Religion Today Daily Headlines - July 30, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - July 30, 2012

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

  • Chinese Woman Seeks Justice After Officials Force Abortion at 9 Months, Remove Uterus
  • Poll: Romney's Mormon Faith Not a Big Issue with Voters
  • Chicago Woman Dies After Botched Abortion
  • Grossmont College Continues Discriminatory Speech Policy

 

Chinese Woman Seeks Justice After Officials Force Abortion at 9 Months, Remove Uterus

Inspired by the public outcry over the recent forced abortion of a seven-month-pregnant Chinese woman, another woman came forward this month to share her horror story. According to the Christian Post, Zhang Wen Fang was nine months pregnant in May 2008 when family planning officials forced her to have an abortion -- and also removed her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and right ovary without her consent. Since the incident, Zhang has been confined to a wheelchair and suffers severe kidney malfunction. Her husband left her, and she also lost her once-successful trucking business. As recently as last month, she went to local authorities in hopes of an investigation, but was turned down and severely beaten by police. "I want justice," she said. "I would like to get help. I am forever handicapped. My other child is like an orphan, without much support; I am now dependent on my aging mother. I would like to see the perpetrators receive justice by law. I would like to ensure that no more families ever have to go through what I have been through, to be butchered by this." More than 13 million abortions are performed each year in China as a result of the country's strict enforcement of its one-child policy.

Poll: Romney's Mormon Faith Not a Big Issue with Voters

According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, Republican candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith may not matter in his race against President Barack Obama, CBN News reports. The survey found that 60 percent of registered voters know Romney is a Mormon, while 32 percent weren't sure. Most said they didn't relate to Mormonism, but white evangelical Protestants broadly back Romney for president despite misgivings about his religious background. As for Obama, about half of registered voters identify him as a Christian, while 17 percent say he is a Muslim, 3 percent say he adheres to another faith and 31 percent are unsure.

Chicago Woman Dies After Botched Abortion

Less than a week after the Obama administration pledged to continue funding Planned Parenthood, a woman died after having an abortion at one of the organization's facilities in Chicago, WORLD Magazine reports. Tonya Reaves, 24, was pronounced dead July 20 at Northwest Memorial Hospital just hours after undergoing a dilation and evacuation abortion at a local Planned Parenthood facility. The D&E method, which consists of opening the cervix and removing the child after it is dismembered, is used when a pregnancy has advanced beyond the first trimester. An autopsy revealed that Reaves died from hemorrhage after the abortion, and her death has been ruled an accident. Pro-life Christian activist organization Operation Rescue was the first to release a statement about the incident, calling for President Obama to halt federal funding and personal support for Planned Parenthood.

Grossmont College Continues Discriminatory Speech Policy

A community college in southern California agreed last week not to punish a student who was distributing Christian fliers on campus, but won't consider for at least six months revising a speech policy with double standards, WORLD News Service reports. Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District says free speech is limited on campus; students who want to promote events must apply for permission to distribute materials and make reservations for booths. In May, a Christian who had applied for permission to promote the National Day of Prayer was told she couldn't distribute fliers in front of the student center. Administrators then began formal disciplinary proceedings against her, even though non-Christian student groups had previously distributed fliers in the same place. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sent a letter to Grossmont, pointing out how its policy violated the First Amendment, prompting the school to back away from the disciplinary hearing.

Publication date: July 30, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - July 30, 2012