This week on the Pro-Life World View, we bring you interesting articles discussing abortion, euthanasia, and in vitro fertilisation.
Ministry of Health Unveils Terms of Reference for End of Life Choice Act Review
Michelle Kaufman – Family Life International NZ
Input invited on End of Life Choice Act review
The New Zealand Government has published the date of the 3-year Review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019, the euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation which came into force on 7th November 2021.
An on-line public consultation will take place from 1 August 2024 to 26 September 2024. The results of the consultation will be collated by the Ministry of Health to form a report to the Minister of Health; and the Ministry of Health will also be writing its own report, reviewing the operation of the euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation which it is legally responsible for administering.
Michelle Kaufman, director of FLI, comments: “The Ministry of Health’s complete control of the review of the End of Life Choice Act, which it also administers, is clearly a profound concern. How will the Government go about monitoring fairly and objectively their success or otherwise in ensuring that no pressure was brought to bear on those who were assisted to commit suicide under the Act?”
Family Life International has commented previously on the bias of mainstream media reports pushing to extend the boundaries of euthanasia and to curtail the rights of conscientious objection by medical and health practitioners. FLI will be publishing a resource for supporters setting out key concerns about the Act, and raising questions about the 3-year Review process, which we hope will be of assistance to those providing feedback through the public consultation.
Reason Amid the Ruins
Michael Pakaluk – The Catholic Thing
See also:
Abortion and slavery
Hadley Arkes – The Catholic Thing
Has the U.S. Republican Party abandoned reason over abortion?
The Republican Party had long held that abortion ought to be illegal in all states and jurisdictions, making it a national / federal issue. The logic of this position emanated from Abraham Lincoln’s time; when viewed in light of the 14th Amendment to the Declaration of Independence, slavery ought not be allowed to be legal in some states, at the same time not legal in others. Thus, it had to be illegal in all. If true for slavery, then also true for abortion.
What has changed? Pragmatism a.k.a. political expediency! And thus, the Republican Party has formally abandoned this position when it comes to abortion. Does it really matter? The author of the linked article certainly thinks so, saying that this “realignment of the Right” may prove to become a replacement of the Right.
What happens politically and culturally in the US tends to influence what we do here in New Zealand, especially on such life and death issues as abortion.
The tyranny of in vitro fertilization
Sister Renée Mirkes – Catholic World Report
The tyranny of in vitro fertilisation
This article reflects on the deep concerns of Dr René Frydman – a man considered to be the “medical father” of IVF in France – over what he sees as the prevailing attitude of those now coming to fertility clinics: “we will obtain a baby by any means, at any cost.” Referencing Church teaching, Sister Renée Mirkes, the author of this article, links Dr Frydman’s concerns to the intrinsic immorality of IVF by carefully comparing and contrasting desires and moral outlook of couples who seek assistance to have a baby using NaPro (Natural Procreative Technology) with the desires of couples using IVF.
Sister Renée Mirkes shows how a couple using In Vitro Fertilisation make the very existence of an IVF-conceived child dependent on their desires; their will and power. It is a power of ownership over a product, manufactured “according to their own eugenic and developmental criteria” and therefore fundamentally inequitable.
Read on to see how Sister Renée Mirkes contrasts this with parents who “… recognize it was not they who “made” or “created” their baby; a Power beyond theirs—God—did …” and what a difference this makes.
Click the image for more information.
“When I was Anorexic I would have “chosen” assisted suicide
Alex Schedenberg – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
When I was Anorexic I would have “chosen” assisted suicide
Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, reports on a powerful article in Newsweek magazine about a dangerous new term; “terminal anorexia.” The label appeared two years ago in the Journal of Eating Disorders, in a paper describing the deaths of three patients.
Chelsea Roff who authored that article was herself hospitalized 19 years ago with severe anorexia. She notes that the three patients’ prognosis was described as “grim” and treatment “medically futile.” Read on to learn more, and what Chelsea Roff says about the introduction of this new term.
Alex Schadenberg’s article is a timely reminder of the creeping evil inherent in loose definitions, and a utilitarian view of human life and it is particularly relevant right now in New Zealand.
Earlier this week Michelle Kaufman, National Director of Family Life International, wrote an article about the End of Life Choice Act 2019 Review which includes a public consultation reportedly starting on 1st August and finishing on 26th September. It’s important to take part in the consultation. As Michelle says: “Have your say when the online portal is opened to the public. Your voice matters!”
The top 5 ways Kamala Harris is extreme on abortion
Susan B Anthony– Pro-Life America
How extreme is Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris on abortion?
There will be very few supporters of the pro-life cause who are not aware that Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris is even more extreme as a pro-abortion advocate than President Joe Biden. How extreme is she, and what is this aspirant to the Oval Office advocating?
Some of the indicators and questions addressed in this punchy article which summarises her views include for example:
- What limits (if any) on abortion does she support?
- What has been her voting record on abortion issues?
- What has her attitude toward pregnancy centres and pro-life supporters been?
Given the disturbing changes just made to the Republican platform on abortion (see the related summary), and Ms Harris’ horrible record, even more prayer and fasting is called for.
Thought Police: Protecting the People from Prayer
Todd Huizinga – The European Conservative
Thought Police: Protecting the People from Prayer
George Orwell’s powerful book 1984 introduced “thought police” as a dystopian idea, characteristic of a decaying society. This article convincingly tracks how, and why, our so-called democratic societies are embodying Orwell’s disturbing vision and seeking to condemn such things as silent prayer – particularly prayer in defence of innocent unborn lives. Human dignity is thus under attack.
“In their zeal to defend abortion at all costs, governments are beginning to criminalise silent thought. Their efforts must be resisted,” states the author.
Abortion is the starting point, with threats to Christian teaching, practice, and even prayer escalating and increasingly pervasive and invasive.
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