Yesterday it was announced the Susan G Komen charity would no longer provide funding to Planned Parenthood. Why? Because conservatives have said that they did not want their donations to Komen to be used to fund abortions. That is though stuff.
I am pro-life, and I don’t want to fund abortions, and I know women including myself who may have been surprised to realize that their money was potentially funding abortions.
On the other hand I am studying the book of James. And the book of James causes you to pause and think about ministering to the poor. Really, it implies we are to minister to the helpless, the oppressed, the hurting. Certainly an unborn baby would fall into this. However, what about the mom? or the people who work at Planned Parenthood? Does withdrawal of funds actually minister to them? I would guess that many of them are poor in spirit and they too need to be ministered too.
Perhaps a better example is Home Depot and the gay/lesbian agenda. Home Depot actively donates and supports gay rights movements. Believing that marriage should be between a man and woman alone, I could choose to boycott Home Depot. Assuming I got enough people to boycott Home Depot, perhaps they would stop funding the gay agenda. But, in the end, would this minister to a gay person? Would my boycott of them show them I love them? That I believe they are valuable?
James implies that religion is fundamentally about this:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:6-7
Is a boycott or removing funding providing clothing for the naked? Does it provide shelter for the wanderer? Is the homosexual or pro-choice person beyond having needs we should meet?
I don’t have the answers to these questions. What are your thoughts?
This line of thinking is the very reason I would never dream of picketing or marching in front of an abortion clinic. While I am 100% in the pro-life camp, I have seen a friend go through the gut wrenching decision of whether or not to get an abortion. Sadly, she chose the abortion but knowing her struggle, I would not want to be part of the Christian minority who chooses to make her feel guilty over her sin instead of showing her grace and mercy.
On another note, the SGK Foundation donates very little of the money they generate to breast cancer research. They are a horrible organization and really are just into branding themselves. If you’d like your money to count, donate to The Vera Bradley Foundation. They are amazing.
Thanks, Amarilys! Intriguing about SGK versus Vera Bradley. Now I’m curious to know more.
I love the book of James and the call to active faith that it brings {along with many other things about the words therein}, in meeting the needs of the world we must however, do so with wisdom. I for one agree with the foundation choosing to no longer fund Planned Parenthood because of the subsequent funding of abortions. I also agree with the boycotting of Home Depot {and before that Ford Motor Co. even though I have family that works there}, and here is why. As American consumers {Christian or Non} the biggest voice we have is in the power of our $$$. To quietly believe what God says in regards to human life and marriage, and yet continue to assist {by funding} ladies that are choosing abortion as their path, and to fund the promotion and celebrating of homosexuality and marriage outside of God’s definition then we are treading on dangerous ground. Yes, the people that work at Planned Parenthood, Home Depot, wherever do rely on the money they earn to feed families.
YES, each employee needs to know the unconditional love of Jesus and deserves respect as a human made in God’s image. We should never be demeaning or hateful in our interactions, but we must also be courageous enough to love each person enough to lead them to see for themselves the Truth of God. We have ample opportunities to show love in a practical way to the naked, the destitute, the world’s BILLIONS of people that live in poverty, but dishing our cash to places that fly in the face of God’s truth isn’t one of our wisest ways.
As an overly dramatic example: An estimated 27 Million women and girls are trapped right this minute in sex trafficking. Each of the people who are profiting from their abuse most likely have families that desperately need God’s loving touch. Do we minister to them {and the girls and women being abused} by allowing sex trafficking to continue? An extreme example, I know.
Love thought provoking posts!
“dishing our cash to places that fly in the face of God’s truth isn’t one of our wisest ways.” Yes. I agree with that. In no way do I want to fund murders. James is about social justice, and social justice is hardly allowing abuse to continue to minister to them. Great point!
Hi Jamie!
While I definitely agree that we do not do enough to reach out and minister to the hurting, pregnant single moms, homosexuals, etc. I think that there is a big difference between reaching out in love and “funding”. Especially on the issue of abortion.
It’s not a “need” (although I know in the midst of the political fog that has settled around all of us, some would disagree).
But I definitely agree that if we poured half of the time and energy that we do fighting and accusing, into reaching out, loving on, and offering support- the world would be a much better off for it:)
Thank you for approaching a tough topic with grace!
Love your comment! Thanks for stopping by!