Sanctity of Human Life Sunday – Jan. 24

The annual U.S. National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is coming up on Jan. 24.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday was created in 1983, marking the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973.

With evidence that millions of abortions took place in those 10 years, the Christian Action Council Education and Ministries Fund, now known as Care Net, asked former President Ronald Reagan to create a special day to focus on the value of human life.

President Reagan declared an annual national commemoration on the third Sunday in January.

Since that time, many pro-life organizations and churches across the United States organize annual activities for this day. Some observe a Sanctity of Human Life Week for  seven days, proclaiming the value of all human life from conception to natural death.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v Wade created one of the biggest political controversies in American since the Civil Rights movement. Consequently, being “pro-life” or “pro-choice” has ignited political firestorms and election controversy for nearly 30 years.

One of the pro-choice movement’s main platforms is that women should not have to suffer through pregnancies due to rape, incest or any risk to their own survival.

However, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute’s research throughout the history of legalized abortion, rape and incest have accounted for only 1.5-2 percent of all abortions.

Regarding health of the mother, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has repeatedly stated that late-term abortion is one of the most dangerous ways to end a life-threatening pregnancy, and Caesarean delivery should be preferred.

Koop’s theory was backed up by more than 500 physicians in a letter to the Wall Street Journal (Partial Birth Abortion is Bad Medicine, Sept. 19, 1996; presented before U.S. Senate March 7, 2003).

Will taxpayer-funded abortion be in the new U. S. Congress’ Health Care Bill?
The National Right to Life organization has sent letters to both the House and Senate itemizing problems with the recent draft of the healthcare bill as last seen.

One of the main issues is the absence of a clear definition between “private” and “public” funding in the wording so far.

A final health care bill has not yet been revealed to the American people. It remains to be seen if the language will shut out or nullify the Stupak-Pitts Amendment or similar bills attempting to prevent taxpayer-funded abortion.

A January  Rasmussen Poll shows 53 percent of American people surveyed are against putting taxpayer-funded abortion coverage into any health care plan.

For distribution materials regarding Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, go to SOHLS here.