Saturday, October 22, 2011

Lifeissues Newsletter #548

Lifeissues.net: clear thinking about crucial issues

Dear Friends For Life,

"Fighting for Family Dinners: It's Good for Your Kids!" Chuck Olson in his October 19th article for BreakPoint writes that the dinner table is a place where we share not only food but also values with our children. He states "The dangers facing young people today are many: premarital sex, drug abuse, suicide, dropping out of school...and Family dinners are vital - not just for food but for bonding and learning." Statistics from Columbia University and National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health support this opinion. Chuck's article can be found at http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/18054. A must read for parents.

God Bless,
Jerry Novotny, OMI

(A Thought) Steve Jobs on having children: "It's 10,000 times better than anything I've ever done."
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For clear thinking about crucial issues, visit LifeIssues.net
(Due to volume of spam received, do not reply to this message but instead send all emails to jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp. Thank you!)


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Lifeissues.net Newsletter #548
October 23, 2011

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(TABLE OF CONTENTS):

1. Listen to My Heart Beat
2. Moving article: Notes From a Dragon Mom
3. Melanie Phillips exposes the "terminal spin of 'assisted dying'"
4. Cancer patient sacrifices her life so her baby could live
5. Abortionists Are Not Held Accountable for Mistakes
6. RU-486 and the Assault on Pregnant Women
7. RU-486: A Tool for Population Control
8. China: Woman Dies During Forced Abortion, Six Months Pregnant
9. Adult stem cells help kidney transplants
10. Porn numbs body's response to sexual pleasure: Psychology Today
11. Elderly patients condemned to early death by secret use of do not resuscitate orders
12. More teens using condoms, federal survey shows


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(HIV/AIDS): "Rights group calls on Thein Sein to 'halt military attacks on civilians throughout Burma'" -  Myanmar troops have attacked a Catholic church in Kachin state, beating the parish priest's assistant with a rifle butt, the religious rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said today in a statement from the UK. Later, sources told CSW, troops shot dead a 19-year-old man and, in a separate incident, a farmer.

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ITEM #1: Listen to My Heart Beat

There on the ultrasound, at just 4 weeks, was the rapid flutter of a tiny rudimentary heart! What a sight! And then, what a sound! I had always held pro-life views. Always known that a tiny growing child in the womb was a living human being.  But seeing and hearing Lucy's heart beat brought me to a deeper knowledge of the truth of her humanity. It was my sweetest encounter with Thomistic epistemology.

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ITEM #2: Moving article: Notes From a Dragon Mom

Comment: When it comes to abortion, most polls show support for abortion in cases of rape, incest and fetal defect. But, as this article shows, there is so much to be gained by loving a child whatever his or her condition or prognosis. The accompanying picture is just beautiful as is the writer's perspective. And, as I have said before, there is all the difference in the world between your child dying and your child being killed. -Nancy Valko, RN

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ITEM #3: The terminal spin of 'assisted dying'

Assisted dying may sound humane. But suppose hypothetically you saw someone about to hurl themselves off the cliffs at Beachy Head. What would be the natural and humane instinct of any decent person? Would it be to try desperately to prevent them from doing so? Or would it be to give them a helpful push over the edge? The latter would surely be abhorrent to any decent person.  Yet what is the moral difference between that scenario and helping someone drink chemicals that will kill them?

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ITEM #4: Embryonic cloning experiment blasted by ethicists, scientists

A recent experiment cloning human embryos for potential stem cell use did little to advance a medical breakthrough and violated human life, Catholic experts said in reaction to the news.

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ITEM #5: Abortionists Are Not Held Accountable for Mistakes

Abortion is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the United States, yet it is the least regulated. It is the only elective surgical procedure that I know of in which the doctor performing the procedure is not responsible for follow-up care, nor does he or she take an active role in dealing with the complications. Not only this, but the very nature of abortion clinics, which practice in isolation from the rest of the medical community, keeps the abortion provider free from accountability for these complications.

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ITEM #6: RU-486 and the Assault on Pregnant Women

RU-486, the abortion pill, is used to cause chemical abortions in early pregnancy. Since its controversial approval by the FDA in September of 2000, it can be prescribed to pregnant women of any age, even teenagers. Led by pro-abortion feminists in the 1990's, the fervent sales pitch for its approval called for a safe, effective, inexpensive and accessible abortifacient.

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ITEM #7 RU-486: A Tool for Population Control

Population control advocates insist that expanded access to abortion is essential to improving the status and health of women throughout the world. Pro-lifers, on the other hand, are obviously opposed to any effort to expand abortion access around the world.

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ITEM #8: China: Woman Dies During Forced Abortion, Six Months Pregnant

Women's Rights Without Frontiers and China Aid have obtained information that on October 12, 2011, a woman died during a forced abortion. She was six months pregnant. According to a report posted on fanfucn.com, Jihong Ma was seized by Family Planning Officials for a forced abortion, having violated the One Child Policy. Stressed, she was placed on oxygen....

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ITEM #9: Adult stem cells help kidney transplants

More than 70 uses of adult stem cells to treat diseases and medical conditions have been documented. In contrast, stem-cell research on human embryos, which involves killing a tiny human being, has produced no positive results.

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ITEM #10: Porn numbs body's response to sexual pleasure: Psychology Today

Men who have attempted to stop a pornography addiction report withdrawal symptoms such as temporary drop in libido, insomnia, irritability, panic, despair, concentration problems, and even flu-like symptoms. The article cites one recovered porn addict who lays down three facts that other addicts should be aware of: "1. This is 100% fixable; 2. It will likely be one of the most difficult things you've ever done; 3. If you ever want a normal sex life again, you kinda don't have another choice."

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ITEM #11: Elderly patients condemned to early death by secret use of do not resuscitate orders

Do not resuscitate orders are frequently being applied without the knowledge of the patient or their relatives. Spot checks of one hundred hospitals undertaken by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), earlier this year found that the orders were frequently issued without informing either patients or relatives. Under medical guidelines, the orders should only be issued after senior staff have discussed the matter with the patient's family.

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ITEM #12: More teens using condoms, federal survey shows

Comment: Note this quote: "But the pregnancy rate jumped about 3 percent and the birth rate increased by about 5 percent between 2005 and 2007, triggering widespread alarm and an intense debate over whether the emphasis on abstinence-until-marriage sex education or so-called "comprehensive" sex education that includes information about contraceptives was to blame." It's nice to see "so-called" applied to "comprehensive" sex ed.
   BTW, a young woman I know was suffering from terrible migraine headaches. After medication, food allergy problems, etc., it turned out that this was due to HORMONAL birth control. This is the second case I have seen in the last several years but I bet it happens a lot. I brought up NFP to this young woman but she is fearful. -Nancy Valko, RN

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YOU CAN CHANGE SOCIETY:

1. BE INFORMED: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Visit Lifeissues.net Website for insights into current Life Issues www.lifeissues.net. Access to all prior Newsletters is located in the Archives on main page.

2. PRAY DAILY: for the courage to be God's presence in society and to strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

3. BECOME INVOLVED: Several years ago Fr. Jerry created a project entitled, "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia". The project appeals for donations to help finance plane travel for lectures and seminars to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is centered on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Universities, Parishes, Hospitals and Family/Pro Life related groups. The lectures place emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Life Issues, Trends and Challenges".

For information about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group in Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp.

To become a supportive Missionary participant for this Asian project, kindly send your donations to:

** Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI

** LifeIssues.net, Editor

** Akebono-cho 1-15-9

** Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072

(or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824)

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Contact EDITOR:

Jerry Novotny, OMI

Akebono-cho 1-15-9

Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072

[tel/fax: 088-843-0406]

[email: jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp]

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