Sickening: Faith Leaders ‘Bless’ DC’s New Planned Parenthood Mega-Center

Last week, at the grand opening ceremony for Planned Parenthood’s new “megacenter” in Washington, D.C., more than 20 religious leaders offered their “blessing” for the abortion facility.

The event was staged by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and featured Christian faith leaders, a reformed Jewish rabbi and an openly gay Muslim imam. Hindu priests and a liturgical dance were also incorporated into the event.

The facility opened in September, but facing increasing negative news in light of the recent criminal referrals by the House Select Committee on Infant Lives, Planned Parenthood has sought to showcase the support it receives from faith leaders. The megacenter’s CEO said of the event:

In almost every message to our staff, I talk about our doing sacred work. This confirms the sacredness of the work we do.

Abortionist Willie Parker added to that theme with his own comments:

Women have been made to think that this [clinic] is some evil place, where God is not. [Pro-life activists have been] cursing them for making sacred decisions, but our answer to the curse is to bless.

Priests for Life National Director Fr. Frank Pavone told LifeSiteNews this event follows a pattern established by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. He said it was a textbook example of using the Lord’s name in vain: “asking for a blessing upon something He abhors.”

“The bottom line is that it is not the authority of a church—any church—that makes abortion right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable,” he said. “Abortion is what it is, and is always wrong. If any church authority approves or tolerates of it, that church authority is a false prophet and should not be followed.”

A pro-life rally has been planned for Jan. 26—the day before the March for Life—to protest the new facility. The movement’s leaders, including Troy Newman, David Bereit, Lauren Handy and Pavone, are all scheduled to take part.

This isn’t the first time Planned Parenthood has co-opted Christianity to advance its abortion business agenda. It frequently invokes John 10:10, a direct quote from Jesus, where He said:

“The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 

According to Planned Parenthood, its work “allows women to have life and have it abundantly.” Never mind the fact that by doing so, it’s taking on the role of the thief that Jesus described.

And just this past week, Des Moines, Iowa, based abortionist Dr. Jill Meadows wrote in a letter to the editor to The Des Moines Register newspaper:

I am an abortion health care provider, and I am proud of what I do. It’s a privilege to be a positive presence in a person’s life at a time when she most deserves care and compassion.

Recently, a fraudulent video smear campaign against abortion providers was used to justify political attacks and violence against Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland does not participate in fetal tissue research, but not because we don’t believe it is important.

Fetal tissue research has led to medical therapy that has helped to save the lives of millions of people. As a premed student, when touring the labs at the University of Iowa, I learned that fetal tissue research had contributed to the development of a medication used to help infants born prematurely to breathe. This is just one example of the vital life-saving results of this type of research.

Planned Parenthood provides evidence-based, compassionate, non-judgmental, high quality, affordable reproductive health care. It is time for people who are anti-abortion to stop using terror, lies, hate rhetoric, misinformation and violence against us. Regardless, we will not be bullied and intimidated into abandoning the people who depend on us. I will continue to follow my conscience and God-given calling of being an abortion care provider. Our doors will stay open. No matter what.

Meadows previously entered into a lawsuit along with the more famous LeRoy Carhart to oppose the federal ban on late-term abortions. {eoa}