Planned Parenthood Hires Chaplain to Add 'Spiritual' Element

[MrBug708]

(CNSNews.com) - Planned Parenthood, a frequent critic of the "religious right," has hired a chaplain to "articulate the spiritual dimensions of sexuality and reproduction."

The Rev. Ignacio Castuera, a Methodist, will fill the newly created post, from which he will "act as a public spokesperson to promote Planned Parenthood's mission and vision," the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) announced earlier this week.

"Reverend Castuera will bring to the PPFA family his wealth of experience in ministry, especially his efforts over the last 24 years to address sexuality issues. His expertise in offering spiritual insight and guidance to the reproductive health movement is invaluable," said Planned Parenthood President Gloria Feldt.

At a recent pro-abortion rally in Texas, Feldt reportedly said that Planned Parenthood created the chaplain position to counter the perception that most Christians oppose abortion.

The Rev. Dr. Ignacio Castuera currently serves as Senior Pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in the Watts community of Los Angeles. He holds degrees from Compton College; California State University, Long Beach; and a Doctor of Religion degree from the Claremont School of Theology, Planned Parenthood said.

Rev. Castuera is described as a "strong advocate for choice" and a "staunch supporter" of Planned Parenthood, who has participated in "clinic defense" and served on the PPFA board of directors. He has been a member of the PPFA Clergy Advisory Board since its inception in 1994.

Rev. Castuera is on record as saying that a fetus is not a child.

According to the Planned Parenthood press release, Castuera "will play a pivotal role in communicating the theological justification for choice, sexuality, and contraception to the Planned Parenthood community and the general public.

"He will also be available to provide advice to volunteer and staff leadership on moral and ethical issues around our mission. In addition, Dr. Castuera will work with affiliates to expand their relationships with religious leaders and organizations in their communities."

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

Doesn't this seem wrong on a few levels? :rolleyes:

[famatu]

The Rev. Ignacio Castuera, a Methodist, will fill the newly created post, from which he will "act as a public spokesperson to promote Planned Parenthood's mission and vision," the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) announced earlier this week.

So they realize that what they are doing is morally wrong and they try to make it "okay" by trumping up a holy man to say abortion is okay??? :confused: If people believe that, they DESERVE what they're going to get if they vote for Bush or Kerry!


At a recent pro-abortion rally in Texas, Feldt reportedly said that Planned Parenthood created the chaplain position to counter the perception that most Christians oppose abortion.


A "pro-abortion" rally? I understand there are people out there that get abortions for many reasons. I know most of those people that get them do not "feel good" about what they did. But they are actually having a rally to celebrate murder of unborn children? That is so sick, it makes me want to throw up on my keyboard!

And just because ONE corrupt man who is OBVIOUSLY not a man of God says he is not opposed to abortion, does that mean he speaks for ALL the Christians? Sorry folks, this is just more propaganda from the libs. Ask 100 Christians if they "support abortion" and I guarantee you 99 will say NO and one (like this idiot) will say yes - and that one is obviously the one is is not really a Christian!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hello. This is actually Honolulu_Blue's girlfriend posting; please forgive the intrusion. Since I am a guest here, I will try to avoid the rhetorical black hole issues of Christianity and abortion, but I did want to make one point that I hope will not be too controversial.


A "pro-abortion" rally? I understand there are people out there that get abortions for many reasons. I know most of those people that get them do not "feel good" about what they did. But they are actually having a rally to celebrate murder of unborn children? That is so sick, it makes me want to throw up on my keyboard!

Famatu,
"Pro-abortion rally" is a term employed by the author of the article. Nowhere is it attributed to the movement itself. That should be the first red flag. It would indeed be surprising if a group of people who support abortion rights labeled themselves or one of their events as "pro-abortion". People who support abortion rights see their arguments as being about women's choices over their own reproduction, and about reality rather than ideology. Much in the same way that people who are opposed to abortion see the issue being about life or death, and think "choice" has as much to do with it as it does in a murder. If I came across an article in the Village Voice talking about an "anti-choice" group, I would not assume that the people in question had chosen that name for themselves; and neither, presumably, would you, given the distaste you go on to express for "lib propaganda". Both "pro-abortion" and "anti-choice" are emotionally charged epithets lobbed back and forth in the abortion debate, deliberately designed to devalue the opponent's position by mislabelling it.

If you had taken 30 seconds to investigate the source of that article, as I did, you would have seen that it is from CNSnews.com. CNSnews.com, I went on to learn, is "a division of the Media Research Center", a self-proclaimed "conservative media watchdog group". It is hard for anyone to be objective about abortion (or about anything, for that matter) but I would hope that a depiction coming from a "watchbog group", be it liberal or conservative, would be taken with a few handfuls of salt.

I submit that the term "pro-abortion rally" has about as much value as "ministry of love" (or "anti-choice zealot"). I found a more objective news source describing this same rally as "crowd of abortion rights advocates" http://www.theeagle.com/community/022904plannedparenthood.php. The image of a rabid group of feminazis "celebrating the murder of unborn children" is irresponsible. It is naked conservative propadanda, designed to evoke a visceral response. So please save your bile (and your keyboard ;) )

Basically, the abortion debate, like many other hot-button issues (gay marriage, the Iraq war, religion in general) would be plenty divisive and ascerbic enough without unquestioning acceptance on each side of the caricatures of the other. Skepticism is invaluable.

Okay, I'm done. I have a few comments brewing about your idea of Christianity by concensus, but I will not post them unless you want me to.

Thanks for letting me visit.

-Lady H_B