The annual U.S. National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is coming up on Jan. 24.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday was created in 1983, marking the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973.

With evidence that millions of abortions took place in those 10 years, the Christian Action Council Education and Ministries Fund, now known as Care Net, asked former President Ronald Reagan to create a special day to focus on the value of human life.

President Reagan declared an annual national commemoration on the third Sunday in January.

Since that time, many pro-life organizations and churches across the United States organize annual activities for this day. Some observe a Sanctity of Human Life Week for  seven days, proclaiming the value of all human life from conception to natural death.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v Wade created one of the biggest political controversies in American since the Civil Rights movement. Consequently, being “pro-life” or “pro-choice” has ignited political firestorms and election controversy for nearly 30 years.

One of the pro-choice movement’s main platforms is that women should not have to suffer through pregnancies due to rape, incest or any risk to their own survival.

However, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute’s research throughout the history of legalized abortion, rape and incest have accounted for only 1.5-2 percent of all abortions.

Regarding health of the mother, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has repeatedly stated that late-term abortion is one of the most dangerous ways to end a life-threatening pregnancy, and Caesarean delivery should be preferred.

Koop’s theory was backed up by more than 500 physicians in a letter to the Wall Street Journal (Partial Birth Abortion is Bad Medicine, Sept. 19, 1996; presented before U.S. Senate March 7, 2003).

Will taxpayer-funded abortion be in the new U. S. Congress’ Health Care Bill?
The National Right to Life organization has sent letters to both the House and Senate itemizing problems with the recent draft of the healthcare bill as last seen.

One of the main issues is the absence of a clear definition between “private” and “public” funding in the wording so far.

A final health care bill has not yet been revealed to the American people. It remains to be seen if the language will shut out or nullify the Stupak-Pitts Amendment or similar bills attempting to prevent taxpayer-funded abortion.

A January  Rasmussen Poll shows 53 percent of American people surveyed are against putting taxpayer-funded abortion coverage into any health care plan.

For distribution materials regarding Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, go to SOHLS here.

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Citizens in Maine voted against legalization of gay marriage.

Poll voters in Maine officially overturned on Tuesday the gay marriage legalization act proposed and signed by Democratic Gov. John Baldacci.

With a 53-47 percent margin, Maine became the first state in history to reverse gay marriage legislation via the ballot system.

Interestingly, Maine is also the first northeastern state to consider legalizing gay marriage in the first place.

The defeat of the act has been termed “a harsh blow” to “the gay marriage drive” by the Associated Press, as well as a substantial obstacle to homosexual activists nationwide, many of whom were convinced they would win in Maine as they did in California.

According to a recent survey by Gallup, Maine is by far one of the most liberal and least religious states in the nation.

The vast majority of supporters had remained optimistic leading up the moment of the vote.

For months, gay marriage activists had poured time, energy and funds into a $4 million campaign backed and supported by leading politicians and several local and national newspapers.

The Stand for Marriage Maine Campaign sought to overcome the proposed legislation by “warning voters [and conservative parents] that if Question 1 lost, ‘gay marriage’ would be taught as normative in public schools,” according to the Baptist Press.

Stand for Marriage Maine ran six television commercials concerning the legislation, five of which included the theme of public school’s teaching of homosexuality.

No win for gay agenda in one of nation's most liberal and least religious states.

Bob Emrich, a spokesperson from Stand for Marriage Maine, told the Baptist Press, “This was going to have an impact on children – the way that children think, what children are taught.The people of Maine responded to that.”

This victory (or defeat, depending on how you see it) comes at a critical time in our nation, particularly after President Barack Obama’s early vow to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA as it is often abbreviated.

Signed into law on Sept. 21, 1996 by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the act states that “the federal government defines marriage as a legal union exclusively between one man and one woman.”

President Obama, however, has made it clear both in national speeches and in the White House website’s Civil Rights section that he is pro same-sex marriage.

He has also indicated that he believes homosexual couples should be granted all the legal rights currently enjoyed by monogamous couples, including the right to adopt.

Currently, five U.S. states have legalized gay marriage.

Boston-based G.L.A.D. (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) has stated it intends to see all six New England states legalize gay marriage by 2012.

Unfortunately, this most recent turn of events may prove a significant thorn in their side.

The majority of political analysts believe New Jersey and New York will be the next frontiers for the fight to legalize same-sex marriage.

May Christians across the nation rejoice in the defeat of the act, not out of contempt toward homosexuals, but in an effort to give God the glory and seek to love the gay community all the more.

In an age when marriage is steadily being redefined by the government, we as Christians must hold fast to our belief that marriage is indeed intended by God to be between one man and one woman.

Such a belief in a God of infinite love should continually spur us to reach out to those in need of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

A nationwide legalization of gay marriage will not only affect the gay community, but the very fabric of our society as a whole, our families, children, churches and our futures.

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(Christian Post) On Apr. 29 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act” which places “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” “real or perceived,” alongside of “race,” “national origin,” “gender,” and “disability” as benign conditions for which society should provide special protections in federal law. Those who oppose homosexual practice are, by analogy, implicitly identified in law as discriminatory bigots, akin to racists and misogynists.

–Maurice Williams, the Underground staff writer

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