Legislator: Disabled kids are God's punishment
Oh looky what the Robertson minion goons believe now.
State Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas says disabled children are God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy.He made that statement Thursday at a press conference to oppose state funding for Planned Parenthood.
"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children," said Marshall, a Republican.
"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."
Marshall was among more than 20 people, mostly Christian pastors and clergy, who gathered for the press conference in the General Assembly Building.
They called on Virginia officials to eliminate state funding for Planned Parenthood because the organization provides abortions.
"We are gathered this afternoon to draw attention to the unethical, immoral and racist practices of the largest abortion provider in America," said Dean Nelson, executive director of the Network of Politically Active Christians.
Delegate Brenda Pogge, R-Williamsburg, has joined Marshall in co-sponsoring a budget amendment to eliminate state funding for Planned Parenthood.
"I think that the reason it's gone on so long is that most people don't have a clue what's being paid for by taxpayer dollars," Pogge said.
The press conference was held by a group called Virginia Christian Action. Its members presented a petition calling on Gov. Bob McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to stop funding for Planned Parenthood. All three top officials are Republican.
The petition was signed by a number of prominent Christian leaders, including the Rev. Jonathan Falwell of Lynchburg and the Rev. Pat Robertson of Virginia Beach.
McDonnell has publicly supported calls to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. His predecessor, Democrat Tim Kaine, supported funding for Planned Parenthood.
"Looking at it from a cultural, historical perspective, this organization should be called 'Planned Barrenhood' because they have nothing to do with families, they have nothing to do with responsibility," Marshall said.
Nelson suggested that the organization be called "Klan Parenthood," saying that the group's founder, Margaret Sanger, made racist comments in the 1930s and that the organization has shown a "willingness to take donations from people who are racist."
According to Marshall, Planned Parenthood receives "about $500,000 a year" from the state.
But Jessica Honke, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said the only state funding Planned Parenthood receives is from Medicaid reimbursements. That amount was about $35,000 in the 2009 fiscal year, according to the Department of Medical Assistance Services.
Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of gynecological and other health services, from cancer screening and HIV prevention to birth control for low-income women. Honke pointed out that abortions represent a minority of the group's services.
Full article: http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100222/NEWS01/2220318
Wow what a ridiculous thing to claim "disabled children are God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy" really stupid!
I know I'm an oddity around here. I'm a pro-life, ultraconservative Christian. I have not researched this issue, but I do know that abortion has significant long term effects of the body of the woman. That said, the God I serve is a God of mercy who would much rather forgive than punish. My bible says that all sins are equal. The story of the woman brought to Jesus after being caught in the act of adultery comes to mind. He looks around and says for the ones who have never sinned to start the stoning. Everyone left but Jesus and the woman. He was the only one without sin, and he told her he forgave her and to not sin anymore.
I have no idea who this guy things he is, judgement does not belong to him. Sorry for the religious post, but people like this make people like me look bad. He could have said most of what he said without playing God. I'm not condoning sin, but true Christianity is more about love and compassion then condemnation.
I dunno I think God has his own way of punishing us for not living the life we should... for instance: have sex before marriage= STD's or AIDS, drink and do drugs= feel like hell the next day, even as far as eat animals from cruel factory farming= die from many new types of diseases that weren't a problem that long ago...
I agree that what these "Christians" are saying is really stupid... And yes having an abortion will probably kill you both psychically and mentally forever... I think God has his way of showing us what is right and wrong
That is true. Actions have consequences. I don't have a problem with what he said as much as the way he said it. The last thing we need to do is further alienate and harm a woman who is already struggling with a disabled child or a decision that she may regret. I see my job as a Christian as reaching out to the lost and hurting and not pushing them further down. Actions do have consequences, but let's stop playing the blame game.
I'm speechless!!
I've never had an abortion and I have 2 autistic kids. I hate it when guys like that make claims that have no basis in the bible. It makes us all look bad.
WOW what an a-hole!....
So, my friend who had an abortion at 14, and is now happily married with 3 healthy happy kids and a deeply satisfying life... Jehovah just not paying attention, ya think? Or what about other wonderful moms like GFVegmom, who devote their whole hearts to caring for children with disabilities, giving more of themselves to that duty than most people can even imagine, day in and day out every day of their lives -- and have NO history of even CONSIDERING an abortion? What about my other friend who's son has Down's -- he was her first pregnancy; she was high-risk, had an amnio, KNEW he had Down's, and chose to have her sweet boy regardless of any difficulties...
I guess (like so many things in this type of aggressive 'i'm right/ everyone else is wrong/ agree with me on everything or go straight to hell'' blind-faith religions), you justify this kind of crap by simply discounting everything that doesn't support what you've arbitrarily decided to believe. I have no problem with anyone of any faith, whose religion helps them be a kind person... but I think there's clearly some religious psychosis going on in this case! If I were someone who claimed/ was invested in Christianity, I'd be doing everything possible to get this guy fired/ censured/ out of office: he's definitely not doing the religion any favors!
This guy is clearly not fit to be in any kind of respected public position... And he's a great illustration of why religious groups should never be in charge of women's reproductive rights. What a load of hooey! If he weren't so clearly an malicious and ignorant ass, I'd almost feel embarrassed for him... what a stupid series of things to say!
What a dumbass.
I could go on and on, but most of what I think has already been posted.
I would like to second this sentiment: If you are the parent of a special needs child, you are amazing. I'm sure being a parent is hard enough without the additional challenges.
I almost feel it is below me to even respond to this....the ignorance is just too much.....
First off children with disablities are not punishment to anyone, they are children first, darling, beautiful children, period. seriously! This kind of stuff makes me foam at the mouth.
Second, I am Pro-choice, AND Pro-baby.....I hope many women who find themselves pregnant have the resources and support to have their babies. Babies are beautiful and even though my child was not planned, I will never regret for an instant having her. However I had a good job, a stable relationship with the father, and lots of support from family and friends.....Many women do not have that. That being said, forcing women into having children by laws, or promises of their eternal damnation does nothing to help pregnant women prepare for having a baby. Interestingly it is typically the same pro-life conservatives who are trying to decrease spending in the type of programs that help women in polverty, or try to send them to school, or give them birth control so they do not continue to have "unwanted" children. You can put as many signs in your yard, or protest as many clinics , or pray all you want, but until you are actually helping the situation, you are part of the problem.
Lastly, there are no scientific claims here. Having an abortion does not cause your next child to be born with disabilities, but using drugs, drinking or smoking throughout your pregnancy, and having a lack of access to prenatal healthcare sure does. If people really want to help healthy babies be born, lets tackle those issues, and leave the ignorance to others.
This guy needs a reality check! Obviously, either he knows few or no facts about the subject, given that his information about the funding of PP was extremely fallous, or he simply doesn't care who his lies affect, which is more than likely the case. As the healthy <unabortioned> mother of two healthy special needs children, I would love to see that jackass try and do my job for a day! How dare anyone claim that ANY innocent, beautiful, special child is a punishment from any god, no matter what your religion? It never ceases to amaze me how WE (as voting citizens) manage to put these people into office to begin with. I'm Buddhist, but I will be consulting a bible on this issue, and posting direct verbatim quotes from it. I have faith that I will not find ANYTHING supporting his horribly evil opinion. This man is a shame to the Christian community. >:(
I don't even know what to say!!! I agree with Ibarte. This makes people like me look bad. Only God knows why things happen the way they happen not man. This Legislator and those 'Christians' who support his remarks need to take some time to get there facts straight. God is a God of mercy and love not of condemnation. He loves the sinner but, hates the sin. To clarify In the Old Testament it says the first born MALE that opens the womb is to be consecrated to God. Not every first born. This just makes me want to cry. The words of misinformed 'Christians' have hurt the rest of us for such a long time. The God this legislator is representing is not the God that I know.
I'd just like to add that thinking it should be called "Klanned Parenthood" because of Margaret Sanger is stupid. She supported eugenics programs, but not based on race. She wanted to breed out the mentally inferior. And the poor.
I'm an atheist, but it was always my understanding that the Christian God was forgiving. Then all these people come out of the wall saying things like "if you make a mistake, God will punish you forever." They give Christians a bad name in the same way that 9/11 gave all Muslims a bad name.
This article kind of seems like something PETA would do: put out something they know will draw in a lot of WTF comments and thoughts. A lot of my friends have shared this on Facebook. The fact remains that the word is being spread that tax dollars are going to planned parenthood (who provide abortions). If pro-lifers aren't aware of this, they might start voting against PP funding, regardless of whether or not they agree with this man's statements.