Abortion giant Planned Parenthood has stepped into the pastoral counseling business: A letter sent by the organization’s Clergy Advocacy Board lets prospective clients know that God is fine with their decision to have an abortion.
Planned Parenthood’s “Pastoral Letter to Patients” states:
The decision to have an abortion is personal. Though your reasons may be complicated and private, you’re not alone. As religious leaders from a number of religious traditions, we’re here to support you in your decision.
Many people wrongly assume that all religious leaders disapprove of abortion. The truth is that abortion is not even mentioned in the Scriptures–Jewish or Christian–and there are clergy and people of faith from all denominations who support women making this complex decision.
The beliefs of each person are deserving of respect, and each person deserves care and compassion, [sic] No one should be allowed to force their faith teachings on anyone else.
“God loves you and is with you no matter what you decide,” the letter states.
The letter then invites women and young girls to contact their local Planned Parenthood health center for a referral to a clergyperson “who will be supportive of you and your decision.”
“Our hope for you is for peace in your heart,” the letter concludes.
According to Planned Parenthood’s Clergy Advocacy Board (CAB), its group of clergy members was launched in 1994 and “leads a national effort to increase public awareness of the theological and moral basis for advocating reproductive health and justice.”
“CAB members are dedicated pro-choice clergy from different denominations and communities throughout the U.S. who work with Planned Parenthood at the national and state levels to further the goal of full reproductive freedom for all women and men,” the CAB states.
In its “Statement of Beliefs,” the CAB says, “We believe that clergy have a special responsibility to bear witness in support of reproductive rights so that the public and their elected representatives may understand the theological and moral basis for reproductive rights.”
The statement continues, “We believe that both men and women have an inherent right to reproductive freedom, that this freedom includes the right to abortion, and that abortion is a complex moral and ethical issue that cannot be resolved by solutions that are simplistic or cruel.”
Members of the Planned Parenthood CAB include: Chairperson Rabbi Jon Adland (Reform Jewish); Vice Chair Rev. Susan Russell (Episcopal); Rev. David Ames (Episcopal); Rev. Tom Davis (United Church of Christ); Rev. Dr. Gawain de Leeuw (Episcopal); Rev. Kevin Jones (Baptist); Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter (Unitarian); Rev. Vincent Lachina (American Baptist); Rev. Jeremy Lopez, United Church of Christ; Rev. Janet Maykus (Christian Church DOC); Rev. Mark Pawlowski (Presbyterian); Rabbi Dennis Ross (Reform Jewish); Dr. Scott Sattler (Universal Sufism); Rabbi Peter Stein (Reform Jewish); and Ani Zonneveld (Muslims for Progressive Values).