Back Alley Pap Smears

Pro-Life Men, Imagine This...
You wake up one morning feeling wonderful. The warm sun is beaming into your bedroom window and after a big, long stretch you hop out of your nice, cozy bed, hug your kids good morning, grab the paper and sit down to enjoy a strong, piping cup of coffee. Once you are finished you head up stairs. Time to begin today the same way you begin every day...with a nice hot shower...but this shower will not be like every other shower.

While you're washing yourself you discover a lump. You discover a lump in a place that you don't ever want to find a lump. Your mind goes racing. Is it...a mass....is it cancer...or is it just a harmless cyst? You reason, 'I'm sure it's a cyst, yeah, that's all, just a cyst; no big deal.'

Now at this point a withering number of extremely blessed men would be able to call their physician and make an appointment for first thing that morning. But not you. You, sir, are uninsured.

Now what?

I assume that you continue on through the week trying to ignore what has now become *gulp* "THE LUMP." I mean what other option do you have? Then you begin to notice it's growing; it's getting worse; it's starting to ache...until finally you can no longer bear the pain!

But your family cannot afford that $20,000 trip to a specialist, just so you can go and get the boys checked out.

What are you going to do?

Let's say, right in your moment of need, I come along to offer you help? Wow, I'm a angel. And not only that, but I'm going to offer you help at the extremely discounted price of only $79. I can do this for you because good ole Uncle Sam has already paid the way for your visit. Wow, doesn't your country just love you? You would have to be absolutely nuts, pardon the pun, to reject my help, now wouldn't you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New scenario: Grow a vagina. Turn that lump into any number of terrifying women's issues that a perfectly healthy 20-something female will have. And oh yeah, by the way, Uncle Sam over there in the shining armor actually works for Planned Parenthood.

The real question is, in your most desperate time of need would you let an abortionist put their hands on your body? Would you help them fund the murders of innocent children with one dime of your money, let alone $79 dollars of it?

Then why should we have to?

I'll tell you why, because Planned Parenthood runs the monopoly on women's services.

Don't believe this is a real overwhelmingly valid issue in our society today? Here is a frantic e-mail I received from a dear activist friend of mine earlier tonight:

"Hey, I don't think I'm gonna be able to go tomorrow to the pro-life training...I'm in a LOT of pain right now...I'm trying to get a doctors appointment for Monday...girl-stuff, ya know? I don't know what's going on but it started Monday night and has just gotten worse...bad pain, down low...feels like my ovary is ripping....I had a c-section with my daughter and never took pain pills for it...I have a really high pain tolerance, but this is making me cry!!! Please keep me in your prayers.
I don't have insurance and I don't qualify for medicaid...some doctors don't even want self-pay clients, so all of the sudden they're "not accepting new patients." Everyone wants like $200-350 for a PAP!!! Oddly enough, PP only charges $79!!!!! AGH! Yeah, I called them. I'm in crisis so I wanted to see what they'd do. Nice, eh?
WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIAN DOCTORS WHO'LL PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS AND GIVE WOMEN AN OPTION!!!!
I'm so frustrated. But not frustrated enough to sell my soul to them, don't worry.
God just has to heal me. Bottom line. Please pray for that to happen quickly."

I cannot tell you how many times I have been in her shoes.

All you powerful, Christian, Pro-Life men talk about shutting down Planned Parenthood, but why not get to the root of the problem.

This is a call to action.

Pregnancy centers are a start but they offer limited services. We're not all pregnant teenagers in need of a free test. What about the women out there, who like my friend above, might be going through a tubal pregnancy? It would be debilitating to our families if we had to pay exorbitant prices for these necessary services. We are being forced to sacrifice our health, and possible future reproductive viability, for our moral stance against Planned Parenthood.

Now I ask you, are either of these option truly "Pro-Life."

CHANGE THE SYSTEM. Don't just be against something, BE FOR SOMETHING. Something better, and mark my word Planned Parenthood will crumble on its own.

Hate Black People? Then Have I Got A Deal For You!

Graphic Images of Aborted Fetuses

Anyone who knows me, knows how I feel regarding pictures of aborted children.

I believe they are harsh and abrasive, and often times do more damage than good; especially when they are used in front of abortion clinics.

I believe that they have damaged the movement in many ways and almost exploit the children who's images are on them. Many extremely pro-life individuals refuse to be active in the movement today because they, like myself, believe in a much more compassionate, loving, Christ-like approach. They do not want to be associated with these extremists who send the girls running into the clinic rather than away from it.

I will even go as far as to say that some of the activist who hold up these enormous signs use them as a defense mechanism. You don't have to worry about a confused girl approaching you for counsel when you are dawning one of these signs along with your judgmental scowl.

However, the Lord transformed my mind today in a sense. He showed me where there is a need for this type of caustic truth.

Today we picketed the Planned Parenthood's Annual North Texas Luncheon. I received many ugly hand gestures, pathetic nods, and my favorite, the "poor, naive, little girl...you just don't know any better" look.

Well perhaps it's time that I share what I know with you. Would any of these affluent, old debutants even know what to do if they saw what their donations where really going towards? How could anyone add that extra zero to their check after seeing murder that indisputably clear?

So where was Operation Rescue today? These people need your style of activism. I expect to see you there next year.

Good Article

Tough Questions Series - I Went To Pray at an Abortion Clinic and People Were Screaming and Yelling. How Should We Reach Out To Women Considering Abortion?

I am often asked what people should say to a woman who is considering abortion. I wish there was a magic answer that I could give that would help change the mind of every woman thinking about aborting their baby, but there is not.

When answering this question you also have to address what not to say. I have stood outside abortion mills for over 13 years praying, protesting, and have even been arrested many times for praying in front of the doors. I have watched thousands of women walk into abortion mills and have seen many different approaches by pro-lifers trying to save the babies.

The first mistake I see is anger. Pro-lifers can become so angry about abortion that they sometimes take it out on the women and just scare them right into the abortion mill. I have heard people call women murderers, whores, Jezebels, devil worshipers, and so much more. I have seen anti-abortion protesters so angry that they actually spit while they scream at people. I have never once seen this kind of behavior convince a women to stop and talk and change her mind.

I will admit that in the early years I used to scream and wave signs in people's faces. I let the frustration get to me as I watched these many young girls being taken into the abortion mill by their parents or boyfriends. I would see the boyfriends leave and go to get food, sit in the parking lot and eat and smoke while their child was being killed inside that building. I let the frustration get to me and began to rely on myself for results instead of relying on God.

I want to make it clear that not all people that go to abortion mills to minister and pray act like this. We at Stand True highly encourage people to go to the abortion mills for prayer and witnessing. There are highly effective ways of reaching women and helping them to make the right decision.

When a woman is going to an abortion mill she is usually scared and frustrated. She believes there is no other option for her other than abortion and there is no one to help her. These girls do not need someone yelling at them and telling them how evil they are, they need someone to love them and let them know how precious they are in God's eyes. They need someone to address their needs, not just the baby's needs. They need someone to approach them in the same way Christ would approach someone who was hurting and scared and about to make a huge mistake.

The first thing we tell people if they are going to try to talk to girls entering abortion mills is to not be holding a sign or wearing pro-life messages on their shirts. You should be dressed very friendly so you won't immediately scare the women away. We believe the first words to a woman entering the mill should be geared towards her and how she is doing, not just about the baby. Let her know you care about her.

The most powerful thing you can do when going to the abortion mill is pray. There is nothing more effective than prayer. When we go to our local abortion mill we spend the first hour as a group reading the Bible out loud, not shouting, but just reading out loud the Word of God. We then walk around the building praying for the women, the doctor, the nurses, the escorts, and everyone involved. We also look for opportunities to witness and share, not only with the women going in, but with the escorts and whoever is around. Not calling them names or condemning them to hell, but sharing Christ's love with them.

These ideas and principles are not just for the abortion mill, but for our everyday life when we run into situations like this. I recently read an article about a young girl at a Catholic school who got pregnant and was told she could not walk the stage at her graduation, while the young man was allowed to. Not only was this total hypocrisy, but it was a dangerous way to treat this young girl. It is exactly that kind of reaction and treatment of girls that drive them to abortion.

Our words, especially our first words to a girl who gets pregnant can determine the path she takes and be the difference between life and death. As a father of three daughters I do wonder how I would react if one of my daughters came home one day and told me she was pregnant. What would I say? Would I blow up and lose my temper? Or would I love her no matter what mistake she made?

When we go to God in prayer and confess our sins, do you think He screams and yells and has a huge fit? I don't think so. Do you think he yells at us and tells us how horrible we are, and how much of a disgrace we are to the family? I don't think so. When we go to Him, He is faithful to love and forgive us. I pray that I never have to go through this with my daughters, but if I do, I pray that my first words to her are those of love.

Yes, we do believe that abortion is the act of killing a human person and can never be permitted. Yes, we believe that abortion is a sin and is detestable in God's eyes. Yes, we believe that we need to stand up against this evil and be there to try to help people from making such a tragic and horrific mistake. But more importantly than all of that, we believe those people need Christ and we need to love them as Christ would.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

For Christ I Stand

Bryan Kemper - bryankemper@standtrue.com

I've been African-American-Listed

So last week, I received what I thought was a credible e-mail from a trusted family member regarding presidential hopeful Barack Obama and his Muslim background. While part of it was true, a majority was just sensationalized rumors.

Evidently, I live under a rock and was not aware that this particular chain letter had recently been debunked quite publicly in the media...and with poor judgement I forwarded this newly acquired information on. Honestly, I was shocked at what I read. I thought it was true. I couldn't believe it. I felt the need to enlighten others who may not be so privy to this guarded information.

As I quickly learned, the penalty for injudicious electronic mail forwards is death.

People were outraged. I was called a bigot, a racist, ignorant and a propagandist. But by far, the worst and most absurd criticism I received was that this e-mail was "the equivalent of a hate crime." Come again?

A hate crime; really? I feel confident that Matthew Shepard would be turning over in his grave at this remark.

A week later and I was still agitatedly perplexed by this ridiculous statement. As I feverishly lathered my hair in what was turning out to be a very unrelaxing shower I had an epiphany: This little twit was right. Not at all in the way his ignorant comment had intended to be, but still the statement in itself was correct.

That e-mail was indeed a hate crime. And I have come to conclusion that I am very much an Obamaphobic.

Just in the same way many homophobics secretly pine after same sex relations, I find myself fantasizing about affordable healthcare. Just as they might go on-line late at night to quench their hidden desires out of the view of others, I am on the Obama mailing list and faithfully read each update. Sometimes, when I'm all alone, I picture myself in the secluded confines of that private voting booth, out of the judgmental sight of others, doing the unthinkable...just letting my inhibitions go...throwing my morals to the wind and satisfying my plebiscite-ian desires...it would be my dirty little secret. It makes me feel like a very naughty Republican.

But then just as homophobes have to face the gruesome reality of sodomy, I quickly harrow at the mention of Obama's abortion stance. Both are violent, abrasive, and cause incredible discomfort.

And with this realization, as quickly as the impulsive Obama urge comes upon me my flesh is able to thrust it away.

Hi, my name is Destiny. And I'm an Obamaphobe.