In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, little if anything has changed concerning abortion in Illinois. You would think radical pro-abortion activists and legislators would be satisfied to know the status quo remains, but sadly, you would be wrong. Even though Illinois’ abortion law is one of the most liberal in the nation, pro-abortion forces are not content with unfettered access to abortion, and they are now coming after crucial pregnancy resource centers (PRCs).

Last week, SB 1909 passed the Illinois Senate on a partisan roll call vote (36 to 19) and has arrived at the Illinois House for their consideration. The so-called Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, giving the Illinois Attorney General, who is militantly pro-abortion, the ability to fine PRCs for any perceived fraud or misleading statements.

So, what constitutes an instance of fraud or a misleading statement? Based on the Executive Committee hearing testimony by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), it depends entirely on the interpretation of the AG’s office. The so-called “testimonies” shared in support of the amendment were in no way substantiated, with one coming from Planned Parenthood Action and the other–get this–from the AG’s office. It’s a textbook conflict of interest, and yet no one seems to think this is problematic.

Now, a senate committee meeting is not a trial in which evidence is expected to be produced, but you would think that the obvious bias and lack of proof on the side of the bill’s proponents would raise some red flags. But apparently, the consciences of pro-abortion Illinois legislators are seared. Even a clear assault on religious liberty and free speech is no problem to them where their pet issues are concerned.

In addition to the shaky-at-best reasoning behind this new legislation, it was brought up multiple times in the hearing that this bill is not necessary, as the current Consumer Fraud Act more than covers the examples Villanueva and others gave. If a PRC is acting unlawfully, they are already subject to the law currently on the books. When pressed, the Deputy Attorney General for Policy at the AG’s office said over and over that infractions would be evaluated on a “case-by-case” basis. In other words, it’s subject to the whims of the AG, not the objective standards set out by the law. But then this isn’t about using the law correctly. It’s about punishing and potentially fining out of business these critical, often faith-based, centers for any reason.

Unsurprisingly, proponents cast “limited services pregnancy centers” as preying upon women, set against Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses as compassionate providers of healthcare. Among the accusations they brought against PRCs is that they delay or under-deliver healthcare for pregnant women through vague language or outright lies about their pregnancies. But as Serena Dye, regional executive director of Hope Life Center, testified, “The wording in this bill reminds me of my personal experience at abortion facilities, not pregnancy help centers.”

Although the eventual outcome of the hearing was evident from the start, it was heartening to hear from both Dye and Kristi Hofferber, a pro-life speaker and executive director of A Beacon of Light. Both women know personally the harm done by the abortion business. They spoke boldly, detailing the compassionate and crucial work done by their respective organizations and drawing attention to the damage this bill will do if signed into law.

Another bright spot was the dogged questioning of State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia), who pointed out the inconsistencies and clear animus embedded in SB 1909, over the protests of other members of the committee. With Democrats in the majority, however, the bill passed out of committee along party lines and went on to do the same in the Senate. The same will likely happen in the House, and then it will go on to the Governor’s desk, where it will no doubt be signed into law.

Watch the Senate Committee Hearing HERE.

So, what next? This bill spells disaster for one of the last places where vulnerable moms in Illinois (and beyond, thanks to burgeoning abortion tourism coming from surrounding states) stand a chance of hearing the whole story about what their pregnancy could mean for them, and of course, where their innocent, unborn children can be saved. First, we must pray for God’s mercy and that more and more believers will be stirred to stand for life in their homes, churches, and communities. Second, we must pray for and support pro-life PRCs. Third, we must pray for and support pro-life, pro-freedom organizations that can use the law to bring attention to this unconstitutional, government-sanctioned witch hunt.

The Thomas More Society, a pro-life law firm headquartered in Chicago, has already gone on record that if this bill is signed into law, they will bring a lawsuit against it. Peter Breen, a former Illinois state legislator and the Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation at Thomas More Society stated, “Senate Bill 1909 is a radical attempt to silence and chill the speech of pro-life advocates in Illinois. The bill is presented as a ‘consumer protection’ measure, but its purpose is to protect abortion clinics from competition…” He went on to say, “This bill is flagrantly unconstitutional, and if it becomes law, we will immediately file suit to protect pro-life organizations’ right to free speech.”

Democrats in Illinois have long stood for ever-increasing abortion access. SB 1909 demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, their desire to eliminate all options but abortion for women facing an unplanned pregnancy. We know God will not allow evil to continue forever, but today, we lament and cry out to Him for justice for those who have no voice.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state representative asking him/her to leave PRCs alone by voting against SB 1909. Point out that pregnancy care centers do not engage in “deceptive practices” but rather vital life-giving work. The people at these centers minister to needy, vulnerable women and children and are supported by people of faith across the state who want to be a blessing.

Read more:

How A Pregnancy Center Saved Me From Homelessness, Addiction, And Despair
(The Federalist)

Pregnancy Resource Centers Must Be Ready for a Post-Roe America
(National Review)

The Critical Pro-Life Work of Pregnancy Resource Centers
(ERLC)

Last month we alerted you to tyrannical bills designed to shut down the operations of “limited services pregnancy centers.” State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) is looking to advance her bill SB 1909, which is titled the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act.” This overbearing proposal will probably be called in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29.

**UPDATE: SB 1909 passed in committee on March 29th. It was then voted on in the Illinois Senate on Friday, March 31st. It passed in a partisan roll call vote, 31 to 19. It now moves on to the Illinois House of Representatives.

Make no mistake, this bill takes direct aim at shutting down all pregnancy centers. No other way to say it. SB 1909 allows the Illinois Attorney General (AG) to investigate all centers it believes are providing any wrong information or omitting any correct information in any form (advertising, speaking to a client, offering services, denying services, answering questions, etc.).

And guess who gets to define what qualifies as “wrong information”? That is correct, the far-left Illinois Attorney General.

The Illinois Attorney General has free reign to investigate any center it believes may be doing something “wrong,” or even about to do something “wrong,” based on any information that comes their way. If it is determined there is a violation of this Act, Pregnancy Care Centers can be fined up to $50,000 per incident and clients may take centers to court for other civil penalties with the AG’s blessing and detailed documentation against the centers.

We are living in scary times, my friends. Please, make your voice heard by taking action below:

Take ACTION: Click HERE to fill out a witness slip in opposition to SB 1909. (Not available yet.)

-Fill out your name, address, email and phone number. Leave everything else blank or put self.
-Highlight “Opponent” and “Record of Appearance Only.”
-Check Terms of Agreement and click Create Slip.

More ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state representative and state senator asking them to leave crisis pregnancy centers alone by voting against  SB 1909. Tell them that pregnancy care centers do not engage in “deceptive practices” but rather vital life-giving work. The people at these centers minister to needy, vulnerable women and children and are supported by people of faith across the state who want to be a blessing.

Read more:

How A Pregnancy Center Saved Me From Homelessness, Addiction, And Despair
(The Federalist)

Pregnancy Resource Centers Must Be Ready for a Post-Roe America
(National Review)

The Critical Pro-Life Work of Pregnancy Resource Centers
(ERLC)

On February 9, the Illinois General Assembly introduced two bills—one in the House, one in the Senate—both entitled the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act.” The contents of HB 2463, introduced by State Representative Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) and  SB 1909, introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) are identical, and both bills seek to radically curtail the operations of “limited services pregnancy centers.”

Perhaps the most striking feature of these bills is their specious use of language. “Limited services pregnancy center” is the language applied to crisis pregnancy centers, clinics that offer life-saving services to pregnant mothers, usually free of charge. These services include ultrasounds, counseling, baby clothes and diapers, and have been a staple of Christian pro-life work for decades  Just how are the centers limited? Of course they won’t deliver babies—but neither will Planned Parenthood. In reality, their services are “limited” only in the sense that they won’t provide abortions.

The sponsors of these bills are attempting to punish pregnancy centers, a vital part of the pro-life cause, for their unwillingness to commit murder. Calling them “limited services pregnancy centers” is pure mockery, designed to create the impression that the value they offer to their clients is negligible, or at best insufficient.

Of course, this kind of doublespeak should be no surprise—these are the same people who call murder “reproductive health” and miraculously discovered a “right to privacy” in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And how could we forget about Planned Parenthood, which exists only because of unplanned parenthood.

The bills also refer to the services of crisis pregnancy centers as “deceptive.” This deception is defined principally as “advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services” that do not include abortions. Should we talk about how abortion mills deceive women by telling them that abortion is a morally licit—and even commendable—act?

But let’s get to the bill itself. How the bill defines violations of the statute is perhaps the most shocking part. It is shocking not for its harshness or explicit sanctions against crisis pregnancy centers, but because of its vague and cunningly crafted language. The bill grants the Attorney General the right to penalize a crisis pregnancy center if it “appears” that it has “engaged in, is engaging in, or was about to engage in [a deceptive] method, act, or practice.”

Once again, what is “deceptive?” It is defined only by the crisis pregnancy center’s unwillingness to preform abortions. The penalties for “deceptive practices” include fines up to $50,000 dollars—a fatal blow to most crisis pregnancy centers—and that money is to be put to use in going after more pregnancy centers for these supposed violations. .

It is hard to overstate this. These bills stand to be incredibly damaging to the pro-life movement in Illinois and would likely result in the closure of many crisis pregnancy centers. And of course, if these bills pass, it won’t stop at the crisis pregnancy centers—the next bill will prevent churches and pastors from preaching against murder or counseling their parishioners not to seek abortions. Satan is hard at work to curtail Christians and life. We must be prayerfully hard at work to defend Christ and life. Thanks be to God, we know Christ has already won the victory. But He is counting on us to be His hands and feet in defending His Word here on earth.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state representative and state senator asking them to leave crisis pregnancy centers alone by voting against HB 2463 and SB 1909. Tell them that pregnancy care centers do not engage in “deceptive practices” but rather vital life-giving work. The people at these centers minister to needy, vulnerable women and children and are supported by people of faith across the state who want to be a blessing.

More ACTION: Click HERE to fill out a witness slip in opposition to HB 2463. The Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee has a 4 PM hearing set for Tuesday, March 7th.

-Fill out your name, address, email and phone number. Leave everything else blank or put self.
-Highlight “Opponent” and “Record of Appearance Only.”
-Check Terms of Agreement and click Create Slip.

Read more:

How A Pregnancy Center Saved Me From Homelessness, Addiction, And Despair (The Federalist)

You know you’re living in the dark, deceitful, and depraved Upside Down when a U.S. Senator—a woman no less—says what inveterate liar Elizabeth Warren recently said:

Crisis pregnancy centers … are there to fool people who are looking for pregnancy termination help. … We need to shut them down here in Massachusetts, and we need to shut them down all around the country. You should not be able to torture a pregnant person like that.

Nope, crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) do not “exist to fool people who are looking for pregnancy termination help.” Crisis pregnancy centers exist to help women who believe the only one way to deal with a crisis pregnancy is to terminate the life of their child. Crisis pregnancy centers exist to shine light into the shadowy, deceptive “reproductive health services” propaganda leftists like Warren spew.

CPCs offer ultrasounds in order to provide women with objective, conclusive proof that a human is growing inside them—not a nothing as the left deceitfully suggests. Crisis pregnancy centers offer resources like diapers, maternity clothes, and parenting classes to help young mothers and fathers feel less overwhelmed.

It’s ironic that Warren—the fake Native American—would bring up fooling people. It’s doubly ironic that the fake Native American would bring up “fooling people” in the context of abortion.

The human slaughter lobby has made an art of trying to fool people. They used to call the human fetus “a blob of tissue” and a “clump of cells.” Well, to be fair, I suppose all humans at any stage of development, born or soon-to-be-born, could be deemed blobs of tissue or clumps of cells, but we human blobs and clumps are special kinds of blobs and clumps. And when each of us was in our mother’s wombs, we were blobs and clumps composed of rapidly dividing and differentiating cells with a complex design.

When the blobs and clumps tomfoolery was exposed and became unsustainable, the Warrens of the world began referring to human fetuses as tumor-analogues and parasites. Then leftists admitted that fetuses growing in women’s bodies are human, but they’re not—in the view of leftists—persons.

Deceivers like Warren are trying to fool people into believing that some people who become pregnant are not women, hence Warren’s deceitful term “pregnant person.” All pregnant persons are women. So committed to deception is Warren that she won’t admit that a human in a woman’s womb is a person but will pretend that some men are pregnant “persons.”

Warren tries to fool people when she refers to “pregnancy termination.” That, obviously, is a euphemism, for human termination—the leftist final solution to a crisis pregnancy.

Of Warren’s many grotesque deceptions, perhaps the worst is describing what takes place in a CPC as torturing pregnant persons. While Warren supports, celebrates, and promotes procedures that dismember the bodies and crush the skulls of tiny, innocent humans in their mothers’ wombs, she calls efforts to persuade mothers not to do this “torture.”

The social justice warrior and human rights activist Warren does what all cultural regressives do when faced with speech they hate: She has called for the cancellation of all CPCs in the entire country.

Not yet able to shut down all CPCs, ironist Warren and some U.S. Senate collaborators (Bob Menendez, Mazie Hirono, Brian Schatz, Cory Booker, Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Patty Murray, Jeff Merkley, Richard Blumenthal, Diane Feinstein, Ron Wyden, Kirsten Gillibrand, Ed Markey, and Mark Warner) have an interim plan. They have sponsored a bill to punish CPCs.

One of the ironic reasons they offer for the bill is that “CPCs target under-resourced neighborhoods and communities of color, including Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and immigrant communities.” The bill doesn’t, however, mention the reason CPCs are located in those neighborhoods. They are located there because Planned Parenthood clinics—founded by racist, eugenicist Margaret Sanger—has long targeted impoverished communities of color.

The bill, titled the “Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act” (SAD Act) would “direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules prohibiting disinformation in the advertising of abortion services.”

The bill accuses CPCs of “routinely … disseminating inaccurate, misleading, and stigmatizing information about the risks of abortion and contraception, and using illegitimate or false citations to imply that deceptive claims are supported by legitimate medical sources.”

Maybe while they’re at it, the FTC could require abortion clinics to advertise that they routinely kill humans.

Elsewhere in the bill, Warren and her fellow abortion cheerleaders refer to the purported use of “misleading statements” by CPCs. Non-profit CPCs that are found to include “misleading” information—as defined by leftists—will be fined up to $100,000 or “50 percent of the revenues earned by the ultimate parent entity” of the non-profit charity.

Warren and her collaborators are trying to transform the FTC into their much longed-for Ministry of Truth/Disinformation Board.

While Warren blathers on about “reproductive rights,” she says nothing about the right of humans in the womb merely to exist. After all, no woman has to raise a child she finds inconvenient or burdensome, or a child who interferes with a mother’s plans for living an authentic life, or a child whose life the mother believes is unworthy of life.

In the conflict between a woman’s “reproductive rights” and a living human’s right to continued existence, it should be obvious that the right to exist is a right of a higher moral order. In fact, it’s the right upon which all other rights depend.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your U.S. Representative and Illinois’ U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to urge them to vote against S. 4469, the SAD Act. Pro-life crisis pregnancy centers help women through stressful, emotional trials. They not only provide free spiritual/emotional/health care for women, but food, clothes and whatever help is needed. Some CPCs help women find jobs, child care, provide living arrangements and vehicles. They do that so that women don’t feel forced by circumstances or abortion cheerleaders to abort a baby.

Listen to this article read by Laurie:

https://staging.illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SEN-Warren-Wants-to-Ban-All-Crisis-Pregnancy-Centers.mp3

Ever since the unprecedented leak of an early draft of the Dobbs decision from the U.S. Supreme Court which may overturn Roe v. Wade, the “shock troops of tolerance” have been busy interrupting church services. And they have done much destruction of crisis pregnancy centers.

They claim to be “pro-choice,” but choice involves options. And these people want to make sure women make only one choice—the choice of abortion. When there’s only one choice, then “pro-choice” is an oxymoron.

Since May 2, when the draft decision was leaked, consider what has happened:

• There have been numerous disruptions of church services, usually Catholic ones. However, even Joel Osteen’s church service was interrupted by topless promoters of abortion.

• There have been illegal protests in front of the homes of conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justices to intimidate them to change their opinion.

• There have been at least 59 attacks on crisis pregnancy centers, which are all funded by private donations and which do the Lord’s work to provide loving alternatives to abortion.

Many of these attacks have been done through an ad hoc organization called “Jane’s Revenge.”

The name would imply revenge on behalf of “Jane Roe” from the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court pro-abortion decision, Roe v. Wade. Jane’s Revenge declares open season on crisis pregnancy centers across the nation:

“From here forward, any anti-choice group who closes their doors, and stops operating will no longer be a target. But until you do, it’s open season, and we know where your operations are. The infrastructure of the enslavers will not survive. We will never stop, back down, slow down, or retreat.”

A friend of mine works in a crisis pregnancy center. She told me in an email over the weekend: “I worked in the Emergency Dept as a RN for 25 years with police security, but I never dreamed that working at a pro-life clinic would be a high risk job!”

And this damage is being done in the name of Jane Roe? As the record shows, Jane Roe’s identity was revealed in 1987, and her name was Norma McCorvey. It turns out McCorvey had not been raped (as claimed in the case). She had gotten pregnant from her boyfriend, and she just wanted an abortion.

ACLU attorney Sarah Weddington lied to her as she assured McCorvey she could get an abortion, but what Weddington really wanted was McCorvey’s participation in what became Roe v. Wade.

Then in the late 1990s, something amazing happened. Norma McCorvey made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and came to oppose abortion. Thus, Roe came to agree with Wade. Henry Wade had been the District Attorney of Dallas County, and Roe v. Wade challenged Texas’s pro-life law.

Norma McCorvey wrote her story in her 1997 book, Won By Love (with co-author Gary Thomas). The subtitle of that book is “Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade Speaks Out for the Unborn as She Shares Her New Conviction for Life.”

And now, in the name of Jane Roe, anarchists and ANTIFA-types are carrying out acts of vandalism and damage of pregnancy centers that simply exist to provide loving alternatives to abortion.

One man who knew McCorvey, who died in 2017, is Father Frank Pavone, the president of Priests for Life. He even baptized her and spent time sharing Scriptures and Church teaching with her.

I asked him for a comment on the former “Jane Roe” since these groups are doing damage to try and disrupt pro-life work in her name. Father Pavone told me:

“As for Norma McCorvey, hers was a life of repentance, not of revenge. She wouldn’t have needed to take ‘revenge’ on pro-life people anyway, because she was one of us. She would have abhorred the way the pro-abortion people are acting now. In fact, she didn’t like them even when she was on their side. She thought they were arrogant and disrespectful of her.”

He adds,

“The abortion supporters were handed abortion-on-demand on a silver platter by Roe v. Wade. They didn’t have to engage in the laborious, tedious process of elections, lobbying, debating, persuading and lawmaking. Instead, a ‘constitutional right’ was just created for them.

Now that it is being taken away, they whine and stomp their feet like a child.”

Where is the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in all this? When is he going to act against this intimidation? Our nation’s founders said that the Creator has endowed us with “unalienable rights”—first among these is “the right to life.”

Father Pavone has the final word: “Of course, their attacks on our churches are because when we restrict abortion, they perceive it as an attack on theirs. The abortion clinics are their churches, abortion-on-demand is their dogma, and abortion itself is their sacrament. May they be given the grace of repentance.”

This article was originally published at JerryNewcombe.com.

In the past several weeks, we’ve seen a hard progressive push toward more radical legalizations to abortion.  The state of New York recently passed a law that would permit abortions up to the moments of birth.  There have been discussions to allow the ability to have an “abortion” even moments after birth.  (Process that with me for a moment).  As a Christian husband, father and a Pastor, I am terribly saddened, disgusted and broken over the moral DNA of our culture and most of our officials in Washington.

So, what are we to do?  How can we respond?

Here are 5 ways to properly respond to the Pro-Choice Movement:

Pray

In the book of Esther, we read how the Jewish people were on the verge of annihilation by a horrific plan by Haman.  Queen Esther had a plan to stop it, but before she did anything, she called for 3 days of prayer and fasting.  This is a not battle that could be won through the means of flesh and blood.  This is a spiritual battle and we need to put on our armor.  F.B. Meyer once said, “The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” Let’s be sure to pray!

Speak up and engage

Everyone has on opinion on the matter of Abortion.  However, there is only one opinion that truly matters and that is God’s.  He has called us to be the carriers of His message of truth.  Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” We need to speak up and engage in conversations with our friends, family and those around the water cooler and be a voice for the voiceless. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

Volunteer/Support Crisis-Pregnancy Centers

We are thankful for those who are on the frontlines in our community for the Pro-Life Movement.  Crisis pregnancy centers work to educate, love, and counsel pregnant women against having an abortion.  These are organizations that work with limited resources and depend on those who financially support and volunteer.  Let’s support those who are on the frontlines.

Vote

I don’t ever tell anyone who to vote for.  However, let me bring some commonsense here.  If you want to stop abortion, stop voting for those who are for abortion.  It’s that simple.  (The next election is April 2nd!)

Respond with the Gospel

Look at any study, and you will find that women with a history of abortion have higher rates of anxiety, depression, alcohol use, marijuana use, and suicidal behavior, compared to those who have not had an abortion. Despite what you see on social media, brokenness is wrapped around the one who has had an abortion.  And the best way to respond to that brokenness is with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 

No one is too dirty that Jesus can’t clean him. No one is too far for Jesus to save. Let’s choose to respond with the gospel of grace.  The Apostle Paul once said of the Gospel, “…for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

God is the author of life.  He values life and so should we.  Let’s choose to be His hands, feet and voice in our culture today.

Join us for the annual SpeakOut Illinois pro-life conference on Saturday, March 9th!

Many years ago, during a committee hearing in the Indiana legislature, a good friend of mine was testifying on an abortion issue. Jackie mentioned the many good things that Crisis Pregnancy Centers did for Hoosier women. After the hearing ended an agitated head of Planned Parenthood came to her and said, “They can’t do all those things for free, there must be something in it for them.” It seemed like a revealing comment showing the motivation of the abortion industry.

There are an estimated 2,750 pregnancy resource centers in America doing a whole lot for free. A new study finds that these pro-life centers did an estimated $161 million in free services last year alone. These organizations consulted with 883,700 people in need. They administered 679,600 pregnancy tests and 400,100 ultrasound screenings. They taught 295,900 people in parenting and prenatal classes. They helped 24,100 women struggling after an abortion. They also reached over 1 million young people with abstinence-based sex education classes or instruction. It is estimated that last year pregnancy centers directly touched 2 million people through their various services.

Not one of these centers 67,400 volunteers took a dime of government money. These services, buildings, classes and counseling all came through the donations of pro-life Americans. In fact, it is undeniable that in spite of a lot of hostility from many political circles, these pregnancy resource centers save taxpayers a mountain of money every year.

As you know, in places like California, some state legislators have tried to seriously harm these centers or to make them promote liberal ideologies in regard to abortion, sex education or homosexuality. One might wonder why a government agent would want to hamper good work being done on the basis of charity. First, there is an aggressive element in our society that wants to silence Christian values in every way possible.These are pro-life pregnancy centers heavily supported by churches and church members.

Second, there is an element in government that hates competition. They want the government to do everything, so they enact polices that crowd out private sector charities. For example, the recent growth of government daycare and preschool has certainly curtailed many church-based preschools, afterschool programs, or daycares that had offered these services for decades.

You can learn more about the good work found in this study, titled “A Half Century of Hope: A Legacy of Life and Love.”

This article was originally published by AFA of Indiana.

A federal judge has struck down a law adopted by the city of Baltimore regulating pro-life pregnancy resource centers. The ordinance required that crisis pregnancy centers post signs stating that they do not offer abortions or birth control services and do not have licensed medical professionals on staff.

U.S. District Judge Marvin Garbis ruled that the ordinance infringed on the freedom of speech of pregnancy resource centers and amounted to viewpoint discrimination.

“Whether a provider of pregnancy-related services is ‘pro-life’ or ‘pro-choice,’ it is for the provider — not the government — to decide when and how to discuss abortion and birth control methods,” Garbis wrote.

Matt Bowman, attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, says Judge Garbis made the right call. “This is a huge win for the health of women and a defeat for the profiteering abortion industry that passes laws like this in order to restrict women’s choices in obtaining free abortion alternatives.”

“In sharp contrast to the law-breaking abortion industry, pro-life pregnancy centers have a stellar record of integrity and their opponents can cite no examples of abuse or so-called ‘lying.’ To the abortion industry, saying that abortion is bad is defined as a lie.”

Bowman adds that there is a distinction between the Baltimore ordinance and pro-life informed consent laws. “Laws governing informed consent for abortion rightly regulate information given by a licensed doctor prior to an abortion. Laws against pro-life pregnancy centers attack private unlicensed citizen speech solely because they speak on the issue of pregnancy from the pro-life perspective.”

Under the provisions of the Baltimore ordinance, pregnancy resource centers who failed to comply would have been subject to fines of $200, plus $50 for each day of continuing noncompliance.

It was clear that the ordinance was targeted to harass pro-life pregnancy support centers. A proposed amendment to the bill that would have required abortion clinics to post a sign saying they do not provide abortion alternatives was soundly defeated.