By Scott Tibbs, May 18, 2015
Why is it important for Christian pro-life advocates to oppose and speak against the city council (and the county council) when it gives corporate welfare to Planned Parenthood each year? Are we wasting our time? Are we being productive when we speak and write and lobby local government to not fund the local abortion mill?
This June, the Bloomington City Council will consider funding Planned Parenthood again. The council has given PP a handout 14 of the last 16 years, and out of dozens of votes cast there have only been a total of seven "no" votes over that sixteen year span. Usually, the funding passes 8-1 or 9-0. The best year was 2002, when the funding passed the nine-member council with two dissenting votes. The other "no" votes were in 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011 - but those "no" votes were only one of eight or nine votes cast each of those years.
So why should we bother?
First and most importantly, we are to speak in defense of the unborn, and against the civil magistrate funding those who oppress them, because we are obedient to the God who made those babies in His image. When we obey our Savior, we do so because we are called to be faithful. We may be successful or we may not, but we are to be faithful regardless of the outcome.
By speaking against this welfare, we also educate the community. When we speak to the council, the meetings are broadcast on cable television and people can see the arguments made for and against the funding. Many people have no idea that city government funds the local abortion clinic each year, and (since it is more recent) even fewer realize that county government has joined in to hand Planned Parenthood even more welfare.
It is important that local government officials know that someone is watching them and they will be opposed when they make these votes. Who knows what minds will be changed? The Pharisee Saul had a miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus and became the Apostle Paul. If God can change Saul's heart, He certainly can change the hearts of the city council and call them to repentance.
We are the vessel, but God is sovereign.
