -- it may have an impact on your relationship with God. What is God's desire for you in this situation? How does God see your unborn child? These are important questions to consider.<br />
<h2 class="style2">Explore Your Options</h2>You have the legal right to choose the outcome of your pregnancy. But real empowerment comes when you find the resources and inner strength necessary to make your best choice. Here are some other options.<br />
<h3>Parenting</h3>Choosing to continue your pregnancy and to parent is very challenging. But with the support of caring people, parenting classes, and other resources, many women find the help they need to make this choice.<br />
<h3>Adoption</h3>You may decide to place your child for adoption. Each year over 50,000 women in America make this choice. This loving decision is often made by women who first thought abortion was their only way out.<br />
<br />
<i>source: <b>pregnancycenters.org</b></i>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152630274891006511.post-67321800726874185862009-12-30T17:45:00.001+08:002009-12-30T17:45:47.818+08:00THE PLURIPOTENCY PICKLE: THE STORY OF A LIE<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="style9"><a href="" id="2890" name="2890"></a></span><span class="lineSubTitle"></span><br />
<span class="style10">Posted: Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 3:08 pm EST by Judie Brown</span><br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><td> <a href="http://www.all.org/article_email.php?id=2890"><img alt="Send an e-mail to a friend about this article!" border="0" height="16" id="art_footer_r3_c10" name="art_footer_r3_c10" src="http://www.all.org/images/general/email_share.gif" width="67" /></a> </td> <td> </td> <td width="5"> </td> <td> <br />
</td> </tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><em>(Editor’s note: This week, we are presenting a series we have titled “The Best of 2009”—a selection of the most popular commentaries featured in this year’s “Straight Talk on Life” column. <a href="http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog.php?id=2561" target="_blank">This commentary </a></em><em>was originally published on April 15.)<br />
</em><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickle" target="_blank">Pickle</a></strong> – a difficult situation; a sour solution<br />
<br />
Several years ago, in one her most important scientific papers, Professor Dianne Irving discussed the nature of the <a href="http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/irv/irv_39anlystemcel1.html" target="_blank">pluripotent stem cell</a>, which when taken from the human embryo, can itself become a human embryo. In her analysis, entitled <em>Stem Cells That Become Embryos: Implications for the NIH Guidelines on Stem Cell Research, the NIH Stem Cell Report, Informed Consent, and Patient Safety in Clinical Trials. Analysis: Parts I and II</em>, she wrote,<br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The purpose of this <em>scientific</em> analysis is to demonstrate empirically, scientifically, and beyond any shadow of a doubt, that indeed, once separated from the whole intact human embryo, human embryonic and fetal “pluripotent” stem cells can become new living human embryos themselves, new living human beings—as we already know happens even naturally in monozygotic twinning.<br />
</div>At the time that this paper was written, few paid attention to what she had to say, but now, in 2009, her analysis is perhaps more useful than ever. The reason has to do with what some pro-life experts are calling a miracle: the discovery of “embryo-like” induced pluripotent stem cells. The only problem with the celebration is that it has no validity.<br />
<br />
In 2001, when the above-noted analysis was published, Professor Irving warned,<br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">If the scientific and legal basis for the NIH Guidelines is that human “pluripotent stem cells” are “not themselves embryos,” but if it has been empirically and scientifically demonstrated here that all of these “pluripotent stem cells” naturally strive to become and succeed in becoming embryos themselves (which will then also be cultivated and killed), then there is absolutely no scientific or legal basis for the existing NIH Guidelines. Indeed, the very <em>use</em> of such cells would in fact constitute the “creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes,” and thus automatically violate the congressional ban.<br />
</div>And today, the quagmire that surrounded the false science of the National Institutes of Health has taken on an entirely new and more horrific meaning for those of us who care about truth. <br />
<br />
In November 2007, Professor Shinya Yamanaka announced that he had discovered a way to reprogram a skin cell in such a way that those involved in human embryonic stem cell research would no longer have to face the ethical landmines surrounding the destruction of human embryos. In fact, enthusiasm ran so high that Professor <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/07121810.html" target="_blank">Ian Wilmut</a>, of “Dolly the sheep” fame, “was quoted as saying he’s abandoning his cloning efforts to adopt the skin cell pluripotent approach.”<br />
<br />
Since that time, research teams from Britain, Canada and the U.S. have made similar discoveries and similar claims. But as Professor <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/printerfriendly.html?articleid=09031101" target="_blank">Irving</a> pointed out in an interview,<br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The human studies reported so far have all used human embryos or human fetuses as sources of materials for cell culture, for genes that are transferred, and for assays, as well as for the original cells that are transformed.<br />
<br />
No test is reported to determine if totipotent cells (which could be newly formed human embryos) are inadvertently formed while producing iPS cells, and any damage to the original cell’s DNA or any left-over foreign DNA would surely cause serious immune rejection reactions in the patients.<br />
</div>But nobody was listening and research moved forward until, in late March, it was announced that stem cell pioneer <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/bio2809.html" target="_blank">James Thomson</a>, of the University of Wisconsin, and his team of scientists were able to take this “reprogramming” of cells to a new level. Thompson claims he can convert adult stem cells into embryonic-like stem cells, but this time, without the use of viruses, unlike his previous research. <br />
<br />
This alleged advance was hailed by many pro-life bioethics experts, but not by Dr. Irving, nor by Deborah Vinnedge, of the Children of God for Life vaccine research organization. In fact, Vinnedge was quick to point out,<br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The most recent announcement last week was that of <a href="http://www.cogforlife.org/reprogramstemcellThomson0309.htm" target="_blank">James Thomson</a> of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in which he reprogrammed neonatal foreskin cells, which are classified as “adult” or “mature” stem cells, using a plasmid technique to deliver the genes into the foreskin cells, rather than a lentivirus. The result was a transformation of the adult cells to an “embryonic” state. While Thomson hailed the process as much safer than past experiments (which is still highly debatable) in which he used lentiviruses to deliver the genes, <strong>what was not reported was his use of embryonic stem cells and aborted fetal cell lines as sources for the genes.</strong> (emphasis added)<br />
</div>Yes, the so-called ethical alternative to human embryonic stem cell research has turned out to be anything but ethical! But who cares? Who is calling Thompson and his colleagues to task?<br />
<br />
The frenzy has spread far beyond Thompson and the verbal engineers, however. Just a week ago, on <em>The Oprah Winfrey Show</em>, Dr. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDFJOzu9SyM" target="_blank">Mehmet Oz</a> told the world, with Michael J. Fox sitting right next to him, that a cure for Fox’s Parkinson’s disease is right around the corner. <br />
<br />
Millions of Americans watching <em>Oprah</em> undoubtedly felt empathy for Michael J. Fox and unbridled enthusiasm for Dr. Oz’s amazing claim. But hold on a minute! Not so fast, Dr. Oz. You have failed to tell the whole truth, and you have forgotten the scientific facts that would show that what you claimed is so promising for patients such as Fox is actually a sham.<br />
<br />
Upon studying this video, Professor Irving points us in the right direction. Below is an excerpt from her writing, but the entire article is worth your time.<br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">The [You Tube] video proceeded to be passed around the world at the speed of light. The new research explained by Dr. Oz to Oprah in this video is referred to as “<a href="http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/irv/irv_138ips_notadultstemcell.html" target="_blank">induced pluripotent stem cell</a>” research (iPS research). As Dr. Oz noted, an <em>adult</em> human cell (e.g., a patient’s own skin cell) can be transformed or induced from a very differentiated state back to a relatively less differentiated state to form an “<em>embryo-like</em>” human cell that is “pluripotent” (capable of forming most of the cells, tissues and organs of an adult human being). These new iPS human cells could then possibly be urged to develop forward to produce more mature differentiated human cells for therapeutic purposes. But three things are important to distinguish before iPS research is so enthusiastically embraced as an “ethical alternative to human embryonic stem cell research.”<br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"> First, iPS research is not equivalent to “<em>adult stem cell research</em>.” The starting material (a human adult or mature body cell) may be the same, but what happens after that is very different. In the typical adult human stem cell research that has been reported for many years now, and which truly is an ethical alternative to human embryonic stem cell research, the adult human cell is <em>not transformed</em> or <em>induced</em> (by various means) back to a pluripotent human “embryo-like” stem cell. Rather, these adult human stem cells are already found naturally in the human body and are simply urged to develop to a more mature state. No problem. <br />
<br />
In iPS research, however, the highly differentiated DNA in the adult human cell that is used as the starting material is transformed or induced (by various means) back to the state of differentiation of the DNA as found in human embryonic pluripotent “stem cells.” These “embryo-like” human pluripotent “stem cells” are then urged to become more mature in order to develop human cells for therapies. <br />
<br />
Second, there are many scientific and ethical problems with iPS research that must be resolved before such research can be considered as “an ethical alternative to human embryonic stem cell research.” Perhaps Dr. Oz’s use of the term “embryo-like” might provide a clue. Are these iPS cells just “embryo-<em>like</em>,” or are they—at least sometimes—really single- or multiple-cell early human “embryos”?<br />
</div>Clearly, Professor Irving’s analysis is not going to warm the hearts of all those advocates of this new “ethical” alternative to human embryonic stem cell research, but what her analysis does do is challenge the lack of accuracy that seems to be the calling card of scientists involved in iPS research.<br />
The <strong>pluripotency pickle</strong> that has been created by half-truths and baseless scientific claims can and should be resolved. But the thing that bothers me most about this is not the lies, which are everywhere, but the people whose hearts will be broken because they hoped so much for an ethical solution to a tragic dilemma, and instead they received a pickle.<br />
</td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Judie Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Coach Boniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16476983113083890041noreply@blogger.com0