While Washington Debates, Hollywood Creates

As the health care debate heats up in Washington and pro-life and abortion advocacy groups take their sides, another story has been developing on the west coast - a story that may transcend what's taking place on Capitol Hill.

In fact, many in the media might be missing the forest despite the trees. And here's why.

Over the last several years, without the help or prompting of anyone in Washington, a new crop of pro-life films have emerged from Hollywood. Films that range in style and genre - from the off-beat comedy of "Juno" to the artfully-depicted drama of "Bella." Some intentionally and explicitly pro-life and others more incidental.

On November 17th, a new pro-life film, "Sarah's Choice," featuring Grammy Award winning artist Rebecca St. James, was officially released onto DVD and sales are already off the charts.

What does all this tell us?

Something exciting and positive is happening as more and more artists with pro-life values are seeking to have an impact in our culture through story-telling and film. They are recognizing the truth in the saying, "Give me the songs of a nation and it does not matter who writes its laws" (Damon of Athens).

Yes, what is happening in Washington with the health care bill is historically significant, but we can't lose sight of Who is in control and that nothing can trump His amazing work in other sectors of our society.

According to producer Jason Jones of "Bella" (2007), at least 90 babies have been saved after their parents watched his film. For those good souls investing in films like "Sarah's Choice" and "Bella," this has to be very gratifying.

And it isn't just the pro-life films that change lives. Every one of us can likely name a movie that has had a profound impact on our lives. In my life, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has encouraged me to continue to serve in the pro-life movement, even when times grow dark. Movies have a lasting impact and cannot be discounted by those of us in the pro-life movement.

Care Net has caught this vision and understands that in order to promote a culture a life in America we must reach out through art, entertainment and creative story-telling in film, radio, and TV. As an organization, we desire to encourage and celebrate the creation of positive, pro-life entertainment, particularly in film.

This is why we are so inspired by the new movie "Sarah's Choice", a film we wrote about here in September when Rebecca St. James made a special appearance at the Care Net National Pregnancy Center Conference. The film received a standing ovation from ministry leaders attending the conference from across the country. In fact, one pregnancy center director has said it's the best film he's seen since "The Passion of the Christ"!

On November 17th, I had the opportunity to attend the L.A. premiere of "Sarah's Choice" and share with those in attendance - actors, writers, directors, producers, songwriters and a host of other Hollywood types - about the work and ministry of Care Net and pregnancy centers across the country. There, in the heart of Hollywood at Warner Brother Studios, we bowed our heads and prayed for the message of Life and the Gospel to go out in the culture. Imagine that!

(The pic is of Rebecca St. James and me before the premier in Hollywood. She's a wonderful woman with a heart for God!)

"Sarah's Choice" promotes the compassionate message of Care Net's Inspire Life campaign in a powerful way. Rebecca St. James plays "Sarah," a professional working woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and wrestling with the thought of abortion. I won't spoil the movie for you, but I will say that as this movie is shared across the country, more people will understand that individuals in this situation need love, compassion, and support - the type of ministry freely given at pregnancy centers. In addition, many will see that abortion is not without its lifelong consequences but healing and forgiveness is possible.

[For individuals needing help with an unplanned pregnancy or healing from a past abortion, please contact the Option Line at 1-800-395-HELP.]

Many associated with this film, like actress Rebecca St. James, desire to see the film support ministries like Care Net and our network of 1,180 pregnancy centers across North America. Screening this film in local churches with the support of radio stations could be a great fundraising opportunity for pregnancy centers! Interested in finding out how? Stay tuned for more from Care Net. In the meantime, you can email me at khansen@care-net.org.

After the film screening in L.A., a number of filmmakers shared that they too were working on pro-life films and eager for Care Net and the pregnancy center movement at large, with our unique outlook on the abortion issue, to screen their films. Just think of the potential for impact in our culture with all these films coming out! And what a beautiful partnership between artists and filmmakers and ministry leaders for the good of our nation.

So, to wrap this up I say support this film and films like it. Buy it for your local pregnancy center and for Christmas gifts. Host a local screening!

And when you watch and worry about what may be going on in Washington, also remember that there is a bigger picture and a greater plan at work and it's all in His hands!

“Law and Order” Episode – A Pro-Life Cultural Victory!

by Cindy Hopkins

I couldn’t believe my eyes. On Friday, October 23rd NBC aired an episode of Law and Order, entitled “Dignity” on the subject of late-term abortion. NBC “borrowed” the story line from Spring headlines in their episode when a late-term abortion doctor is shot dead while in church praying.



“Dignity” is a show of improbabilities - first in that pro-life characters are depicted not as a band of brainless activists but instead as an intelligent community of people with worthy convictions and sensitivities. And secondly, in that it portrays abortion supporters, (“I grew up thinking Roe v. Wade was gospel,” says one female district attorney), grappling with their firmly held views on women’s reproductive rights.

The poignant testimony of a nurse describing how a baby born alive dies after having scissors plunged into its skull by the abortion doctor visibly affects the aforementioned female district attorney.

Another tender testimony from a mother who chooses not to abort her terminally ill baby but instead opts to “let her die with dignity” beautifully builds a case for life. One district attorney even concedes, “Cats and dogs have more rights than the unborn” and “Roe v. Wade wasn’t written in stone; it could use another look.”

Yes, all this and more on primetime television!

I won’t give away the rest of the plot but the episode is definitely worth watching (available on Amazon.com) and can be considered a cultural victory in the battle to shape the hearts of America towards life. Contact NBC today and thank them for airing this episode!

Cindy Hopkins is Vice President of Center Services at Care Net.

In Essentials, Unity

By Julie Surface Johnson

For many years, Care Net and other national pregnancy center organizations primarily worked independently of each other. However, shortly after the new millennium, Care Net, through the leadership of its former president Mike Reid, sought ways for the various networks to forge alliances with one another—all the while retaining their individual distinctives. A joint partnership between Care Net and Heartbeat International, the Option Line website and call center, was only one result, albeit a huge one, of those efforts.

Since then, Care Net has been joined by visionaries from other sympathetic organizations, such as Christian Leadership Alliance, National Fatherhood Initiative, and Alliance Defense Fund to name a few, all coming together, wherever possible, to advance the pro-life message.

Not surprisingly, this cooperative effort has helped to strengthen and grow the pregnancy center movement, thereby capturing the attention of the media. TIME Magazine, among others, wrote a relatively favorable feature story about the work of pregnancy centers. Of course, there has been the expected backlash from those who oppose our work. Yet, the positive gains of working together has far outweighed the negative response from abortion advocates..

In our current political environment, we are facing new challenges—challenges with the potential to undermine the work we have accomplished thus far. As examples,

• credible sources suggest that new healthcare programs will cover the cost of abortions,


• medical professionals stand to lose their right to refuse to perform or refer for abortions, and


• many pro-life gains made in individual states will be overturned.

Roe v. Wade became the law of the land in 1973. For more than thirty-five years, pro-life groups at large have generally worked independently of each other—sometimes not understanding or appreciating the various approaches employed by our brothers and sisters. But now is the time for all good pro-lifers to unite and to stand together as one against the culture of death. Consider the following.

Some friends were discussing their various “calls” to ministry within the pro-life movement. One felt led to peacefully demonstrate outside abortion clinics. “We hold signs with pro-life messages, share information about local support, and pray as women approach the clinic. Some demonstrators even offer to raise the babies these women don’t want.”

Another tries to bring about societal change via the courts and legislation. “If we can influence people through voters’ guides and other educational publications, we’ll see a change in their attitudes and voting patterns.”

Yet another felt called to serve in pregnancy resource centers. “We offer abortion-vulnerable women free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, and other services in a confidential and non-judgmental environment.”

The focus of the first group is to save the lives of babies in what may be the last opportunity to do so before the abortion. The second group focuses on saving the lives of babies by bringing about change through the political process with the ultimate goal of overturning Roe v. Wade. The third group’s focus is on saving the lives of babies by mercifully ministering to the perceived needs of their mothers.

Many different methods—many different points of view—many different sets of supporters and detractors—one goal: to save lives!

All such groups are committed and are convinced they are performing a critical life-saving work. All keep the sanctity of human life issue alive in a culture that is too often prone to choose death at all stages of life (for the unborn, the elderly, and those with disabilities).

And, for that reason, all such groups are needed. We form an enormous bloc. United, we can make our voices heard!

What can pro-life groups or individuals do to unite in defense of life?

• Get to know each other by visiting organizational websites with a view to understanding each others’ missions


• Open a dialogue through comments on those sites.


• Network whenever and wherever possible.


• Visit http://pro-lifetribe.blogspot.com/ the new blog established just for the purpose of networking and dialogue among those with a passion for life.


• Concentrate on what unites us rather than on the distinctives that have divided us.


• Pray for pro-life brothers and sisters as well as for their ministries.

Because of strong emotional involvement, there will always be tension and the potential for misunderstanding. But the time has come for all pro-life organizations to overcome our distinctives—as Care-Net, Heartbeat International, and so many other like-minded organizations have done over the years,—and to stand together in defense of life!

Julie Surface Johnson, formerly Care-Net’s Medical Services Consultant, lives in Portland, Oregon, and writes pro-life novels. Learn more at her website www.johnsonsforlife.com and her new blog, Pro-Life Tribe.

Help Care Net Protect Pregnancy Centers in Maryland!

A Call to Action - Vote Expected on Monday, Nov. 2nd!

Over the past few years, attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers have grown in frequency and intensity, most notably in Maryland. In 2008, Maryland pregnancy centers were under legislative attack at the state level, but with strong opposition from Maryland Right to Life, Maryland Catholic Conference, Care Net and local pregnancy centers, those bills were defeated.

An attack has now come in the form of a Baltimore City Council Bill which would require pro-life pregnancy centers to post signs in their waiting room disclosing the services they do not offer. This is information that Care Net already requires its affiliated pregnancy centers to disclose prior to a client receiving a pregnancy test or counseling. This bill is unnecessary and a form of harassment which discriminates only against those with a pro-life viewpoint.

According to Nancy Paltell of the Maryland Catholic Conference, Council Bill 09-0406 is a “stepping stone to passing even more onerous measures against crisis pregnancy centers.” If this bill passes it will be promoted in other cities and counties within Maryland and has potential to spread throughout the entire nation. Get the lowdown on the situation in this great video from MD Catholic Conference:




Care Net is urging pro-life friends in Maryland to take action immediately! Without the support of pregnancy centers in Baltimore, thousands of women every year would have nowhere to turn for such services. The City Council committee is expected to vote on this bill on Monday, Nov. 2nd at 3:30 pm! Visit the Care Net website for information on how you can voice your support for the pro-life work of pregnancy centers.

Feminist Group Plans Halloween Attacks on Pregnancy Centers

When you sign up to volunteer at a pregnancy center, there are a few loud voices in the community who are not going to like it. These folks are generally active in groups like the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), NARAL, and the National Abortion Federation.

For years, groups like these have made accusations of pregnancy centers as scare tactics to keep women from visiting our centers for help. This year, the FMF has launched a video contest to see who among their members can make the most damaging video attacking the work of our nation's pregnancy centers. In addition, they are fired up about a Halloween week of ghoulish activities like staging a protest at a nearby pregnancy center and hosting "a haunted clinic -- instead of ghosts and gouls, emulate what goes on inside a creepy CPC." Read more.

Some may read this and think it's sounds so outlandish, it's almost laughable. Seriously. Think of the tens of thousands of volunteers (yes, volunteers) across the country who are serving in these pregnancy centers, providing free, compassionate help to more than 5,000 women every day. Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that have been saved over the years. These hardworking pregnancy centers are serving our communities well, and, as so eloquently stated in the latest national report, A Passion to Serve, A Vision for Life, helping to improve maternal and child health, saving taxpayer dollars, and providing abortion alternatives. Who doesn't support this?

Nevertheless, the reality is that pregnancy centers are facing these type of tactics from abortion advocacy groups across the country.

So, how should one respond? The most compelling response is simply to hear the stories of women who have been helped by a pregnancy center. Let the women speak!

Truly, when you see the happy faces of those who chose to carry to term and the joy of new life in their arms, everything else seems to fade away. Life isn't easy for them, but they've chosen a healthy path without regrets.

Just last week, I received an incredible story from a former pregnancy center client who emailed me to share some exciting news in her life - she's engaged! From Pittsburgh, Megan and her story are featured in the new A Passion to Serve pregnancy center report. [Once on the report's website, scroll down to Megan and Ava's story on the home page.] You can also hear Megan share her amazing story on the Youtube video: "Care Net: Chaging Hearts, Saving Lives." In a nutshell, Megan was scheduled to take the abortion pill RU 486 until she saw a bus ad for a pregnancy center, made an appointment, and, together with her boyfriend, viewed little Ava on the ultrasound.

Megan gave me permission to share with you how she's doing today:

Thank you so much for your note and the link to the video and report!! It would be great to see you and others at Care Net in the future!! I have such a warm spot in my heart for Care Net and still think to myself sometimes that I should apply for a job there!

Ava and I are doing great. She just turned 5 (wow!!) and is in kindergarten. I can hardly believe the past years have gone by so fast. And, I'm engaged!! We are planning a May 14, 2010 wedding, and are very excited. Check out our pictures! I'm still in graduate school. It seems like it's taking forever, especially because for the past couple of semesters I've only been taking one class but I'll finish eventually. I'll eventually have my Masters of Public Administration and really do enjoy the program. So, things are busy!!

Hope all is well with you. Thanks so much for keeping in touch!!

Take care,
Megan

Is this not an inspiring story? What would Megan's life have been like had she decided to end her pregnancy with RU 486? Did being a mom stop her from pursuing her dreams? Absolutely not!

And just think! There are thousands of Megan's whose lives are touched in just the same way every day.

So remember, when you volunteer, know there will likely be curmudgeonly critics, but the joy you will receive from your service will be well worth it!

Visit the Inspire Life website today to find out how you can get involved in a local pregnancy center or simply to thank your local pregnancy center for all they do in the community!

Make Your Voice Heard: Abortion is Not Health Care

Care Net and the Inspire Life team would like to bring you up to speed on the Health Care Reform effort and how the abortion issue is playing out. We've been informed that abortion is still very much a part of the health care bills going forward. In addition, there are other pro-life concerns that are not being thoroughly addressed, such as the right of conscience for pro-life healthcare professionals and end-of-life care policies.

Our friends at Americans United for Life have provided some in-depth updates about these concerns on their blog. Also, our pro-life contacts on Capitol Hill provide this helpful overview. We encourage you to check it out! We also are asking you to action...

Now is the time to make your voice heard in this critical health care debate! Care Net has provided an "action kit" of pro-life materials that will help you voice your values in your own community - letters to the editor, sample emails to friends, and directions on how to contact your elected officials. We've specifically spelled out the concerns for pregnancy centers and the ongoing provision of free, compassionate, life-affirming care to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

The topic of health care reform can be a confusing one for many of us. The key thing to remember is this: abortion is not and never will be health care in any sense of the word. Secondly, it is critical that pro-life individuals speak up and take part in this debate. Pro-life leaders have forecasted that health care is becoming an increasingly important issue in which pro-life individuals should be thoroughly engaged. Stay tuned and make your voice heard!

Do Faith Communities Somehow Breed Teen Pregnancy?

Part of promoting life is to lead people to a lifestyle of healthy relationships. Having said that, there has been some talk about a new study that was posted in Christianity Today and elsewhere suggesting a correlation between teen pregnancy and conservative religious beliefs. This study states:

“With data aggregated at the state level, conservative religious beliefs strongly predict U.S. teen birth rates, in a relationship that does not appear to be the result of confounding by income or abortion rates. One possible explanation for this relationship is that teens in more religious communities may be less likely to use contraception.” Read the full study published in the journal, Reproductive Health.

Here are a couple of the ultimate questions that this study raises:

1. Is a good approach to prevention of unplanned pregnancy the teaching of condom use?


2. Is Abstinence Education a failed approach just because many who teach abstinence education are from faith-based organizations?

In response to question number one…Are condoms the healthiest choice for our teens? No. They’re not 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, but even if they were, the question remains whether their distribution is an approach that truly protects the future of our teens. Working more pro-actively than re-actively with our youth will produce more long-lasting and protective measures than simple condom usage programs could dream of.

In response to question number two… First of all, this study appears to be an attack on the Christian faith, which, in contrast to the assumptions made in the study, empowers individuals to live healthy, whole lives when sex is enjoyed within the context of marriage. While some abstinence educators in schools come from this faith perspective, their programs are based on the most protective and effective public health measures for young people, not religious viewpoints.

Secondly, it is easy to see where confusion may enter in when there is not enough information given on what abstinence education really is. The article in mention refers to abstinence education as “abstinence only” which implies that abstinence education is a “just say no” program. Most abstinence educators would not think to refer to their curriculum as “abstinence only”. This statement could not be farther from the true description of abstinence education. Abstinence educators pride themselves in the variety of subjects that they cover. Some of the main topics of abstinence education include:

• Healthy Relationships
• Avoiding compromising situations [to include: drugs/alcohol, being alone with significant other etc.]
• Settings Goals and protecting your future
• Maturity
• Refusal Skills
• STD/STI Education and Statistics
• Condom Statistics
• Intimacy
• Love vs. Infatuation
• Steps to Sexual Progression
• Starting Over

These are just a few of the many subjects that abstinence education covers for our youth. The point is that abstinence education is instrumental in helping our teens make an informed decision.

And how do teens respond to such a message? Abstinence educators describe countless young people that have come up to them after presentations and say, “Why has nobody else told us this before?” or “It is so nice to know I am not the only one that is not doing it… I thought everyone else was.” Our youth are more intelligent than many are willing to give them credit. They have intellectual choices to make… not instinctual.

[For more information on the effectiveness of abstinence education in our nation, read the latest information from the Institute for Research and Evaluation.]

Pregnancy centers have a unique opportunity to get involved pro-actively with the teens in their communities to teach ways to avoid compromising situations that lead to sex. As we purpose to inspire life, let’s remember to teach our teens to make healthy lifestyle choices in every area of life!

Toneia Mayes is a Care Net Regional Consultant and a consultant for Community Based Abstinence Education grants. She can be reached at toneia@cox.net.