A Call to Defend Life

Shared from my Facebook wall.

PLEASE READ AND SHARE!

January 15, 2014

Dear Friends,

Peace be with you!

Once again, we are called upon to fulfill our sacred duty to defend life, and the day and the place is the 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR) to be held at Philippine International Convention Center on January 21-24, 2014. Close to a hundred NGOs are participating in this conference, and on this day, we will hold a prayer rally and be seen and heard so that we may be voices of the unborn, the poor, and the weak, in the early morning of January 21, 8:00 am - 10:00 am.

We all know that Reproductive Health is a misnomer; it pays lip service to pregnant women, that they may remain healthy during their pregnancy, and neither does it promote good health. It is quite unfortunate that the only choice they give is a choice between what contraceptive or family planning method women want to avail of, where we should be empowering women through education, skills training, and job opportunities that lead to better choices in life.

The event is a three-day conference that will talk about the different aspects of Reproductive Health, and the anti-life camp has spared no expense in inviting foreign delegation to speak in this conference. Close to half of their topics include the youth and how to educate them using anti-life teachings and doctrines. Attached below is a list of topics and satellite sessions concerning the youth, which includes also a topic about abortion. More than mobilizing ourselves here and there, we also need to double our efforts to reach out to the young and teach them the beauty and sanctity of life.

It should also be noted that this year is the Year of the Laity, and this February we will be celebrating Pro-Life Month with the theme: Year of the Laity, Year of Life – Hand in Hand Towards a Pro-Life Nation. Our protest and prayer rally is the perfect time to manifest our pro-life zeal and fervor. Please be there and be counted! You may bring pro-life placards, posters, tarps, and t-shirts too.

May God bless us and all our efforts to defend the sacredness of life in all its stages! Mabuhay!

Sincerely,
Eric Manalang
President
Pro-Life Philippines

7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive

and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR)

Who are in the January 21-24 conference:

International Planned Parenthood - the number one abortion provider in the world.

Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights is a pro-abortion group. Check their website.

UNFPA - the architect of the one-child policy of China.

Catholics for Choice - a group based in the US who is pro-abortion and pro same-sex marriage.

Marie Stopes International - another pro-abortion group who has offices here in the Philippines.

Asia Safe Abortion Partnership - their name speaks for their advocacy

And many other Pro-RH and Pro-sexual rights groups which we believe are also pro-abortion.

Their program on the first day of the conference targets the youth. Our young people are in danger. Part of the program on Day 2 is post-abortion care. On Day 3, included in the program is women seeking safe abortion services. Part of the conference is a field trip to the following Sexual Health and Rights Centers. We may want to check for they could be providing abortions right under our noses:

Blue Star Birthing and Family Planning Clinic
Cattleya Well and Family Midwife Clinic
Family Planning Organization of the Philippines
Klinika Bernardo
Likhaan Clinic (Likhaan is a pro-abortion and pro-RH group)
Positive Action Foundation of the Philippines
Love Yourself Hub
San Dionisio Clinic.

Most important person in the conference is His Excellency, Benigno Simeon Aquino, President of the Republic of the Philippines. www.7apcrshrmanila.org

If you think that our families and values are in great danger, join pro-life groups that will hold a prayer rally at PICC in the early morning of January 21, Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. For more info call Pro-Life office at 7337027, 7349425 or txt us at 09192337783.

Please also read this related Pro-Life article entitled The Conference of Death.

Defend Life!

Key Facts About Homosexuality

This is from a forwarded e-mail by Bishop B. Pabillo. This post simply presents the facts you ought to know about the hot button topic of homosexuality as there is certainly a lot of confusion out there. It's basically SSA in a nutshell. Credit also goes to Primacy of Reason blog. 

1. Same-sex attraction is not the same as homosexual behavior.

1.1 Same-sex attraction (SSA) is usually not a choice, but a result of multiple factors.

1.2. Homosexual behavior - this is a choice, because 50% of people who performed homosexual actions before age 15 never did it again.

1.3. Homosexual self-identification - a choice of what to label oneself. (Source: Samesexattraction.org, FRC, Top Ten Myths )

2. Homosexuality is not genetic.

2.1 Researchers Bearman and Brückner of Columbia and Yale University found in 2002 that among male identical twins (who both have the same genetic code) only 6.7% are both gay, and only 5.3% among females. Compare this with 98% of identical twins who have the same eye color, showing that eye color is determined by genes, but not homosexuality.

2.2 Another study of 2000 shows only 11% of identical twins are gays. (Bailey et. al)

3. Same-sex attraction has multiple causes.

3.1. Sadness and loneliness due to father and child relationship characterized by abandonment, hostility or disinterest.

3.2. Weak masculine identity and loneliness due to lack of male peer acceptance due to inability to play team sports.

3.3. Mother perceived as domineering, overly demanding.

3.4. Sexually abused.

3.5. Traumatized by important males (for females).

3.6. Failure to identify and have friendships with same-sex peers.

3.7 Separation from parent during critical time of development.

3.8 Narcissism and profound selfishness

(Sources: Homosexuality and Hope, People can change self-survey)

4. Psychiatric disorders are far more common among people with same-sex attraction.

Recent research has shown that depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal ideas, & conduct disorder are prevalent among them. (HH)

5. Homosexual unions have negative implications:

5.1. Short-lived. Married people in the US stay together for an average of 9.8 years, cohabiting 1.7, gays 3.5, lesbians 2.2.

5.2. Health hazard. ‘Coupled’ homosexuals are more apt than ‘single’ gays to engage in highly risky, unsanitary sex, resulting in AIDS, hepatitis, etc. More than 50% of all new HIV infections occur in gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM).

5.3. Highest rate of domestic violence. In marriage, the average rate of domestic violence is less than 5% a year. Unmarried report 20% to 25%. Lesbians couples 48 -58%, and gays 29-39%.

5.4. Homosexuals make poor parents. 0.6% children with non-homosexual parents reported sex with their parents or stepparents. For children with gay parents, 50% of sons reported sex with their father and 18% of daughters reported sex with a stepmother. Children of gays scored lowest in math and language skills, were least popular. (Source: Family Research Council, Getting the Facts: Same-Sex Marriage; amFAR.on spread of AIDS)

6. Bible: Acts are “an abomination” (extremely disgusting and hateful), “dishonorable, unnatural”.

6.1. If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. ( Lev. 20:13) “Abomination” means an extremely disgusting and hateful thing. (Merriam-Webster)

6.2 God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural… men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. ( Romans 1:26-28)

6.3 Fornicators, adulterers, sodomites [homosexuals]...- none of these will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10)

7. Catholic Teaching: A disorder and a trial. Homosexual persons are accepted with compassion.

7.1 Homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They close the sexual act to the gift of life and do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.

7.2 This inclination constitutes a trial for most of those who have these tendencies. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Avoid any sign of unjust discrimination. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

7.3. Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. (CCC 2357-9)

8. Therapy: Resolving emotional pain through forgiveness and training in chastity

8.1. Healing of homosexual attractions and behavior: Key to recovery is admitting powerlessness, learning to forgive, and an intimate, loving friendship with Christ. “Only God's love is powerful enough to overcome the painful loneliness and sadness.” (http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/homosexuality/ho0011.html)

8.2. People Can Change. Strategies, stories of change and resources: (http://www.peoplecanchange.com)

8.3 The Battle for Normality: A Guide for (Self-) Therapy for Homosexuality ( http://www.jonahweb.org/sections.php?secId=238)

8.4 Forgiveness websites. There are many, e.g. http://theforgivenessproject.com & http://www.forgivenessweb.com

8.5 Chastity education internet resources. Jason Evert’s http://chastity.com/research/document-library; http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2011/12/chastity-education-internet-resources.html

8.6. Support groups: Courage Community. Find the local chapter at: http://www.couragerc.net/Chapter_Listings.html