By Christy Barritt

Planned Parenthood Promotes 40 Days of Prayer 

An affiliate of Six Rivers Planned Parenthood in Eureka, California launched a campaign that outraged pro-lifers across the country.

The campaign, which took place from March 18 through April 27, was entitled 40 Days of Prayer: Supporting Women Everywhere, and it seemingly mimicked the profile campaign, 40 Days for Life.

The campaign’s brochure provided 40 different prayers for protection for pregnant women and clinicians working in abortion clinics, but mentioned no prayers for protecting the unborn.

A press release invited everyone to “set aside time with your family and community to support women and reproductive justice for 40 days.”

An example of one of the prayers provided is: “Today we pray for Christians everywhere to embrace the loving model of Jesus in the way he refused to shame women.”

Connecticut Abolishes Death Penalty 

Connecticut is the 17^th state in the nation to abolish the death penalty. 

The state’s Senate voted in favor of ending capital punishment, and Democratic Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed the bill into law in April.

Though the ban will be effective immediately, the 11 inmates currently on death row in the state will not be affected; their sentences will be carried out as planned.

The maximum punishment now will be life in prison without the possibility of release.

Majority of Ministers say Mormons Not Christians

A new survey by Lifeway Research shows that most ministers strongly feel that Mormons are not Christians.

The survey polled 1,000 American Protestant ministers and asked them to respond to the statement, “I personally consider Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) to be Christian.”

Seventy-five percent disagreed with the statement. Of those, 60 percent felt strongly that Mormons aren’t Christians, and 15 percent only somewhat disagreed. Eleven percent somewhat agreed, six percent strongly agreed, and nine percent did not know.

According to Pew Research Center, Mormons comprise 1.7 percent of the U.S. adult population. The religion has come to the public eye recently because of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s affiliation with the Mormon church.

Alabama Town Removes Bible Verse

The city of Sylvania, Alabama had to remove a Bible verse from four of the town’s welcome signs. 

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Madison, Wisconsin, sent the town a letter calling the verse’s presence unconstitutional. 

The printed verse is based on Ephesians 4:5 and reads, “One Lord, one Faith, and One Baptism.” After the letter from FFRF, the verse was painted over on each of the signs in fear of a costly legal battle. 

The verses were posted three and a half years ago, and, according to the town’s mayor, the city had received no prior complaints.

 Christy Barritt is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and speaker living in Chesapeake, Virginia. She and her husband Scott have two sons. 
www.christybarritt.com