by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

• Mommy Life sees something more behind the latest liberal disparagement of women who choose to stay home and raise children:
  

  I know a lot of us have been lukewarm to [GOP candidate Mitt] Romney, but what I’m seeing is that there is a spiritual battle taking place here that centers around the conflict between those who desire to put our families first and a government that seems completely out of touch with the fact that this is a worthy goal, a government that wants to encroach on the rights of parent and to humiliate women who don’t fall in with the party line.

• Live Action blasts Dr. Phil for promoting the “mercy killing” of the disabled. He featured the mother of two institutionalized adult disabled persons, who visits her children once every two months, and wants the right to kill them via lethal injection because she deems their quality of life to be substandard:
  “The most disturbing part of all? Dr. Phil offered a weak rebuttal to her argument, but he still went on calling this an act of mercy to her children. He then polled the audience to see how many of them agreed with this mother.

  Almost every single member of the audience did.

• Kansans for Life updates us on the petition to revoke the license of abortionist Ann Neuhaus, George Tiller’s supposedly impartial yet compensated “second opinion” for late term abortions:
  

  … [S]tate law required independent referrals to verify that [late-term] abortions were obtained only to prevent the death of, or irreversible and substantial injury to, the mother.

  All the 11 young women were in their sixth or seventh month of pregnancy when they met with Neuhaus at the Tiller facility. Neuhaus was never trained as a psychiatric consultant, and ended up utilizing an online “answer tree.”

  Evidence from the patient files repeatedly indicated such diagnoses were logged in and completed within 2 to 3 minutes.

• Accepting Abundance gives a great analogy of the jellybeans in a jar guessing game in comparison to the latest CDC information on lower birth rates among teens:
  

  The number of jellybeans are like the number of pregnancies among teens (or any group of women) in the U.S., and that is the only number that really matters as it relates to teen behavior unless abortion is an acceptable solution. We do not know whether teen pregnancy has declined or not because we do not know the number of pregnancies aborted during that same time. To toss out the number of births as if it were meaningful is akin to the child’s game scenario above – there’s an unknown amount more than is shown.

  The CDC does not require abortions to be reported and unless we know how many teen pregnancies were aborted, we don’t know the total number of teen pregnancies that were discovered.

• Euthanasia Prevention Coalition reports on the desperation of the Vermont Legislature, which, in an effort to save an assisted suicide bill, attempted to attach it to a bill regulating tanning beds.
• Abolitionist Society of OK takes on the question of supporting the death penalty while opposing abortion.
• Culture Campaign examines several articles following Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s signing of a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks gestation. Part of the reported hysteria surrounds the ability to abort preborn babies with disabilities.
• Down on the Pharm posts a video encouraging people of faith – and in particular, Catholics – to vote their values:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9vQt6IXXaM[/youtube]

[Photos via LifeNews and Accepting Abundance]

by LauraLoo

Hilarious!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhm7-LEBznk[/youtube]

Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.

[HT: Fran]

From OddityCentral.com, April 9:

The devotee scales the high walls of the religious shrine on a rope, a bucket dangling off his back. Once he is at the top (typically about 30ft high), he miraculously retrieves a baby from the bucket, handing it over to a bunch of men standing on the balcony.

One of these men takes hold of the baby’s hands and feet, holding the child as though it were a basket. He swings the kid back and forth in the air, exclaiming a chant in the praise of the Lord. And then, shockingly, the baby is dropped.

Baby dropping could be India’s most bizarre ritual. Screaming, wailing babies are dropped from several meters into the air, and there are a group of 14 to 15 men standing right below, holding a blanket that breaks the baby’s fall. Just as it bounces on the blanket once, it is caught by one of the men and handed over to the mother. Understandably, it takes several minutes before the baby recovers from the shock.

[I]t has apparently been in practice for the past 700 years by Hindu and Muslim Indians alike in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The ritual happens only once per year, and is believed to bring good luck to the baby, keeping it safe and healthy. It also ensures prosperity for the entire family. The ritual is generally meant for babies less than 2 years of age, and is so absurd that it seems to blatantly defy all reason and logic.

However, locals are pretty staunch in their belief and in spite of all the hue and cry raised by human rights activists, and even a ban on the ritual in 2011, this year’s ceremonies were carried out as usual. The most recent baby dropping event was held,  last week, at the Digameshwara temple in Nagrala village, Karnataka….

Although no child has been harmed so far, the practice seems extremely unsafe, since mistakes can happen at any moment.

Here’s the stomach-churning video…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbOsEmHzq1c[/youtube]

A couple points.

First, these people need Jesus. From first century Rome to 19th century Hawaii, and everywhere in between and beyond, the Good News has gratefully brought with it an end to dangerous rituals, infanticide, and human sacrifice.

Second, this is as close to Scott Klusendorf’s example of “trotting out the toddler”  as I want to get. As he writes, the “justification for abortion also works as a justification for killing toddlers or other humans.” Whatever reason abortion proponents may give to decry the baby tossing ritual  is a reason they would give to defend abortion.

Here’s one who doesn’t, a commenter at The Daily Mail. Note how this moral relativist throws similar mud against the wall in an attempt to squelch anti-baby tossers as others do to attempt to squelch pro-lifers…

A tradition thats gone on for years, dont get involved with your false concern…if your really concerned about childrens health then bin your huge 4x4s you drive them to school in poluting the planet and dont feed them mcdonalds becasue its easy…!

[HT: Randi]

I think that people have to understand that being for Rick Santorum does not necessarily mean you’re anti-Romney.

And against Barack Obama, it will not be very difficult at all for Mr. Romney to garner the support of… the evangelicals, unless he were to do something catastrophic, like pick a pro-choice running mate, which I don’t think he’s going to do.

~ Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, as quoted by Christianity Today, April 16

[Photo via Christianity Today]

Jon Erwin, co-writer/director of October Baby, and actor John Schneider, who had a starring role in the film, appeared together this weekend at the Catholic Pro-Life Committee’s annual Bishop’s Dinner in Dallas.

As you can tell by the picture, I got to briefly meet John, who was very nice.

I’ve been curious about Schneider’s thought processes these days. The former Dukes of Hazzard heartthrob has been making some interesting film choices of late, such as pro-life bookends, Doonby and October Baby; the soon-to-be-released pro-family film, Hardflip; and the sex trafficking film, Not Today.

What gives? Has Schneider had a conversion experience similar to Eduardo Verástegui, determining only to make films upholding family values?

Jon and John spoke to the capacity crowd of 2,000 by way of an informal on-stage interview, and fortunately JE asked JS those and many other insightful questions.

As backdrop, John has indeed purposed his career toward making faith-based entertainment. From Wikipedia:

Schneider became a born-again Christian while living with Johnny and June Carter Cash for a short time and speaking with Johnny about Christianity. In 1982, he co-founded, with Marie Osmond, the Children’s Miracle Network to help suffering children. In 1995, he founded FaithWorks Productions in order to produce family-oriented videos and recordings.

I had no idea. Here are highlights from Saturday night’s interview, which I audiotaped…

JS (to JE): You’ve changed the world as we know it. This man and his brother have made it okay in households across this great country of ours to have conversations that were heretofore taboo. I defy anyone regardless of what they believe not to be changed forever by this film….

Why’d he do it?

JE: The first obvious question is why would you want to be involved in October Baby? How do you want people to experience this movie?

JS:  I think as actors, filmmakers, and directors we have a very unusual opportunity. We can put forth a perspective on a notion – in this case a notion on abortion, a notion on life itself – and we can table it in such away that causes people to have conversations about it. October Baby is about a young girl who probably shouldn’t be [but] who is, and Doonby, oddly enough, is about a not so young guy who probably should be but isn’t. But because of the way those notions are tabled, we are able to make people reconsider thoughts and belief systems they’ve had.

I’m always open to someone putting forth a new perspective, a new idea, that challenges my intellect, that challenges my heart, what I thought I knew…. So I am hoping in a conversation on the way home that people who thought they believed a certain way will be a little more open – if not completely open – to rethinking what they thought they knew. I think that’s the best we can hope for – because it’s the truth, and truth will set you free.  You don’t need to beat somebody over the head with the truth hammer. You just need to put the truth out there and say, “Hey, take a look at it.”

JE: I got an email just two days ago from a girl who was experiencing a crisis pregnancy, and her friends took her to the film, and she chose life.  One girl had been to an abortion clinic three times and saw the movie and changed her mind and decided to keep her baby. There are post-abortive parents everywhere finding healing….

JS finds and reads a similar email he received on his iPhone.

JE: So two movies – Doonby and October Baby… and a film on human trafficking,  movies expressing the value of life. Why are you interested in these matters? Why did you say yes?

God is up to something

JS: I had an agent a long time ago who would say, “The wagons are circling.” And I didn’t realize these movies… [abortion] is in all of these films. I used to talk at churches and people would say, “It’s so cool what you’re doing for God.” And I said, “Look, God is up to something.” God is always up to something, and occasionally you may be aware that you are part of what He is doing. [Audience applause.]

In when I’ve been doing all these interviews for October Baby and these other movies and I’m realizing God is really, really up to something right now, and I’m here in this room and realizing how incredibly effective you folks have been and are going to continue to be. I realize more than ever that God is definitely up to something in this place. And when you’re part of something God is up to, there’s no stopping you. [Audience applause.]…

Granddaughter here because wife valued life

JS: I just had a grandbaby. The reason I had a grandbaby on January 11 is because a 15-yr-old girl named Elly Pepe – Elvira Louise Pepe – in 1978 or 79 decided not to have an abortion.  It’s not going where you think it’s going. This is my wife, and I found out after we had been married for a number of years that Elly… decided to give up her baby Mandy for adoption and not have an abortion. In 2011 Gianna Noelle King was born because of that decision a 15-yr-old girl in 1978. So God’s up to something.

JE: Have you ever worried about the risk? You live in Hollywood.

JS: I think if there is a risk then the rewards are worth it. [Audience applause.] As I said, if it’s the truth – if you believe its the truth – and you put it out there in an excellent manner – if October Baby was not a good film – it’s a wonderful film or nobody would be seeing it.  I’m not afraid…. If somebody doesn’t want to hire me because I believe a certain way, I don’t want to to work for that person. [Audience applause.

No such thing as bad publicity

JE: Does the attention October Baby is receiving surprise you?

JS: Yes, it does surprise me. [But] the real reason why it’s on the front page of the New York Times is because it’s making money. October Baby came out on 390 screens three weeks at a cost under $1 million to make. At the same time a movie called The Hunger Games comes out at a cost of $300 million – $300 million.  The coffee budget on The Hunger Games was more than… [audience erupts in laughter]. And yet this guy and his brother made a movie good enough that it came out in the top 10 against this colossal giant film. That is why people want to talk about it. I think that’s Biblical. It’s very clever. It’s very wise. October Baby has made it so people who disagree with what they say you said – they can’t help but talk about it because it’s phenomenal. Bully for you….

JE: You’ve been part of the iconic television industry shows, had an incredible career. Why take a risk on a Christian film? What do you think was going on? How does your faith play into that?

JS: Well, the wagons are circling. I was making a film with Shari Rigby, and she said you’ve got to go work with these guys. There’s something going on down there in Alabama… the strength of the script. I’d never heard the words “abortion survivor” together….

October Baby a film industry game changer

JE: Do you think God is up to something [in the film industry]?

JS:  The more business that films like October Baby do, the more likely there are to be more of them. You can’t fault Hollywood. i believe in the timeline in Christian cinema there is a big thumbtack right in the middle of where October Baby came out. I think October Baby is a good changer. So support films like that. It is so important that these movies do good business in the theater. It’s not okay to wait until they come out and buy them on dvd.  It’s okay to do both [audience laughs]. The only reason faith based movies get green lit, which means people with money behind them put them on film,  is based on what they do in the box office, really and truly. So until this little film that could, October Baby came out, Hollywood was not interested in faith based movies…. But you have to go see the movie in the theater…. You have the power to allow more films like October Baby to be made in the future. You have that by casting your vote at the box office. I hear people all the time say, “I can’t wait until this comes out on dvd.” That’s ok [to do] on The Hunger Games. It’s not okay for October Baby [audience laughs].

Message for pro-lifers

JE: Last question. there are a group of people here who care passionately about the value of life…. What message of encouragement do you want to share?

JS: Keep fighting. It’s worth it. Fight for what you believe in, and fight for it with everything you’ve got every day. People will respect your willingness to die for what you believe in. They can’t not respect that. Do that every day. The more everybody tells me I’m foolish or wrong for doing this the more it makes me stronger.

John closed by singing a couple of songs. He has a great voice. The first was from the movie Doonby, “I Ain’t Goin’ Anywhere”…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp3xHh-nsAU[/youtube]

by JivinJ, host of the blog, JivinJehoshaphat

• In Pennsylvania, a 14-year-old boy has been found guilty for killing his father’s fiancee and her unborn child when he was 11:
  

  Lawrence County Judge John Hodge found the now-14-year-old Jordan Brown delinquent, the juvenile court equivalent of a guilty verdict, in the deaths of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn child.

• In an attempt to attack Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, RH Reality Check’s Robin Marty ends up providing evidence for what pro-lifers have been saying about Planned Parenthood for years:
  

  There’s only one little problem with Heineman’s strategy. Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide prenatal care in any of its Nebraska clinics.

  So then Planned Parenthood in Nebraska doesn’t provide any services for pregnant women except abortion, correct?

• The New York Times has a piece by Susan Heath discussing her abortion in 1978. She fails to understand that her experience with abortion in 1978 would closely mirror someone’s experience in 2012 if they were both having abortions in New York. As usual, the actual abortion is completely glossed over. I found this bit interesting:
  

  Two years later, I’m driving upstate by myself. I look down and think that if I hadn’t had the abortion, there would be a baby seat next to me with a small child in it, resting comfortably, knowing it would always be safe because I was in charge. It might be a girl — I would have liked to have a daughter in the family mix.

  But I’m not grieving over the absence; I don’t have and never have had a single qualm about not bringing that child into the world. I know many women who have grieved greatly over the children they decided not to have, and I am thankful to have been spared that agonizing sadness of guilt and regret.

  This seems rather common among some pro-choice post-abortive women. They say they have no regrets but then mention thinking about what would have been, the child they would have had, etc.

• A man in the United Arab Emirates is on trial for allegedly attacking his pregnant girlfriend and forcing abortion pills on her:
  

  The cleaner told prosecutors that when she found out she was pregnant she asked the driver to marry her, but he refused. He then ordered her to abort the baby, and she refused.

  She said he then beat her all over her body with a wooden stick before leaving. When he returned he had some tablets which he ordered her to take. When she refused, he assaulted her again.

  Brandishing a knife, he then told her he would kill her before shoving six tablets down her throat and two others into her genitalia, which caused her to start bleeding.

[Photo by Cory Marchand, via outkube.com]

by LauraLoo

Famous”Bird Man” Jeb Corliss miraculously survives a quick crash and skip off  of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

Jeb will need a very long time to recover from all his devastating injuries before trying a stunt like that again.  But that’s what this crazy dude lives for. 

Long may you sail, Jeb!  

 [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFk6hxHIR0Q&feature=related[/youtube]

Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.

[HT: Kim Komando]

Got a quickie aborsh in case R v W gets overturned.

~ Comedienne Sarah Silverman, tweeting a hoax before-and-after abortion photo, as reported by The Daily Mail, April 13

[HT: Gateway Pundit]