Friday, April 20, 2012

Lifeissues Newsletter #572

Lifeissues.net: clear thinking about crucial issues

Dear Friends For Life,

I hope you all had a blessed Easter and are enjoying this beautiful weather. Spring has finally arrived here on the Japanese Islands. The Cherry blossoms were beautiful this year; however, the sad part is that the season is short - only two, three weeks long and the spring winds and rains made it even shorter. Today the sun is shinning but tonight heavy rains are predicted.

The good news today is Embryonic Stem Cell Research has been halted. Geron, the California company that was the first to get US Food and Drug Administration approval for human trials with cells derived from embryonic stem cells, has decided to shut down the trials. This means that one of the two companies experimenting on live human embryos has decided to withdraw from the field.

Also some good news for mom. Fetal Cells stay with Mom for life. A recent National Public Radio morning edition program featured scientist Robert Krulwich. In his report on fetal maternal microchimerism, he reports that there is increased evidence "when a woman has a baby, she gets not just a son or a daughter, but an army of protective cells—gifts from her children that will stay inside her and defend her for the rest of her life." So her teary farewell when her child goes to college and her admonition that "you will always be part of me" is turning out to be scientifically correct.

Thank you for all you do to protect life. May God bless you this Easter season, those close to you and the good work your involved in.

God Bless,
Jerry Novotny, OMI

(The Difference is LIFE) "When every benefit received is a right, there is no place for good manners, let alone for gratitude." - Theodore Dalrymple.
*---*(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!)

****************************************
Lifeissues.net Newsletter #572
April 22, 2011

****************************************

(TABLE OF CONTENTS):

1. New Study Shows Abstinence Education Effective
2. Remembering the Nazi euthanasia of the disabled
3. Heritage Keepers: Transparent and Accountable
4. Murder In The Womb: Protecting Girl Children In India
5. Study: Abstinence ed. works
6. India must prepare for surge in elderly population
7. Let Christians and Buddhists guide the young to respect and tolerance for other religions
8. Shocking Photo Shows Baby Forcibly Aborted in China at 9 Months
9. Chinese women are killing themselves at astronomical rates: is the one-child policy to blame?
10. Fatherhood: the other casualty in the abortion war
11. Embryo freezing 'deeply unethical'
12. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Artificial Reproductive Technologies (ART): Pandora's Box Now Opened

****************************************
(End-of-life care): "End-of-life care: Pain control carries risk of being called a killer" -  Three decades after hospice emerged as the standard of care for terminally ill patients, the end-of-life treatments that palliative medicine physicians provide are frequently referred to as murder, euthanasia and killing.

****************************************

ITEM #1: New Study Shows Abstinence Education Effective

Research published this week revealed more evidence that a Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) abstinence program is effective in delaying sexual onset. Four major conclusions are drawn from the article, entitled, Impact of the Choosing the Best Program in Communities Committed to Abstinence Education. The findings of this study are more realistic and relevant than the Jemmott study on abstinence, as well as most "comprehensive" sex ed. research since the study occurred in schools.

****************************************

ITEM #2: Remembering the Nazi euthanasia of the disabled

The Italian Parliament has declared January 27 a "day of remembrance" for victims of Nazi ideology. In the first place, this means the Shoah, the extermination of 6 million Jews. But thousands of disabled people were also killed between 1940 and 1941 until protests by locals and the Bishop of Münster, Clemens von Galen. This video is a timely reminder of how indifferent we can become to the lives of the disabled.

****************************************

ITEM #3: Those Laboratory Mice Were Children

At Fallujah hospital they cannot offer any statistics on children born with birth defects - there are just too many. Parents don't want to talk. "Families bury their newborn babies after they die without telling anyone," says hospital spokesman Nadim al-Hadidi. "It’s all too shameful for them."

****************************************

ITEM #4: Murder In The Womb: Protecting Girl Children In India

India's provisional 2011 census was declared a year ago, on 31st March in 2011. According to paper No 1 of the Census of 2011, India's population was 1210 million, 51.54% were male and 48.46% female. This means India's sex ratio has increased from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011 census. Population increased by 17.64% between 2001 and 2011 and it led to an annual growth rate of 1.64%.

****************************************

ITEM #5: Study: Abstinence ed. works

According to the study, ninth graders who completed the eight-lesson Sexual Risk Avoidance program were one-and-a-half times more likely to put off having sex. Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) says the message must be reinforced throughout teen years.

****************************************

ITEM #6: India must prepare for surge in elderly population

What is the state of India's elderly population? "The percentage of elderly is growing very very fast, especially in India, and in Southeast Asia also. The projections are that we will have between 12-13 percent of elderly as part of entire population by the year 2025, and that we're going to reach some 17 percent of the population being elderly by 2050. Now that is every fifth Indian being elderly, which is going to be a very different society as a whole which needs to be seriously taken into consideration."

****************************************

ITEM #7 Let Christians and Buddhists guide the young to respect and tolerance for other religions

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue releases a message for Vesakh, Buddhism's main celebration. Young people must be educated to be "responsible human beings" and "be ready to join hands with those of other religions to resolve conflicts and to promote friendship, justice, peace and authentic human development."

****************************************

ITEM #8: Shocking Photo Shows Baby Forcibly Aborted in China at 9 Months

The one-child policy in China is coming under fire again and this time because of a shocking image of a baby who was a victim of a forced abortion at nine months of pregnancy submerged in a bucket of blood and water.

****************************************

ITEM #9: Chinese women are killing themselves at astronomical rates: is the one-child policy to blame?

What is one thing that differentiates China from the rest of the world? The One Child Policy. Imagine a woman aborting her child because that child is female, and then imagine that woman having to live with the guilt of her decision. Imagine a woman who desperately wants her daughter, but has that daughter forcibly stripped from her womb. Imagine a Chinese girl growing up knowing that her parents wished she were a boy, because then she would have a greater value. Imagine young girls being kidnapped and sold as brides. This does not sound like preservation of the value and dignity of a female life. This sounds like hopelessness and despair. And China's female suicide rate proves it.

****************************************

ITEM #10: Fatherhood: the other casualty in the abortion war

In the national struggle over abortion rights, fatherhood has become an additional casualty. On the one hand, women cry for men to be fathers, to pay child support, to marry them, to share equally in the raising of children. But on the other hand, women call for the right to make their own decisions, to have the "freedom of choice," to have an abortion with no roadblocks.

****************************************

ITEM #11: Embryo freezing 'deeply unethical'

Anti-abortion NGO Gift of Life has reiterated its appeal for pro-life MPs to reject the "deeply unethical practice" of embryo freezing as part of IVF treatment. "Gift of Life rejects any proposal which includes any form of regular embryo freezing. The human person can never be considered to have less value and thus relegated to a level of a commodity and a means to an end," the organisation said, pointing out that freezing the female egg has now removed the need for freezing embryos.

****************************************

ITEM #12: In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Artificial Reproductive Technologies (ART): Pandora's Box Now Opened

Summary: Considerations of serious unethical consequences to individuals and societies from IVF/ART research and "infertility" facilities, including genetic engineering - especially in poorer countries.

*****************************


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)

------------------------------

Get a weekly dose of clear thinking: subscribe to our free Lifeissues newsletter! Sign up at www.LifeIssues.net. Pass this free service to your friends and various groups.

------------------------------

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]

["Due to volume of spam received, we're asking you not to reply to this message but instead send all correspondence to jerry@shirt.ocn.ne.jp. Thank you! Editor"]

------------------------------

Websites by Editor:

English LifeIssues Site: http://www.lifeissues.net,

Japanese LifeIssues Site: http://www.japan-lifeissues.net,

HIV/AIDS Site: http://capcha.org

OMI Japan/Korea Site: http://www.omijapankorea.net

------------------------------