Anti-abortion project aimed at Obama
“The Birmingham Letter Project,” an anti-abortion initiative, is to be launched in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21-24, 2009 — the week of the inauguration for president-elect Barack Obama.
The project by the Christian Defense Coalition, was announced today in a Christian Newswire news release.
The statement said the focus of the project will be “to mobilize a public, prayerful and prophetic witness for life to challenge the radical pro-abortion policies of President-elect Barack Obama.”
The project will use the principles taught by Martin Luther King in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and the teachings of Scripture to unleash and empower the pro-life community to publicly stand against the horrific violence of abortion, the statement said.
“Sadly, America has elected the most pro-abortion President in America history. It is clear that Mr. Obama will continue the tragic violence against our nation’s women and children which has resulted in over 50,000,000 abortions,” the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said in the prepared statement.
“We are taking to heart the admonition of Dr. King when he said from a Birmingham jail, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ and will passionately devote ourselves toward bringing this war on America’s children to an end.”
Mahoney said the project will bring anti-abortion advocates to Washingto as Obama is sworn in “to boldly stand as public and prophetic witness for life.
“As the pro- life community, we will not go silently into the night and allow the violence to continue. Instead, we are issuing this national call for the pro-life community to come to the streets of our nation’s capital and be a prayerful voice for those who have no voice.”
The project’s Web site is www.thebirminghamletterproject.com.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Faith leaders comment on Obama
Religious leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations are weighing in on the election of Sen. Barack Obama as the nation’s 44th president.
The National Council of Churches has responded today with a letter to the new president elect:
Dear Mr. President Elect,
Blessings on you, and congratulations. Now that the electorate has made its decision, we at the National Council of Churches urge all Americans to come together to uphold you with our hands, our hearts and our prayers.
Only rarely in our history has a president-elect faced immediate challenges of such fierce magnitude. The leaders of this Council pledge to you our unstinting support in the difficult days to come. All of us are dependent on God’s loving mercy, and we will regularly pray for you and others elected to high leadership. May your wisdom and discernment serve you well, and may your health never wane.
To read the complete letter, click here: Letter
The Rev. Billy Graham, who is nearing his 90th birthday on Friday, also has a statement, shared through a news release sent today:
“President Elect Barack Obama faces many challenges, and I urge everyone to join me in pledging our support and prayers as he begins the difficult task ahead.”
Meanwhile, The Associated Press is reporting that the Vatican said today that it hopes that Barack Obama will work to promote peace and justice in the world.
The Rev. Federico Lombardi, chief spokesman for the Vatican and for Pope Benedict XVI told The Associated Press that the Vatican hoped Obama would “work for the cause of rights and justice, finding suitable ways to promote peace in the world, fostering people’s development and dignity while respecting essential human and spiritual values.”
Other statements come from leaders that are not as conciliatory:
The Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, released the following statement regarding the Presidential election:
“Americans have made a grave mistake in electing Barack Obama to the presidency. He said during the campaign that he does not know when a human being starts to have human rights. How can one govern from that starting point of ignorance? Governing is about protecting human rights; to do it successfully, you have to know where they come from, and when they begin. The President-elect has already failed that test miserably.”I’ll post more comments and statements as they arrive.Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
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Quiz: Candidates’ faith beliefs
Folks who have already voted can go to Beliefnet.com and take the Web site’s exit poll.
Also, the Web site features an interesting quiz that allows you to test your knowledge of the presidential (and vice presidential) candidates’ faith beliefs and some of the news surrounding their religious views.
Take the quiz by clicking here: Quiz
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Dalai Lama giving up
The Dalai Lama has said he will stop talking to Chinese leaders about allowing autonomy in Tibet.
The Religion News Service recently reported that the exiled Tibetan leader made the statement from his home in Dharamsala, India.
“As far as I’m concerned I have given up,” the Dalai Lama, 73, told The Associated Press.
He said a new advocacy plan must now be created by Tibetans. For years, the Buddhist leader has urged China to create a ” diplomatic approach,” under which Tibet is ruled by China but has space to continue its ancient Buddhist culture, the RNS reports.
“There hasn’t been any positive response from the Chinese side,” the Dalai Lama said, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, several news outlets have reported that Tibetan-Chinese talks are planned in the near future. Tibetan Buddhists’ efforts to gain religious freedom under Chinese rule was highlighted during the the summer Olympics in China when several peaceful protests — some sparked online — occurred around the world.
According to the U.S. State Department, religious freedom in Tibet has been sharply curtailed since Communist Chinese forces invaded the country in 1950.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
